In these time we are living in now will the higher cost of things affect the way you model or the amount of money you put into the hobby. For example would you buy a cheaper less detailed tree over a more detailed and more expensive one? Or would you strive for perfection no matter what the cost was.
Also would you spend less time and money on the hobby than you did before? Or would that time and money go more to different things like gas and work? I feel like the hobby can sometimes be a comfort in rough times.
I have always spent all the money I had and still will, though it may be less. I do have enough kits and projects to keep me busy for a year or so, so I probably won’t notice much change.
Not at all. My hobby spend has dropped incredibly these past couple of years. I am locomotived out and unless something really desirably comes along I’m not buying. I have not purchased a loco for 2 years. Most of my spend goes on structure kits. I have 11 1/2 unbuilt kits on the shelf right now, so I don’t plan on getting any more soon!
The hobby is unaffected. Purchases planned weeks or months in advance and paid upon delivery.
Trains are the very bottom of the budget. Occasionally they are passed over for something else more important to the house.
But I would estimate that the hobby has actually gotten bigger (Does that make sense?) these last few years.
There is one big change. No more pre-ordering motive power. They are either availible now or a suitable subsitute found. Some of the models are announced years ago and STILL not out. So… early bird gets worm I say.
My hobby cash flow has been running a surplus for years, so I don’t expect to see any financial curtailment of my hobby activities. Whether or not there will be a curtailment for other reasons will depend on such things as the ambient temperature in the layout space (currently excessive between 10AM and post-midnight) and other goings-on.
I assume, for argument’s sake, that there will be very little model railroading done during the Olympics…
The only change I see in my plans is LESS trips to the LHS for small stuff.
Will wait until I’m in town for several things at one time, since I live about 20 miles from the LHS.
I have so many kits and inventory of supply for building now, I see no other changes, have plenty to keep me busy for quite awhile before I really will need anything else.
I have found that searching for alternative ways to get things for the model RR can be fun and a good learning experience. Because you find a lot more things you can do to even improve the layout by haveing a smaller budget.
The economy (especially the high price of gasoline) has actually helped my model railroad hobby. I had been spending a lot of time doing railfanning and shooting video, but that requires a lot of driving and has been cut way back due to budgetary woes. Instead, I just went out and bought lumber for my benchwork (cheap) and will spend the next several weekends at home in the basement and not out on the roads. Jamie
The cost of fuel is not just effecting the economy but layoffs in major industries, outsourcing, etc. Can you imagine what is like for the “real” 1:1 railroads? A typical newer engine holds about 4,000 gallons of fuel. Let’s say they get a deal on the fuel. Instead of paying $5 per gallon like the typical consumer, they pay $4.50 per gallon (not sure of the cost). That means it would cost $18,000 to top off the tank on a SD70M. Can you imagine if the engine gets filled up 2x per week?!?!?!?
I saw some stats on diesel fuel consumption about a year ago. I recall that BNSF consumed the most fuel of all the railroads, and that they were second only to the US Navy in the volume of diesel fuel consumed for all organizations anywhere in the world.
My model railroading is not significantly affected by ups and downs of the economy.
Since I have a great relationship with my LHS, if there’s anything I need, I’m able to call them and have it mailed to me (a lot cheaper than driving there). If they don’t have it, I’m usually able to find it online.
Definately! I am shopping more carefully, comparing the ads in MR and getting quotes from all the E-mail order houses. I am even checking the difference between shipping costs, and whether or not there is sales tax! It all adds up when you have to choose between a gallon of gas or a steak for dinner, eh? Do you realize that even beer is now cheaper than gas? jc5729 John Colley, Port Townsend, WA
A previous poster mentioned the Walthers sale ads. I wanted a P2K BN GP38-2 (late phase) to go with a pair of the early phase units I got this past winter. W had a sale price of $45.98 (MSRP 124.98 - $79.00 off list, 63% off). Of course, by the time I could budget the $$ W is sold out. Well, I clicked on the link to which dealers it was last shipped to and found a small town WI dealer who got at least one this past month.
I went out on a limb and placed an “online” order with this dealer, not even knowing if he even still had the model in stock or would even honor the sale price if he did, considering the sold-out status of the Geep. I hit submit - which only sends me and the dealer an email “order” notifying him of my interest in concluding a transaction (no $$ changes hands, CC or otherwise) - and crossed my fingers. After a couple of days - and a follow-up email - with no response from the dealer I figured the opportunity wasn’t there and moved on, figuring it only cost me a few electrons in the end.
Well, over a week goes by and out-of-the-blue I get a phone call with "Yes, I have the model in stock - you can have it for the sale price plus shipping. [:D] Nice guy managing a small LHS and eager for a sale, even at the discounted price. I’m happy to see this unit coming my way and saved quite a bit of coin too. These days unless you can save a lot of bucks or really, truely need something you’ll likely pass, and for good reason. How many trains do we really need, anyway.
Very little…I stopped buying things I like but,didn’t have a real use for.Besides I have more then enough models to fill my needs but,I will continue to buy want I need and will continue to buy some new cars and a new locomotive from time to time and after all why should I deny myself some simple pleasures?
One thing I do is when I purchase a loco or a piece of rolling stock is I view the purchase as an investment. I have some cars that I am refraining from changing the way they were made from the factory so that I can resell them if need be in the future.