Why the huge fluctuation in participation here at the Model Railroad Forums?

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N

NP2626

Guest
I don't participate at the Coffee Shop either. On rare occasions I have lurked there; but, for some reason it just doesn't seem to interest me. I guess because I don't spend time there I have no idea of the dynamics of it and what goes on there; or, that so many people are attracted to it. I knew Elliot at the Model Railroader forum and we were friends. I also knew Jeffery (can't think of his handle right now; or, his last name) and I was friends with him. However, what the Coffee Shop has become has very little to do with either of these two fine gentlemen.
 

montanan

Whiskey Merchant
You may have a point Horseman. I am on the forum constantly when at work and read all of the different threads, but some of them I really can reply to or be of any help. DCC is one subject that I am a dummy in and I'll read the post, and a lot of the time giggle as still being a DC operator, things are a lot more simple. Other scales are hard to comment on also. I was in N scale back in the 70's, but due to the crappy running locomotives back then, moved to HO scale. N scalers really have so many choices today that weren't even a pipe dream in the 70's.

I will agree with Mark when it comes to modern locomotives. There's not a lot of difference looking at modern equipment for me. The all look fairly similar. I like th efirst and second generation diesels. EMD, Alco, Baldwin, Fairbanks Morse. They all had a different look. Sort of like the vehicles at the time. Today it's hard to tell one make of car from another, just like the locomotives.

I do get to do a bit of rail fanning when out on interstate 90 as the MRL/BNSF tracks pretty well parallel the interstate. BNSF locomotives are orange, MRL locomotives are blue. Like to keep it simple.

It is nice to see a few new members dropping by the Coffee Shop. It's nice to see new modelers visit the forum. Sure wish there was something like this when I was starting my layout. The school of hard knocks is hard, and can get expensive. If I can help someone new to the hobby, I will do what I can for them. Even though I have been in the hobby for a while, I also enjoy seeing the input from other modelers. You can teach an old dog new tricks.
 

NYC_George

Well-Known Member
The problem is MR has became to expensive. I bought 15 Walther's passenger cars 10 years ago for $19,50 a car. In 2018 the cheapest one is $44.00 some are $67.00. Who can afford to model the Twenty Century Limited in 2018. I went to the hobby shop last week to pick up a few scenery items. The bill came to $104.00 I said, could you recheck that. I play golf in the summer the yearly member ship with cart is $1,450. In the winter I do model railroading I spend about $700.00 a year on it. $2,150.00 a year isn't bad for a year's entertainment. So I'll keep posting projects until April.

George
 
N

NP2626

Guest
The problem is MR has became to expensive. I bought 15 Walther's passenger cars 10 years ago for $19,50 a car. In 2018 the cheapest one is $44.00 some are $67.00. Who can afford to model the Twenty Century Limited in 2018. I went to the hobby shop last week to pick up a few scenery items. The bill came to $104.00 I said, could you recheck that. I play golf in the summer the yearly member ship with cart is $1,450. In the winter I do model railroading I spend about $700.00 a year on it. $2,150.00 a year isn't bad for a year's entertainment. So I'll keep posting projects until April.

George

George, I agree with you, I think this hobby has taken a significant jump in it's price tag, over the last 10-15 years. This increase in cost is reinforced and pretty much mandated by those people who just seem so willing to pay the high price. $40.00 to $50.00 freight cars is insane!

But, I have to say, George, your post above is confusing! In one breath you say you spend about $700.00 on the hobby per year. In the next you say "$2,150.00 a year isn't bad for a year's entertainment". Personally, it's none of my business how much; or, little you spend on the hobby per year! However, I don't understand where the $2,150.00 figure comes from! It also sounds sort of like after April, your getting out of the hobby, because of the high prices! Maybe you want to clarify, maybe you don't. Good luck at any rate!
 
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Rico

BN Modeller
Can't imagine a kid with a paper route budget walking into a hobby shop and getting into trains.
Geez I even cringe when I look at the prices!
And what's up with amazon... up to four hundred dollars for an Athearn loco?!?
 

NYC_George

Well-Known Member
No Mark I'm not getting out of the hobby. I spend $1,450 on golf, $700 on trains a year = $2,150 which keeps me occupied. About 15 years ago I bought 6 tank cars I think it was $40.00 for the six pack. Like Rico said, now they want $40.00 a car. In the NH crossing gate video I posted the train was 55 cars long. I bought those cars years ago. Who can afford 55 cars at todays prices. I plan on going to the Big E this month I hope to find some good deals.

George
 

beiland

Well-Known Member
No Mark I'm not getting out of the hobby. I spend $1,450 on golf, $700 on trains a year = $2,150 which keeps me occupied. About 15 years ago I bought 6 tank cars I think it was $40.00 for the six pack. Like Rico said, now they want $40.00 a car. In the NH crossing gate video I posted the train was 55 cars long. I bought those cars years ago. Who can afford 55 cars at todays prices. I plan on going to the Big E this month I hope to find some good deals.

George

I'll have a BIG number of freight cars on sale at old prices as soon as I get my layout up and running, ....thus getting around to unpacking my cargo trailer full. I'm just going to hold onto the more expensive ones I've got.
Brian
 

Hawkesburytrain

Well-Known Member
Here we go again, "It's so expensive"

You people need to learn about inflation.
When you look at prices of things, they've all gone up (milk, gas, food, everything)
Some of you might be on a fix pension with no increase per year (annuity), so when the price of items go up and your salary doesn't, it hurts.
Remember you don't need to buy new, especially if you don't have the budget to do so.

Rico, I used to deliver the papers as a kid and would never of been able to buy trains at that time either, parents are the ones that did. Do you cringe to see kids with Iphones or game console or $200 running shoes?

This hobby industry is doing very well and people are buying.

George, ONLY $1,450 for golf and cart, GEE, the cheapest membership I've ever payed for here was $4,250 for golf only and it lasted 4-5 months (when I was living in Quebec). I decided to put that same amount on trains and quit golf, that way my hobby is year long.
 

montanan

Whiskey Merchant
I can see where someone getting into the hobby can get intimated by some of the prices that are out there for new wquipment. I am not a big fan of ebay, but do come across some good deals. With some help from someone who knows the hobby, a novice could get started with some less expensive locomotives and rolling stock and get a basic layout built without having to get a second mortgage or selling their first born.
 

beiland

Well-Known Member
Of course you could always join a Trump golf course and get cheap rates,....:confused::eek:
(I'm not a golfer, but I do get some really good golf jokes from friends,...that I then pass onto my brother and a few other golfers I know)
 

beiland

Well-Known Member
Best Software

I'm am presently participating on at least 3 model train forums, and this one utilizes the BEST software of all of them.

On 2 others you can't even make reference/link to an individual posting?? And on another they don't bother to tell you if someone relies to the topic you are participating in ?? These two little 'cliches' make quiet a difference.


(BTW, I have in the past participated on 4 boating forums that all utilize a better software program than those other 2 RR forums. I'm not a computer geek, just my observations as a user.)
 

GPwrangler

Active Member
Since I joined joined a few years back, I've moved twice, changed careers, and started back in school. I'm just now finally able to get back into the hobby at least a little. I'm also sharing the funding with keeping a track-day car ready to race. As if trains weren't expensive enough, cracking the block on the rallycross car has set me back a bit in both time and money.

As far as cost goes for train stuff, I have recently come across some great buy/sell groups on Facebook. I've come across some nice used items at great prices, and the ability to communicate directly with the seller is nice.

Don't worry Mark, we're still here. Even if I don't have anything to contribute it's good to look through and see what everyone else is up to. You'll be seeing a lot more from me once I have the space for a layout.
 

santafewillie

Same Ol' Buzzard
Lloyd - Thanks for chiming in on the expense aspect. I fully agree with you. I still get Accurail kits and Athearn RTR for about $16-$18 USD apiece. That's about 4x what I paid in the 70's. Gasoline at $2.20/gallon is 7x what I paid in the (early) 70's. Groceries I don't even want to calculate...how about that 10¢ bottle of Coke that returned 2¢ when you brought back the bottle? OK, that was the 60's, but still compare it to today's cost.

Iron Horseman - Really good points that you made yesterday regarding the Coffee Shop and the rest of the forum.
the coffee shop is keeping the board alive and killing it simultaneously
From a personal point of view, I was a member of this forum for five years before I started regularly posting over there. I didn't start over there until I retired and had more time. Since I don't do Facebook or Twitter or similar stuff, that is my social interaction on the net. Your comment regarding some topics over there would better serve the forum overall by being separate topics is, in retrospect, right on the mark. I am guilty to some extent, but it is easy to do.
I too agree that there are probably too many categories. A good example is "Showin' Off" and "Virtual Layout Tours"; both seem the same or similar to me. There's a few in the Project Room that could be consolidated in my opinion.

Mark/Lloyd - Don't rule out views when gauging interest in a topic, although some views are probably back and forth views from the same person while perusing that topic. I tend to wait for several days of reading posts before I consolidate comments in one post. I surmise by reading some others' posts that I am not alone.
OK, my .02¢. Fluctuations are just that, fluctuations.

Willie
 

NYC_George

Well-Known Member
Lloyd train car prices are way ahead of inflation. Your right about the $1,450 for yearly golf with cart. It's a great deal. I also play the horses which can get expensive if you don't win but I do pretty good.
I either do the golf, trains and horses or talk to my wife all day. What would you do?

George
 
N

NP2626

Guest
I am sure the biggest portion of the increased cost of things has nothing to do with inflation. It's a mindset change! Most of us no longer want to build anything. We want to pay someone else to do it and we are willing to pay $40-$50.00 for them to do it for us. When I started on my layout in 1988, I could buy Athearn or MDC Roundhouse kits from the hobby shop all day long for $4.00-$5.00. At five bucks, inflation has only pushed that price up to $10.18! So, it isn't inflation that has driven price up to where they are today!

I have strayed far enough from the original intent of this thread, which is: Why the huge fluctuation in participation here at the Model Railroad Forums? Although high prices certainly could be cutting down on the amount of people involved in the hobby.
 
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Hawkesburytrain

Well-Known Member
Mark - Inflation as lots to do with it, then there's the demand and offer for rarities , the details such as metal wheels instead of plastic (MDC Roundhouse as per stated in another forum) and also you are getting left overs (MDC). I checked EBay and found MDC's at $5 CDN. You need to compare apples with apples, the stuff they did in the 1980's don't compare to what's available today.

High prices is NOT cutting down on the amount of people in this hobby. Take a listen to this podcast, join Facebook groups, visit YouTube and if you can, visit Amherst in 2 weeks. If those don't interest you than sorry to say, but your opinion is not founded. I've given you plenty of example why I think this hobby is growing and you have given me none

http://traffic.libsyn.com/modelersli...dest-id=212884

George, what do you mean by "What would you do?"
I quit golfing because of torn ligaments in my wrist while playing in a tournament, went from high 70's to 110's, so it was no longer fun. Then took on poker as a hobby and did very well. One item on my bucket list was to play in the WSOP for Seniors and did just that. I then quit poker as I had no more goals to achieve and took up this hobby when I bought this house 3 years ago. When I started, I gave myself 10 years and then we shall see.

Sorry all, back to: Why the huge fluctuation in participation here at the Model Railroad Forums?
 
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Iron Horseman

Well-Known Member
I knew Elliot at the Model Railroader forum and we were friends.
Really! Wow. Elliot was a regular member of the first operating group I ever joined. We ran on the Southern Arizona & Douglas together for many years. The SAD and its owner have since gone the way of the dinosaurs. Last I heard of Elliot he was having health issues and that is why his participation on that forum on the other side of the tracks had slacked off. That has been many many years ago. We used to call him slot-car because of the speed ran the locomotives while working the yards.
 

Iron Horseman

Well-Known Member
Can't imagine a kid with a paper route budget walking into a hobby shop and getting into trains.
Child labor laws sort of wiped that source of income out a while back. but in concept I know what you mean. I do know all about inflation, the time value of money, and currency devaluation but despite promotions (six of them specifically, above and beyond cost of living adjustments) my salary has not increased nearly in proportion to the cost of model trains. Especially the last 10 years. Despite the increased value of the models due to better detail and performance, the prices seem out of whack somehow. When Walther's first came out with their new plastic cars I did a study and determine one of there RTR was equivalently priced to a Rivarossi that had been all fixed up. Both about $40. Now those same cars are $100!

Of course, I should talk, I just spent big bucks to order the new Lionel 2-8-2 to go with their new Scale Polar Express train I also ordered.

What I don't know is if any of this causes fluctuation in forum posts. I can see it causing a general downward trend of people to post, but that would not be a fluctuation.
 
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