LGB track at a good price?

[modelbob]

I'm looking for a small quantity of LGB track, basically enough for the old "circle around the Christmas tree" arrangement.

Still, the track is expensive enough (and hard to find around here) that I'm considered buying it online. Anyone know of a good supplier with reasonable prices for the track and fair shipping rates?

[grove den]

Hello Bob,

May be is this what you are looking for?? It is not so much track I think...
http://cgi.ebay.nl/LGB-FANTASY-Start...QQcmdZViewItem
It is on the dutch- Ebay page look for the word: modeltreinen than click on: overige treinen( on the left) than you can see the LGB Fantasy set

Jos

[modelbob]

I already have the train. I'm just looking for the track itself. There is a shop here in Seattle, but they want over $6 per section w/ tax. I can get it online for around $4 per piece, for a saving of over $2 per section. Since I need about 20 pieces total it's $40 difference, or about 2/3 the price. That's enough to make me at least consider buying online. On the other hand, I do like to support the local hobby shops.

[grove den]

O.K.
Jos
BTW On Ebay I can see that they " sell " LGB curved tracksections (1100) for $12- $15,- ( 12 pieces) Most of them are from the USA....

[OldGettysk]

ModelBob I have a mess of Lionel track I bought that is used. Would you like for me to post a photo ?

[modelbob]

A lunchtime visit to the local hobby shop (Tacoma Trains for those of you in the Seattle/Tacoma area) solved the problem. His prices are more reasonable than the place I visited this weekend.

He sells the R1 curves and foot long straights for $4.99 per section, with a 10% discount per case. Adding sales tax pretty much cancels out the per case discount, and you're back to about $5 per section, out the door, in my hands today. Even if the online stuff ends up being about $4 per piece I spent maybe $20 more on the two boxes of track to support my local hobby shop. It was probably even less than that, depending on what the online places charge for shipping (and this stuff is heavy, I didn't realize just how heavy until he handed me the boxes.

Why spend more at the local hobby shop? A couple reasons.

The obvious one is the ability to get the stuff right now. This is a project for next weekend, so it's nice to know I'll have the track on hand. This time of year who knows how quickly the shipping would go, and if you spring for overnight or second day shipping, well there goes any money you might have saved.

As for supporting the local guy, I like the ability to go to his shop and look at what I'm buying. I stop by once a month or so and browse the HO rolling stock, and usually find something of interest.

He has a surprisingly good selection of the various bits and pieces of LGB track I'll need for the kidney bean shaped holiday layout I've got planned for around the tree. Being able to go back get that one extra piece of track I overlooked, if needed, is really nice. He also stocks rail joiners, connectors, that sort of stuff. He also has plenty of LGB rolling stock as well.

[Lady_Railfan]

So, Bob. Have you picked out a spot in the back yard where you can put the layout once the Christmas tree comes down?

[modelbob]

Originally Posted by Lady_Railfan

So, Bob. Have you picked out a spot in the back yard where you can put the layout once the Christmas tree comes down?

Sorry, LR, but it's not gonna happen, for several reaasons.

1) My backyard isn't fenced, and doing so would be very expensive. Without a fence, how long before this $5 per piece track wanders off? I live in a pretty decent neighborhood, but I still wouldn't risk it. Just about any garden railway I've been to is fenced in, and the large ones tend to have large dogs around to discourage unauthorized visitors.

2) During the summers I'm already working on a live steam outdoor railway. It has radio control (with voice command no less), very realistic scenery, and is quite authentic. Best of all, you and 200 of your closest friends can ride on it. You can see the "layout" at this website http://www.mrsr.com

3) Even if I suddenly had a fenced in area, the cost of the track and structures and rolling stock and, and... is just more than I want to spend. I also simply don't have the time to devote to a model railroad. For proof of that you need look no further than the "Plywood Pacific" which has sat virtually unchanged, in my garage for the last 15 years.

Since my summers are way too busy already, and I don't have a secure spot for a garden layout, there's none planned for the near future. Maybe someday...

[NZRMac]

Bob do you have a current HO layout we can see? Just interested to see what the boss gets up to?

Ken.

[modelbob]

Originally Posted by NZRMac

Bob do you have a current HO layout we can see? Just interested to see what the boss gets up to?

The "boss" (yeah, right) spends all of his spare time in one of two places.

1) RIGHT HERE, and at RailroadForums.com

2) At the Mt Rainier Scenic RR and Golden Pacific RR.

It doesn't leave much of any time for layout work. Building a nice model railroad means a significant investment in time, effort and money. I spend so much time and effort here there's none left for the models. In fact I often joke that this forum IS my model railroad, and in a way it is. More people see this place in a single day than would ever see some HO layout in my garage.

You can see a theoretical design here:
http://www.modelrailroadphotos.com/p....php?photo=278

About 2/3 of the benchwork is completed, some is going to get modified soon. (I overlooked a critical fact in building a layout in the garage... The floor has a significant slope to it.)

There is enough track in place to continous run around the permiter.

As for when it will be done... Don't hold your breath.