Are you happy with what you have?

I guess I have to say I am pretty happy with what I have and that I had the ability buy what I liked and wanted. Of course there have been ones that got away. I have slowed down in my buying but at times I just say to myself after looking through a catalog "I GOTTA HAVE IT". But there have been ones that I just could not justify the cost and moved on............Paul

Nope. I was getting ready to build a headache (HO scale 19th century layout set in Colorado) in regards to operational woes (tiny trains with poor electrical contact), and faced the daunting task of needing to acquire skill sets I don't currently possess (the skills needed to create Colorado scenery and painting same on the backdrop).

After a LOT of time/effort/money spent, and after MUCH hand wringing and much discussion here and abroad, I faced the facts and went back to a theme that's been a dependable interest for me in model railroading for decades. (HO diesels.)

Soon I will need to start liquidating the HO 19th century stuff.

Andre

seaboardm2 posted:

But are you guys happy with what you got already?

Of course... 

That's not to say there aren't other things I might like to have, but as for what I already have?...absolutely.

Mark in Oregon

Hello guys and gals

I would say "YES" because all of my trains are PAID for, no credit card debt on any of them.  I will be purchase one last Railking steamer to complete my 4 train collection sets and this last steamer too will be paid for also.   Nothing is worth owing money on and if owed then makes person a slave to the lender.   We are staying out of debt as we don't want to be slaves to the lender.  I think trains are more fun when its paid for.

Tiffany

Yes.

My feelings about my trains are exactly the same as those stated by SeaboardM2.

Speaking of Seaboard:

Arnold

Very happy with what I have, my wife is truly a wonderful person! Happy with my trains too! LOL

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Yes.

My feelings about my trains are exactly the same as those stated by SeaboardM2.

Speaking of Seaboard:

Arnold

Nice switch locomotive.As a kid I got to see gp7 and gp9 pulling long freight trains.

More than happy with what I already have. I have been very lucky in so many respects and now just hope I can create a layout that will do all this wonderful product justice.

Also will need to "thin the herd" a bit because I'm really blessed with too much to actually make use of.

This is America.  It is ingrained in us not to be happy with what we have.  People came here as indentured servants willing to work for seven years then be freed to chase their dreams.  People grabbed up land in the Northwest Territory to get away from all the people on the east coast.  People walked to California for a chance to strike it rich.

That being said, yes and no.  I set a goal to acquire all of the F3's MTH made up through the year 2000.  For three years I have been looking for an early Pennsy five stripe AA.  I have never even seen one but I live in south Texas.  Probably not a lot here.  The rest of the AA's sit on my shelf with a hole waiting and waiting.

Tiffany posted:

Hello guys and gals

I would say "YES" because all of my trains are PAID for, no credit card debt on any of them.  I will be purchase one last Railking steamer to complete my 4 train collection sets and this last steamer too will be paid for also.   Nothing is worth owing money on and if owed then makes person a slave to the lender.   We are staying out of debt as we don't want to be slaves to the lender.  I think trains are more fun when its paid for.

Tiffany

That is good what I did was wait til after christmas.Big train stores like the red caboose or charles ro.Have to make room for new stuff coming in.So they have sales at half price.I got a kline mikado for about $200.00.Their price was around $400.00.

laming posted:

Nope. I was getting ready to build a headache (HO scale 19th century layout set in Colorado) in regards to operational woes (tiny trains with poor electrical contact), and faced the daunting task of needing to acquire skill sets I don't currently possess (the skills needed to create Colorado scenery and painting same on the backdrop).

After a LOT of time/effort/money spent, and after MUCH hand wringing and much discussion here and abroad, I faced the facts and went back to a theme that's been a dependable interest for me in model railroading for decades. (HO diesels.)

Soon I will need to start liquidating the HO 19th century stuff.

Andre

I used to be in h.o.But no matter what I did.I could not run a long train like I wanted to.One night of spinning my wheels.I had a headace so bad I saw spots before my eyes.That was the last straw for me.Looked into getting a lionel 736 and got one.There was an ad about a company called mth trains.It was also a berkshire an erie.So I got it I was very pleased with it pulling power.I got out of ho and never thought about looking back.Besides the bigger trains are  easy on my eyes.

 My collection is minuscule compared to some of the folks in here, but I am pretty happy with it. That is not to say I won’t add things. A big part of this for me is going to shows. I enjoy wandering around, looking at things that interest me. Many times, I will just pick up small stuff, like diecast cars, just to dress up my layout. I don’t have many locomotives, but I really like those I do have. 

 Guess if there is any part I am unhappy with, it is my lack of skills. I’d really love to learn to work on older trains myself, so I can add more interest to my hobby.

Allan Miller posted:

More than happy with what I already have. I have been very lucky in so many respects and now just hope I can create a layout that will do all this wonderful product justice.

Also will need to "thin the herd" a bit because I'm really blessed with too much to actually make use of.

 

What ever you do take your time.I rushed to build a layout and lets just say.You have to be careful about buying your lumber for your layout.I have to redo my layout.

Just like my favorite roadname....  i am 'Building America'...  always new frontiers...

Scrambler81 posted:

 My collection is minuscule compared to some of the folks in here, but I am pretty happy with it. That is not to say I won’t add things. A big part of this for me is going to shows. I enjoy wandering around, looking at things that interest me. Many times, I will just pick up small stuff, like diecast cars, just to dress up my layout. I don’t have many locomotives, but I really like those I do have. 

 Guess if there is any part I am unhappy with, it is my lack of skills. I’d really love to learn to work on older trains myself, so I can add more interest to my hobby.

You can add a locomotive here and one there.Its what you want that counts.

Strummer posted:

seaboardm2 posted:

But are you guys happy with what you got already?

Of course... 

That's not to say there aren't other things I might like to have, but as for what I already have?...absolutely.

Mark in Oregon

GOOD!!

Yes and would be just as happy if I didn't have some of it (mainly diesels).  I'm fortunate to have acquired several Williams/Samhongsa brass steam engines that have been excellent runners, plus several die-cast steam engines from MTH and Lionel that are just as good.

I would like to see more Seaboard (and ACL) stuff made, but chances are slim anyone will offer items that are correct for those RRs.

I would be hard pressed to not get this if a reasonably priced model was offered:

paul 2 posted:

I guess I have to say I am pretty happy with what I have and that I had the ability buy what I liked and wanted. Of course there have been ones that got away. I have slowed down in my buying but at times I just say to myself after looking through a catalog "I GOTTA HAVE IT". But there have been ones that I just could not justify the cost and moved on............Paul

I have let some get away to.A mth railking seaboard e6 for $180.00.I heem and hawwed to long.Came to the store one day they where gone.I really kicked my self for that one.

Bob Delbridge posted:

Yes and would be just as happy if I didn't have some of it (mainly diesels).  I'm fortunate to have acquired several Williams/Samhongsa brass steam engines that have been excellent runners, plus several die-cast steam engines from MTH and Lionel that are just as good.

I would like to see more Seaboard (and ACL) stuff made, but chances are slim anyone will offer items that are correct for those RRs.

I would be hard pressed to not get this if a reasonably priced model was offered:

I would love to have a williams gp9 painted for the SCL.When I was a kid there was 2 on the local train between monroe and charlotte n.c.Come to think of it.I saw a lot of acl boxcars and even wooden steel braced boxcars to.

Happy, yes.....satisfied....well, ....nope...ima locomotive junkie......I’m proud to admit it....and I refuse to be labeled a quitter....far worse things I could waste my money on....OHHH LOOK!....a locomotive......gotta run! ...............Pat

Great topic...thanks for starting it.  I would say generally.... yes.  I have a smaller yet nice layout that is close to being finished. It has sat dormant for several years but hanging out here with you great folks has rekindled my interest and given me ideas to tweak and upgrade some things. Although...gotta have more postwar steam...low prices now.

Fendermain

At age 76, I'm happy with everything I have. If I won the 100 million $ lottery, there is nothing that I would run out and buy. Wait...now that I think of it...I was looking for plain chocolate Turkey Hill ice cream this evening, and the Acme didn't have any. So I want that.

I'm happy with what I have and really don't see a need to purchase more. Only thing I would like is room to expand trackage.

I'm more then happy what i have in trains!!! I wish i had the room for a big layout.  

In my initial reentry to O-Gauge (1999) I began purchasing anything I liked. It wasn’t too long before I felt I was never able to satisfy my “wanter”. About 5 years ago I narrowed my focus to the year 1954 and roads L&N and NC&StL. Now I feel happy with all I have purchased. 

Hey Seaboard M2 a classic question!

Most definitely happy and feel privileged to own & run previously owned stuff from postwar period. Looks good, runs well, smells good, sounds good, oh yeah!

                           Desirability vs Contentment ?

at this point what defines desirable is the repeated happy feeling of contentment. Power up the postwar=HAPPY. Lol.

hey Arnold, look what I ran today!  Talk about same wavelength!

I just purchase stuff I run, because I didn't build any shelves by my layout. I also don't like leaving trains in boxes I don't run, so everything I buy is on my layout. Keeps the clutter down and keeps me sane. I never forget I own something because I don't have much to forget about (8 locomotives and 8 consists for them to pull). I'm happy with what I have because I narrowed everything to a specific set of railroads (AT&SF and SP) and a time frame (1948-1951). This year I was able to purchase 3 locomotives I've wanted for years so that kinda "finishes" my collection. 

The only things I really want to do are add DCS/TMCC/Legacy to the layout and then focus on details and scenes, something I feel I've neglected. 

I only buy stuff that will fit on my layout but I did build in an engine storage track that's empty. Just in case I ever decide to buy a Santa Fe "Blue Goose" Hudson, Santa Fe 3751 Northern, or Southern Pacific GS2/GS6 Northern in black. Gotta plan for the future. Once I get one of those 3 locomotives I'll be "done". But I won't be any happier. I'm happy with what I have. 

Looks good, runs well, smells good, sounds good.

btw: This also applies to women of the postwar period. Lol.

Allan Miller posted:

More than happy with what I already have. I have been very lucky in so many respects and now just hope I can create a layout that will do all this wonderful product justice.

Also will need to "thin the herd" a bit because I'm really blessed with too much to actually make use of.

 

Exactly how I feel Allan.

Lou N

I am very happy with my humble start.  A yard sale 1983 Toys R Us train set rekindled the fire.  Christmas came two days ago with a LC+ Southern 4501.   A 10x10  train addition will be added to my ham radio building next.  The boss wants the Bald Rock Mountain Railway out of the living room soon.

I am very happy with the trains I have and the layout I built. I was fortunate to have been in the market for products when they were not as expensive as today, and probably a lot more reliable. I still add a specific car or item that comes out, but on balance I was able to build the layout I wanted with the trains I wanted - I am very fortunate. I look at simple items like Floquil paint that is no longer available - I don't know what I would use today in it's place. I used it everywhere on the scenic items, etc. No Radio Shack to run to to get electrical wiring items. etc. Local hobby shops that are no more, that were handy and had lots of the items I needed. This not a lament, as much as a reflection of my good fortune at the time.

I'm happy with what I have, but i'm always adding, I don't have hardly any compare to some, and more than others, so no complaints here. If I see something and I feel it's in my price range, I will buy it. I'm not into the vision line or the real expensive ( to me ) Trains. I would love to have more steam, but happy with what I have. Most steam I like I feel out of my price range lol. 

Turtle 2.

nice photos of your empire.

Question: the flying saucer hovering above it, is that 172 or 148 th scale? 

Or, Is it classically unidentifiable?

I have an irresistible urge to place one (just one) above my Lionel Radar tower!

there are an number of them out there and on EBay too! Lol.

thanks for the  photos.

I’ll borrow from Pat’s (Harmonyards) comment above: happy - yes; satisfied - no.

As noted Pre-war collector Chuck Brasher said in a video years ago - “it’s what you can acquire; if you had it all sitting here, it wouldn’t be any fun.”

Curt

Leroof - It is a Lindberg plastic kit. There are still some around. It is a very old kit, but still interesting. Not sure of the scale, but it fits nicely with o gauge.

More specifically, I'm very happy with what I have, however, I believe I would be just as happy with a lot less.

I think what's nice is to have a little of this and a little of that. For me, this means a little Postwar, a little MTH, a little modern Lionel, etc. That way, the hobbyist can experience the good things each era and major manufacturer has to offer.

If I did the above, I might have had the resources to get a little of the very best available today, like one of something very special, like today's Vision Line Niagra or, going back in time, a 700 E. Doing this would take a lot of discipline, something I was woefully deficient of in the past.

For me, more time spent on designing, building and decorating the layout, connecting with other model railroaders like we do on this Forum and at Forum get-togethers, provides much more gratification than acquiring a lot of trains.

One's finances may impact one's opinion of the above. If someone has a large amount of discretionary income and assets, which I lack, then it is perfectly fine to have a massive amount of trains.

chessie1971 posted:

I'm more then happy what i have in trains!!! I wish i had the room for a big layout.  

Me too! 

100% happy. I have my dad's postwar O27 2-6-2 that he ran with pre-war tinplate cars and wore out as a kid. I have my grandfather's entire O27 postwar collection of 6 engines, 2 trolleys, a gang car, rolling stock, and accessories. One of my grandfather's is a Lionel 4-4-0 General that my mom gave him for Christmas in 1960.  I lost my mom to cancer in 2016 and my dad to pituitary tumors in 2017.  They made Lionel part of the family, and the trains always remind me of my mom, dad, and grandparents.

My parents LOVED the new, modern TMCC 1.0 engines I started acquiring around 2005 and often remarked how much my grandfather would enjoy the new technology. He was an electrical tech for the Cleveland Electric Illuminating company for 47 years, and I'm confident he'd be tinkering with circuit boards, ERR upgrades, and Legacy if he was still alive.

My dad started getting sick around 2008, but he was still able to help me build 2 layouts.

I have everything I need and then some. I've got all the major roads that ran through Cleveland. Other than maybe my Wabash GPs and Wabash rolling stock, every other piece will stay with me 'til the end.

I wish I had more space!

Being grateful for what you have is a significant key to happiness. And yes, I am both grateful and happy.