I'm a strong proponent of LionChief + (LC+) and LC+2.0.
I run LC+2.0 using the LionChief Universal Remote.
I don't care for plain LionChief because of the lack of detail.
I wish more LC+2.0 locomotives were available in the new Lionel catalogue.
@Arnold D. Cribari posted:I'm a strong proponent of LionChief + (LC+) and LC+2.0.
I run LC+2.0 using the LionChief Universal Remote.
I don't care for plain LionChief because of the lack of detail.
I wish more LC+2.0 locomotives were available in the new Lionel catalogue.
I like that LC2 is a nice mid-grad traditional product much like the old MTH Railking line. The price for new models is a sticking point for me though. As I said earlier I have more than plenty of stuff to run but if a great deal for a used LC2 engine in a scheme I like presents itself, there's a good chance it's coming home with me.
Mr. Chessiechick and I are just getting into the hobby in a more serious way, so we have LOTS of big buck items still to buy - materials for benchwork, track, switches, scenery, etc.
As far as the trains themselves, though, we have been pretty cheap so far. We already had a 2010ish Lionel steam starter set, and I have been gradually collecting scale rolling stock and one diesel (most of it manufactured a few decades ago) via fleabay and trainshows. We are operating conventionally for the indefinite future, hoping that the whole command control product mess will sort itself out eventually (ha!)
Mr. CC might like a big steam loco someday.
I have only 2 locos on my wish list:
1. A Strasburg steam engine. But I'm not ready to buy the $1,700 Lionel #90, and I don't like the cheaper alternatives, so that's on hold.
2. A Norfolk Southern engine like the ones we see ALL THE TIME in our neighborhood. I'd been watching for one online, but nothing excited me and even the used ones were more than I wanted to pay. I figured it would be a long wait.
AND THEN (cue the dramatic music)... Lionel released their new catalog this week! There it was, in all its glory, the Legacy Norfolk Southern SD40E!!! I couldn't believe it. I checked my photos from our neighborhood, I checked the online rosters, I even checked the railfan pictures. That really was it! The Holy Grail! Even Mr. CC liked it. And the preorder price was within our agreed upon loco budget!
The icing on the cake was that I have a milestone birthday coming up (pun intended), and I was able to choose a locomotive number made up of significant digits from said birthday. So it must have been fate. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! 
My pre-order is placed and now we have until (at least) 2Q 2024 to get Phase I of the layout built and operational. I am very excited! (Can you tell?!)
As others have said, it depends on how you define "big bucks." Anything over a grand is probably no dice, this decision made easier since with smaller layouts big expensive steamers and diesels don't have a place, so they're not a temptation. That said, I do have some larger units (nothing articulated or real huge, though - biggest a SP GS-4 and a couple big GE diesels) but will probably stop at that.
Like many others have said earlier, I too have more than I can run, and am thinning my trains out some now to make things more manageable. If something I really want comes along, though, I'll make room, although with the idea of getting rid of something to compensate. As far as keeping trains, even as age advances, if they continue to make me happy, I'll keep them!
@chessiechick posted:Mr. Chessiechick and I are just getting into the hobby in a more serious way, so we have LOTS of big buck items still to buy - materials for benchwork, track, switches, scenery, etc.
As far as the trains themselves, though, we have been pretty cheap so far. We already had a 2010ish Lionel steam starter set, and I have been gradually collecting scale rolling stock and one diesel (most of it manufactured a few decades ago) via fleabay and trainshows. We are operating conventionally for the indefinite future, hoping that the whole command control product mess will sort itself out eventually (ha!)
Mr. CC might like a big steam loco someday.
I have only 2 locos on my wish list:
1. A Strasburg steam engine. But I'm not ready to buy the $1,700 Lionel #90, and I don't like the cheaper alternatives, so that's on hold.
2. A Norfolk Southern engine like the ones we see ALL THE TIME in our neighborhood. I'd been watching for one online, but nothing excited me and even the used ones were more than I wanted to pay. I figured it would be a long wait.
AND THEN (cue the dramatic music)... Lionel released their new catalog this week! There it was, in all its glory, the Legacy Norfolk Southern SD40E!!! I couldn't believe it. I checked my photos from our neighborhood, I checked the online rosters, I even checked the railfan pictures. That really was it! The Holy Grail! Even Mr. CC liked it. And the preorder price was within our agreed upon loco budget!
The icing on the cake was that I have a milestone birthday coming up (pun intended), and I was able to choose a road number made up of significant digits from said birthday. So it must have been fate. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
My pre-order is placed and now we have until (at least) 2Q 2024 to get Phase I of the layout built and operational. I am very excited! (Can you tell?!)
CC and Mr. CC, your response is very much welcome on this thread, since most who have responded have been in the hobby for years and are only going to buy their Holy Grail or not much at all.
I moved from HO to 3-rail O gauge about 11 years ago. I was shocked at the price of track and switches, but when you compare side by side, O gauge uses so much more material. The “upside” is you can’t fit much in an 11x11 room, though I have made a handsome effort at it. Good luck on Phase I, that’s the way to do it!!
@chessiechick posted:My pre-order is placed and now we have until (at least) 2Q 2024 to get Phase I of the layout built and operational. I am very excited! (Can you tell?!)
It's always cool when you find something that is right in your wheelhouse, congrats. 
@chessiechick posted:Mr. CC might like a big steam loco someday.1. A Strasburg steam engine. But I'm not ready to buy the $1,700 Lionel #90, and I don't like the cheaper alternatives, so that's on hold.
I am a sucker for big steam, I have a bunch of it.
Did you see the Strasburg #89 that just hit the streets. Other than the totally wrong cylinders, it's not bad, and the price would fit your budget.
I have a small layout in a spare bedroom with 0-31 and O-36 curves, I run 2 loops conventional with 2 MTH Z1000 Transformers. Due to constant medical conditions and bills I don't have the space or money to expand my layout or go to command control so yes, my big buying days are over. Prices have priced me out, plus I'm not going to buy expensive locomotives that in a few years you won't be able to buy the electronics for them when they do die unless you do a major costly upgrade if you do find something that will work in it. I'm happy enough with my starter sets for my entertainment. If all those locomotives die, I'll just pick up a couple postwar locomotives that with some TLC will run forever.
I'm definitely done with higher priced items, but it's shocking how quickly lower priced items can add up.
They never started, so I guess they are over. Most of my trains came from the secondary market for way less than new.
@Gary P posted:Due to constant medical conditions and bills I don't have the space or money to expand my layout or go to command control ........
Really sorry to hear that Gary.
John
I was never a big spender, most of my layout and trains were bought used or I have had them for years such as my Fathers Lionel 261, which I restored the cars. All of my layout is scratch built and many items I got free or restored from trash items. All in all my layout is worth a fortune to me because of all the work that went into restorations and creating my little world. But I probably did spend a bunch of money in over 20 years of building this layout just not in large amounts at one time.
all my
Attachments
Images (1)
Not at all. However, I have so much stuff that it's become harder to find things I don't have. The manufactures are releasing the same things over and over, but when something that peeks my interest comes along I'm ready!
Are my big bucks buying days over ??? - no way after seeing the new catalog - the goods news is I have a bunch of "really nice postwar" I'm finally starting to sell - basically I'm trading trains
For me my big buck "selling" days are here - still enjoying this hobby
Thx - Joe S
No.
Almost an absolute Yes. I will never say "never", but the "now normal" prices have me out of the market.
At 73, there are simply better ways to spend "big" money, such as plane tickets to a grand child's graduation on the other side if the country, or a vacation which my wife and I can Both appreciate!
While I have enjoyed this hobby for nearly 70 years and am active in the Fort Pitt Division; simply put, I realize that there is more to life than electric trains.
I agree 100% with Gene ... great layout, Gene.
@john in western pa posted:Almost an absolute Yes. I will never say "never", but the "now normal" prices have me out of the market…….
…….simply put, I realize that there is more to life than electric trains.
WHAAAAAAT!!!!??
Sort of, I guess. I am fairly new to O, so my collection isn't very large. I grew up in 90's California so I mostly model late 70's-early 90's diesel. Most of the trains I watched were grain and intermodal, so the O gauge market isn't very big. I make large purchases when Atlas has intermodal available, but other than that i don't buy much. I think the average amount I spend isn't very high. There are only so many tunnel motors and Dash 9's a person can own.
@gunrunnerjohn Thanks for the reminder about the Strasburg #89. I had seen it earlier but kind of forgot about it. That's pushing the top of my loco budget but it sure is tempting.
Of course, then I also would need to acquire some passenger cars at $300-400ish per pair.
OTOH, I DID just come out of early retirement and take a part-time job because I was going stir crazy at home...
Well...looks like this has run its course. We had to edit and delete some posts that really were not part of the main topic nor was in the spirit of the topic. We have had dozens of similar threads over the years and this one is no exception.
