As for now, I plan on staying. I try to budget correctly for what I would like to have. I'm not sure what price point would drive me away.
If I had to stop purchasing now because of prices, I would be happy with what I have.
PJB posted:Robert Coniglio posted:the max for me is 2500 for a locomotive and 100 for a car. beyond those prices I would consider dropping out
Bob C.
With respect, I think this is a very silly topic
If it isn't silly, it's pretty close. 
Not much different than asking: "At what price point would you stop driving a car?"
(When the price of a new car gets over $35,000, I'm not going to drive cars any more.) 
You want to slow down your buying stuff, just clean out under the layout. You'll find crap under there that you never knew you had
Matt Makens posted:You want to slow down your buying stuff, just clean out under the layout. You'll find crap under there that you never knew you had
Where do you think I find most of the stuff for my "Virtual Bandit Meet" threads??? 
David
I'll just continue to run what I already have. After all these years in the hobby (50 some years), I can't see leaving because of prices.
Already did....its not just the price. I have sixteen newer cars from two manufacturers with twisted and warped metal floors that destroyed the shells. Four engines with bad boards or broken parts. Done in a big way. I now stick to building kits and the stress level is way down and my budget in line. Price is beyond silly for the abysmal QC in this stuff. After 20 years I learned my lessons.
breezinup posted:PJB posted:Robert Coniglio posted:the max for me is 2500 for a locomotive and 100 for a car. beyond those prices I would consider dropping out
Bob C.
With respect, I think this is a very silly topic
If it isn't silly, it's pretty close.
Not much different than asking: "At what price point would you stop driving a car?"
(When the price of a new car gets over $35,000, I'm not going to drive cars any more.)
When my Toyota Corolla FX died,I didn't get another car. I take the bus to work,get groceries with a shopping cart and use Zipcar if needed.
I have some pre war O gauge trains that still run, and some S gauge trains so buying new stuff might be limited to track and switches only, or maybe a new transformer but not the new ZW because of price issue.
Prices I have seen for H.O. and N scale in catalogs(Historic Rail) amaze me, almost as much as O gauge, sometimes more if you are looking at passenger cars with lights.
Lee Fritz
I really think its a mute point. If its too expensive, that person has already left and cannot say anything on this thread....
Anny up or Shut my Dad used to say. You have the ultimate say in what you want to spend.
There are plenty of other hobbies out there that are willing to gobble your money up ... did I mention I was looking for a 57 Chevy?
I buy what I like.......have been an O Scale devotee since seeing my first Max Gray examples at the old All Nation Hobby Shop in downtown Chicago in 1960. I thought to myself, "If I ever have enough dough, I'm going to own those!"
But.....I have drawn the line at Koh's and Sofue examples in the $8000 range. Mostly because what was offered were over-represented Pennsy and UP products, which didn't get my juices going.
That ship (higher priced trains) sailed a long time ago for me so it’s not an issue. I’m a conventional operator with a 1950s PW-style layout and am very happy with what I have. Other than dipping my toe into the Lion Chief Plus pool with a few purchases I run PW Lionel and MPC with my trusty ZW.
Those expensive trains aren’t even on my radar and they don’t get a second look – make that a first look -- in the catalogs.
Rocky Mountaineer posted:No price points would cause me to leave this hobby, per se. Model trains have been in my blood since I was a child.
I'm fortunate enough to already have a sufficient number of trains, so I'd simply redirect funds to a segment of the hobby that I COULD enjoy... for example, layout building -- or explore having a layout built, which I'm seriously considering as we speak. For folks building their own layout, there are TONS of things to keep oneself busy... benchwork construction, track-laying, wiring, scenery-building, etc...
Your question presumes folks need to keep buying new trains to enjoy the hobby, and I don't think that's the case at all.
David
David's post was the first response to this topic on Page 1, and I am in 100% agreement with him. Price points mean virtually nothing to me at this point. I have plenty of trains--way too many, in fact--and if there's something new I simply "cannot live without," I can easily part with a few on-hand items (in various scales) to cover the cost of the new toy. My interest now is in getting a new layout up and running...even if it has to be a small layout. I enjoy the scenery-building aspects of the hobby most, and least enjoy the wiring aspects (command control has taken care of most of that).
As long as the manufacturers keep producing things that I like/want, I'll certainly continue buying. But that isdefinitely not the determining factor that keeps me interested and involved in the hobby.
I am in total agreement with what David and Allan have stated, above. I stopped buying trains, quite some time ago, because I have enough of them. However, having a layout that presents my trains nicely to others (and to myself) has become key. Plus,
I would offer the observation that many hobbyists have been finding that building a layout is a wonderful way of continuing in his hobby of ours. It continues the thrill of the hunt, as well as the creative adventure of it all.
For example, my little business of Layout Refinements (this is not an advertisement - I have enough to do) is as busy as I can handle, as I craft scenes for other hobbyists. People want nice layouts. Price-points about trains doesn't seem to be an issue with many of us. Also, if you look at all the model train magazines out there, are folks presenting, simply, looks at their collections, or are we looking for layout wonders that thrill us? We all know that answer.
FrankM OGR Run 285
yardlet6 posted:When my Toyota Corolla FX died,I didn't get another car. I take the bus to work,get groceries with a shopping cart and use Zipcar if needed.
Doesn't really contribute to the discussion - your circumstances are very rare, obviously, unless you live in New York City, like you do.
If you have to ask the price, then you likely can't afford it.
I have set dollar maxes I will pay for train items.
$300 for brass O scale, $200 for HO and $500 for G engines.
Brass cars $50 O scale, $20 HO.
Lionel train sets $100
These limits have keep my spending in check, yet I still buy a lot of trains.
I would just stop buying and just keep what I have which is more than enough to last me a lifetime.
mark s posted:I buy what I like.......have been an O Scale devotee since seeing my first Max Gray examples at the old All Nation Hobby Shop in downtown Chicago in 1960. I thought to myself, "If I ever have enough dough, I'm going to own those!"
I have a scale model train magazine from early 1960's.......it had an article showing this doctors collection of Max Gray locos....I looked over that article a lot over many years....(still have it) I still don't have any Max Gray...but have plenty of stuff!!! I'd not leave because the Max Gray are out of my range......
Wouldn't leave the hobby. Just won't buy anything I really don't need.
If it were not for Auctions (Local / Stout / EBay) I would have stopped buying 3-Rail 9-10 years ago. There are some individuals who I buy from, but they know how to price items to sell.
I pay full retail when there is something exceptional that I want.
The price points at which I quit buying new items frequently was passed a few years ago, but that's not the whole story. I have too many things and I do not buy often anymore, and when I do it is far more likely to be second-hand (NIB or used; I don't care) things in good shape at well below catalogue prices.
I will buy what I really want, but I want little, as I have much. A few items - a very few, if produced, I would buy (NC&StL streamstyled 4-8-4 Dixie, for example) - but most of those will never show up - I'll build a couple of them.
I look at the new catalogues primarily to find what I'll look for on daBay in 2 - 3 years - either from the catalogue or by guys who will be "upgrading".
I made up my mind a long time ago that if you can't afford something new go looking around for it second hand and you can always find a bargain if you are willing to wait till it comes along . I refuse to spend thousands of dollars for a locomotive just be cause it's got a lot of electronic upgrades and bells and whistles on it. I do like the kids did in the past and make believe that I hear the bells and whistles and as for the electronics they are just something else expensive to have to be repaired . I would rather spend my money on something reliable that I can run with a plain old transformer and a whistle controller . as for freight and passenger cars I have probably got all of those I could ever run on ten trains anyway so I don't plan to be buying anymore unless something comes along that I absolutely can't do without and then it will have to be a the right price. as for getting out of the hobby I would not do it because of the price of something maybe more for the frustration of not being able to do what I want to with my layout but that would take a lot of frustration.
If the hobby were to get really HOT to the point where used freight cars were selling for $500 each and used locomotives were bringing $5K to $10K each, I might sell out and leave the hobby. Other than that, I'm staying.
I don't think the price is the main factor. It's the quality of the product for the price you pay. Do you have confidence in the reliability of the products you buy ?. My Rolex is still running.
Doug B
There are so many facets to this hobby, that if priced out of one, you can concentrate on another....is the price of plaster for scenery going way up? I spend a lot less than I could because they seem to refuse to make anything appealing to me. So I spend less money doing something inexpensive like scratchbuilding structures or detail items, and kitbashing something to get what I want. I can and do spend that saved money on interests other than the train hobby. Now, if they build it, I will come.....if they ever get out of their Grand Canyon rut...
I've had trains as far back as I can remember starting with Brio in the 1950s. I don't put a price point on my participation in the hobby. I am at the stage in life (and have been for quite a while), that I don't need anything else. If something catches my attention, I may spring for it. The days of having to own the latest and greatest are long gone. I will leave that to the younger generation.
I don't think the price is the main factor. It's the quality of the product for the price you pay. Do you have confidence in the reliability of the products you buy ?. My Rolex is still running.
So is my Citizen watch, and it's seen some abuse. It is at least 20 years old.
I'd bet my Lionel watch would run if I put fresh batteries in it.
That seems like leaving the automobile because oil changes are too expensive.
doug b posted:I don't think the price is the main factor. It's the quality of the product for the price you pay. Do you have confidence in the reliability of the products you buy ?. My Rolex is still running.
Doug B
So is my much abused Seiko self winding watch from the mid 1980's...
Rusty
I would never give up this hobby because I couldn't afford a new engine or car. I've been in 3 rail O gauge about 8 or 10 years now and have yet to buy my first brand new loco or piece of rolling stock. I do just fine as a "bottom feeder" at train shows looking through the boxes under the tables! LOL
Indecently, I am in my 50's and have yet to buy a new car either, but that doesn't mean I walk or take a bus 66 miles a day to the office and back either. There's no shame in buy anything "pre-owned" except maybe underwear. 
When you really think about it, what hobby isn't expensive? Let's take a look, remote controlled airplanes...real expensive! Shooting handguns (which I do) is expensive. Riding a Harley Davidson...expensive, I know because I have one. Fishing, ultra expensive, unless you do it from the bank. Hunting, well that's expensive too because where I live you need to belong to a hunting club. I have a friend who is into camping, heck that is expensive. I believe when you stand back and take a hard look at other hobbies, our hobby is really not that bad. Here is how I look at it, some things like locomotives, etc. may be expensive, but the satisfaction and pleasure I get from my trains is priceless.
In reading these posts, I'm struggling with how you grow this hobby and bring young people into the market place, when you have this many die hard train enthusiasts that have already reduced or stopped their purchases. Most of the respondents are probably middle age and up with stable disposable income. Many already have all they can use or cannot justify the price/value in the newer products.
One way or the other the manufacturers or the hobby will need to continually create that recurring demand for the hobby or a manufacturer's product. That brings new people into the hobby and retains the purchasing demand of the existing hobbyists. Hopefully, the newer members can keep pace with purchasing power lost by those who fall out of the demand in the hobby. Otherwise I think you reach a level of stagnation.
Of course its possible that this forum does not represent the entire population of the hobby.
Even if O gauge brings a young person into the hobby they will be won over to HO.
Re-runs of RS3 and Pennsylvania or NYC roadnames is called being out of touch with the market.
People usually model what they have seen in real life.
Patrick1544 posted:Wouldn't leave the hobby. Just won't buy anything I really don't need.
This, I think, is the key to truly enjoying any hobby.
Well I did a double take when first saw the price for a boxcar.Like you have just mention about the asking price of just one boxcar.Well there is the second hand /used boxcars in good shape.I have bought some rolling stock from guys on this forum.And its been pretty good.There are more than one way to skin a cat.Its all up to you and what you are willing to pay.
There was a time I couldn't wait for the new catalogs to come out and wanted many items that were listed. Since I run semi-scale, and mostly conventional, it takes me a quick 10 minutes to breeze through the catalogs - probably very little produced in the last few years even interests me.
However, I don't plan on leaving the hobby. Just spending my hobby dollars on MPC or LTI items I may have missed in the past.
p51 posted:Patrick1544 posted:Wouldn't leave the hobby. Just won't buy anything I really don't need.
This, I think, is the key to truly enjoying any hobby.
Agree.
Once again, I am amazed that this incredibly silly (to keep it polite) thread has gotten so much traction. The premise is what? When prices on every new item get to be X then one can no longer enjoy his/her existing trains and layout and must cut all ties to hobby involvement?
By the way, everything is relative. Price is a function of strength of currency or buying power. If this nonsense query had been posed in say 1960, I doubt anyone would have said they would be willing to pay $2,000 for a Lionel (or similar) locomotive, or that buying a Lionel engine, any Lionel engine, at say $500 would be a "bargain." Similarly, when a carton of milk costs $100 in the year 2500, I think the populace might think $5,000 for a top of the line Lionel locomotive is a good deal.
Peter
The price of the hobby doesn't have to go up. I spend x amount a month and thats it. Sometimes I save a few month get a big ticket item. As time goes on i have more so need less so im a happy camper.
I'll throw this out there, good quality items can be found for a good price, you just have to look. For instance, last week I purchased a NIB Lionel KCS tank car here on the forum for WAY less than what it would have sold for in a store. I have also had some good luck on EBay (be careful on EBay). I keep a keen eye on the for sale page here in the OGF. There are good deals to be had, if you are willing to look.
I will never leave the hobby. For me the hobby is about creating scenery for my trains to run through. The scenery enhances the way my trains look. I pretty much have all the trains I need at this point. Occasionally a locomotive or piece of rolling stock jumps out at me and I purchase it ( usually pre-owned or at a great discount price for new ) But what I really enjoy about the hobby is creating vignettes, weathering rolling stock, and just using my imagination when running trains.
As it is, I have too much stuff sitting under my layout. I'm finding stuff that I had purchased years ago and did not even know I owned the item. I can go trains shopping under my train table and find something new 
I don't crave or long for the latest Legacy or Sunset locomotive. I do, however, greatly appreciate high end locos and at the same time know I cannot afford them. And i don't ever feel I'm missing out something by not having them. My imagination fuels my passion for this hobby and imagination is priceless.
Price is only an excuse for leaving. The underlying reason may not be known even to the person who is giving it up, but the probability is one way or another they're just not having fun anymore. That is one of the dangers in obsessing.
I also fail to see the harm in taking a sabbatical from any hobby, because chances are you'll come back to it refreshed and eager to start anew.
Pete
