Do you have "buying rules" for rolling stock?

1. No motive power that is NYC, Santa Fe, or PRR. That immediately cuts down on the amount possible to buy by at least half.

2. All new rolling stock is scale.

3. No motive power that is limited to O-72 or higher, even though that is my min radius.

4. No new powered diesels with blind inner axles. A dummy is acceptable.

5. No new powered diesels without four center rollers.

That's about it.

Pretty simple for me.

It must be Lionel.

Pennsylvania, Pennsy, Penna, PRR, PA

That's about it.

I have two basic rules concerning rolling stock:

1. I only buy what I like.

2. No duplicate road numbers (this is the only rule that may get bent for special circumstances).

Andy

Funny how this is the 027 and traditional 3-rail 0 gauge forum, and yet I have a feeling at least here, I will be in the minority.

Three rules:

1) NOT scale, traditional or 027 size only.

2) Road name I like. When Lionel made the 2-bay 027 hopper in Norfolk Southern, I bought a couple, so repeat numbers takes a back seat to road name.

3) Price.

Has to be scale.  That's my only hard-and-fast rule.

And by scale, I mean 1:48.  Lionel, MTH, K-line and WBB have all, at times, designated stuff as "scale" that was not 1:48.  Atlas and Weaver are pretty good about keeping scale dimensions.

I know what you mean. Awful lot of anti-O27 and traditional sentiment on this forum!  lol

My rules are:

1. Must run on 27" curves

2. Full O scale not required, perhaps even not desired

3. Be sure to check the boxes and totes under the tables at shows!

4. Fixer-uppers are welcome!

If I like a particular car, sometimes I will buy several. Duplicate road numbers have never bothered me. They are kind of hard for me to see when the train is moving anyway.

I don't really have any rules.

My rules:

1. Must be scale sizes
2. If available, must be 2-rail. If not, see rule #1
3. No duplicate road numbers
4. No fantasy paint schemes. Exception is an explicitly toy train (still have a soft spot for them) or movie-based equipment. Even though I had technical issues with Unstoppable, I'd buy an AVRR locomotive.
5. No BNSF, lest I be forced to resign as the self-appointed Information Minister of the Isle of Denial. Fallen-flag heritage, if prototypical is an exception.

That's all I can think of. I've slowed down on the purchases.

At this stage of my life, my only rule is "no new rolling stock, unless the item is very unique or unusual."

I have one very simple rule, don't buy any. 

Heck, when you are the Passenger Train Collector, there is no room.

Har!  I am too lazy to type them all out, but many of my rules are just the opposite

of some of those above, i.e.:

1. Try to avoid electronic locos until, if, they get the bugs out.

2. Stay within the theme:  rolling stock that ran in 1940 and prior...forty foot cars, etc.

3. Mostly western roadnames that ran in the plains states, expecially avoiding the

done-to-death ones, mostly eastern,  as a boycott.  Primarily this is cars.  Locos

will get relettered.  (this rule does not and cannot apply to a few older childhood sets,

but they will see little use on layout)

4. Steam, primarily, with gas electrics, MAYBE an early diesel like an E-1 or boxcab

that I can document to 1940.  (not aware of any produced boxcabs)

I have more rolling stock than track to run it on so I buy only rolling stock branded as "Louisville & Nashville"

Don't know what my VL Bigboy will pull ,I have wanted a Bigboy for a long time but now I think I should have bought an "older model" what the heck , mistakes happen.

Brent

My simple rule for buying. Scenic items first, accessories (like switches and lighting),   second and rolling stock third.  The scenic items and switches that I purchase are USA made (Ross and Gargraves) so I have no problem paying their prices. We must keep our people working and I want to support American industry.

My price objective on trains is different and my goal is 40% off of MSRP for me to purchase but most often I run the older late 80's early 90's American made equipment 

My rule is simple, if I like it I buy it regardless of roadname...

I came up with some “rules” mainly to limit my buying (I've visited too many people with way too much stuff).  First off, my layout is based on the Pennsylvania Railroad because that is what I inherited from my farther-in-law.

I wanted steam power plus some diesels so that meant modeling the transition period.  So I came up with this:  everything on my layout, whether trains, cars, buildings, or anything else, had to be in use on a specific date during the steam to diesel transition period; an layout era of one day.

The issue was what date to use.  A quick look at PRR history showed major changes happening to the road between 1949 and 1952 (new diesels and paint schemes).  So, I came up with Nov 16, 1949 mainly because that is my birthday.  This was late enough that many steamers were retired by then, and many diesels types had not yet been purchased. 

So my rules are:

-          No engine or car with a build or rebuild date later than 11/1949.

-          Scale dimensioned equipment only.  Since my mainlines have O80 or larger curves, I am not limited to engine size. 

-          Mostly correct paint schemes.  I’m not a rivet counter, but items have to look right.

-          No duplicate car numbers.

Have I been true to these rules?  Well, mostly.  I will have a diorama of a town celebrating the arrival of the Freedom Train, but the train’s last run was in January, 1949.  I run a PRR Y3 which was no longer used by the PRR after 1948 (I really wanted an articulated engine).  The GM Train of Tomorrow, which I just purchased, didn’t quite make Nov; its last run was in Oct.  I do have some duplicate car numbers, a few cars with Blt by Lionel build dates, and a few with build dates in the early 1950s.  However, I am now trying to stick to my rules when I buy new stuff.

Pretty simple -  during the transition era.

Put me in the camp of those that say. "enough."

Have all the rolling stock I'll ever need. In fact, I have more than I need. I think I see a listing on the Buy/Sell forum in my future.

if its box car brown and its a box car, its in.

Must be scale, Santa Fe, UP, or other western road. But if I like it I buy it. 

Only one rule for me.

I have to like it.

the main rule I go by is it has to be older then me by at least 40 years.  so that puts it around 70+ years of age 

Michael,

I have a lot of similar rules as you so I took the liberty to copy your format.

I haven't been in the O gauge very long – about 3 years, but I have held to rules I have liked in smaller scales for most of my 45 years in model trains.

#1. All box cars have the boxcar red (in some shaded variety) for base color.

#2. All box cars are 40' so far.

#3. I buy all steam, no diesels, and they are in Appalachian Railroads.  (I haven’t yet, but will make an exception for first generation diesels if the price is very good)

#4. I try to keep proto-2 as a minimum for new engines.

#5. No mixing road names for engines with cars of passenger consists

#6. No mixing of road names for engines with caboose.

#7. No 0-27 or greatly "out of scale" equipment. (I have a 2026 set and a 621 switcher set my daughter found at a thrift store and gave me for Christmas.  An exception for classic postwar items may be made to compliment them in the future.)

I too have a small area for a layout and for storage and display, so I think I should be picky.  For instance, I want a N&W caboose to compliment my MTH N&W Y6b.  Well it has to be a model that will go with the engine.  Perhaps a wood side caboose or early steel one in N&W scheme would suffice.  I saw a Pennsy style porthole steel caboose at Greenberg, but passed because I never saw N&W running those.  I also passed on an early steel caboose in NS scheme.  I will keep looking.

I am fine with anyone’s rules or no rules except buy what you like.  I am happy to see trains of all types and promote anyone’s take on the hobby.

I only have one rule:

1.) Everything must be Lionel built prior to 1935.

Traindork, You're almost there .

God Bless,

"Pappy"

Not really rules like that.  I buy what I want.  Generally though, I avoid buying cheap stuff if new (used, I buy a lot to bash, etc.).  

I didn't use to. Now it's all scale and correct for pre-1960 as seen on the N&W. I also specifically try to avoid duplicating what others in our club have. For "unavailable" items I do compromise until something better comes along.

Gilly

I more or less buy what I like despite slowing down in buying. I try not to buy a bunch of the same cars. I like some variety. I also try not to buy everything in the same color. I realized I bought a lot of dark colored cars - blue, black, etc. If it is the kind of car I don't have already and in a bright color, I may buy it. I don't want a million boxcars or a million hoppers, etc. One or two of each. Local roadnames a plus, B&O, CSX, Amtrak, Chessie. Also must be Railking or equivalent. I've got one or two Premier/Scale cars only because they were close to fit in with everything else. 

I too am starting a small layout, a fictional location near New York City. Running in two eras, 1926 and 1953, using the same basic scenery with minor changes such as autos and people. So now that I know what I want, my rules are:

Keep the road names regional to anything that ran across the Hudson valley in southern NY state. 

Nothing that will not navigate over 054 curves.

Must be scale, but not big.

No dupe numbers.

Nothing younger than 1953.

I'm pretty new to O scale as well, but after being surprised by the size of some freight cars that arrived, I check very carefully to ensure that what I'm buying is scale size only. Just helps keep things looking similar.

The only exception to the scale rule is add-ons for our Christmas layout which runs Polar Express and Polar Railroad, although my favorites are still the Standard O freights. (I just acquired the PRR GP-7, and that will only pull Standard O.)

I grew up in what is now known as Silicon Valley, and the trains of my childhood are SP/CB, PFE, and a mishmash of rolling stock from all over. At first I was focusing on SP/CB boxcars, but now if I see something that reminds me of that era, the price is reasonable, and it "calls to me", I'll buy it. Brand doesn't matter. 

One final thing - I try to limit my acquisitions to no more than one per month just to keep expenses down. A locomotive postpones other acquisitions for months!

Fred

Layout is small with largest loop (only loop) limited to O36 curves:

Constraints (owner dictates):

1. Only L&N caboose(s) - one Atlas and one Malcolm's Big Woody
2. All freight cars are 2-bay covered hoppers (short), with all USA RR names allowed.
3. Lionel is preferred, but MTH, Atlas, and maybe Weaver considered
4. Era - early '50's (with steam and first gen diesel motive power, Lionel CC in L&N colors)

Christmas tree: Conventional power. Whatever pleases me that year.

 Do I like it? Can I afford it? Buy it!

  Avoid duplicating numbers, as well as limiting most duplicates. But being near lots of manufacturing, I'm more used to trains of all one type car, so I have to have some "twins" at least. Even as a kid I hated dup. numbers[but "ignore it" well]).

  Running, I mix & match scale. Don't mind certain scale & semi-scale combos as much as others, especially if "forced aspect" is applied to placement. Different box car types/makers lined up is what my mind perceives.(If I can keep from looking too close, and thinking too much) Just keep your eye on the loco.)   

My rules:

1. No steam unless I have seen it in operation in the Twin Cities. (very short list)
2. All scale or very close, no 027 or traditional.
3. Modern, no roof walks on box cars or reefers.
4. No whimsy or fantasy, I buy what I see in the real world.
5. Depending on the type of car, duplicate numbers will be changed to unique.
6. All TMCC, no DCS or conventional. 
7. Eastern road motive power must be Conrail or later.
8. No diesels over $300 (I already own all the steam from rule 1).

The only rule I have is that I have no rules.

My rules are;

1)Usually buy what can run on 042 curves or smaller.

2)Try to stay with about three roadnames; Reading Lines, Reading Company or Amtrak.

3)Absolutely NO Conrail!!

4)Try to buy what is already made, no buying from the wishbooks, a.k.a. catalogs, put out by the two major companies as it only leads to dis-appointment when the item is never made. NO pre-orders either!

5)Try to stay under $50.00 for any piece of rolling stock. Three or four car sets are different as I still try to stay with less then $50.00 for each piece or $150.00 for a 3 car set.

6)Engines are a different story, depends how well I like the engine.

I like Williams by Bachmann items but they are getting too expensive. In the new Bachmann online catalog $69.00 for one freight car or over $120.00 for an animated or unloading type of freight car.

Lee Fritz

I have both modern scale and traditional trains (ie, postwar, MPC).  I have separate criteria for each.

For scale 3 rail:

1) Must be scale (duh).  Detail-wise:  Atlas O Master-Line or equivalent gets priority.

2) Absolutely NO NYC or PRR. (overdone, overrated, and because I model west coast railroads)

3) No duplicate numbers.

4) Must have prototypically correct paint schemes & numbers applied to the correct type of car or locomotive and era.

5) NO NYC or PRR.

6) No duplicate numbers.

7) I strive for scale 3-rail operation so rolling stock & engines I buy are either are already 2-railed or 3-rail converted to 2-rail (scale sized wheels & couplers)

8) NO NYC or PRR.

9) No duplicate numbers

10) Did I already mention NO NYC or PRR?

11) Will not be run with oversized crossing gates, gatemen, etc.

For traditional:

1) NYC or PRR just teeny-tiny ever-so-slightly more tolerable freight-car wise, although NO S1 Turbines or GG1s will ever be part of my roster.

2) Duplicate numbers not as important.

3) No "pop art" or grossly kitsch (ie, no Thomas Kinkade cars)

4) Postwar & MPC purchases are at least C7 grade or better

5) Operating cars & gatemen are welcome.

6) Prototypically correct paint schemes not important.

As you can see, I draw a pretty clear distinction when it comes to operating & collecting scale & traditional trains.  That's why I don't care if "LIONEL LINES" is proudly displayed on postwar and similar traditionally-sized tenders or cars but am unapologetically critical for prototypical abominations like the scale Cab Forwards being painted in Daylight colors.     

Two!

1) Buy what you like.

2) Run what you like.

A recurring theme on this thread is "buy what you like".

Are there actually o gauge people who buy what they don't like?  I mean, "buy what you like" sounds more like  a given than a rule.

Or am I missing something here?

To complete a set, a collector may buy a car they don't really "like" well. Even a "given" is a reason. 

1: I try to avoid duplicates unless I am upgrading.

2: It has to be mostly tin.

3: Do I like it.