How much did you spend for your collection?

Too much.

Way to much!

 

...keep the rails polished... 

I don't know BOB about posting this thread with all the robberies going on with train stores?  Maybe not a good idea?

Not as much as you might think!!!

people see all the trains I run at the shows and say, you must have a

lot of money tied up in this.

As an example: I purchased a Lionel postwar 2018 at a show for $18.

it was bad, look like someone had used a paint brush to paint it. I took the old paint

off, repainted it and she runs like a top. Another item Lionel 1666 off Ebay for $30, basket case. had to completely take it apart. She is one of my best runners.

So for about $50,including parts and paint, Ive got two locos that would probably sell for $75-$100 each. Most of my Motive power is made up of such "junk box" finds!! 

 

Ive also got 4 ZWs, and I didn't pay $60 for any one of them. One was given to me by a friend for fixing his trains.

I intentionally have not added it up. As long as I don't know, I'm telling my wife the truth. Somewhere between "a-lot" and too-much".

 

Gilly

Bob,

 

In this day and age where anything posted to a public forum can be viewed by the most unscrupulous people, I doubt many would be willing to put a dollar amount on it, if their collection is truly large. 

 

With that said, about 1/2 of what I own I bought on the used market.  Typically I have saved about 50% on the original price.  I could not afford this hobby at full retail.  There are some must haves that have come up that I put an order in for so I could be assured I would get one.  For me, its not about the money but more about the enjoyment it brings. If you compare this hobby to any life long hobby or passion, I bet most will find that model trains are no more expensive that anything else. 

 

My best memories so far are when my kids were small.  I remember my son chasing the trains around the layout as they ran.  At one end of the layout he would dive under it to get to the other side to try and beat the trains.  Or when my daughter was an infant and could not fall asleep.  I would lay her down in the middle of the layout and let the trains run.  The white noise they generated always put her to sleep.  One time my son wanted to know how many cars his GG-1 could pull.  So he pulled out as many cars that could fit on my 15x20 layout.  The engine was inches from the tail end.  But it was fun to watch him.  (The GG-1 pulled all the cars with ease.)  He was quite proud how powerful his engine was.

 

I am very lucky in that my wife supports my hobby.  The cost has never been an issue as we make it fit our budget.  When friends are over, she normally asks me "when are you taking them down to see the trains?"  I could not ask for anything more.

I don't want to know!

Fred

More than I want to put in print!

 

$74,698,665,498,799.99   try saying that number

 

John, this sounds like a government expenditure!  

there are things in life that you buy that not only last for a long time but also you feel it is worth the money you have spent.  In this hobby it seems the prices are skyrocketing for products and this is starting to turn a little ridiculous.   A legacy engine for 350 is a lot for what it is. Now these engines are running well over 1000 and like the  big boy 2000.  It's one thing to make a profit but I feel the companies are not here for the customer support and more here for themselfs.  I did go a little off topic.  I've spent way too much and have had way too many issues and frustration unfortunately

Nothing.  Money spent on art, wine, music, and toy trains doesn't count!

 

Seriously, I have spent everything I needed to, subject only to practical self-discipline: nothing truly important ever had to go wanting because of my toy trains. After all, they are only toys.  Overall, I have spent about as much on my toy trains as my other passion, a mid-engined, custom-ordered high-end Italian sportscar.  Neither the toy trains or the car are justifiable expenses in any way, except that I love them and spending the money hurt nobody.

 

I buy to entertain myself, particularly if it creates or is part of itnersting projects to do, not to collect, if you understand the distinction.  I buy new when I can, used only if there is something I want I can't find new (MTH scale UP Coal Turbine) and frankly, if I want something, price is not a big determining factor.  

Good answer Lee.

 

Bagelman:  It's a relative thing.  I am considering a set of chrome wheels and new tires for a car.  Cost for what I want is less than a new BigBoy.  Go figure.  Of course, I could opt for custom, three-piece wheels, and very expensive super grippy high performance tires, for the cost of four BigBoys.  It's all relative.

Here we go again.... I have kept track of my total expenses...  (Pun intended.)  The number is significant but for me within my budget.  Time is also a factor.  I have been actively working on my layout for the last 9 years.

 

I would like to offer a different spin on this conversation. What is more interesting is the amount spent on different categories of the hobby.  and this is my breakdown:

 

Accessories & buildings 15%

Motive power 33%

Rolling Stock 15%

Table, controls, track, tools and supplies 37%

 

My surprise in these number is the accumulation of supplies which nickel and dime me.  It adds over time.   

I'm like Popi, when I want something I look for something beat up that others would pass by.  A good part of my enjoyment is running my layout and then remembering what everything looked like when i got it.  I also have bought a group of items, kept a couple things for myself and sold the rest making a profit, so it didn't actually cost me anything except time.

Of course, I run mostly lionel postwar and postwar style trains, so this is actually a viable method of purchasing.  I'm not really at the skill level that I want to try fixing modern electronics. 

Anyway, it's tough for me to put a number on the collection because a lot came as gifts when I was growing up or the money came from dad's wallet.  It was only really as an early teenager when I had my first job that I started saving for trains.  My start with Postwar lionels was a laundry hamper of trains and accessories in original boxes from my dad's 2nd cousin when i was 8.  If I had to pay for those, it would probably have cost $500 or more.

So to answer the question, i'll consider it my dad and I's collection.  So we've probably spent $2500-$3000 over 15 years. 

To compare that to the size of the collection, I've got maybe 15 locos including a k-line mikado I won (which was $500 when it came out), approx 75 pieces of rolling stock including three 15" passenger sets (1 lionel aluminum 2500 series, 1 williams 2500 copies, 1 k-line madison), about 20 operating accessories, and a postwar ZW, all running on classic tubular track.

well, whos counting.  when I put away the stuff from this years layout and organized the stuff, I was mesmerized by how much I accumulated in 7 years. Of course I have sold things off to pay for new things.  I think we all keep each other going its almost like trading.  ill sell and item as say 350.00 and get something in the same range.  I stay in balance now. 

That is like asking someone "how much money do you make?"  Possible answers could be 'none of your business."  Or "why do you want to know?"

 

When we do an inventory we are usually shocked to see what we have spent over time.  I have on my inventory what I actually paid for an item, what the list price is (that's to make me feel better), and what I think it would sell for (a depressing number usually).  The difference in the totals of the three numbers are very interesting though.

 

That begs a question back at you.  What do you figure your items are actually worth?  10 cents on the dollar?  25 cents?  More on some items?

 

Art

So far about $600.00..... this time around.

 

I'm sure that will change as I complete my return to 027 toy trains.

And less on others.  How's that Art?

A lot.

Way Too Much!!!..............lol..............rogerw.

A mere bag of shells!!!

 

Art

Pretty much nobodys business but mine.

Must be a subsidized purchase.

One million dollars.

Nobody's business but my own.

 

Especially after the OP made this comment in the Bowser theft thread:

"Another reason for not posting, or boasting about one's particular personal collection."

 

Rusty

Also, quoting (from this thread) "Reflecting on my original post, I suggest that no one actually posts any dollar amounts here.  It was another ill-conceived idea on my part.  Too many bad guys out there looking for a score."

 

 

 a whole lot less than the US National Debt !!!! so i think i'm good...............

$0.00

 

I don't have a collection.  I have a large number of operating trains.  

More than one would think but we have not missed a meal or  a payment in almost 5 decades and 2 boys thru collage.

 

Brent

What amount do you want, "actual" of what I told my "wife"?

Just kidding, my wife knows haw much I spend on each piece.

Happy wife, happy life!

Anyway the total can not be assembled as to many years and to many purchases, just a lot of stuff.

 

Ron

How do all of you keep such accurate records? LOL

Much less than when I owned a boat or a classic muscle car... and much- much less than any auto racing event...

 

 

I've made this a poor mans hobby and I am sticking to it. 

Well I will take the dive; here it goes

 

Spent well over $$k in 3 years both in O gauge and HO; this includes a Box Truck to keep boxes save and out of the house.

 

I have also sold about $$k of O Gauge trains in the last 5 months....I need to sell in order to feed my hobby; no need to spend more than what I original spent already.

 

 

about $9.00 a day.

 

 

rat

Is this not one of those questions you just don't ask? My answer is more than my wife knows and less than I want to spend!

Just started hobby (had a set when i was a kid) its expensive have nyc subway set and starter mth freight kits, got large lot of realtrax on ebay including 4 switches bought 2 more add greyhound station and built 3 tables (i am NOT a crpenter) but as previously said its in my budget and I LOVE doing this.  I think the immediate gratification of seeing your layout improving is priceless; also was always scared of anything electrical so I never imagined wiring 9 different track blocks, accessory tranformers.....  its been a blast so real answer is this hobby is priceless to me