Passing Up On Recent Deals...

There's never a shortage of things to want if you are looking to consume, with toy trains or any other aspect of daily life. 

Here is how Confucius speaks to me about acquiring more and more trains. Note, I say he is speaking to me. Each person interprets their desire for trains in his or her own way:

"The superior man may indeed have to endure want; but the ordinary man, when he is in want, gives way to unbridled license."

I was giving way to "unbridled license" buying trains. No doubt.

Now, yes, I still want the trains but I am more satisfied with less.

Prior to each York, and in the evenings on Ebay or the Forum, I was planning how to "complete" my collection. Big UP steam, every passenger train which was beautiful, every Polar Express car, on and on.

Now, I must focus on running what I have.

It's cool. Almost an albatross freed from my neck.

Speaking of Confucius, for those more keen on more modern day sayings:

"Want to know what's going on: fallow the the money."

"Watch what the Banker is doing then "don't argue/fight the Fed."

Here's the time line as planned & published: (June 19, 2013) for all to see:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06...agewanted=1&_r=0 

That is of course unless  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realpolitik intervenes.

Your call whether you want to play "in the game, against it, or ignore it ".

Wasn't Confucius also the guy who first said, "Collect 'em all?"

 Or was that Confuseus?

Regardless, I will stay the course, to coin a phrase, and stick to completing getting everything on the list I made eight years ago: I've noticed acquiring new locos does not detract a bit from the time/pleasure I get running trains. 

The Wiliams by Bachmann diesel close-outs were hard to pass up.

This year I bought brand new Williams engines that have very good detail and offer lots of opportunities for adding improved lighting and other details such as cab interiors.

Best on the list:

NW-2s, scale GG-1s, FAs, PAs, E7s

For equivalent MTH, Lionel or Atlas engines I would have paid 4 to 5 times the cost.

Yep, I bought a PA set from a forum sponsor based on that premise, pro hobby.  But seeing the Pennsy used them first in passenger and then freight service, well that figured in too.

I just lost my brother earlier this month.  I feel tempted to acquire more, but then I think about him.  I think about my siblings, my nephew and my parents, especially my mother and how this has affected her.

I lost my 88-year-old Dad this past March after a long 3-year run of declining health and overall poor quality-of-life that no one should endure.  But life isn't always fair and kind.  To no surprise, my world hasn't been the same since.    Lot of adjustments to make.  My Dad started me on the journey in this wonderful hobby.  And during his final days in this world -- almost to the day he left, the purchase of some MTH CN Gunderson cars I had been searching for over the past few years was culminated.  Here's an excerpt from the email I sent the seller in what turned out to be the day before my Dad was called, as I had been pulling all-nighters with him right up until the end...

Paypal funds have been sent, and I'm looking forward to receiving the CN set.  

Unfortunately, the timing of this is overlapping a particularly critical time of my Dad's hospice care.  It's now likely he is living his final days here, so my attention will be focused on the issues at hand.  Nonetheless, the trains have been a "welcome distraction" during an otherwise tough chapter in life.  My dad started me in this hobby DECADES ago, so I guess it's quite ironic that a special set of cars I've been searching for came to be this week.

Many thanks again...

It could all have been a huge coincidence that things worked out the way they did when they did.  However, I prefer to believe my Dad had just a little bit to do with making it all come together in some special way when it did .  Needless to say, that CN set of Gundersons still brings a tear to my eye when I look at them.  They are a precious and priceless part of my toy train world now.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts on this topic.  Lots of interesting twists and turns it took.    Keep 'em coming, if you have something to add.

When I started the thread, I was thinking how I recently passed up on some terrific deals.  One was a 30% discount weekend where I could have grabbed a ZW-L for $550 plus s/h.    But I really didn't NEED it, and I had just pre-ordered a couple of GGD passenger sets that were NOT on sale!!!    Ain't that the way it works some days???  Funny thing was the dealer only had one ZW-L and it DIDN'T sell that weekend -- even at that great of a price!!!  That's what I'm talking about.  I would have expected that jewel to go flying out the door at that price. 

I will admit, however, that I did spring for the surprise-arrival of the new MTH GE demo ES44 with the charging lights.  Should go very nicely with the EVO hybrid from last year... and the blue on the new demo unit looks like a nice match when paired with Great Northern "big sky" blue passenger cars.  This was COMPLETELY off plan and not in the budget!!!    Oh well...  life is short... as we've come to see here all too well lately.

David