why are model trains so expensive

[erichthegerman]

 answer please

[Dusten Barefoot]

You and me both. I think it is expensive for the blue coller worker to model trains when there in the hundreds of dollers and at the same time supply for the family. At least they are not as expensive as Lionel

[LD303]

I agree, SOME models are very expensive, but the Bachmann standard line is pretty reasonable, and there are frequent sales online from several model railroad retailers that make the prices even better.
The reason that some models are so outrageous is because they've been ''computerized'', DCC has caused the price of a lot of equipment to sky-rocket, I have no use for fancy DCC models, and a quick browse over at the MR forums will show you that the DCC decoders are so bad and cheaply made that you don't even get 6 hrs. running time out of some of them before they burn up. In my opinion, paying extra money....[in some cases hundreds of $$$]....for something that won't work or has to be totally torn down and rebuilt is a collosal waste of resources and time.
The rolling stock prices are also a joke....sure some of the cars have all kinds of details and look great......but the more reasonably priced cars are  more than passable and if you want detail, just add some to a reasonably priced car.
All that said.....there are deals a'plenty out there for the savvy and smart buyer....EBAY is a great place to find deals,  but know what it is you're buying and always keep in mind that even ''new in box'' is still  used because someone bought it and is selling it on EBAY ....I never pay more than 80% of retail for ''new'' equipment, and that includes shipping charges.
There are also deals lurking in you LHS,I have a place I like to browse through that has a huge selection of Athearn blue-box kits.....most are in the $4-$10 range, and just last Wed. I picked up a ''new in the box'' powered GP60 for $5....mismarked price? sale?   I don't know,  but deals like that are out there,  you just gotta look for them.
  If you like real auctions you should check your Sunday paper for auction listings,  look for estate sales and and any sales that mention ''trains'',  if they don't give the scale , call the auction house and ask,  more than likely they will be happy to tell you all they can about the items.

[conradin]

If you are not picky...you can pick up vintage cars on *bay for $2-3 each.
I don't think model trains is an expensive hobby..if you know what you are looking for, and budget accordingly.  My entire set of trains (some 120 of them plus tracks) cost probably less than someone's G scale loco. 

[SteamGene]

Expensive is in the mind and pocketbook of the beholder.  I've never gone without to buy a locomotive.  It's what yoiu want to spend disposable income on. 
Gene

[ebtbob]

Good Morning All,

       Prices go up, that is just a fact.   It would be interesting to see if there was a way to calculate the average percentage of increase in prices in comparison with other more important things in our lives such as gas,  milk,  etc.
       One thing is for sure,  along with the increase in prices in this hobby has come a drastic improvement in track,  rolling stock,  etc.   You cannot say that about the other things we buy on a daily basis.

[richG]

answer please

It sounds like you are still living with mom & dad. Back in 1957 when I was 16 I wanted to build a HO layout but model railroading was too "expensive". Wages where a lot lower. Used model trains were just not available. It is all relative. Every generation has asked the same question as you.
If model trains today were all made in America, the prices would be even higher. Most model trains are made in other countries (probably China) today.

Rich

[mlt1]

It can be costly, to be sure, if you are a "connoisseur" of fine rail stock.  I, for one, am just in it for sheer enjoyment and "stress reduction".  I have spent only $200 and have a basic oval, with a "trombone slide" shaped extension, EZ track with integral roadbed, a 4-4-0 with tender and three cars, obviously a power pack/controller, two buildings, and even four trees!  And all for about $200.  Just keep an eye on prices as you shop and move around.  Plus, all the stuff I've mentioned was purchased new, not used.  My train shop has decent prices, I think.

Hope this helps.   

mlt1

[scottychaos]

nothing is too expensive..ever.
everything sells at the exact price its supposed to sell at.

I cant afford a Ferrari..that doesnt mean Ferrari's are "too expensive"..
All Ferrari's sell at the exact price they are supposed to sell at.

If Bachmann came out with a new locomotive, say the Forney, and said "these will cost five thousand dollars each..enjoy!"
and not ONE sold for that price..that would be too expensive.
then the price would come down until the "correct" price was found that people would buy them at, and that still made some profit for Bachmann.

nothing is too expensive..not the item itself..it might be too much money for you or me to afford! but thats a totally different issue.

Scot

[Jake]

Expensive is in the mind and pocketbook of the beholder.  I've never gone without to buy a locomotive.  It's what yoiu want to spend disposable income on. 
Gene

Exactly! Which I why I'm getting a job as soon as I'm 14!!!! Yay for money!!!

[lanny]

Its a 'relative thing'. When I was younger, I thought model train prices were expensive. But then I also thought a nice sized 3 bedroom ranch home with finished basement was very expensive because the asking price was $35,000!

(and I also thought that when, as a public school teacher, I made $10,000 a year teaching, I would really be 'in the chips'. I started at $5,000 a year for high school teaching). But it was all relative ... gas was .25-.40 a gallon, and $50.00 would buy more food than a family of four  could consume in a week.)

One other point you might want to consider ... 'hobbies' are always expensive. In fact, I personally think that all forms of 'entertainment' are very expensive. But people are willing to pay discretionary funds for what they like to do for recreation. It doesn't matter what your recreation is ... fishing, hunting, model railroading, biking, etc., etc., ... all 'hobbies' and recreation are expensive (except maybe for running or walking which only requires the price of a good pair of shoes  )

If you want quality model rr stuff, check eBay. There are some incredible deals available if you are very careful and patient.

finally, remember, the cost of living in general will dictate what hobby stuff is going to cost. Here in central Iowa I recently saw a sign by a Taco Bell restaurant which offered starting wage of $8.50 per hour. Wages like this for entry level help mean that 'stuff' is going to cost more ... all stuff including model trains.

lanny nicolet

[LD303]

Its a 'relative thing'. When I was younger, I thought model train prices were expensive. But then I also thought a nice sized 3 bedroom ranch home with finished basement was very expensive because the asking price was $35,000!

(and I also thought that when, as a public school teacher, I made $10,000 a year teaching, I would really be 'in the chips'. I started at $5,000 a year for high school teaching). But it was all relative ... gas was .25-.40 a gallon, and $50.00 would buy more food than a family of four  could consume in a week.)

One other point you might want to consider ... 'hobbies' are always expensive. In fact, I personally think that all forms of 'entertainment' are very expensive. But people are willing to pay discretionary funds for what they like to do for recreation. It doesn't matter what your recreation is ... fishing, hunting, model railroading, biking, etc., etc., ... all 'hobbies' and recreation are expensive (except maybe for running or walking which only requires the price of a good pair of shoes  )

If you want quality model rr stuff, check eBay. There are some incredible deals available if you are very careful and patient.

finally, remember, the cost of living in general will dictate what hobby stuff is going to cost. Here in central Iowa I recently saw a sign by a Taco Bell restaurant which offered starting wage of $8.50 per hour. Wages like this for entry level help mean that 'stuff' is going to cost more ... all stuff including model trains.

lanny nicolet

You sure got that right Lanny!!

When I lived in VA, I would buy a hunting license...it was $12 if I remember right,  then I'd buy 4 or 5 boxes of buckshot, $6 to $8 a box and then I'd set aside $100 or so for gas [we had to drive a looonnnggg way to hunt]....that combined with food and clothes and all the extras really adds up!! All that for a 2 week season and no guarentee of any meat in the freezer.  Some people would consider that ''too expensive''.....now my yearly fishing\hunting budget is around $200 [unless I find a rifle\shotgun I HAVE to buy!]....license, ammo,Cabelas bargain cave, gas for the truck and boat.....not so expensive now, but I don't have to drive anywhere except to the top of the hill!  But I have seen guys spend thousands on hunting\fishing trips, and come back with pictures and stories and thats all....but if thats what they want to do.....by all means DO IT!
Expensive is relative to how bad someone wants it[I think we all saw that mass of railroad stuff up for sale  on EBAY a few weeks ago that looked like a rummage sale....TYCO, old Life-Like, and it sold for almost $4,000, someone wanted it, I personally wouldn't have paid more than $300].
    I don't think spending tons of money on technology that doesn't work is a good idea, I enjoy DC model railroading and will leave the DCC stuff to those that care for it....as well as those pricey rolling stock offerings.....I like my old Bachmann,Life-Like, AHM and TYCO cars.....some of them are really nice. I recently figured up how much I've spent on EBAY,  I got 90% of my current layout equipment and scenery from EBAY, and it came to $1300 +\-,  thats for almost 4 years of buying ....that's $350 a year +\-, not bad at all for a hobby......I build plastic armor\aircraft\ships too, and I'm quite sure I've spent wayyyyy more than $350 for kits in a years time.
   If you're a smart shopper you can find deals.....just gotta look for them.

Edit part here...> Recently on a segment of ''Boneyard'' on the History channel....a guy paid $176,000.00 for a seized Shelby Cobra....the current ''market'' price for said car...is around $100,000.00,  he wanted it,  he paid for it,  I imagine he was thrilled, I also imagine that his hobby is cars....now theres an expensive hobby!

[SteamGene]

An expensive hobby?  Try wine collecting!  Guess how much a bottle of 1929 Lafite Rotschilde would cost?  Then guess if it had a certificate that it has sat in the wine celler of Chateau Lafite since the autum of 1931!
And what would you do?  Drink it?  It doesn't come back out of the tunnel! 
Gene

[taz-of-boyds]

There are two general aspects that affect the cost of manufacturing something.  One is upfront non-recurring costs for design and tooling, and the second is continuing costs of production of labor, materials, plastic, paint, maintenance etc..  If only one unit is produced the actual cost is all the non-recurring cost and the production cost for one item.  If the upfront design and tooling costs are $100,000 and materials is $2 the single item costs $100,002 to make.  If 50,000 units are produced to cost per unit is $4 each.  If millions are produced it can get even cheaper, like many home electronics devices.  Model trains are a smaller market, and this has an effect on cost per unit, and how many new and different units the manufacturers can produce and sell.

This is part of the cost challenge for model railroading too, so go out and recruit new model railroaders today!  

Have fun,
Charles

[glennk28]

Trains are only as expensive as you let them be.  You can often find good discounts on most equipment.

But--a basic lesson in what foes into that price:

1.  Someone has to design the model. The plasn you see in a magazine are just the beginning.  3-dimensional working drawings must be made of eash part.

2. Tooling has to be made with which the model's parts will be made.

3. The parts must be made.

4.  All the parts must be assembled into the completed model, painted, and hopefully tested.

5. Now the finished models have to enter the distribution chain. The Manufacturer has to ship to a distributor. The distributor has to sell to the dealers, who then sell to you.  Everyone gets his cut.  Sometimes large-volume purchasers are rewarded with cut prices.  If these are dealers, they usually pass the cuts along to you, the buyer.

gj