How much money do you have tied up in your gear?

[László]

Why, why does good stuff always cost more man?

Because good stuff takes more time and money to make, perhaps?

I grew up with S gauge American Flyer trains. My grandfather would build a large train garden in the basement of his row home in Baltimore starting in November. A train garden is not a model. It is basically a Christmas diorama with trains mixed in. It is uniquely Baltimore. My first train was an old tin plate set that he purchased before World War II. He gave it to me in 1969 with a Ringling Bros billboard. I did not realize what I had at the time. I liked his post-war trains better. I introduced my girl to train gardens this year. She’s from Pittsburgh, so she did quite get it at first. We purchased a Harry Potter O gauge set an a Polar Express S gauge set along with several Dept 56 Harry Potter buildings. I have HO an N trains, but that stuff is more for true scale model railroading.

When I was a toddler in the '50s (gawd am I old), my Dad built a diorama about the size of a ping pong table in our basement, but the table was built low to the ground so that I could see it. Honestly, it was spectacular. The trains were all Lionel, in whatever the original gauge was back then.

I'll never forget what that setup looked like. The engines were incredible, each one had more detail than I've seen since, and my dad made sure the rest of the train, the table surface, the cars, the lights, everything looked like a miniature town.

Later we had a basement flood, and everything got ruined. Nothing was rescued. My dad's WWII footlocker with his dress uniform, helmet, and service ribbons was also destroyed. I remember being fascinated with that stuff, and suddenly it was gone. Probably stimulated my later interest in WWII history.

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

I have HO an N trains, but that stuff is more for true scale model railroading.

Man !

Must be a "Generational Thing" or something ... It's freaky how much we GuitarJunkies have in common, other additions, like trains, thing that go bang and the like

Slot Cars anyone ? Another addition I got back into, hanging out at Train Stores ...

H&K , the PRS of firearms (along with Sig Sauer !)

The mistake I made with trains, was / is trying to make 3 Rail O Gauge a Scale hobby. Too much resistance from the ToyTrain guys ...

And the cost ? Shoot ... When I look at say a 3rd Rail / Sunset Models locomotive , now cresting $2K for articulated steam... I choose the GuitarDope currently !

Makes more sense to put that $$$ into another SE Hollowbody, or an S2 McCarty

Then there is the large space required for the trains ... But then a good tube amp needs the same , in an unattached dwelling ...

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I’m concerned this thread is sponsored by the “Sticky Bandits”.

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

I'll never forget what that setup looked like. The engines were incredible, each one had more detail than I've seen since, and my dad made sure the rest of the train, the table surface, the cars, the lights, everything looked like a miniature town.

Dude ... The problem is ... they are still out there. The Market is down from say the early 2000 's when I stumbled back into train addiction. And they are probably better (more detail and scale accuracy ) then they were ...Digital operation the "norm" now. But figure on having lots of space, and them competing for toy budget chunks on the scale of Core stuff ...

 

[HANGAR18]

Man !

Must be a "Generational Thing" or something ... It's freaky how much we GuitarJunkies have in common, other additions, like trains, thing that go bang and the like

Slot Cars anyone ? Another addition I got back into, hanging out at Train Stores ...

H&K , the PRS of firearms (along with Sig Sauer !)

The mistake I made with trains, was / is trying to make 3 Rail O Gauge a Scale hobby. Too much resistance from the ToyTrain guys ...

And the cost ? Shoot ... When I look at say a 3rd Rail / Sunset Models locomotive , now cresting $2K for articulated steam... I choose the GuitarDope currently !

Makes more sense to put that $$$ into another SE Hollowbody, or an S2 McCarty

Then there is the large space required for the trains ... But then a good tube amp needs the same , in an unattached dwelling ...

[Slot Cars anyone ? Another addition I got back into, hanging out at Train Stores ...]
Short lived, but yes. Back then I talked the manager of the hobby shop into buying high performance slot car parts like silicone tires and the usual replacement parts like brushes and so on. I bought some of those parts and souped up a couple of my own cars, but the parts didn't sell well enough to keep them in stock.

[H&K , the PRS of firearms (along with Sig Sauer !) ]
(Laughs in HK)

[The mistake I made with trains, was / is trying to make 3 Rail O Gauge a Scale hobby. Too much resistance from the ToyTrain guys ...]
At the store back then, we didn't carry any "O Scale", just O Guage Lionel trains (as well as LGB G-scale, HO, N & Z). At that time, we has a full time repairman on staff who fixed pre-war Lionel locomotives all day long. Back then, everyone smoked indoors and the repairman smoked a pipe. He looked like a steam engine as he emerged from the back room of the store (used to be an old supermarket in the 50's) with a trail of billowing smoke following him as he walked briskly toward the trains department with his latest repaired engine.

[Then there is the large space required for the trains ... But then a good tube amp needs the same , in an unattached dwelling ..]
I've seen people convert their entire backyards into huge train layouts.

Hey... that gives me an idea...

 

[Mike J.]

I think I'd faint if I tallied it all up. Started on bass in '69 and got into guitar around 1998. Basses, guitars, amps, cabinets, effects, cords, strings, picks, books, recording gear........I can only imagine and it's no doubt more than I'd want to know.

 

[Simon Says]

If I was starting over now, I would almost certainly spend less, and have a lot fewer things. Not that I haven’t gotten value out of each item, I’ve just already had that experience and would now settle on the things that consistently inspire me.

Me too. Mainly because I bought same gear 2 times, sometimes 3. I did number of cycles to come back to the gear I was used years prior

 

[László]

Me too. Mainly because I bought same gear 2 times, sometimes 3. I did number of cycles to come back to the gear I was used years prior

You and I have much in common!

I've also had the same recording gear several times. I'm incorrigible.

 

[adamcadamc]

haha, sounds about right!

 

[HANGAR18]

[Slot Cars anyone ? Another addition I got back into, hanging out at Train Stores ...]
Short lived, but yes. Back then I talked the manager of the hobby shop into buying high performance slot car parts like silicone tires and the usual replacement parts like brushes and so on. I bought some of those parts and souped up a couple of my own cars, but the parts didn't sell well enough to keep them in stock.

[H&K , the PRS of firearms (along with Sig Sauer !) ]
(Laughs in HK)

[The mistake I made with trains, was / is trying to make 3 Rail O Gauge a Scale hobby. Too much resistance from the ToyTrain guys ...]
At the store back then, we didn't carry any "O Scale", just O Guage Lionel trains (as well as LGB G-scale, HO, N & Z). At that time, we has a full time repairman on staff who fixed pre-war Lionel locomotives all day long. Back then, everyone smoked indoors and the repairman smoked a pipe. He looked like a steam engine as he emerged from the back room of the store (used to be an old supermarket in the 50's) with a trail of billowing smoke following him as he walked briskly toward the trains department with his latest repaired engine.

[Then there is the large space required for the trains ... But then a good tube amp needs the same , in an unattached dwelling ..]
I've seen people convert their entire backyards into huge train layouts.

Hey... that gives me an idea...

Okay, I bought an O Scale Lionel train this weekend. Now I officially have a new hobby. I hand picked out each piece and assembled a complete train. I went with the high end O Scale pieces because they look more like authentic true to scale reproductions of actual trains instead of disproportionately sized toys. For what I spent I think I could have bought an S2 guitar, but that's not a big deal since I have MORE THAN ENOUGH guitars at the present time. I am lacking absolutely nothing in the guitar department. Now I just need to figure out where I'm going to run the track. Might need to knock a couple of holes in a couple of walls to run track.

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

Okay, I bought an O Scale Lionel train this weekend. Now I officially have a new hobby. I hand picked out each piece and assembled a complete train. I went with the high end O Scale pieces because they look more like authentic true to scale reproductions of actual trains instead of disproportionately sized toys. For what I spent I think I could have bought an S2 guitar, but that's not a big deal since I have MORE THAN ENOUGH guitars at the present time. I am lacking absolutely nothing in the guitar department. Now I just need to figure out where I'm going to run the track. Might need to knock a couple of holes in a couple of walls to run track.

Oh No ! Now you've done it . I guess you are now ... a Train Junky !!!

You will now have to hang out on the

Home | O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com

And ... it sounds like you wannabe a "3 Rail Scale " guy (more into scale models than the traditional 3 rail toy, or even "Hi- Rail Stuff) " .

I got re-infected back at about the turn of the Century (2000 ) ... Learned about Lionel's rivals MTH, and Atlas O.

3rd Rail Sunset Models, is the PRS of the bunch, making fairly scale O Gauge models ... But they are priced like Core stuff !

A few years back, 3d Rail came out with EMD F7's in Santa Fe Warbonnet, in ABBA configuration (no not the Rock group) but 4 locos, , 2 A and 2 B units

That was over $2K back then

You will need to hook up "Command Control " either DCS (MTH's stuff or Lionel; Legacy) and just a tip... IF YOU HAVE A BASEMENT run the track along the basement perimeter walls ! Curve radius no smaller than say 9 foot or more ! Even "072" (6' diameter curves) is too small, if you start liking articulated steam (Like the new UP Big Boy that is now running again., Saw it in West Chicago IL before Covid ) ...

Good Luck, You will need it ( and really deep pockets !)

 

[HANGAR18]

Oh No ! Now you've done it . I guess you are now ... a Train Junky !!!

You will now have to hang out on the

Home | O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com

And ... it sounds like you wannabe a "3 Rail Scale " guy (more into scale models than the traditional 3 rail toy, or even "Hi- Rail Stuff) " .

I got re-infected back at about the turn of the Century (2000 ) ... Learned about Lionel's rivals MTH, and Atlas O.

3rd Rail Sunset Models, is the PRS of the bunch, making fairly scale O Gauge models ... But they are priced like Core stuff !

A few years back, 3d Rail came out with EMD F7's in Santa Fe Warbonnet, in ABBA configuration (no not the Rock group) but 4 locos, , 2 A and 2 B units

That was over $2K back then

You will need to hook up "Command Control " either DCS (MTH's stuff or Lionel; Legacy) and just a tip... IF YOU HAVE A BASEMENT run the track along the basement perimeter walls ! Curve radius no smaller than say 9 foot or more ! Even "072" (6' diameter curves) is too small, if you start liking articulated steam (Like the new UP Big Boy that is now running again., Saw it in West Chicago IL before Covid ) ...

Good Luck, You will need it ( and really deep pockets !)

Thanks for the tip! The Steam locomotive I bought is a top of the line Lionel 2-8-2 and the freight cars and caboose I started out with are all MTH. Every piece is REALLY long so I will probably do just that... run along the basement walls. But I was hoping to do a 5 ft radius. Oh well, back to the drawing board. See you on the other forum.

 

[aphantomvaper]

Oh No ! Now you've done it . I guess you are now ... a Train Junky !!!

You will now have to hang out on the

Home | O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com

And ... it sounds like you wannabe a "3 Rail Scale " guy (more into scale models than the traditional 3 rail toy, or even "Hi- Rail Stuff) " .

I got re-infected back at about the turn of the Century (2000 ) ... Learned about Lionel's rivals MTH, and Atlas O.

3rd Rail Sunset Models, is the PRS of the bunch, making fairly scale O Gauge models ... But they are priced like Core stuff !

A few years back, 3d Rail came out with EMD F7's in Santa Fe Warbonnet, in ABBA configuration (no not the Rock group) but 4 locos, , 2 A and 2 B units

That was over $2K back then

You will need to hook up "Command Control " either DCS (MTH's stuff or Lionel; Legacy) and just a tip... IF YOU HAVE A BASEMENT run the track along the basement perimeter walls ! Curve radius no smaller than say 9 foot or more ! Even "072" (6' diameter curves) is too small, if you start liking articulated steam (Like the new UP Big Boy that is now running again., Saw it in West Chicago IL before Covid ) ...

Good Luck, You will need it ( and really deep pockets !)

I saw that train in West Chicago too! Amazing technology!!

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

But I was hoping to do a 5 ft radius. Oh well, back to the drawing board. See you on the other forum.

Dude !

I envy you ! I have to get out of this friggin apartment (that costs me more than my house in Hilliard, OH did) and get my stuff out of storage before I can even think about running it .
If you can do 5' radius curves, (that's 10' diameter, or "0120" , in O Gauge) you should be more than cool .

Even for the biggest articulated steamers. Lionel & MTH make decent models of UP 4014 Big Boy (the one UP just re-habed and now has running ) Think CE Semi Hollow $$$ for that acquisition ! They will do an "072" (36" radius) , But look silly doing it (massive overhang of the boiler)

Then , you need TONS of PFE Reefers (no, they are not for smoking !) at around $60-$90 each , to go behind it. Atlas 0 makes the coolest there. MTH, a close 2d. Then, of course, thy ran cabooses ... so there is that

I don't post on the "O Gauge". If you think it can get bad here, There is WAY too much "Partisanship" there (Lionel vs MTH/ Atlas /3rd Rail) and hostility towards guys trying to make O Gauge , more scale .I just "Lurk" to keep tabs on what is going on. BTW ... MTH has more or less bowed out, with its "Paul". retiring and selling off pieces of what it used to be

IF you really like "scale"... Buy 2-rail rolling stock ... it runs on 3 rail track. Only switches may be a "problem" ,but can be adjusted

 

[HANGAR18]

Dude !

I envy you ! I have to get out of this friggin apartment (that costs me more than my house in Hilliard, OH did) and get my stuff out of storage before I can even think about running it .
If you can do 5' radius curves, (that's 10' diameter, or "0120" , in O Gauge) you should be more than cool .

Even for the biggest articulated steamers. Lionel & MTH make decent models of UP 4014 Big Boy (the one UP just re-habed and now has running ) Think CE Semi Hollow $$$ for that acquisition ! They will do an "072" (36" radius) , But look silly doing it (massive overhang of the boiler)

Then , you need TONS of PFE Reefers (no, they are not for smoking !) at around $60-$90 each , to go behind it. Atlas 0 makes the coolest there. MTH, a close 2d. Then, of course, thy ran cabooses ... so there is that

I don't post on the "O Gauge". If you think it can get bad here, There is WAY too much "Partisanship" there (Lionel vs MTH/ Atlas /3rd Rail) and hostility towards guys trying to make O Gauge , more scale .I just "Lurk" to keep tabs on what is going on. BTW ... MTH has more or less bowed out, with its "Paul". retiring and selling off pieces of what it used to be

IF you really like "scale"... Buy 2-rail rolling stock ... it runs on 3 rail track. Only switches may be a "problem" ,but can be adjusted

Again it seems that I am a true MetalHead, and thus, ungovernable. hahahaha They declined my membership in that forum. What is that, two forums I got tossed out of in a month? I don't need them.

My plan is to do O scale primarily (this time without all that weathering/aging/relicing of each piece like I did back in the 80's) but not at the expense of the traditional Lionel O gauge stuff. Next Christmas I will probably buy an entire Polar Express train set and run that on the same track. Then, because I'm going to be running the trains along the walls instead of a traditional layout, I want to attempt one of those "forced perspective" optical illusions where I'll put O Scale in front (closest to the viewer) and then N scale beyond that with some sort of the 3D looking background to make the N scale look like O scale, just farther away.

 

[John F]

I have too much tied up in gear, so I should be satisfied forever right? How come I’m Jonesing for a PS Hollowbody II Piezo?

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Again it seems that I am a true MetalHead, and thus, ungovernable. hahahaha They declined my membership in that forum. What is that, two forums I got tossed out of in a month? I don't need them.

Come on... what are you doing to get kicked out of these forums? I mean, I've been THREATENED with Double Secret Probation a couple times but Shawn is not even here anymore so I get to start all over annoying a new guy... as soon as we GET a new guy. I'm pretty much livin' the outlaw life right now, and there's no sheriff in town. I feel kinda like Sergio! (kinda)

 

[HANGAR18]

Come on... what are you doing to get kicked out of these forums? I mean, I've been THREATENED with Double Secret Probation a couple times but Shawn is not even here anymore so I get to start all over annoying a new guy... as soon as we GET a new guy. I'm pretty much livin' the outlaw life right now, and there's no sheriff in town. I feel kinda like Sergio! (kinda)

No one can feel like Sergio. It is forbidden! hahahaha

 

[JMintzer]

Come on... what are you doing to get kicked out of these forums? I mean, I've been THREATENED with Double Secret Probation a couple times but Shawn is not even here anymore so I get to start all over annoying a new guy... as soon as we GET a new guy. I'm pretty much livin' the outlaw life right now, and there's no sheriff in town. I feel kinda like Sergio! (kinda)

Seem like I still have a badge...

 

[11top]

Less than yesterday.