Have we hit the limit with rolling stock prices?

[nkalanaga]

"we logically should not hear a locomotive that is (supposedly) 5 miles away"

Living north of Pasco, Washington in the 1970s, when the weather was just right, we could clearly hear trains in Badger Canyon west of Kennewick, about that far away.  I-82 goes through there now, and we haven't lived there since 1978, so I have no idea what it sounds like now.

"Metal wheels (not those old school Atlas and Con-Cor ones)"

The late 60s/1970s Con-Cor metal wheels were actually quite good.  Small flanges, smooth rolling, the only real issue was that they were VERY shiny!  By the 1980s, they'd cheapened them, and eventually went to plastic wheels with deeper flanges.

[Albert in N]

   Just thinking about paying thirty bucks ($30.) in 1973 for a new mail order discounted Arnold Rapido N scale GP-7.  Also, Minitrix F units were near $20 and Bachmann freight cars were $1 up.  At that time, my pay was around $630 per month for a so-called professional salaried insurance job.  Now in retirement, I see roughly six times as much.  In 2023, my last discount mail order Atlas locomotive was just under $100 and a Kato diesel slightly less than the Atlas one.  Both the new N locomotives are analog (like the old), but have realistic directional LED headlights, numbers in the illuminated number boards, and far better detailing with correct prototype road numbers.  About the only model train related thing that I miss about the "good old days" is much greater prototype locomotive variety (EMD, GE, Alco, and FM with many more railroad paint schemes).  Here is some of the old 1970 design N scale in my modest collection:

[Rossford Yard]

Yes, we have run the inflation math on locomotives several times here, and generally, we get better locos for the same price after adjustments for inflation. I should probably just do the math on the new Atlas cement hoppers and a few others.  If I paid $16 for the old ones in 2000, it would cost $26.75 today.  That is similar to some MT cars, but these newest runs of new tooling seem to be way above inflation rates, although it is better quality.

[thomasjmdavis]

Yes, we have run the inflation math on locomotives several times here, and generally, we get better locos for the same price after adjustments for inflation. I should probably just do the math on the new Atlas cement hoppers and a few others.  If I paid $16 for the old ones in 2000, it would cost $26.75 today.  That is similar to some MT cars, but these newest runs of new tooling seem to be way above inflation rates, although it is better quality.

..."newest runs of new tooling"- the new tooling costs a lot more than the old tooling and the detail 'resolution' is much better. The newest cars from MTL are designed to compete, in terms of quality and detail and add-on parts (etched or 3D printed), with Scaletrains and Rapido, so it should not surprise us that the latest MTL PS-2s cost as much as similar cars from the 'high detail-premium price' manufacturers.

I am not bothered so much by high prices for new releases of high quality. What gets to me are the huge increases in MSRP, and declining discounts at the hobby shop, on Bachmann or Atlas-Trainman cars that are old tooling with (maybe) better wheels or some such.

[bbussey]

Have we hit the ceiling?  I doubt it.  Costs go up in general, and they go up higher the shorter the runs are.  I've done much better with shorter runs and higher MSRPs unfortunately.  Higher MSRPs than I prefer, but better that than sitting on inventory and killing cash flow (and product releases).

[JMaurer1]

I've asked myself the question numerous times in the past...and have been wrong every time. As soon as I think we have topped the market out, a MFR comes out and proves me wrong. Not to single any one MFR out, this is just the easiest example that I found and I commented on it in the MT Dec Releases thread:

"I really want the SP Overnight and the SP flat cars with load...and I'll probably get at least the Overnight cars, but at $27+ for the Overnights and $30 for a flat car...

I must be getting old but I never imagined paying $30 for a flat car...or $3.00 for a plastic box (for some reason, the same box costs $3.75 for the overnights). The prices of the new engines and rolling stock are making me glad that I bought so much early on."

I've already ordered both mostly because they are SP, era correct (although neither are the correct prototype, but this is N scale), and I know I'll not be able to get them once they sell out (and they will sell out). I never thought that I would see $30 for a flat car (UP flat car announced in Dec is $28.90 as well), but once again I have been proven wrong.

Will this keep new people from our hobby...absolutely. There are fewer and fewer people looking for hobbies outside of video games to start with (pick a hobby, ANY hobby, they are all suffering), but having to spend $100s of dollars to just have a very basic train go in circles is a tough sell.

[DirtyD79]

If you wanna roll with the ballers you gotta put down big chips. If you want the latest and the greatest toys it's gonna be expensive no matter what hobby you're in whether it's model trains, cars, video games, or whatever.

[Englewood]

Just for a little perspective, one of the guys I work with spent over $500 on stickers for his car. Stickers. I know guys who spend thousands on computer equipment just to play video games. If you're passionate about something, you'll find a way. I think spending $30-$40 for rolling stock isn't out of the realm of reasonable. I believe the problem is that most of us remember paying $10 or less for a boxcar, and we're unable to mentally adjust our perspective for inflation.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

For perspective...
https://apexgamingpcs.com/products/growling-sidewinder

$2800 for a top of the line rig.

[CRR Chase]

I play computer games and Model RR.. annnnnd fish......
Ive spent way more on Model Rail roading than the other two combined.. If I got to a train show, I have spent 800 to 2000 bucks in one show... it depends on the budget and what i am after... lets just say.... Ive gone to more than one train show.......

Model Railroading is my most expensive hobby. it can be done for less than I've spent, for sure... But by far, it is the one Ive spent the most money on.

Because, I want the best I can find... and with that comes COST.

[Rossford Yard]

Probably the most expensive part is that overbuying is a subset of our hobby.  Everyone I know (including me) has gone through collection "rationalization" several times, selling off stuff that never even got out of the drawers in many cases.  It seems we just cannot help ourselves.

[EJN]

For perspective...
https://apexgamingpcs.com/products/growling-sidewinder

$2800 for a top of the line rig.

That's nuthin'

[MK]

Name a hobby that isn't expensive.  I think they invented the word "hobby" as "Black Hole For Money" would be too negative.

[Rossford Yard]

Yes, I hate to even add up what I have spent on this hobby over either 65 years if you count my Dad buying my Lionel train set for me, or even maybe 60 years when I bought my first Athearn blue box kit, a Peabody Coal Hopper and rubber band drive F-7.

Even in years when I try to cut back, I manage to spend at least a few thousand bucks.  If I averaged $2-3000 annually, with my teen years probably in just hundreds of dollars and much more later when building layouts and large collections, I would have spent $130,000 to $180,000. But if I am honest with myself, it is probably more, much more.......So, I am not honest with myself and sure not honest with my bride!

[thomasjmdavis]

.....So, I am not honest with myself and sure not honest with my bride!

If I had written that, I would then get up, go out shopping, and return to find my bride reading the Railwire post I left up on the screen.