When to splurge and when not to splurge

Let’s admit it, model railroading isn’t the cheapest hobby. Whether you’re a collector, operator, or both, trains and accessories can add up quickly. I’m not a financial advisor, and I can’t tell you how to spend your money, but here are some points to think about when you question when to splurge and when not to splurge as a modeler.

What are your hobby passions?

If you’re passionate about a facet of the hobby, be it locomotives, Digital Command Control, or scenery, focus your resources and splurge on it. For example, I’m passionate about modern Amtrak and commuter trains. I’ll spend more on equipment under that umbrella than I will, say, freight locomotives and rolling stock. Though you may disagree with some of the following places in the hobby where you should or shouldn’t splurge, I’m sure everyone agrees that if you’re passionate about something, you’ll splurge a little bit.

Benchwork and trackwork

If you read my previous article about gathering wood for model railroad benchwork you may already know where I’m going with this. Benchwork is the foundation of a layout, and trackwork is critical for smooth-running trains. Though you could easily find scrap wood for your benchwork and source old track, you’re only opening the door for problems in the long run.

By investing in quality wood and track, you’ll only have to splurge once even if you have to tear the layout apart and build a new one. Solid benchwork can, within reason, be used again and again. These are also two areas where it’s ideal not only to splurge in a financial sense, but in time and effort.

Rare models

I posed the question “What should you splurge on?” to other modelers in the Firecrown office. Brian Schmidt, editor of Classic Trains, mentioned that he would splurge on models that haven’t been produced. For example, Brian models the Milwaukee Road in N scale. He would splurge on six-axle Baldwin switchers or Fairbanks-Morse switchers if they come to market.

I completely agree with Brian. Two models that I’m always looking for at train shows are the Athearn CF7 and Walthers Viewliner I. Both of these models have been off the market for more than a decade. Will we ever see another run of Viewliner I cars or CF7s? Who knows. I absolutely splurge on rare models that may never be produced again.

Deals and discounts

Now, with spending money on a hobby comes responsibility. I’m a big fan of deals. If you really want to splurge on a product but it doesn’t seem to be flying off the shelves, consider waiting until it goes on sale. You can typically get a model cheaper from your local hobby store than from the manufacturer.

Another way to save some money is by pre-ordering. Some manufacturers give a discount if you preorder a model within a certain time period. Be sure to keep an eye on the News section of Trains.com and Model Railroader to get the latest product announcements.

In addition, the fall and winter months are peak time for train shows. These are perfect places to find great deals and possibly make trades. Technology these days even allows us to share our collections online. You may be able to find great deals through online marketplaces.

Gathering your own supplies

Finally, what’s the ultimate deal? Free stuff, of course. Model railroading offers us the ability to utilize the environment around us for materials like rocks and plants. Assistant Digital Editor Mitch Horner went into the wild one day to show you great examples of free plants you can use on your layout in this article.