Jan,
I agree with your sentiments 100 per cent. In fact, I could have written the
exact same thing as you as I also have spend mucho dinero on this hobby over
the years, and will continue to do so, no doubt. But on the other hand, as the
old saying goes, something is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay.
Certain items in the hobby I, am sure, have paid more than I should have for.
But OTOH, there are other things that I just don't feel are worth the asking
price, for WHATEVER reason, and I state again, FOR ME. As such, I won't pay
the price asked or buy at all. Period.
The original question was along the lines of why aren't more people purchasing
certain books. I answered the question from MY perspective and for MY reasons,
and I certainly made that clear in my post. Others are free to answer for
THEIR reasons, at least that's my understanding of how things work in an open
discussion in a free society. Opinions don't always need to be justified or
defended, as far as I'm concerned - this isn't national security or life and
death we're discussing here, after all. I won't be dismissing or attempting to
minimize those whose opinions differ from mine on this list. I think others
with differing opinions should reasonably be able to expect the same courtesy
in return.
Frankly, I resent the intimation that people are not somehow supporting the
hobby or out of touch with the reality of the times, the actual cost of
bringing items to the market place, whatever, just because they have set limits
and priorities on what they choose to spend their hobby dollars on. Also,
don't forget, people's personal situations and financial realities also put
constraints on the amount they are able to spend on hobbies - actual or by
personal decision. We all do what we can, or can't, or won't, based on a
variety of reasons. And not all of us will feel the same or agree. That's
just the way the real world works - - live with it, please.
Paul - "The CB&Q Guy"
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Charlie, then Jan wrote:
>>The cheapness of the Burlington in its heyday is exceeded only by the
>>stinginess of its devotees. Now, I have 100R>
>>Bohemian genes and have been known to straighten a bent nail for future
>>reuse myself, but some people seem to have
>>blinders on when it comes to the cost of the Hobby.
>Charlie, I agree with you to a certain extent, but I also disagree (no, I'm
>not a polititian).
>
>I'm certainly not stingy, when it comes to things that I like or feel that I
>need. I can't imagine what I've spent over the past several years on both
>RR modeling stuff and CB&Q stuff. Let's put it this way...most likely I
>could have been cruising on a nice skiff in the lake with what I've
>frittered on this hobby.
>
>But by the same token, most of my expenses were not "frivolous". I value
>what *I feel* something is worth, and if it doesn't match up to my ideal of
>what I should be paying, I'm not gonna pay it. I may live in NC, but my
>heart is from Missouri, and I'll be darned if I'm going to give someone one
>red cent more than my "appraisal" system feels it's worth.
>
>I'm not making any examples from our list per say...in fact, I'm not quite
>sure what book was being referred to. I DO know, though, that while
>inflation may be increasing, there comes a time when some people say "NO"!
>Maybe the person selling it really feels that it is worth that much. Maybe
>just to make costs with a limited run they have to increase the costs to
>make a tiny profit. Then again, like many things I find on eBay, maybe they
>are just trying to make a quick buck at the expense of someone who likes
>railroading.
>
>The other day I bought a collection of 500 railroad photos for $20. I
>consider that a great deal. At the same time, someone else was selling 130
>CB&Q negatives for a minimum bid of $700. I consider that highway robbery,
>and while I can't stop someone else from making a fool out of themselves
>(and catering to the greed of the seller), I can decide not to do so myself.
>
>Sure, I'd love to have a nice brass CB&Q shovelnose for $1200. I think they
>are great models, and if I could win the lottery (maybe I need to buy a
>ticket?), I'd certainly grab one. But when it comes down in an overall cost
>with everything else I have to look at, I can't do it. I could add quite a
>bit to my layout, buy the rest of the Mike Spoor collection, more photos,
>cars or P2K locos for that amount, all spread out over time.
>
>So, what I'm saying is that you are attacking some of us for being stingy,
>and I don't think so. You may have the money to go out and do that, I
>don't. How does that make me stingy?
>
>As far as the CB&Q comment (vs other railroads), the CB&Q (unfortunately)
>will never be as popular as SF or NYC or so on. It was just never given the
>"glamour" status that those other railroads were for some unknown
>reason...probably because of being situated mostly in the midwest and
>northwest. So, that means that venders that choose to cater to CB&Q are
>always going to suffer more than others...we can't do anything about that.
>I'll support them the best that I can and then some, but I'm not going to go
>on a splurge spree to support someone else's supper plate...I've got my own
>to consider.
>
>Thanks for your time.
>
>Cheers!
>
>Jan
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