I run into similar problems. There are many things I would like to have but
a limited budget.
It really frustrates my wife when she asks for a Christmas list since most
items are limited run and need to be bought early versus later. Not that I
would be disappointed if she couldn't get an item but she is a good woman
and trys to feed my hobby desires!
I think we as Q modelers face a double edge sword, the Q is very popular so
almost all new releases come out in our railroad. I also think the Q
lettered items get sold out very quickly as well. Its almost as if we're
competing against ourselves for these models. I remember when the BLI
2-8-2 was released, I got one but I had to do some searching and waiting.
I believe we may still need some of our modeling skills though. Not all
roadnames are as popular as the Q and one can get another roadname and
paint/letter as appropriate. Again the time we can devote to the hobby
comes in play but it should be less than the "old days" since most models
are much more detailed than a few years ago so our time goes to painting
only versus painting and superdetailing.
On a similar note, I went to Cincinatti for the national train show. The
amount of stuff out there is mind boggling. As I looked at all the
structures, rolling stock, electronics and other stuff, I realized that I am
going to need to learn be a better modeler so I can build scenery and
structures with cheaper materials so I can save my limited budget for those
"must have" things.
Rick Keil
>From: Jan Kohl <kohlj@bellsouth.net>
>Reply-To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
>To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [CBQ] There must be a better way...
>Date: Sat, 16 Jul 2005 03:53:14 -0400
>
> > The trend was started by the IRS when tax laws changed so holding
>inventory
> > became something that distributors and retailers could no longer afford
>to
> > do, even in times of low cost of money.
>
>Interesting point, Charlie, I wasn't aware of that.
>
> > We are indeed in the Golden Age of Model Railroading.
>
>Well, I certainly agree on the point of all the cool models that are out
>now. However, I'm still not so sure. Let me illustrate my points...
>
>Several models were released last year that were sub-par in the terms of
>being accurate. Now, the way things are going, you may need to pay in
>advance to get what you want. But then, in some months time, you're stuck
>with a model that you either A) need to fix yourself to make it
>prototypical, or B) run it as it is...an expensive 'Athearn blue box'.
>
>Second, over the past month, my supplier has notified me of quite a few
>items that I'd like to have. If I cannot guarantee that I may get it later
>(or pay inflated prices for on eBay or something), I have to shell it out
>up front or when they come in. I could easily crack $2,000 in a month. I
>don't know about you all (maybe I'm the only one not independently wealthy
>here), but putting out that amount of cash on my hobby at once is just not
>happening. If I could guarantee that I could pick them up over a few
>months, that would not be a problem...but you can't.
>
>Cheers!
>
>Jan
>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
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