# How many is too many?



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

I started counting how many different locomotives I have and realized that I may have a small addiction. I have over 50 reasonable quality locomotives and I keep finding new ones I like. Due to the fact I’m only 27 years old I think there may be a few too many


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Join the crowd, lol 

Can never have too many trains.


----------



## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

i collected 30 big boys so yea i get the addiction :sold:


----------



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

I guess the main problem is I’ve bought them all in just over a year. I got back into the hobby a little over a year ago with a couple locomotives and I’m guessing a dozen or so cars and now my equipment has well over 200 cars and 50 locomotives. We have a train show in Wheaton Illinois monthly and I go eat up the deals there every month


----------



## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

I was 27.... 31 years ago.


----------



## davidone (Apr 20, 2015)

My next one will be my last, yea right.

Dave


----------



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

I think my next big purchase will be one of the west side brass Santa Fe 2-10-10-2 locomotives. The only articulated locomotive Santa Fe ever had. I believe they were the 3000 class originally built in the late 1800s


----------



## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I haven't reached that number yet. But, I hate having more trains than I can place on track at the same time (whether in motion or not).

In other words, I would hate to have to shelve any locomotive and have to decide what I want on the tracks at any given time. I want them ALL on the tracks ALL of the time.

I might have to think about building an additional yard sometime in the next year or two.


----------



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

All of my warbonnet Santa Fe diesels are on display in my work shop. I also have about 15 steam engines in there on display too along with my passenger trains


----------



## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Since I'm the odd man out I though I'd put in my 2 cents worth.
First off, I've never had the room for even a medium sized MRR. Nor have I had the $$. But I'll say this. 
For me I like 'bonding' with the 3,4,5 locos I have or had.. Kind of like they are the ones that I'd been the engineer on on my RR..I suppose in the 1:1 scale engineers over decades, having been employees of 1 or many RRs likely have a history of having run 50-150 different locos of same or different classes.. Even if I had the room/$$ for a large MRR I still would only purchase enough power to serve that RR (+-)..
Forgive me. But for you fellas owning huge amounts of engines, even if you're a club member, is, to me, if anything, a waste of $$..I mean I understand the compulsion, as they are very alluring. I get that. But at one point you should take account of yourself and tell yourself, in all honesty, you have enough now and that you need no more be a lover of real and model trains...


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I only have 19 diesels...
But I got too many freight cars to count (I know there's 212 open hoppers though). They're mostly Accurail, and bought cheap, but over the years, they likely total about the cost of a hundred locomotives.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Jscullans said:


> I think my next big purchase will be one of the west side brass Santa Fe 2-10-10-2 locomotives. The only articulated locomotive Santa Fe ever had. I believe they were the 3000 class originally built in the late 1800s


The Virginian had _ten_ 2-10-10-2's...
The tenders had to be made under-length, to fit on the turntables.


----------



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

As far as cars go I have probably 50-75 covered 2 bay hoppers somewhere around 50-75 box cars probably 20 coal hoppers and a handful of other types of cars. I have 5 different passenger train consists and more power than you can shake a stick at. For me I have the money to do those types of things because I don’t normally leave my house other than for the train show (good prices) or something for my boy though so you can save a lot of money real fast if you’re in my situation anyway. Like I said I hardly ever pay full price for any of the equipment I have though. The train show I go to they sell athearn blue box freight cars for $5-8 a car with metal wheels and kadee couplers. A lot of locomotives I buy don’t run so I make the repairs and they run good and as far as dcc goes I own 5 that came factory with it. I do the majority of the work myself so that’s another reason I can buy more. I don’t have a massive layout by any stretch it goes around a 10x16 room in my basement but maybe I just like the nostalgia of the old locomotives. If it’s prototypical year on my newest locomotive it’s a dash 9 in the warbonnet scheme so all other motive power is primarily transition era. I just have a fascination of old true American iron I guess


----------



## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

*Hilarious*



flyboy2610 said:


> I was 27.... 31 years ago.


:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh

My name is Matt, and I am a Trainiac!!!!


----------



## Severn (May 13, 2016)

Hmmm, I've decided no more until I get all my model train projects done. (but it's not absolutely cast in stone just wet cement). I don't think I have that much but if I type it all out, and I just did, I realize it's rather ridiculous -- when you count track, the various cars, engines and the various scales. Recently I've been going down the scales. I'm fiddling about in HO now which I like -- but I may abandon it for the more space efficient N. If I do that, I'm selling everything first.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

TellTale you do not know what an addiction is. It has nothing to do with being rational.
I can not argue with what you say but addiction is out of control. I know what it is.
I have some of most scales. Just in HO I have over 130 locomotives and over 500
rolling stock. I have got a handle on my HO addiction. I have not bought a single HO
item for 3 years. Pretty good. My last HO purchase was BigBoy #4014. LOL, now I have
a problem with S scale. American Flyer to be exact. This has been a 3 year addiction
and I am getting a handle on it. These locomotives are around 70 years old. I have
learned to work on them and they can be made to run like new. I have around 20
steam engines. 4 diesel passenger sets. I am satisfied with this number . My train
addiction is about kicked. Good luck to anyone with the addiction. It can be a strong
force.


----------



## rsv1ho (Oct 16, 2019)

If you know exactly how many locomotives that you have chances are you don't have enough. 

Old model railroader quote from years ago. 

I run most of my locomotives, but I'm a collector at heart. I want one of everything. Still working on that.


----------



## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Maybe we need to start a 12 step program; T Anonymous..Being nearly all forum members do not know who each of us are, other than by name, the meetings could be right here, on line. Each weekly, monthly meeting, we have a member lead it, tell his/her story, and then open it up for discussion...Since it'd be difficult to know when to end each meeting, perhaps it's on going, no end... But then how would we ever get to the ending serenity prayer ?: ...for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen*


*I mean no offense or sarcasm to current 12 step members. Of course I'm being facetious. But maybe there is something here..M


----------



## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

```

```



Jscullans said:


> I think my next big purchase will be one of the west side brass Santa Fe 2-10-10-2 locomotives. The only articulated locomotive Santa Fe ever had. I believe they were the 3000 class originally built in the late 1800s


 google hazards of helen its a 1915 short & they have a 2-10-10-2
shots as it leaves the station & running on the mainline


----------



## Atlanta (Apr 29, 2019)

I allready collected around between 40 to 50 Locomotives but around 30 of them are steam locos only.
My actually project is to making the fit for DCC use to add decoders or sound decoders into it.

I decided it would be enough for my little own roadname. A small shortline need not to have too many locos.









Ya Ingo


----------



## holava (Aug 8, 2015)

Once you pass a three hundred locomotive mark, years ago, you start feeling like you own almost nothing, realizing there are actually thousands still waiting for you. A few Ks here, a few Ks there, I love train shopping sprees. Yet they are completely rational. By the way, by sheer coincidence, yesterday I bought one more large vitrine. I wonder what Santa Claus will bring me this Christmas. I must confess, guys, they tell me I really behaved buying trains all year round as a ritual despite the adverse circumstances until recently. Like I said, I have resumed my Ebay act without Paypal. It works better and cheaper ! There is nothing like too many trains ...


----------



## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

Jscullans said:


> I guess the main problem is I’ve bought them all in just over a year. I got back into the hobby a little over a year ago with a couple locomotives and I’m guessing a dozen or so cars and now my equipment has well over 200 cars and 50 locomotives. We have a train show in Wheaton Illinois monthly and I go eat up the deals there every month


The Great Midwest Train Show will do that to you. In Illinois we're blessed (or cursed...) with a plethora of great shows and GMTS is the top of the heap. 

I'm in roughly the same boat with you in terms of time in the hobby. A bit ahead in age and only a bit behind in acquisitions. I've found a couple things to be beneficial:

1-Skip a few shows. Never a bad thing IMHO to take some time to appreciate what you have. A tough thing to do for us bargain hunters, but a good thing nonetheless.

2- Purge now and then. Examining one's collection to determine goals and then purging can be a great way to clear the decks of stuff you don't really need. After my early buying sprees, I've been slowly narrowing the lines and era's that I collect and shedding extras.

3- A full on fast from acquisition. This may seem extreme, but I occasionally stop buying altogether. A month away from buying can give you the mental space to concentrate on what you have: running, tuning, cleaning, upgrading, weathering, layout work, etc.

You may not have the same issues I do with over-buying or a spouse that is frustrated by your tendencies to do so -and I hope this isn't too preachy- but I think that moderation and times of not-buying are almost always more beneficial to one's personal equilibrium than extended periods of buying.

Also, shoot me a PM if you want to meet up sometime. I've been away from shows for a bit, but I plan to hit up GMTC sometime in early 2020. I usually go for early admission.


----------



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

I live almost 3 hours away from Wheaton so I normally end up there closer to the afternoon. I leave my house somewhere around 7:30 and get there around 10:30


----------



## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

In my opinion.....
A person can have as examples of model trains as they desire or have room for.
Where I have issues is the person that has 100 of the same locomotive let's say, and the have them stored in boxes and never see the light of day.
I suggest two as a maximum for any one particular model. One that is displayed and the other for use.
The exception in my mind is the person that actively restores said items. As long as the items are either made available for other collectors, or are displayed to the public.
Otherwise, you are not a collector or a hobbyist, but rather a hoarder. That means you are hiding more than your share of any one particular item. I would also categorize one as a speculator for profit. 
Once you have your fair share of any one particular item, and your particular examples are to your liking, STOP buying more of the same item. Let someone else have a chance at a fair price.
I also collect Vintage Radios, and telephones. In that hobby I know of MANY that have shipping containers FULL of items that will be there until they die, then probably END UP IN A LANDFILL.

Dan


----------



## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

Jscullans said:


> I live almost 3 hours away from Wheaton so I normally end up there closer to the afternoon. I leave my house somewhere around 7:30 and get there around 10:30


Oh, too bad. I'm usually walking out shortly after the first regular attendees start coming in.


----------



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

That train show get crazy when all five buildings are full and people are selling outside


----------



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

Also as far as buying model trains my fiancé doesn’t even bat an eye at it with me. She tells me that she doesn’t want to know what I’ve spent so she can’t be mad. I think I want to start getting a little bit deeper into the brass market for locomotives. You can make them run like a Swiss watch if you know what to do with them and I like the level of detail. Also you get to pick the motor you install because most of them have old open frame motors that don’t run exactly like a can motor and you can upgrade to whatever you really want with them. I have a couple examples of brass 3460 class Hudson’s in Santa Fe. One is the blue goose and one is 3463. I think my next adventure in collecting is going to be get brass versions of the big 3 from Santa Fe 3460 class Hudson 3751 class northern and 5011 class 2-10-4


----------



## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*ho 33"metal wheels,(100) bulk pack?*

Lately,... being mostly an armchair model railroader.
Don't get me wrong, I have layout,
Lets say,In a bulk pack of (100)33"(ho) freight wheels .
How many or what percentage of the wheels are out of gauge,either too wide or too narrow of(spacing). Thank you in advance.
Regards,tr1
And is inter-mountain the way to go?


----------



## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*(100) bulk pack (33")metal wheels*

How many are spaced out of Gage?
Regards,tr1


----------



## Theamazingswal (Dec 14, 2017)

I use this rule. I take the amount of money I have saved and divide it by how many locos I own. If this amount is a minus figure I will not buy another loco.

Example $1,000.00 in the bank divided by 16 locos = + $62.50 I'm good. 

George


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

tr1 said:


> How many are spaced out of Gage?
> Regards,tr1


I waited awhile to respond to this, because it has the potential to hijack the thread to an off-topic subject, so I'll answer it simply...
In several bulk packs of InterMountain, Kadee, and Tangent wheelsets, I've probably found "out-of-gauge" issues with less than 0.5% (if _that_ many).
I've found one bent axle, and three or four discolored wheels in the last 300 I've handled.
In other words, QC is pretty good.


----------



## holava (Aug 8, 2015)

Yesterday I had my little D Day. I received 16 packages of stuff. At the post office, I receive mail at three different branches, even one outside the capital, in a different town, they had a container with my name, lol. Man, I guess I'm famous after all, and, seriously, it really might be the money maker https://creepyweirdoart.blogspot.com/ however dumb it or I seem ! I haven't gone through all, but there are 2 Jordan Spreaders from Walthers, super detail, about 13 locos, see the complete ebay feedback on czechwizard, another of my shopping sprees, back in action. The business is stunningly great. Thanks, there are some railroaders supporting my hobby.


----------



## NorfolkSouthernguy (Jan 29, 2019)

What has helped me to slow down my spending is one thing and that would be my mindset. The only reason I need to slow down on purchases is the simple fact that I have too much stuff as it is. 

However, what helped me the most was obtaining the mindset of DCC only. This is the only thing that has worked to slow me down for the past 30 years. The market has gone to DCC and I do not see it going backwards. 

The DC market is fading away with manufacturers. DCC has been the biggest movement for the hobby in decades if not a century or more. The popularity has soared by leaps and bounds. 

I see the day soon when DCC will be the only way to go with manufacturers unless some thing even more advanced comes along. Once I finally set my mind to this fact I was then able to scale back my purchases. The majority of my recent engine purchases is DCC equipped or DCC ready. (preferably DCC equipped)

That still leaves me with many many DC locomotives. The great thing is you can run DC and DCC on the same layout. I can still use those DC engines when I want to. 

That is what worked for me to focus purchases more towards DCC only. I honestly didn’t see myself ever slowing down prior to this change.


----------



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

my issue with dcc ready or dcc equipped is I always end up tearing them apart to install new lights or add lighting so it doesn't matter to me if they are dcc anything when I buy them I also enjoy doing dcc installs too. it gives me something to do


----------



## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

blackz28 said:


> i collected 30 big boys so yea i get the addiction :sold:


BlackZ28;

Sorry buddy, but I'm gonna flat throw you under the train, (Instead of Bus).

It' is your choice, it is your money. No doubt. My only concern is this.
If you keep even 10 of those, that means 20 other collectors can have at least 1 of the Big Boy. Having 30 of one older model locomotive creates a couple negative situations.

One: it artificially inflates the value of the available locomotives.

Two: It deprives collectors of the pleasure to own one of them. if you keep 10 that would still make 20 other collectors happy.

Three: Perhaps the most disturbing to me, is waiting for the price to inflate then selling off one at a time. That in my mind is a speculator, not a collector.

Four: If they just sit there, then that's hoarding.

The only reason i use Blackz28 as an example is because he volunteered the photo. I have nothing personal nor do I desire one of the Big Boys.

I also have a small collection of vintage telephones.Once in a great while, 5 known since 1949, a 1949 Western Electric Model 500 will come up for sale. 4000 were produced, 5 known. So almost to a phone, everyone sold it purchased by a proxy, and the phone is never seen or head of again. This is wrong. It should be seen by collectors, talked about and displayed at shows for others to enjoy.

Dan


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Well, I guess I've heard it all now.
Pardon me while my head spins.


----------



## holava (Aug 8, 2015)

Panther said:


> BlackZ28;
> 
> Sorry buddy, but I'm gonna flat throw you under the train, (Instead of Bus).
> 
> ...


Lol, who gives a bachmann smoke or a flying scotsman phew about what, or how many of what, one owns or not ? Enjoying the hobby goes way beyond just collecting, it's also about "I wish I had or could". That's the real intrigue or thrill, which keeps it, us, going. How many or how much, however important, is trivial compared to the rat race of sorts (wow, damn) we all participate in.


----------



## Rickie (Nov 22, 2019)

Panther, they tried your idea with Lenin in Russia a long time ago. Everybody over there was supposed to own just one Big Boy. Never quite worked out.


----------



## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

Just to put this into perspective you say that owning 30 examples of a certain locomotive inflates the price when millions of examples have been produced? Go look up ho scale big boy on eBay and see how many people are selling them. Seems a little bit off the wall to me. And due to the fact I have a fleet of 20 war bonnet locomotives does that make me a hoarder or a collector? I have some for running and a few that are specific for display. I have 4 examples of the Santa Fe blue goose too. One of each generation of rivarossi and one in brass by tenshodo. My fiancé doesn’t even call me a hoarder. Now if you have so many that they’re laying on the floor and all over the place then I can understand that statement. I have enough room where I can store all my locomotives safely and I also don’t have a shipping container full.


----------



## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

The way I see it, it's your hobby so collect what you wish....if you buy up all of one thing and the price goes up for everyone else, then good for you.....if you lose all your money on over buying, then bad for you.....display them, run them into the ground, hoard them in their boxes, keep them until the price doubles and then sell and make money, whatever, do what you wish.....its your hobby to enjoy as you wish, and not your job to make others happy, that's ridiculous.....

Just like every other thing in life....it's yours to run, so just do it....sorry Nike.....


----------



## rsv1ho (Oct 16, 2019)

Wow, do I ever feel better. I thought Panther was talking directly to me. Subsequent responses saved me from jumping off a cliff in shame.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

A friend hoards boxcabs, and I want a couple...
He has over 100 MDC boxcabs, 72 of which he's converted to NWSL Stanton drives, and installed DCC decoders with sound.
I just want two.
I've offered him as much as $250 each, but he won't sell.


----------



## holava (Aug 8, 2015)

LateStarter said:


> A friend hoards boxcabs, and I want a couple...
> He has over 100 MDC boxcabs, 72 of which he's converted to NWSL Stanton drives, and installed DCC decoders with sound.
> I just want two.
> I've offered him as much as $250 each, but he won't sell.
> ...


Hmm, interesting ! I'm happy just with one, Santa Fe. I customized it according to my imagination, not the prototype. It cost me $ 25 years ago on Ebay plus $ 12.50 shipping to Nicaragua, nowadays the shipping is $ 24.50 First Class for the same weight, Priority, lol, the same tracking/customs number, which is inferior to First Class because it spends 3-4 weeks, not days ! at the customs for a thorough inspection because it's PRIORITY, costs $ 45 ! but $ 250 ? wow ! I don't know about the market today, you know, I'm a dumb, old fashioned guy, no smartphone, etc.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Eeesh...
That buzzed my tower.
I need a coffee.


----------



## holava (Aug 8, 2015)

LateStarter said:


> Eeesh...
> That buzzed my tower.
> I need a coffee.


sir, here's one on Ebay for $ 124, the same I own, eBay item number:163953838841


----------

