# Overpriced rolling stock vs bargain locos



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Back in my Tyco and Varney days, most common R-T-R rolling stock was reasonably priced. My AHC catalog was full of good choices and great buys. The expensive brass stuff was for the wealthy guys with room-sized layouts. Anything in plastic was considered "poor man's" fare, but it's what we all bought.
Now that I'm back into the hobby 50 years later, I'm amazed at the prices I see for rolling stock vs diesel locomotives.
It almost seems that loco prices have frozen in time, while rolling stock has increased exponentially. I can still get a quality F7-A for $50 to $80, but I can't find a $7 boxcar anywhere.
Granted, I don't have to change out a hook-type coupler anymore, and most are all much better detailed, but there doesn't seem to be much for newbies or the kids in the "entry level" area.
In the realm of "bargains", it would seem that it's comparatively more prudent to opt for nothing but diesel locomotives, and run without rolling stock.

L.S.


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## santafealltheway (Nov 27, 2012)

Yeah, I cant stand paying these current prices. I end up snatching up old tyco and similar cheap cars from thrift stores, fleabay, antique stores, etc.

Cut the tyco coupler box off the truck, and put on new kadee couplers with a draft box. 

Just ream out the old trucks with a truck tuner, pop in some new metal wheels and you're off to the races in no time, for around 7-10 bucks depending on what you pay for the car.
I've grabbed lots of cars off fleabay for 2 or 3 bucks, sometimes huge lots for like 50 - 80 dollars, you might get 20-30 cars. 

I've always been fine with the old tyco stuff, I don't need crazy amounts of detail in something so small. It's not like i'm on my knees staring at the trains from two inches away...

A lot of "buy it now" deals on fleabay also have a "or best offer" feature, that's where i get my deals.

There's also "Scale trains Kit Classics" You assemble them your self, On the website for 13.99 got some at the LHS for 10$ on sale.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Great bargain hunting, SantaFe!
Takes patience to do it that way. Kudos!

L.S.


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## santafealltheway (Nov 27, 2012)

Yup, just gotta sit and wait til something you like pops up. Patience young grass hoppa haha


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

I buy nearly all my rolling stock at trains shows, a few from forum members, and NONE at new retail prices! The most I'll go is $10 if it has Kadee's and metal wheels.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Flyboy, I am with you on the $10.00 limit on cars (well, most of the time). You do
have to have the patience and then jump on the good deals. I like Kadee cars, but
they are $35.00 each new. I don't buy new. At train shows I have picked them up 
used for $10.00 each. These cars are like new. Same with athearn genesis cars. I 
agree the locos are almost priced within reason. I had a post a week or so ago on
the high price of rolling stock. Its insane. I see container cars with 2 containers for
$89.00 and they are selling. The market will charge what the market will pay. Ok,
you think rolling stock is high, look at what containers sell for. Its just a plastic box
with no bottom. Not that much detail on a container. And they are 15 to25 bucks a 
piece. Not me.


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

Has anybody worked out how the prices have gone up relative to other consumer items?

The engines and cars I am buying are a lot better then the stuff from 30-40 years ago.

Yes they are more expensive, a lot in some cases. 

But when you take into account inflation and the better quality are they really that much more expensive?


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

For the most part, the prices of average quality diesel locos have approximately doubled in the past 40 years or so -- from $30 to $60 or $70 on sale.
But it seems to me, that rolling stock prices have more than tripled across the board. This in spite of the fact that "micro-tooling" is easier to make, and injection molding has achieved near perfection at lower cost.
Why diesel locos have not skyrocketed in price is an enigma, since things like stepper motors, gearing, flywheeling, and sophisticated electronics for slow speed, etc, would seem to add greatly to to their cost.

L.S.


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

I will have to agree that rolling stock prices are a lot higher when compared to years ago. I started my layout over 30 years ago in HO scale after tearing out an N scale layout. At the time, N scale locomotives were crude compared to what is available today. 

Back 30years ago highly detailed rolling stock was not common place. Wood kits such as Silver Streak kits had a high level of detail, but could take a lot of time to put together. Athearn blue box kits and Roundhouse kits were the most common at the time. When I started my layout, hand laying code 70 track and turnouts I started working on my freight cars. I happened to have had a Walthers dealership at the time and ordered a bunch of Athearn blue box cars. Quite a few were ordered undecorated as I custom painted them for my freelance railroad. 

Over the years I did pick up a few Con Cor, Intermountain, Walthers and more recently a few Kadee cars, but the bulk are blue box cars. Before anything hiot the rails, Kadee couplers and Kadee metal wheels or sprung trucks were also added. Almost all are still in service with the exception of a few that were custom painted for my railroad which were given to model railroad friends. 

I am glad that I am not having to build up a freight car fleet at todays prices. Yes, newer cars do have more detail, but when they're put into a train with blue box cars, it's really hard to tell the difference unless you get right on top of them. 

Here;s a video of a train with both modern and old blue box cars. Looks just fine to me. 






They work just fine for me because I'm not trying to impress anyone but myself.


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## Mr. SP (Jan 7, 2015)

*Prices*

The price of freight cars is in my opinion excessive. $35+ for a boxcar or tankcar is obscene.
I remember buying Athearn and MDC/Roundhouse kits for $1.79
My first Athearn locomotive was a GP-7 with the Hi-F drive in it.
I paid $7.95 for it and had to put it together


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Yeah, I bought a Varney Lil' Joe when I was 14. Don't remember what it cost me, but I got it with saved-up allowance money -- which wasn't very much!!

L.S.


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

I try to stick to Bachmann if I'm buying brand new rolling stock (which is not very often). Otherwise, I pick up $5.00 rolling stock at train shows, or the odd steal on eBay here and there. The last two I bought had horn/hook couplers, but it cost me less to spend some time and upgrade them to knuckle couplers, than to buy brand new. 

-J.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

Mr. SP said:


> *Prices*
> 
> The price of freight cars is in my opinion excessive. $35+ for a boxcar or tankcar is obscene.
> I remember buying Athearn and MDC/Roundhouse kits for $1.79
> ...


If you think $35 for a boxcar or tankcar is obscene, try $54-56 each from Tangent or Moloco. But they are very nice. If you are happy with Tyco and Athearn blue box then great.

The point I have is there is plenty of options out there for a wide variety of preferences. The high end stuff is selling and for those who are happy with the low-end stuff, there is plenty of it out there too.

No reason to complain IMO.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Try $75-$150 for Roco, Fleischmann, Brawa, TRIX, and Piko. I won't even mention Märklin prices.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

I haven't looked at European engine prices for some years, but when I did, they were well above what we pay for here in the states. I just figured that's how it was, they just cost more and there is the VAT probably included and may be they can pay more because they don't have a roster of 100 or 150 engines like Americans often end up with .


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Let's not forget that the tariffs placed on manufacturing done in China three years ago are still in effect. The tariff is paid by the importer here and not the Chinese manufacturer and that cost is passed on to the consumer which raises prices. Why it impacts rolling stock more than locomotives is anybody's guess but maybe the demand is higher for new rolling stock as opposed to locomotives.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

riogrande said:


> I haven't looked at European engine prices for some years, but when I did, they were well above what we pay for here in the states. I just figured that's how it was, they just cost more and there is the VAT probably included and may be they can pay more because they don't have a roster of 100 or 150 engines like Americans often end up with .


Those prices are for passenger coaches and freight wagons. VAT is not charged for shipments to the States. Their rosters are usually well over 100 models. 1. DCC Sound, 2. DC/but DCC Ready, 3. AC DCC Sound, 4. AC/but DCC Ready. 

Usually (but not always) four locomotives of the same type and livery.

Locomotives usually start at about $125 for low grade Hobby Line to well over $400 for DCC Sound at the top of the line. Some manufactures like Roco and Märklin are all top of the line but still may not include sound.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Nothing wrong with Accurail cars, or their prices....and made in the U.S. too!


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## BigGRacing (Sep 25, 2020)

I was looking at some accurail cars on Wednesday, might try some of these kits for sure.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

You will not be disappointed.....


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