Bruette
Well-Known Member
I borrowed the last part of the title of this thread from my great friend Rodney's signature line from the column he writes for the Valley Voice in Tasmania. I thought it was appropriate to give credit where credit is due.
Now for issue at hand.
I would like the opinions of model railroaders on a subject that is dear to my heart; the proliferation of our hobby and what we can do to spread the good news.
Below you will find an edited post I made in the coffee shop and another post from another thread referring to less than prototypical train sets and other pieces.
I am one of the Bradford Exchange's biggest suckers, I mean customers. Considering all the direct marketing they do for these trains I would say the market is pretty good. You can even find their ads in the Sunday papers from time to time.
I have never bought a train set from them, but I have been tempted. The high prices deter me. Now if MB Klein offered them considering their prices I would probably have more than one! I have bought many other items from them, mostly Christmas themed decorations and the like.
The Bradford Exchange has themed train sets ranging from Budweiser to Wildlife and almost everything in between. They even have an Indian Motor Cycles themed train.
http://www.bradfordexchange.com/mcat...%2Ftrains.html
I picked up this Lionel boxcar at MB Klein for $52.99. They have them on display right by the front door, first thing you see and in the O gauge section. They told me since it came out it has been their best selling piece of O gauge rolling stock, by far!
As of right now they are sold out! http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Lionel-O-Baltimore-Orioles-Boxcar-p/lio-6-81922.htm
Even Toys R Us is selling this boxcar, but at an inflated price of $84.99 No wonder they still have them in stock.
I think it's good to embrace anything that promotes trains. I started with only cheap Christmas trains. It took me 40 years, but I caught train fever. At first I only wanted trains and tracks, but now I want more! I hope to someday be a serious modeler, but I will keep, display and run my whimsical pieces. I think the 2 aspects of the hobby can be combined, at least on my railroad.
Ready To Run sets and other un-prototypical pieces can only be good for the economy of the hobby. Since I began buying more than Christmas trains I have spent close to $30000 and more than half of that at MB Klein. The hobby shops in my area were less than welcoming to me when I came in to buy Tyco and Life-Like or later HO Christmas trains. MB Klein always treated me good. Now those other hobby shops are all gone. It's no wonder to me why they went out of business. I would spend 100% of my money at MB Klein, but they don't always have what I am looking for.
Generally speaking from my perspective I think this hobby can be it's own worst enemy. I have been in several other hobby shops, but was rebuked and sometimes ignored because I was not an elite modeler or interested in becoming one at the time.
From everything I have read this is a trend that began in the 50s with the move to more realistic models. Are we are losing track of what made model trains so popular in the first place; children?
Every year since 2012 I have bought at least 1 Lionel Christmas train set for a kid in my family, not counting my grandsons. If I thought a child or anyone in my family would enjoy one of these themed trains I would buy them one.
I owe so much to this hobby, it is only right to give back a little.
Share our hobby, give the gift of a train set, any train set! You never know what it can inspire.
Here is some examples of the sets I am refereeing to, but not limited to just these there are all sorts of others. Any way we can bring new people and their money into the hobby is good for everyone even the "rivet counters" will benefit.
Now for issue at hand.
I would like the opinions of model railroaders on a subject that is dear to my heart; the proliferation of our hobby and what we can do to spread the good news.
Below you will find an edited post I made in the coffee shop and another post from another thread referring to less than prototypical train sets and other pieces.
I am one of the Bradford Exchange's biggest suckers, I mean customers. Considering all the direct marketing they do for these trains I would say the market is pretty good. You can even find their ads in the Sunday papers from time to time.
I have never bought a train set from them, but I have been tempted. The high prices deter me. Now if MB Klein offered them considering their prices I would probably have more than one! I have bought many other items from them, mostly Christmas themed decorations and the like.
The Bradford Exchange has themed train sets ranging from Budweiser to Wildlife and almost everything in between. They even have an Indian Motor Cycles themed train.
http://www.bradfordexchange.com/mcat...%2Ftrains.html
I picked up this Lionel boxcar at MB Klein for $52.99. They have them on display right by the front door, first thing you see and in the O gauge section. They told me since it came out it has been their best selling piece of O gauge rolling stock, by far!
As of right now they are sold out! http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Lionel-O-Baltimore-Orioles-Boxcar-p/lio-6-81922.htm
Even Toys R Us is selling this boxcar, but at an inflated price of $84.99 No wonder they still have them in stock.
I think it's good to embrace anything that promotes trains. I started with only cheap Christmas trains. It took me 40 years, but I caught train fever. At first I only wanted trains and tracks, but now I want more! I hope to someday be a serious modeler, but I will keep, display and run my whimsical pieces. I think the 2 aspects of the hobby can be combined, at least on my railroad.
Ready To Run sets and other un-prototypical pieces can only be good for the economy of the hobby. Since I began buying more than Christmas trains I have spent close to $30000 and more than half of that at MB Klein. The hobby shops in my area were less than welcoming to me when I came in to buy Tyco and Life-Like or later HO Christmas trains. MB Klein always treated me good. Now those other hobby shops are all gone. It's no wonder to me why they went out of business. I would spend 100% of my money at MB Klein, but they don't always have what I am looking for.
Generally speaking from my perspective I think this hobby can be it's own worst enemy. I have been in several other hobby shops, but was rebuked and sometimes ignored because I was not an elite modeler or interested in becoming one at the time.
From everything I have read this is a trend that began in the 50s with the move to more realistic models. Are we are losing track of what made model trains so popular in the first place; children?
Every year since 2012 I have bought at least 1 Lionel Christmas train set for a kid in my family, not counting my grandsons. If I thought a child or anyone in my family would enjoy one of these themed trains I would buy them one.
I owe so much to this hobby, it is only right to give back a little.
Share our hobby, give the gift of a train set, any train set! You never know what it can inspire.
Here is some examples of the sets I am refereeing to, but not limited to just these there are all sorts of others. Any way we can bring new people and their money into the hobby is good for everyone even the "rivet counters" will benefit.
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