# Building a large scale collection with limited income. Your thoughts.



## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Is it possible to pursue a hobby in Large scale model railroading, collecting locos and cars, while being on a very very limited income?
Anyone have any secrets to share or insights?


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Shop around, I just bought a beat up LGB set that was very faded for $10 admission and $80 for the set containing the following.
LGB 2020 stainz engine, powered tender, site seeing car, low sided gondola, caboose, and a working sound car.
I did have to clean everything (all were circus versions) and the paint was very faded on all but the sound car. 
Engine and tender needed new shoes and I lubed both plus cleaned the wheels.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

yes.
yes if... - if you stay aware of: less money = more time needed.

i started with LGB in '69 or '70, about 70% of my stuff is either second hand, or built at home, now i got (more or less everything i want, and it was/is fun.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Hobby wise, I'm impoverished, yet over the years I've built up a roster that would impress more than a few folks. I buy used items & used track, I buy closeouts, I kitbash, I scratchbuild. I keep my trains simple DC track power, no DCC or RC as that gets silly expensive very fast.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Something to keep in mind are consignment shops. Large scale rarely shows up in them, but when it does the prices can be attractive. I have picked up a few cars that way.

Best,
David Meashey


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

It can be done, yes. But it mostly depends on what you desire in large scale. If the older and slightly more toy like(before any mods) is up your alley, then check out older brands like Kalamazoo, Lionel Large Scale, REA. Even some LGB can be had for a decent price if you shop wisely. This leaves out most modern diesels and live steam. The loco shop does have a USA GP9 in Conrail that is missing a bunch of details and most of the hand rails. You can get them right from USA trains. I think he was asking $150 for it, but always open to offers. He also has a Kalamazoo 4-4-0 and a couple freight cars for a really good price. Contact Zionsville Train Depot. Also watch the Goodwill website and search for trains, sometimes you can find one of the old Lionel Large Scale sets there. Mike


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

If you enjoy working with your hands, building rolling stock from scratch is helpful for the budget, depending on what you plan to use for their trucks (ie plastic vs white metal, etc)
Garden Railways has printed many plans for just about anything imaginable, from rolling stock to buildings. (one of which was used to make the caboose pictured in my signature with a tablesaw) I can try to find a list if you are interested.
If you are planning a layout indoors. you can get by with aluminum track. If outdoors, I would search out used brass track through classifieds or the local Large Scale club.

Keep us posted, so maybe we can help.

Matt


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

If you're ok with Bachmann Big Haulers to kitbash and paint, or use outright, Goodwill seems to always have locos and stock and sets up for auction. Sometimes LGB and others. 

www.shopgoodwill.com

Click Search and enter bachmann (or whatever).

Cliff


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

All very helpful insights! Thank You!


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

OldNoob;

Just thought of another thing. I think you may have indicated that you live on the East Coast. If you can get to York, PA as part of a day trip, I would recommend attending on Friday for ECLSTS at the York Fairgrounds. Lots of vendor tables with some good used stock from all the large scale manufacturers. Friday has the biggest selection, and some dealers will bargain with you. Good selection and a chance to haggle, you can't beat that.

Best wishes,
David Meashey


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## TPP1776 (Feb 28, 2017)

Dave Meashey said:


> OldNoob;
> 
> Just thought of another thing. I think you may have indicated that you live on the East Coast. If you can get to York, PA as part of a day trip, I would recommend attending on Friday for ECLSTS at the York Fairgrounds. Lots of vendor tables with some good used stock from all the large scale manufacturers. Friday has the biggest selection, and some dealers will bargain with you. Good selection and a chance to haggle, you can't beat that.
> 
> ...


I plan on going to the York show in a few weeks. Maybe get a table there come fall time, although the fall time show is all scales.



OP- Def. check out goodwill, sometimes they have train stuff there. The one in Bel Air, MD had a descent sized HO scale set for $40 with a good amount of track and cars a few weeks ago.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Both shows are all scales aren't they?

Greg


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## TPP1776 (Feb 28, 2017)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Both shows are all scales aren't they?
> 
> Greg


Spring show is Large Scale Only
Fall show is all scales


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

So we are both right, not all scales but not large scale only, G and O now...

From the site:

The East Coast Train Show is one of the premier model railroading conventions in the eastern United States. The first ECTS was held in 1997 in Atlantic City, NJ. Originally called the East Coast Large Scale Train Show, the convention was developed to reach the untapped Large Scale model railroad hobbyist market east of the Mississippi. (Large scale trains are *1/29th scale* trains. These trains are *about twice the size of O gauge *trains or another description that seems to work is "about the size of the old standard gauge electric trains.) Over time, the show grew in popularity, attracting hobbyists from England, Ireland, Australia, and Canada, as well as many hobbyists from west of the Mississippi, as well. After initially starting in Atlantic City, NJ, the ECLSTS moved to Somerset, NJ, and then to York, PA in 2001, where it has been ever since. In 2016, the East Coast Large Scale Train Show changed its name to East Coast *Larger* Scale Train Show.* Do to popular requests, we decided to open the show up to O gauge trains.*


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

As far as I know, this year the spring show is G and O scale.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

FWIW, there were always some O & S gauge items on the second-hand dealers' tables, even HO. I bought a nice Marx Commodore Vanderbilt passenger set from the late 1930s at the show about three years ago. I have even seen the REAL Buddy L and standard gauge at some of the tables(both are larger than our stuff). The organizers are just getting around to including O gauge officially, but the stuff has been there, albeit in relatively small quantity. Given my 'druthers, I much prefer O gauge to vendors selling home improvements (like last year). Those folks attacked me like a bunch of Flim-Flam artists!

The weekend will be here before we know it,
David Meashey


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Find a local club with regular meetings and a nice raffle each month. Then you can hit on/see if any members want to part with anything that they don't regularly run and get the best prices. You can also get nice stuff in the raffle with any luck. It will also keep you motor-vated.

Sorry, but this is really not a poor man's hobby, and you may find your quest frustrating. Good luck


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

> Is it possible to pursue a hobby in Large scale model railroading, collecting locos and cars, while being on a very very limited income?
> Anyone have any secrets to share or insights?


 Been there, done that - and in far off Alaska to boot, where even the best stocked stores carry G scale only by accident. 

Much of my collection came via starter sets and mixed lots on EBAY. I also took advantage of a few sales at the big outfits. Then again, I'm into the smaller stuff - no long cars or huge locomotives. The old layouts (currently starting on the 3rd or 4th incarnation) used simple track power - transformers straight out of the starter sets. This time around, I intend to investigate battery power because of electrical issues stemming from dirty track.


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## Russell Miller (Jan 3, 2008)

Join your local Large Scale Club. You can often pick up sweet deals at their swap meets and clubs often get asked by estates if they can help sell or take donations of Large Scale items. I acquired a lot of my stuff this way...

Russ Miller


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## SophieB (Nov 22, 2015)

I would definitely second the recommendation to join a local club if possible. In the one we belong to there are always members looking to get rid of rolling stock and equipment. Our club had a layout at a Greenberg show last weekend and some of the more experienced members were able to steer me away or towards a couple purchases I was thinking about. Being an exhibitor you also get to be there at the end of the show when the vendors are packing up and willing to make deals on things they'd rather not haul back to the store.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Limit your scope. If you are on a limited budget, look at the real railroads on a limited budget. Don't try to build the Union Pacific or CSX, instead build a shortline. Limited number of locomotives, limited number of cars. Spend a little more on track than trains and give your RR something to do. Service industries and slow your trains down so the trip last longer.

Chris


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Switchers and small locos vs. Dash 9's and SD70's...

yep, what Chris said.

Also short lines ran slower... running slower makes your layout seem bigger.

Greg


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

One can also look toward what many in the UK do in large scale. Instead of lots of engines/rolling stock. Funds are concentrated into one nice live steam engine, usually in 16mm narrow gauge scale and a couple battery powered diesels/critters for when one does not desire to run live steam. No track power is needed, so no expense of a large high amp transformer or the need to get on ones hands and knees to clean track if the railway is near or at ground level. Many live steam, espically the Roundhouse line, come with RC already installed. USA style could be done with one of the many Ruby variants produced over the past several years. An LGB DRGW #50 takes well to onboard battery power, or one of the diesels from Accucraft. The UK narrow gauge way is to do more with less, everything over there is much more expensive due to taxes and being imported. Shortline or narrow gauge is probably the least expensive route to modeling in large scale. Mike the Aspie


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Even with the cost of brass track vs. aluminum track, DC track power is still the cheapest. 

I read that the budget was the number one priority from the topic title.

Track cleaning and electrical continuity is not the end of the world.

Greg


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

I disagree, but it really depends on the OP wants to achive in the way of a garden railway, or if he just wants to collect as much large scale as he can. A small railway with a battery operated diesel and a few wagons can be done cheaper than a LGB starter set. I could set up a small garden railway with one battery diesel, one live steam and track for less than the track and a Bridgewerks transformer that can handle larger diesels would cost. So, yes, track power can be cheaper, but it all goes back to what each person wants for a railway or collection.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Mike, your examples of an LGB starter set and an expensive Bridgewerks are not what I would recommend if you were evaluating a low cost approach. A Bachmann bug mauler and a much less expensive power supply would be my recommendation.

Again I reference the OP's first post and stated goals.

Greg


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

great sugestions all.
I especially like the one regarding "goodwill", i had no idea they had an online store.

Greg, "Bug Mauler", LOL love it.
I did consider aluminum track, but i just like the look of the brass so much better.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

For outside with track power, aluminum would not be my choice for several reasons.
One reason is it is too soft and will bend when stepped on (think animals and children).
Another is poor track power.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Personally I would stay away from the Bug Maulers. Spend a little extra and get something from Hartland Locomotive Works. They are way more durable at not much additional cost. My son just bought the HLW Mack for $60 brand new. It is a great little loco, would be good for kids. Plus the HLW stuff will handle the tighter curves that a smaller layout might have. 

If you are going track power, then definitely go brass over aluminum for the conductivity issue. Bridgewerks would be great, but they are expensive! (Worth every penny too) As far as Alum. track goes, I consider the damage issue to be a moot point. Yes, I agree that it is softer than brass and will bend easier if stepped on. I think if you have a problem with your track being stomped all over, you probably need to look at something other than the track for the solution (ie. whatever is stomping on it). If you have an accident, and have to replace a section you are still money ahead. Just saw photos of Matt's alum. track on the ground that Elk stomped all over. He straightened it back out and saved almost all of it.

Chris


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Remember the new bug maulers have the brass gear, the self-destructing nylon gear is gone gone gone... finally after what, 10 years?

Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Late last year HLW sold the purple MACK for $35 brand new. I bought 2 and shipping was approx. $16. SO 2 macks to my door for $86. 
Be patient and something nice will be available at great prices.


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

Hartlands product is excellent value for the $$. Along with newer Bman Big Haulers(in relation to the 4-6-0's) as any of the freight and rolling stock is ok. Kalamazoo and older track powered Lionel Large Scale are also excellent values. Mikie


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Be careful on the Lionel, they can force you into a larger power supply.

Parts are hard to come by.

Greg


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