COST of BUILDING A MODEL RAILROAD LAYOUT, my observations
Youngster asks his dad, Can we get a train for Christmas?". Under the tree is an "Over the rug train set". Next Christmas a few more cars are added. This satisfies the desire until the youngster reaches their teenage years when trains are usually pushed to the background . Cost at this point is all by others(Dad, Mom, Uncle etc) College is next, but here again cost is borne by Dad Finally a good paying job! Apartment life postpones a layout, however models are bought with the idea of that basement layout someday. Expense is minimal at this point. Ah! marriage, now we can but that house with the basement! With coaxing, the wife takes on a job to be able to meet the mortage payments. With the aid of an enthusiastic mortage banker, who also is a model railroader, the house with basement is purchased...Cost $165,000. Second job will afford some extra money for purchasing models. Starts buying engines, rolling stock, track switches etc to build that layout. After 10 years or so has accumulated $5-6000 dollars worth of stuff. Joins a few talk-lists on the net and starts asking about the planned layout. Some very Preceptive answers inform the modeler that his purchases are now hopelessfully out of date and they should be replaced with more "state-of-the-art" stuff. Finds his stuff only brings .50 cents on the dollar. Replacement prices have doubled and tripled. Will now have to layout, in addition to the $2500 recovered, an extra $10,000. No problem, just stretch the purchases over 10 years as the first were done. Another 10 years goes by, wife has decided to divorce the "fool" and his trains. Now has the whole house to himself. At this point let us recap the total cost of the layout, which has yet to be started.1. Cost of house $165,000+interest for 20 years=$412,000 2. original cost of engines rolling stock etc= $ 5,000 2a. loss on original purchases = $ 2,500 3. replacement cost of engines, rolling stock= $ 10,000 4. Lumber, ceiling, lighting, new toilet etc = $ 12,000 5. Divorce, Alimony @ $1500/month(est 25 years= $450,000 Total= $891,500 Well we are not done yet, remember that 20 years has gone by. Allowing for inflation this will push the total, and some wonder why it's called a million dollar layout!!