How much can we justify spending?

[ezdays]

You guys are right, we get more satisfaction from making something or getting something at a bargain price they we would if we bought something ready-made just because we can say it was expensive. As long as we hang out in places like Big Blue, we don't have to worry about keeping up with the Jones, 'cause we all think the same way. I got a bunch of new GP38's a few years ago for less than $15 each from a dealer that was no longer in the model train market, some haven't even been out of the box yet, but they were a great buy and I felt great . Yeah, no DCC, no sound, but I don't care. I also bought a bunch of kits at the same time for around $2.00 each, just for the material. Just about all the rest of my engines and cars were "experienced" before I got them. I'd rather brag about the great deals I got, or the money I saved by being creative, than I would brag about having paid $6,000 for one stinking scale shovel. :o If I really wanted one, I think I'd take on the task of building one myself. It may take a year, but I'd have more pride in it when it was completed.

I still can't figure out where someone would put something that big on a layout, it's even big for G, 3' long by 2' high... Who knows, maybe there's 120 layouts in the world that it would look just right there, but then they'd have to buy a few scale trucks to work with it and pretty soon, even those will look crowded.