Fear of Missing Out - FOMO

[woodenhead]

There's a few threads of late canvassing a couple of manufacturers for their next release, additionally there are a lot of threads about rather nice models that have either arrived or are in development.

 

This got me thinking - over in N land where I currently reside there aint a lot I want which can be seen two ways - either not enough new product or I am actually quite happy with my lot and I don't feel the need to simply add to my bulging stockbox.

 

But over in OO I am in a quandry - it's all boxed up and I don't know what to do, I sold all the nice Maunsell Green stuff a couple of years back and I am pondering what to with the following:

• A couple of Panniers - much talking about a new Pannier, even @Captain Kernow believes it is time.
• A 14xx - Hattons model, wasn't a bad runner and not a bad model but, it does have a conspicuous element missing - there is talk that Rapido?? are doing one which is not surprising if you think of a certain iconic film.
• A 45xx - Nice Bachmann model, old mechanicals but smooth - there is a new one coming from Rapido
• A Collett Goods - nice model, old mechanicals but smooth and for some reason I have a real connection to the engine type which I think goes back to my old Mainline one.  Nothing new on the horizon but people are making noises that they would like one.
• A Dean Goods from Oxford - not a lot to say, it's a slow smooth runner and I like it
• A Dukedog - impulse buy from Bachmann scrum and hardly used but a nice runner
• Dapol Diesel railcar - one of the original batch with the big bump hiding the motor

 

Then comes the stock:

• Hornby B Set - nicely applied livery but Airfix lineage - Rapido are doing these to a high spec
• Hornby Autocoach - It's a Railroad model, nuth said - Dapol doing one and I seem to think Rapido as well
• Colletts - Hornby, fine coaches
• Hattons 4/6 wheel coaches pack - impulse buy when some appeared back in stock
• Lots of wagons of GW, LMS and SR liveries - generally the old Bachmann standard models plus a couple of Rails LSWR printed wagons.  Rapido have been working on more specific wagons of late.

 

FOMO is playing on me big time - I have an opportunity to collect exquisite stock for a GW branchline for which I already have more than enough stock and really not the space to do it justice.  I lay in bed last night considering options - whilst at the same time mulling over a colliery exchange siding layout that would feature none of these items but would use Accurascale MDVs and 16t mineral wagons (more FOMO). Then I consider the space available in what is also my home office, the fact I don't use half my N gauge stuff and I don't model enough to justify two layouts on the go.

 

In fact after an hour of musing I came to the realisation that actually I am better of selling all the OO gauge, it's causing me stress to just sit in a box and when I try and envision a railway with them on it's not really floating my boat; so why do I want a load of Rapido locos and stock.  It also struck me I have a lot of N gauge freight stock not seeing much use, that the recent relevation that a small capacitor in an 08 does wonders for shunting in N.  With space at a premium, why don't I simply build an N gauge freight yard that will be twice the size of the equivalent in OO.

 

Do others go through similar mental struggles when it comes to new models and upgrades?

Edited September 7, 2023 by woodenhead
spelling

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

I’m having this right now with a few models. The Hattons p class, as lovely as they are (and a good price too) they just don’t fit with what I’m doing. The Jones goods, while gorgeous is very expensive for me right now and I don’t even have a layout to run it on. And there are future models I would rather own like the Barclay and manning Wardles. 

 

But what I’ve noticed is that if a model sells out it means it’s popular, and more likely to get a second run in the future that you can save up for. And if not, they’ll be some knocking about somewhere. Example, I like the Rapido Hunslet but it’s not high on my priorities right now, but they’re not going anywhere. 
 

If I’m not sure about buying something, I leave it for a week, maybe two. If I still want it then I’ll go for it, but if I’m not thinking about it by then I probably don’t need it. 
 

as for selling my stuff, I have a draw full of Fleischmann 0e that i haven’t used in 20 years. But I’m quite attached to them and I don’t know how much of the range is coming back so I’m happy to hold onto it a while longer. I did sell some fleischmann and Roco train sets a while back partly to finance some better kati track but mostly because  I needed the money, and they were unlikely to be used as I had plenty of other models I liked more. 
 

I hope this essay made sense.

[SM42]

Yes. 

 

Sometimes I resist, sometimes I don't. 

 

I have visions of long trains sweeping along across a low embankment and completely forget I've only got 13i sh ft x 7 ish ft to fit in such layout largesse. 

 

Its that continual fight between the possible and the imaginary ideal. 

 

Andy

[Halvarras]

7 hours ago, Rich Uncle Skeleton said:

 

If I’m not sure about buying something, I leave it for a week, maybe two. If I still want it then I’ll go for it, but if I’m not thinking about it by then I probably don’t need it. 

 

So true, I frequently resort to this conundrum-buster! If I see something of interest up for grabs in pre-owned listings or eBay but I'm not really sure I'll give it a week or so and if it's still available and I haven't gone off the idea by then The Universe has decided I was meant to have it!  Sometimes I'll have a really exciting idea while trying to get to sleep but the cold light of the following morning immediately blows the whole idea into the weeds, leaving me annoyed with myself for losing sleep over it.

 

These days it helps to have more projects stockpiled than I may have time left to accomplish. Well, it helps most of the time.......

[The Johnster]

Modelling a specific location and period can help.  Cwmdimbath is a (semi) imaginary part of the Tondu Valleys network in South Wales, period 1948-58, so I can resist a 14xx (for example) no matter how good it is because none were ever allox Tondu!  Same goes for coaches; money is going in to the savings for a Dapol Diagram N, but the lovely Bachmann A38 is out of period at Tondu for me, as is the 64xx.  Discipline, lad, discipline…

 

My colliery is overstocked with industrials in a pretty undisciplined way, though!
 

 

[jjb1970]

I used to, but not so much these days.

 

Part of that is my interests are rather niche and atypical, at least for a British enthusiast, so I am not really that bothered about missing out British outline. If I miss something the chances are there'll either be another run or stuff will appear on EBay. What tends to happen is the hype train for a release of the moment results in an initial EBay frenzy, then the new hype train arrives, a lot of people who like to just buy stuff or got carried away with hype etc end up moving on and selling stuff and prices usually (though not always) return to sensibleness after a while. 

 

Manufacturers are quite clever, using terms like 'buyers remorse', and I can't criticise them for that as they're in the business of selling their wares but as consumers it's worth remembering that nobody needs a train in the real sense of need, it's a discretionary purchase. If you miss out then you miss out but in most cases when I've really wanted a model I've got it in the end and if not there's plenty of other interesting stuff. It's your money, your budget and you're in control of it so my advice would be to keep at least one foot on the ground and not get carried away.

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Modelling a specific location and period can help.  Cwmdimbath is a (semi) imaginary part of the Tondu Valleys network in South Wales, period 1948-58, so I can resist a 14xx (for example) no matter how good it is because none were ever allox Tondu!  Same goes for coaches; money is going in to the savings for a Dapol Diagram N, but the lovely Bachmann A38 is out of period at Tondu for me, as is the 64xx.  Discipline, lad, discipline…

 

My colliery is overstocked with industrials in a pretty undisciplined way, though!
 

 

 

A Dapol Diagram N is worth saving for*, if the O gauge version is anything to go by.....

 

* I may start saving too!

[SM42]

I'm quite lucky as some of my more niche interests I tend to buy in person rather than on line. ( says he who had a parcel arrive yestetday)

 

Now my favoured shop is some distance away, in another country, with the  result is that the " oooo - aah" moment may not last and I have time to be sensible with myself or it will have  sold out by the time my next visit comes round. 

 

Again the constraints of reality for the future layout help, but not every time.

 

There is only one thing I regret not buying at the time ( I simply forgot they were available) and I'm hoping for a second run some time.

 

Andy

Edited September 10, 2023 by SM42

[The Johnster]

5 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

A Dapol Diagram N is worth saving for*, if the O gauge version is anything to go by.....

 

* I may start saving too!

 

It's in the 'absolute core essential' purchase category, well ahead of it's nearest competitor, a Rapido 44xx that I have no evidence of ever been used north of Tondu; this is in the 'I'd like one but can't really justify it' category.   If anyone decides to make an A10, perhaps to go with an announced 4575 ('Rapcoughido'), that'll go straight in to the top category.

 

Categories are interesting.  My mate's little girl, four years old at the time, so cute she sh*t kittens, and now a teenager spectacularly embarrassed by the incident, asked what was goint to happen to the cat when they went away on holiday (Johnster was given a key to go in and feed it), delightfully responded 'I expect it will go into a category', the sort of logic that cannot be disputed!

[AndrueC]

I'd be happier if/when Dapol release the forthcoming GWR HST and RevolutioN finally ship my TPE. But I've resigned myself to never getting an N scale APT-E or Princess Elizabeth.

 

Generally though I buy on the basis of 'If it looks nice I'll 'ave it.' :)

 

Edit: Although I'd also like to find a red/white wave EMR Mk2 coach in N to complete my first HST but no-one seems to have any in stock. I'm at TINGS for my club tomorrow so will bend the ears of someone on the Dapol stand :)

Edited September 8, 2023 by AndrueC

[RichardT]

I had a related FOMO-by-proxy issue a while ago during the Farish N drought.  I started feeling that I must buy new releases from the new entrants to the UK N market, even if they didn’t fit my modelling period/location, because there was a sense that if we didn’t support these new entrants then they’d abandon N, and Farish would also be discouraged from the scale.  Then there would be no chance of ever seeing stuff that I actually “needed” (usual caveat re “need” in this contact).  
 

Well, having blown lots of money on Revolution Pendolino coaches, EFE Claytons, Rapido Metrovicks and Sonic J50s, none of which fit my ex-NER in the 1940s plans, I’ve finally got over that “sympathetic magic” approach.  It’s not produced the Revolution K class Pullmans, or Sonic shrinking their A5 to N gauge (surely a no-brainer?) nor have my purchases encouraged Farish to shrink their J72, V1/3 or new-tool V2 to N.  
 

I could have saved that money and used it on a few EFE J94s to be re-liveried into LNER. I’m now just going to wait until someone produces something I genuinely “need”, because it will happen eventually if I’m patient - see aforesaid J94s and an honourable mention here for Farish running the fake teak Thompsons.

 

Mind you, if I think I’m badly off goodness knows what SR modellers in N feel…

 

RichardT

Edited September 8, 2023 by RichardT

[Ben B]

It's such an annoyance when you're on a tight modelling budget, and models either have stupidly short production runs, or sell-out on pre-order.  Right now I'd really like a Dapol Ivatt 2mt in KWVR red (it's my local line, of which I'm a member, and it's one of my favourite locomotives) but a lot of places have already sold it out on pre-order.  I've pre-ordered the Kato/Peco "Welsh Pony" even though I've not done my 009 layout yet, and I'm also toying with pre-ordering one of the new N gauge EFE Austerity saddle tanks.  That's a fair whack of money though to find.

 

It can be a double-edged sword though; my local shop who I order through had to remind me I have several items on order with Hornby, like the 88DS, which show very little sign of ever actually arriving and which I'd not only forgotten about, but had stopped budgeting for.  So at some point, if they actually do indeed release them, I'll have to shell out for a pair of models I was ready for last year.

 

The problem is though, increasingly, if you don't pre-order and hope to find Future Money for the unspecified time when a container ship finally docks, you're not going to get the item as the short production runs for a lot of stuff take care of that.  I'm still a bit annoyed that I didn't go for the Minitrains Hoe/009 Bagnall, as I didn't have the money at the time and they're like hens teeth now, for example.

[The Johnster]

I feel your pain, Ben, being nobbut a poor pensioner myself.  FOMO, or, worse, the potential embarrassment of ordering a loco and not being able to pay for it when asked, caused me quite a bit of stress, famously among some RM contributors, during the lead time between the announcment and the appearance of the Bachmann 94xx, an 'absolute core essential' category purchase.  The lead time was over 5 years, during which the entire universe appeared to be conspiring against my ever actually getting my grubby little piggies on one, including two years' delay caused by the loss of a factory in China to fire, luckily no-one hurt but it highlighed how close to the bone the 'just in time' production system is, fine when eveything's going ok but a factory fire, or a ship blocking the Suez Canal, or such, will have knock-on effects over considerable time.

 

The loco would be scheduled for next year's Q3, or following year's Q1, or whatever, and as it was for me a pretty big purchase, it had to be budgeted for carefully over three or four months before the release date.  So it's continually being put back,  sometimes unannounced, was difficult to manage and frustrating, and the RRP more than doubled during the waiting period.  Baccy were asking £129.99 when it eventually did turn up, but I managed to find a discount to just over £100 at Rails, which was a big help.  Two years' delay for a factory fire is significant if you are of an age where, without being particularly morbid, that might represent 20% of the time you have left before you shuffle off your mortal coil, or whatever old radio part it is that you have to shuffle off, that is, a 20% devaluation of the use you will get from the purchase, but it's bad luck, not a conspiracy against you no matter how much it feels like one sometimes.

 

Bachmann now have a different method of announcing models and delivering them, which makes it look as though they've given up all together but they might had twenty completely new never-before-seen items to announce this month, all to be delivered on the next boat out of Shanghai!  Hornby did this with the 57' Collett suburbans, announcement to shops within about four months.  Then they messed up the lead time for the 5101 to concentrate on the Terrier to gazump Rails, then rushed the 5101 out to gazump Dapol, hardly predictable supply chaining!

 

But, if you are on a fixed income and a limited budget, you have to accept that the world is not set up to cater to your particular needs, and you are going to encounter problems of this sort.  In a capitalist society profit, the driving force, is made by selling goods and services to people who can afford them rather than those who simply want (or need!) them, so it is inevitable that the likes of us are not considered a priority,  You can't blame the manufacturers for targeting markets with more disposable than we have, Ben; looking after us is a guaranteed shortcut to bankruptcy!  Rent and bills come first, then food, before we can consider trains!

 

Next big outlay for me is the Diagram N, and my situation has improved a little since the 94xx lead time era, so I am fairly confident that I can pay for it at a fortnight or so's notice when Rails asks for the money, as this site will enable me to monitor it's approach from China.  I'll be (pleasantly) surprised if there isn't a price increase, though...

[jjb1970]

Expecting customers to pre-order is one of my pet hates. To be clear, I fully understand why model producers do it and it makes perfect sense. They avoid having to hold inventory, they can balance production with demand and from a customer perspective if the system is well implemented and avoids limiting numbers then they should not miss out if they are in a position to order before the cut off. So in a sense everyone wins.

 

However I hate having commitments hanging over me. I  consider an agreement to be just that. I  expect the producer to provide the model as advertised, in return I consider myself obligated to honour the  order. Given how long it takes for some models to be delivered I really don't know what my circumstances might be in several years, either financial or with regard hobby interests.  It's very easy to end up with an awful lot of money already spoken for and acting as a bit of a weight. And that's without thinking about whether we have confidence to buy unseen. With SLW, Revolution, Rapido and Accurascale probably yes, not so sure about any others. 

 

I accept not pre-ordering means I may well miss models I would like but would rather that can end up committed to spending £££££££s at some undefined date. There are other models and other interests. And fortunately Japanese outline is generally still readily available through regular retail. 

[McC]

If it helps, we don’t take money down on most preorders at all now and have a simple self service cancellation and order edit system on our website. The preorders help us make enough but you don’t pay any money and can cancel at any time too. We also offer simple installments should you wish to spread the cost of a preorder over 6 months as you wish. Missing out is something we work really hard to avoid for our customers so we try make securing your preferred model as easy as possible too. 

[cessna152towser]

Until a few years ago, our local railway society had a huge 00 layout in the basement of the local town hall to which I had access and indeed some of my trains lived semi-permanently on the multi-track fiddle yard, and I would buy lots of diverse 00 stock from different eras just because it would be nice to have and perhaps also the fear of missing out.   However we were all getting older and the club dismantled the layout and gave up the premises and now have a small non-scenic test track in multiple gauges in a room within our local Men's Shed.   Accordingly I am now restricted to my small U-shaped 00 gauge layout which I built in a room at home in 1989.    The main pleasure of this layout lies in the large variety of trains which I can run on it, however these are of necessity short trains and only one can run at a time so a frustration is that more time is spent unboxing and re-packing rolling stock than actually running it.   I am now in my seventies.  That fear of missing out has weakened for a variety of reasons and I am currently no longer in the market for buying more new model trains.   I do still have Accurascale pre-orders for a few MDW wagons, Mk2 coaches and a pair of Class 66s to look forward to and I will probably sell a few surplus items on eBay to help fund these when payment becomes due, but that's about it.   

Edited September 9, 2023 by cessna152towser

[Steamport Southport]

18 hours ago, Ben B said:

It's such an annoyance when you're on a tight modelling budget, and models either have stupidly short production runs, or sell-out on pre-order.  Right now I'd really like a Dapol Ivatt 2mt in KWVR red (it's my local line, of which I'm a member, and it's one of my favourite locomotives) but a lot of places have already sold it out on pre-order. 

 

*Snipped for ease of quoting*

 

That's one of my regrets, albeit the 00 gauge Bachmann version. They do turn up occasionally but at eyewatering prices for what is now a dated model and has the older split chassis ISTR. I would love one to go with the KWVR USA Tank. If they ever revisit it then I'll bit their hand off!

 

 

I though I had cured my FOMO after a couple of disappointments.....

 

Just looked and it's over £1000 worth of pre orders.... 🤯

 

Turbomotive, Caprotti Five, Streamlined B17, BR 2MT 2-6-0 and I'm sure there are others that I've forgotten about!

 

 

 

Jason

[woodenhead]

Last whilst in the room of contemplation I happened across the Newquay (Wales) layout that featured in the Modelling BR Blue book all those years ago.

 

Half a station is an excuse for big engines with very little behind them (except imagination) and not too complex to be overly wide or long.

 

Hmm I think, that justifies a Dukedog plus a couple of Colletts and a GWR diesel railcar, a 14xx can work one way out of the station where the big trains don't venture and a B-set serves the locals the other way.

 

B%gger - it doesn't stop does it.

[AndrueC]

On 08/09/2023 at 17:32, AndrueC said:

Edit: Although I'd also like to find a red/white wave EMR Mk2 coach in N to complete my first HST but no-one seems to have any in stock. I'm at TINGS for my club tomorrow so will bend the ears of someone on the Dapol stand :)

Guess what I found on the Annorak's Anonymous stand at TINGS today? So now I'm considering cancelling the GWR HST pre-order and coaches order. I'll see how I feel once I've added the new coach to the old rake.

 

I'm not sure what message that sends suppliers. On the one hand if they do limited runs they can push us into buying more stuff to compensate (a different HST rake in my case). On the other hand because they produced one more coach than was needed and because I found it the retailers and suppliers have almost certainly lost a few hundred quid in sales.

Edited September 9, 2023 by AndrueC

[298]

Since my main modelling interests seem to invariably involve scratch building, RTR can be useful for "nice to have" models that would otherwise be unobtainable due to the time and effort required- I liked the Rapido Hunslet but really wanted a green Beatrice as per the preserved loco but it wasn't an option in the first batch and buying one to repaint would have taken modelling time away from more pressing projects. The only other pre-order is a Met no.1 for a very slow burning project but I perceived a risk that prices would skyrocket should matching coaches be announced and as soon as I paid inflated secondhand prices a second batch would be announced.

[CloggyDog]

I like to think I am fairly well disciplined on only buying models with a definite use on a layout, rather than the 'ooooh shiny, must have' - and despite my varied scale/country/era interests* I have been 'good' at resisting most of the promised shiny (Accurascale 16t mins notwithstanding) 

 

I'm also happy to spend some time, effort and plasticard in upgrading older, obsolete and cheaper rtr models and building kits, rather than buy the latest all-singing, all-dancing version, partly to keep my spend lowish, but also because I really enjoy the modelling side of the hobby. 

 

*No such thing as FOMO when you model British outline H0, btw...

Edited September 10, 2023 by CloggyDog

[Richard_A]

Whilst I don't really care about the latest models because I'm quite happy altering rtr diesels with techniques I read about in the modelling magazines I used to read as a kid and thought I'd like to try that, I have become less cautious about buying kits from either the manufacturer or when I see them because I have missed out. 

 

I'm talking about the likes of genesis Kits, alexander models and southern pride models, for too long I looked at their wares and thought its a bit expensive I'll wait a bit only to actually miss out. 

[The Johnster]

'Ooh, shiny, must have/shiny new thing make it all better' is a constant temptation, and little harm to the greater scheme of things is likely to occur if we fall off our perch sometimes.  At Cwmdimbath I cope with this in the following way:-

 

1) The layout's geographical location is a small valley in the Central Glamorgan Massif, tributary to the Ogwr Fawr river.  It exists, but never had more than a tramroad serving a remote forge, though of course in my alternative 1/76th universe it has a colliery, mining village, and branch line.  This branch line is inevitably supplied with locomotives, passenger stock, and brake vans from Tondu, TDU, 86F.

 

2) The period modelled is within a timeframe from the beginning of 1948 to the end of 1958, eleven years.

 

3) Tondu shed over this period had an allocation of around fifty locomotives, varied about five either side of this.  In reality, it catered to four branches at this period, Porthcawl, Abergwynfi, Blaengarw, and Nantymoel.  Let's call that ten locos for each branch allowing for boiler washouts, works visits. and the shed's main line work.

 

4) But in my alternative universe there is another branch, Cwmdimbath.  This probably needs a ten % increase in TDU's allocation.  If my own loco stock level is around a dozen (it's actually thirteen), ten % of it can, if I wish it, be locos never actually allox TDU in my time-frame under Rule 1 authority.  I have one such loco, a BR standard 3MT 82001 on long-term loan from Barry, where it wasn't liked, which is used on passenger and the daily Rule 1 NPCCS working (serves an imaginary distribution depot for a mail order company down at Glynogwr; the siding for this is actually on a stub of the Hendreforgan/Gilfach Goch line, which closed in 1930, so the train has to come up to Cwmdimbath to run around.  It is a large prairie/3MT diagram. 

 

There are strict rules applied to this use of Rule 1.  The Rule 1 loco cannot be from outside the Newport Division, or Cardiff Valleys area, or otherwise 'impossible'.  Potential future anomalous locos are a long-unfinished TVR rebuilt A, which will also come from Barry and occupy the same niche as 82001, Railcar No.38, which was used as a general spare to auto work in the Newport Division, and another unfinished kit, a Rhymney R; I'd have to find an excuse for it working through or transferred from Dyffryn Yard.

 

In order to excuse 'ringing the changes' on my diagrams, which have a WTT, I cound WTT days (about three or four operating sessions at reasonable scale speeds and shunting work) so that they are out of service for two working days every ten working days, as was TDU practice, for boiler washouts.

 

Sort of 'disciplined Rule 1'.  I must apply it to the Colliery one day...

[Northmoor]

12 hours ago, CloggyDog said:

I like to think I am fairly well disciplined on only buying models with a definite use on a layout, rather than the 'ooooh shiny, must have' - and despite my varied scale/country/era interests* I have been 'good' at resisting most of the promised shiny (Accurascale 16t mins notwithstanding) 

 

I'm also happy to spend some time, effort and plasticard in upgrading older, obsolete and cheaper rtr models and building kits, rather than buy the latest all-singing, all-dancing version, partly to keep my spend lowish, but also because I really enjoy the modelling side of the hobby. 

 

*No such thing as FOMO when you model British outline H0, btw...

Some of your other modelling interests, Alan, are probably even more obscure than British HO to most modellers!  But that's what makes it interesting.

 

I agree though, I prefer modelling, or in my case trying, managing about half as good as I'd like, then trying again on another wagon or loco body from the pile of "things I can afford to make a mess of" and doing a bit better......

 

In the last couple of years, I have succumbed to FOMO for a couple of industrials, suitable for layouts I've never even planned, when they started getting discounted following the initial rush and retailers were clearly trying to generate cash to get in the next "must have".  I didn't fear missing out altogether, just missing the opportunity to save twenty quid!  Being a Registered Tightwad is a very effective vaccination against FOMO, in my experience.

[SteveyDee68]

I am addicted to small shunting locomotives in model form.

 

With short production runs, I can therefore fall foul of FOMO!

 

(That’s my excuse!)

 

Having said that, I have cancelled my pre-order for the Heljan Class 02 … I got itchy at the thought of £150+ on such a small loco!*

 

Steve S

 

 

* Says the person who ended up with 5 Rapido Hunslets including duplicate liveries! 🙄