Why are trains so expensive?

[tony_mac]

Compared to cars, trains are just so expensive!

I wanted to buy some small trains for an exercise - I tried a number of shops and each had a good choice of cars for less than £1.50; sports cars, police cars, military vehicles, etc..

For £7 I could get an assortment of 32 cars, yet the cheapest trains I could find were £5 each!

I wonder if it's all part of a government plot to make sure that people grow up knowing that trains are expensive things!

 

[Qwerty133]

last time I noticed, poundland had a large range or toy cars including a multipack and absolutely no trains...

 

[Deerfold]

To be fair, a full sized train costs a lot more than a car.

 

[starrymarkb]

I knew a bus driver who's bus cost £65,000,000

 

[Harbon 1]

Most small trains actually work

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Most small trains actually work

....but only if Bob Crow is in a good mood...

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....For £7 I could get an assortment of 32 cars, yet the cheapest trains I could find were £5 each!....

Typically, model trains are bigger, more detailed and made from more parts. Cars are also typically more popular than trains meaning the 'tooling costs' (per model) are less.

 

[D365]

....but only if Bob Crow is in a good mood...

...My Micro Mr Crow!

Typically, model trains are bigger, more detailed and made from more parts. Cars are also typically more popular than trains meaning the 'tooling costs' (per model) are less.

Exactly that. Also the fact that since the models are proportionate, the prices should be too!

 

[Eng274]

Until these replies started flowing in I wasn't so sure the OP was talking about scale models.. and that the 'm' had just been omitted from the money figures. question could easily apply to big trains too though

 

[David Barrett]

Bring back Lone Star. Pushalong, cheap one piece castings, durable; house or garden, anywhere. My Grandchildren love those with which I played as a boy.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Bring back Lone Star. Pushalong, cheap one peece castings, durable; house or garden, anywhere. My Grandchildren love those with which I played as a boy.

If any of them end up being into models (of the train/car variety!) when they're a bit older no doubt they'll curse their clumsy childhood hands...

Much like my brother and I did with our dad's Triang 3mm/TT scale train set and countless friends did with Star Wars memorabilia!