>>1500649>Anon is poor and feels excludedThere's options. You don't need to throw fucktons of money into it.
I'll be the first to admit I have spent too much on some things, but they are few, far between, and are the centerpieces of complete trains that tie the whole thing together. I scrounge hard for deals and get picky with my prices.
Being poor doesn't mean you can't play. It just means you're going to have to do more work. Learn to solder, learn to wire lights and shit. Learn to fix what's broken, and before you know it your cheaper fixer-uppers will be dragging shit beside some fuckhead's $400 NIB thing.
In my case I need GP38-2's and I can't fuckin find them for less-than-assrape prices, so I'm making do with two shitty Athearns and a lesser shitty Athearn.