Ertl farmall scale models

[BigBill]

I started purchasing some 1/16 scale farmall letter tractors. Every holiday and birthday my son has been giving me the die cast fcub 1/16 scale tractors. Now I notice some of the ertl tractors are molded plastic injected now. Are they doing away with the diecast? They seem to discontinue a lot of the farmall tractors too. They don't offer the attachments either boxed with the farmall tractor or separate like I once seen them. I guess times are changing with toy tractors too.

On another note I found some more toys I had in the mid to late 50's and early 60's. I figured I'd get some for my 4yo grandson. The Strombecker slot car 1/32 scale race set and some HO trains plus I purchased the die cast made in England Dinky Toys. These Dinky Toys are pre war (ww2) and post war and pre match box. I grew up with dinky toys. You can check them out on eBay. Now with the strombecker slot car race sets. When I was 12yo I had one set for Christmas given to me, I picked up two more used sets horse trading with my friends. I filled up a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood with race track. My family spent hours slot car racing. A set up like I had costs $1,000 today for a layout that big today.

The bottom line is no hobby is cheap anymore. I priced a new 1/32 scale slot car set was $500. And nothing big or special.
I ended up buying up the old strombecker track to use that with the new analog cars.

I have two sets of N Scale trains from when I was 21yo. Last month we dug them out of the attic to get them up and running. Back in the 70's a steam locomotive cost me $120. The cost today has doubled. I went to look at a challenger locomotive and a big boy locomotive. These were the biggest steam powered locomotives ever built. These come in N scale, HO Scale and in Lionel trains too. The costs are between $750 to $10k just for this engine.

When I was growing up we never had new toys during the year. I made my own toys from cardboard, tape and glue. I was happy, happy, happy I had something that I used my brain to make my own boats, ect.

Times have surely changed. Bill