Something I like to point out from time to time regarding the high cost of trains these days: be careful on Ebay. Sometimes you can find really good deals, but other times you can buy a wanted item from one of the dealers advertising on this forum for quite a bit less. Do your homework.
I am especially amazed at the prices some Ebay sellers are asking for new/current production Lionel. I find that dealers often have lower prices than that and frequently much lower. It pays to shop around!