I saw an interesting question posed recently on another forum that sort of ties in with this one. It asked the question of just what percentage of HO models (in particular, locomotives) go to folks in the following categories, a) those who are simply no-questions-asked collectors and will probably never run them; b) those guys without any current layout but supposedly acquiring equipment for some future dream layout (and will such ever be built?); c) those bought strictly for speculation/re-sale purposes; d)folks with currently operational layouts who will at least occasionally run their new purchases, although they don't fit the layout's actual scheme and finally; e) those guys who logically buy to reasonably fill out the needs for the basic and logical roster of their model railroad, be it freelance or prototypical.
Judging by the comments the question returned and my own experience, it would seem that at least 90% go to folks in categories "a" through "d" and probably less than 5% to those in "e". This would almost certainly have to be true just to explain sales of all the very large steam, or diesel locomotives offered in recent years, as few hobbyists have layouts either large enough, complex enough, or with curves broad enough, to make such use reasonable and logical. Admittedly, a decided majority of my own hobby acquaintances do fall into one or another the initial categories. Makes you wonder just what is the true basic nature of our hobby, doesn't it?
CNJ999