I can't believe my eyes. It's taken me a few moments to calm down before I respond...
DISCLAIMER: I work part-time in a large model-trains-only hobby shop.
OK. If you're living in the middle of nowhere, then you need to use mail-order and internet shops, just as you would for computers, musical instruments, cameras, or any other hobby-type passion. But if you live within a reasonable distance to a shop, patronize them or they'll be GONE! Do you want to be able to test that $275 decoder-equipped steam locomotive before you plunk your denari down? Hard to do that over the net. How about choosing among 5 different manufacturers' versions of 3-chime air horns? Have you ever needed to ask someone how to install couplers, or which color paint was correct for a particular era, or anything like that? Peruse magazines before you buy them? See the latest and greatest new books? Hard to do that by mail order.
I doubt seriously that anyone's charging more than MSRP -- if so, they should be gone. The prices of locos and cars have gone up because the modelling community, as a whole, is demanding more detail and authenticity. Have you noticed the free-standing brake chains on the Atlas HO scale B-32HW? (Hard to see that in a mail-order catalog, too!)
If you're nearest train shop doesn't have much, give them the opportunity to order what you want from Walthers. If he or she isn't interested, then go elsewhere. But to automatically surf the web to save a few bucks means, ultimately, that the Tucker's Hobbies and the Mainline Hobby Suppy stores that have a great selection won't be able to do that anymore.
ron
PS while I'm on a roll: fglk, could you please type in "the Kings' English"? After all these years in N-Scale, reading is tough enough...