if you don't keep a notebook, start one...

I keep an Excel spreadsheet with all my trains, accessories, etc. and current values.  In the event that selling them as various lots appears to be a better option, I keep another listing with the appropriate locomotives for various passenger or freight consists -- something that REALLY comes in handy for my Maerklin HO trains -- and sum the totals accordingly.  I then save copies to my phone -- which comes in handy when I'm perusing the tables at shows and can't remember if I already have a certain item I'm admiring -- as well as my IPad, desktop and a hard copy as well .  I've told my wife that if something happens to me, she'll at least have a reasonable, ballpark idea of what she can expect for them.   

A notebook of what you have, BEFORE you go to a show or look at an auction,  is actually a money-saver, unless you really want to collect duplicates.  Too bad it takes time.

unclelouiesboy posted:

Mr overlandflyer I am sorry I posted to the main board a response to your thread asking for you to share what you have added to your collection, Please excuse that mistake hopefully I can somehow correct it  Gary

sorry i missed your post, Gary.
my photo-booth is still down for repairs so quick-and-dirty, here is a picture off Walt Hiteshew's "Marxtin" site...

why the red ends only appear on these two 3/16" scale Marx cars will likely always be a mystery.  the frame (floor) and car ends are made from a single piece, so my WAG is that someone fed a load of blanks into the stamping machine the wrong way and whereas the red side should have been on the inside, the part wound up backwards.  to recover, the UP (already with red sides) and the yellow PFE reefer were two cars that probably could hide the mistake better than the other boxcars.

fun stuff...gary