Norfolk Southern Executive train by MTH

It took me about 6 years to collect the entire NS OCS DAP set by MTH. I was 18 years old when I started searching and 24 by the time I finally found the last add on set. And what do you think happened about a month later? MTH announces the new release of the OCS. What do you think that does for a young hobbyist like me? I mean come on, I'm hunting down these expensive trains while going through college, paying extra for the “rarity”, being told the value of this set is only going to go up, only to have the “rarity” value of a DAP set be whipped out.

Look, I'm over it already. I'm glad more people will get their hands on equipment of my favorite railroad, Norfolk Southern. But you can be sure that I am NEVER going to spend years hunting down a "rare" item by MTH. I could have saved years searching and spent hundreds of fewer dollars in "collectors" prices.

jdstucks posted:

It took me about 6 years to collect the entire NS OCS DAP set by MTH. I was 18 years old when I started searching and 24 by the time I finally found the last add on set. And what do you think happened about a month later? MTH announces the new release of the OCS. What do you think that does for a young hobbyist like me? I mean come on, I'm hunting down these expensive trains while going through college, paying extra for the “rarity”, being told the value of this set is only going to go up, only to have the “rarity” value of a DAP set be whipped out.

 

Look, I'm over it already. I'm glad more people will get their hands on equipment of my favorite railroad, Norfolk Southern. But you can be sure that I am NEVER going to spend years hunting down a "rare" item by MTH. I could have saved years searching and spent hundreds of fewer dollars in "collectors" prices.

jdstucks, I understand you pain. It doesn't make sense to the ones who purchase this set in 2007. It only makes sense to the ones who didn't get a chance to purchase this set when it was 1st released. As I explained before, It's not about the value of the set, it's about the collectability of the set, to know that you own one of the 250 sets that were made, as for me not to sell, but to know that I have a rare collectible........rogerw.

We have all been there JD.  Just remember to collect and buy what you like. NEVER buy for an investment.  Glad you are over it.  It took me a while but to enjoy the hobby, that's what it takes. 

jdstucks posted:

It took me about 6 years to collect the entire NS OCS DAP set by MTH. I was 18 years old when I started searching and 24 by the time I finally found the last add on set. And what do you think happened about a month later? MTH announces the new release of the OCS. What do you think that does for a young hobbyist like me? I mean come on, I'm hunting down these expensive trains while going through college, paying extra for the “rarity”, being told the value of this set is only going to go up, only to have the “rarity” value of a DAP set be whipped out.

...

JD, hang in there... we all feel your pain, 'cause at one point or another many of us have been in your shoes.  Quite frankly, if the world worked the way I wanted, we should never need to pay more than MSRP for ANY of these trains.  In fact, nowadays I seldom pay more than the original street-price for toy trains... because I don't want to be jumping through anybody's hoops to acquire supposedly "rare" items anymore.  It's all a big game, because NONE of this stuff stays "hot" forever.  The collectable market is gone nowadays -- especially given the glut of toy trains out there PLUS the unending supply of new stuff still on the docket to ship within the next year or two.

One thing is for sure... there will ALWAYS be a "hot item" that everybody wants.  Some sellers prey on that and push prices to the point of insanity.  OTOH, folks here will proclaim that that's the way the "free market" works, and there's nothing wrong with crazy asking-prices if a buyer out there is willing to pay for it.  And so it goes... on and on.

Glad to hear you're over what happened.  I think we all wince a bit when we pay a premium price for something, because down deep we all KNOW that we're always just a day away from a new announcement that will blow the premium price of that "hot item" right out of the water.  Count on it.

David

ROGERW, You are correct, I'm still very proud to own and opperate the set. Admitidely, There was some fun in hunting down all those pieces.

CABOOSE1, Absolutely! Fortunately for me I hunted down this set for the sole purpose that I simply LOVED it. The collectibility was just an added bonus.

ROCK MOUNTAINEER, I'm right there with everything you've said. There are plenty of ups and downs in the hobby. But I'm in love with it and always will be. Many lessons to learn along the way when it comes to buying and selling.

Jason (JD)

I've gotten to the point if I don't purchase an item when it is released, I'll just wait until MTH re-releases it. There were a couple of items that I missed getting when they were 1st released. I'm waiting on MTH to re-release them...............rogerw.

ROGERW posted:

jdstucks posted:

It took me about 6 years to collect the entire NS OCS DAP set by MTH. I was 18 years old when I started searching and 24 by the time I finally found the last add on set. And what do you think happened about a month later? MTH announces the new release of the OCS. What do you think that does for a young hobbyist like me? I mean come on, I'm hunting down these expensive trains while going through college, paying extra for the “rarity”, being told the value of this set is only going to go up, only to have the “rarity” value of a DAP set be whipped out.

 

Look, I'm over it already. I'm glad more people will get their hands on equipment of my favorite railroad, Norfolk Southern. But you can be sure that I am NEVER going to spend years hunting down a "rare" item by MTH. I could have saved years searching and spent hundreds of fewer dollars in "collectors" prices.

jdstucks, I understand you pain. It doesn't make sense to the ones who purchase this set in 2007. It only makes sense to the ones who didn't get a chance to purchase this set when it was 1st released. As I explained before, It's not about the value of the set, it's about the collectability of the set, to know that you own one of the 250 sets that were made, as for me not to sell, but to know that I have a rare collectible........rogerw.

Interesting, how do you know only 250 sets were made? I "heard " only 100 were made. I attempted to get a straight answer at York a few years back but was not successful. I would love to know your source as I also own the DAP complete set.

jini5 posted:

ROGERW posted:

jdstucks posted:

It took me about 6 years to collect the entire NS OCS DAP set by MTH. I was 18 years old when I started searching and 24 by the time I finally found the last add on set. And what do you think happened about a month later? MTH announces the new release of the OCS. What do you think that does for a young hobbyist like me? I mean come on, I'm hunting down these expensive trains while going through college, paying extra for the “rarity”, being told the value of this set is only going to go up, only to have the “rarity” value of a DAP set be whipped out.

 

Look, I'm over it already. I'm glad more people will get their hands on equipment of my favorite railroad, Norfolk Southern. But you can be sure that I am NEVER going to spend years hunting down a "rare" item by MTH. I could have saved years searching and spent hundreds of fewer dollars in "collectors" prices.

jdstucks, I understand you pain. It doesn't make sense to the ones who purchase this set in 2007. It only makes sense to the ones who didn't get a chance to purchase this set when it was 1st released. As I explained before, It's not about the value of the set, it's about the collectability of the set, to know that you own one of the 250 sets that were made, as for me not to sell, but to know that I have a rare collectible........rogerw.

Interesting, how do you know only 250 sets were made? I "heard " only 100 were made. I attempted to get a straight answer at York a few years back but was not successful. I would love to know your source as I also own the DAP complete set.

jini5, I received my information directly from Mike Wolf himself! Also at that time MTH was only selling the set to it's dealers. Each dealer was to receive 2 sets each. Because there were only 250 sets made, this is what made them so collectable in the first place. A lot of people went to sleep on this set because in the brochure, the set didn't look anything like the actual product when it was released. Once people saw the actual set, that's when they wanted to purchase it, but it was too late!...............rogerw.

jini5 posted

Interesting, how do you know only 250 sets were made? I "heard " only 100 were made. I attempted to get a straight answer at York a few years back but was not successful. I would love to know your source as I also own the DAP complete set.

we would like to know the source who said " only 100" made? it dont seem like it would be worth it to mth to gear up for such a short production of 100 sets.......

Jim Berger posted:

jini5 posted

Interesting, how do you know only 250 sets were made? I "heard " only 100 were made. I attempted to get a straight answer at York a few years back but was not successful. I would love to know your source as I also own the DAP complete set.

we would like to know the source who said " only 100" made? it dont seem like it would be worth it to mth to gear up for such a short production of 100 sets.......

Jim, seems to me I read that on a previous thread on this forum. Also, I remember after finding my set, my friend wanted a set badly. I helped him find one. I called every dealer I could think of and I remember hearing that from one of them.(MTH only made 100 sets) I couldn't tell you who said that as it was too long ago.

By the way.....I bought my complete set from Jims train shop. So did any of you forum guys buy the second set?  I never believed the hype about each dealer only getting 2 sets.

jini5 posted:

 

By the way.....I bought my complete set from Jims train shop. So did any of you forum guys buy the second set?  I never believed the hype about each dealer only getting 2 sets.

Yes only two DAP sets per dealer.  But the other part of this is that the dealer had to buy the COMPLETE DAP package for that year.  They could not say just buy the NS OCS stuff for that year.  This is why some dealers had NO interest.  If a dealer say was only an O-gauge dealer they could not only buy the O-gauge stuff etc. .  

Now some of the dealers got smart about this and networked together.  An O-gauge dealer would buy the O-gauge stuff from the HO dealer and that HO dealer bought the HO stuff from the O-gauge dealer.  This is how one of my local toy train dealers ended up with seven O-gauge NS OCS sets.

And the last set he sold was to Wick Moorman for the NS General Office.

Ron

I clicked on this post because I've always wanted one of these sets.  After reading everyone's comments, I would much rather the DAP set. Reasons: Cost less, Number boards correct size, One address, One box, No Lash-up tug of war and other lash up issues, and on the passenger cars no thumb tacks. So I think I'll wait for a DAP to become available.

Dave Zucal posted:

I clicked on this post because I've always wanted one of these sets.  After reading everyone's comments, I would much rather the DAP set. Reasons: Cost less, Number boards correct size, One address, One box, No Lash-up tug of war and other lash up issues, and on the passenger cars no thumb tacks. So I think I'll wait for a DAP to become available.

Good Luck.  Watch out for cracking/flaking white paint on the engines.  Watch your wallet, too.  >$5k for DAP PS2, or <$2k for 2016 PS3. For >$3k delta, you can buy a lot of other stuff.

That's assuming the 2007 DAP set doesn't come down in "value" due to the 2016 release.

Which IMO is why those that have the DAP set are so vocal.  They want their sets to retain their "value".

I, too, wanted the DAP set.  And still do.  Specifically the cars.  But arguably, for a used MTH Premiere passenger car, they are worth roughly $35/car on the used market.  Paint them in NS, and they jump to >$200?  Too steep for me.    

With all this talk of the NS OCS set I decided to put out a vid on them. Here it is. Enjoy. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZBaBkLcbaQ

Out of the MTH loop for awhile.  Are the trucks on the new F units finally the correct wheelbase?  The video seemed to look like they are.

Conversely, did the original DAP set still have the shortened wheelbase trucks?

Fred

VADarthDad posted:

...

Watch your wallet, too.  >$5k for DAP PS2, or <$2k for 2016 PS3. For >$3k delta, you can buy a lot of other stuff.

...

Exactly!!!    I think the "collectors culture" that existed in prior years is unsustainable today -- if not completely dead.  With all due respects to folks who own the 2007 DAP set, I just don't think there are enough toy train enthusiasts out there in the marketplace that care anymore to pay a premium for the 2007 DAP train vs the newer 2016 train.  As Sonny (played by Chaz Palminteri) in the movie, A Bronx Tale, would say, "Nobody cares!". 

Additionally, there's a bit of the technology treadmill working here as well with desireable features like the tetherless F-units, LED overhead lighting in the passenger cars, etc... that come with the new 2016 set.

David

Just took my older DAP cars out as I'm also going to use with 611.  Never liked the space between the cars.  Are there shorter couplers I can get to put on when end or both ends of the cars so the diaphragm's are closer?