@Lionelski posted:Oh, I look at the Lionel catalogs - pretty pictures.
Then I see pricing on tank cars for $75, reefers for $80, boxcars for $85 and gondolas for $50 I'm talking about these cars based on "traditional" molds and sizes.
One can easily get brand new, in boxes, LTI equivalents on the secondary markets for 1/4 to 1/3 of these prices. MPC boxed equivalents for 1/4 of these prices and excellent used Post war for 1/3 - 1/2 of these prices.
Ya know what, wait a year or two and you will be able to get the currently catalog cars in these categories with similar price breaks.
Forget engines priced up to $2,000. Give me Post War anytime. Repairable, beautiful, smoke rings, magna-traction, air whistles and bicycle horns and I'm a happy camper, feeling like a kid from the 1950's again.
Well stated.
I know I'm old (but younger than average in the train world), but I can't wrap my head around paying more for a toy than I spent for my first 4 real cars put together. And I could fix them when they broke.
Totally agree with your points about waiting for items on the secondary market, and I'm leaning back into postwar too.
I still occasionally preorder unique items or for specific road names, but NEVER with a deposit. There are plenty of reputable dealers who will take a preorder without money up front, so there's no need to wade into that swamp.
