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A few months ago I was walking through Black Diamond Antiques in the Schuylkill Mall at Frackville, PA (north of Pottsville and St. Clair, by I-81). I glanced inside a display case and saw a set of K-Line Reading Heavyweights. The observation car was Reading Business Car No. 10, now back in her original P&R paint scheme at Strasburg. I was so happy!

 

There are usually some trains there on consignment, mostly "O" Gauge, including locomotives and cars from the "O" Gauge layout in the mall.

Whenever I accompany SWMBO on the occasional day out Antique & Junque Shop-ing,  I'm always on the lookout for trains.  After many years of viewing various pieces of junk box trains priced as if they were made of gold & platinum,  I found a Marx 6" tin plate C*R*I*P Gondola sans wheels & axles for $3.00.  Not exactly a momentous find, but I didn't have one of those in my collection.

 

Happy Rails!

Dave

 

I always look in antique stores for  pre and post war Lionel, AF and oters. I have picked up some nice old trains and engines. Some need TLC but I look past the dust and dirt and check fo abuse and wear. I always wanted a pair of Liomel F units but at shows they  were way to much for me. but I saw a set that needed some clean up and they were affordable. Eventually they needed some repair work ut I was still money ahead.  Sunday I picked up a Lionel #97 coal loader that needed a little bit of attention but at $35 I could do that and it runs great. Part of the gamble is the fun. 

All the time.It all depends where you are. For me,I find a lot of good deals in Ohio and Pennsylvania,nearly every antique shop or antique mall has at least showcase or two full of trains.On my last trip to the Harrisburg area.I found several good deals on some postwar rolling stock and locomotives.Many items were priced to sell meaning better than "meet" prices and "our favorite online auction site". The worst areas IMHO are the Southern States.Little or no trains at all and IF you see something interesting it's always overpriced and junk. 

I visit antique shops/malls and large flea markets often. In the vast majority of cases, the prices for vintage trains are a joke. However, they expose the public to toy trains, so one purchase may lead to a lifetime hobby. I that case, it was money well spent.

I've purchased a lot of "stuff" from these places over the years, but not trains...although I did get a nice pre-war Lionel "O" set at a church sale cheap.

This past Saturday, I hit a couple of antique stores I had never visited before about an hour away from home.

 

I came home with a round RR crossing sign and a Marx tinplate PRR merchandise boxcar that I only paid $4 for due to the paint being faded on one side (must have been in a window somewhere for a long time).

 

I've picked up a few other items at flea markets and antique stores over the years.  My best finds have been some RR wrenches from the late 1800's and early 1900's.

 

Andy

My experience duplicates that of C. Sam and Boomer.  When assigned to a school in

Alabama for about two months, I spent the weekends raiding antique shops from

the Mississippi River to north Florida, Atlanta, etc. I came away wondering if Sherman went through last week, because trains were not to be found.  (I did find long strings of real Railbox cars covered in kudzu, that I would think would be impossible to move unless you went in first with chain saws)  When I first got back into three rail, I saw a Marx 3/16 set in an antique shop window in a town with a nearby large antique mall

(it also rarely having trains).  Even before I was up to speed on the then prevalent

lower pricing, I knew it was grossly overpriced.  The set was still in their window when

the shop closed several years later.  (not fast learners?)

I never found anything at a thrift store, but antiques stores, yes.  One had a box of Marx cars, and the owner allowed me to pick out just the one I wanted, at a reasonable price, too.  And, I was leaving a train show one time without any purchases, and decided to stop at an antiques store on the way home.  Picked up an Ives car I had been looking for, and at a January discount.  That seems to be a slow month for that business, and there will be discounts, at least in my area.

Originally Posted by colorado hirailer:

My experience duplicates that of C. Sam and Boomer.  When assigned to a school in

Alabama for about two months, I spent the weekends raiding antique shops from

the Mississippi River to north Florida, Atlanta, etc. I came away wondering if Sherman went through last week, because trains were not to be found.  (I did find long strings of real Railbox cars covered in kudzu, that I would think would be impossible to move unless you went in first with chain saws)  When I first got back into three rail, I saw a Marx 3/16 set in an antique shop window in a town with a nearby large antique mall

(it also rarely having trains).  Even before I was up to speed on the then prevalent

lower pricing, I knew it was grossly overpriced.  The set was still in their window when

the shop closed several years later.  (not fast learners?)

I've often wondered this about antique sellers.  Why the heck do they price stuff in the stratosphere?  When I used to haunt these shops, years ago, I would see the same stuff, year after year, priced so that no one with less than the DONALD'S money would even consider it.  I've made offers on some things only to have them rejected.  Heck, when I'm selling something, and someone makes me an offer, I figure, what the heck, I'll get some cash, and be rid of it.  That's why I put it up for sale in the first place.  These antique folks rely too much on "book prices" and not what the real world traffic is willing to pay.  It would seem that they plan to retire on each and every sale.  

Thrift stores have been good for Christmas/Halloween buildings and tin buildings.

 

I agree that antique stores are overpriced on trains. Just because it is stamped Lionel, sellers think that is worth hundreds of dollars. I laugh when I see what they are charging. However, I still look and last summer I found some prewar stuff cheap along with a nice Marx set. There were all in extremely good condition. My wife and go antiquing regularly so I always ask about trains.

 

Bob

 

I picked up a 6560 Bucyrus Erie Crane Car at an antique store in Grand Junction Colo.  The boom had a small part broken out that I patched up with some styrene and flat black paint.  From the same store they had a 6019 Control Track with the controller.  I took the  6019 apart so to splice the un-couple magnet into my O-31 tubular track.  The controller I re-wired so the buttons operated 2 un-couple magnets.

 

Steve

Last edited by Steve24944

If you live on the West Coast, the biggest monthly swap meet is Alameda at the former Naval Base and well worth your time.  While it is mixture of everything imaginable of trash and treasure, there can be some model trains (Marx to Aster - although priced accordingly) and even 1:1 scale items.  Los Angeles has both the Rose Bowl and Long Beach monthly swap meets although the Rose Bowl with its narrow aisles and those miserable two-wheel shopping carts can be a challenge.  Paying the early entrance fees for all of these swap meets is worth it as the good stuff goes fast and by 1:30 - 2:00 pm the vendors are beginning to pack up despite what the show promoters claim.  The Portland and Seattle areas just don't seem to have the same amount of interesting items available although when you consider the lesser proportion of Pacific Northwest TCA or TTOS members compared to those living in California, I suppose it makes sense; less buyers = less product for sale. 

a Lionel Prewar 655 boxcar ,box of Marx, including a 999 missing a lot of paint, but ran great and some 3/16" cars for .Just bought a couple of months ago I picked up an MPC Broadway Limited (IIRC) set for what the cars go for. Lot of times I'll see a box of beat to death Marx for a ridiculous price, or the usual HO stuff, but some have a nice selection of Lionel.

I have developed a friendship with an antique store owner in an old town and we wheel and deal. i have traded a lot of antiques my wife and I had collected over the years ans, in return, I have picked up a lot of decent Lionel post war engines and cars. He gets in hard to find, unusual items. Some need lubed and cleaned to get them running.I have some that look like they have never been un. I also have started doing minor repairs for him to get things like engines and accessories running. Before he paid a guy for a half *** job. Today I picked up a Lionel #315 trestle for 4 ordinary Lionel cars I didn't want.  Too many items to list. A lot of antique stores aren't in to trains but I have two I frequent.

One of the funniest experiences I had at an antique store was that the owner thought "any and all" trains were Lionel trains.She owner was real hoot,a little spry,gravel voiced,chain smoking lady about 75 years old.  She had a shelf full of really nice deluxe plastic Marx (WP E7's and pass cars,Boxed UP E7 set,etc..)and it was priced right. I told her I wanted to look at the Marx trains.she said you mean those "Lionel" trains.She rattled off "Honey,Those are Lionel Trains by Marx,I have been selling old toys and trains for years,I know what I'm talking about.I suggest you buy a book on Lionel Trains and study up on them". I about fell out laughing when I heard that one.Nevertheless,I bought all of the trains.

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