I like most of you cannot pass up a good deal and if I have it already, what is another, just increase my collection. Scrolling thru eBay and when I see a poorly repainted engines or cars (items that need a complete paint strip and repaint) with bad wheels (replacement $40.00) or contact pick-up (replacement $12.00) or missing trim ($) and is at a reasonable priced (including shipping) I will bid on it and usually win it. Now the items that I obtain are not for resale but personal enjoyment in restoring them. Even before the item arrives I have already ordered the replacement parts and decided on the color. Once I have all in hand I will take before photos and place all in a plastic shoe box and label the box as Lionel # project. The problem is that my labeled plastic shoe boxes containing a new project are starting to pile up. Now to rectify the problem is either I stop buying on eBay/Train shows or work harder to restore what I have. Passing up a good deal on eBay is hard and since I work full time I cannot squeeze out more hours than a 24 hour day and have to keep my wife happy. As stated I am not planning tonselling anything, just want to have fun restoring them and searching for the parts (hunting instinct I guess). A good example of my problem is that I have a quantity of 4 Lionel 248’s. Some needing wheels, pick-up, trim/whatever. Great mow finished one Lionel 248 and 3 to go. Then a Lionel a 150 and 158 show up on my door step come into play. So I start working on the 150 leaving the 3 Lionel 2498 in there plastic labeled shoe boxes. Now the Lionel 150 motor is done now to paint and ordered the parts for the Lionel 158. Well two stand gauge passenger cars #35 and #36 start appear on my door step (must be a prewar Lionel portal) then start working on the 35 and 36 wheel clean up leaving the 150 on the back burner. I will not tell you about the Lionel 152’s, 252’, Lionel 112 or the Lionel 221 engine and tender modification that I m planning, but that another story
Maybe I should keep on going and have my projects pile up and wait till I retire, but in retirement I m sure my wife will keep me busy with other things and the project pile will continue to grow. I guess what I m going thru is the fun part so I will enjoy what I have and try to stay of eBay and work on what I have.
Does this sound familiar?
or the trouble in finding them.
