Unbelievable! I have never gone to a toy train swap meet but spent over twenty years going to monthly gun shows as a vendor and have never witnessed anything like what I am reading here. That would I think make an interesting study for a psychologist!
I help run a show and sell as well. I price so there's some wiggle room, especially if a person buys a number of pieces or is a repeat customer. I get tired of someone offering me a quarter of the price I have on the tag - I don't change my mind the second/third/fifth time the lowballer asks for the item at a ridiculous price. I really dislike having a sweaty wad of cash getting waved in my face - the answer will still be no.
midnightwrecking posted:Unbelievable! I have never gone to a toy train swap meet but spent over twenty years going to monthly gun shows as a vendor and have never witnessed anything like what I am reading here. That would I think make an interesting study for a psychologist!
I think it's partially due to the nature of what you have available at a gun show lol. A bit healthier respect for the spoken word when a weapon is around. 
It has been years since I have been to a gun show...my dad's hobby...and pricing there has moonshot like vintage cars, which is not encouraging, but the last time I walked by one on a state fairgrounds next door to a simultaneous train show, vendors were made to open breeches to show guns were unloaded as carried in, with the state police in attendance. Doubt if too many fights will erupt with all the Smokey hats around.
seaboardm2 posted:I would have said this is my price.I am sure you can find what you want elsewere.This is what I would have said to him.A nice way to say "Listen bub I do not want any problems alright.
First time around, I told him the lowest price I was willing to accept and that it was the lowest price I was willing to accept. It didn't stop him from trying 2-3 more times. Some people just don't take "no" for an answer.
Andy
I've never sold (nor I I ever intend to) at a show but I have had the experience of being an exhibitor with our modular club, one of, if not the largest O gauge clubs in the country operating a modular layout at about 25-30 separate events each year.
Selling - as mentioned, I have no intention of selling. I've been a buyer of course over the years. I've been on the road with the modular layout for nearly 11 years now. I've been attending local shows - from World's Greatest Hobby shows, to Greenberg, to local swap meets, and local layout-only fundraiser events, including those at County Fairs and other non-train venues. Greenberg shows here are not what they used to be. We are not participating in the upcoming one, a first in a long time. Not worth the time to go see. Mostly toys, dolls, etc. A shell of their former selves. Of course, I go to York. I have seen a lot. I cannot think of a single time were I've seen things get "heated" between a customer or vendor. I haven't had it happen to me nor do I intend for it to happen to me. Have I seen some insanely priced items? You bet! Is it worth getting into an argument over? Nope. If it is something I want, I may or may not make an offer. If it is accepted, great. If not, so be it. No big deal.
Exhibitor - As an exhibitor with the modular layout, I've seen thing get tense, maybe even heated on rare occasions with the spectators. Granted we do not want this to happen but when mom or dad think nothing is wrong that Junior is grabbing at and/or picking up locomotives, cars, etc on the layout and they don't like us gently and kindly asking them to keep their hands to themselves, issues have come up. I have had equipment damaged by kids not being carefully watched by their parents. When kindly asking the to keep to themselves and if I bring up the cost of my damaged car or locomotive, I have had parents try to argue about the costs, "it shouldn't be here", my kid is just having fun, etc. Buy your own $500+ steam locomotive to trash, not mine. I remember one of our events at a county fair event. A friend of mine at the time, just proudly picked up a fully loaded MTH Premier Pennsylvania Railroad K4 - beautiful engine with the pinstripes on the wheels, tons of separate detail and a beautiful train of matching cars to go with it. I remember one parent picking it up off the layout to show their kid. Once we quickly attended to the situation, the parent was argumentative and rude.
Not to say all of the spectators are like this - absolutely not. I personally enjoy talking with the crowd more than I do just running the trains! However, there is a small bunch that think we are their babysitters for a bit.
People will defend their children no matter what, up to and including murder!
NYC,SUBWAY TRANSIT SIGNAL posted:A lot Chief's and no Indians .
Too many boxcars, not enough engines
Unless there are a few folks handling the equipment, I ask before I touch; it's not my stuff, and I'm not at a store, so I assume little. I could have sworn asking was in the guidelines for one of the big collector's clubs too.
Ignoring a sign is very disrespectful. Larsony and theft aren't the same thing, look it up. The beginning of the last century you may have been arrested for simply touching things that did not belong to you. We assume too much today.
Normally I throw in "The Haggle" by Monty Python about now, but for "something completely different" I wanted to thank those that realized I didn't really want to haggle and lowered the prices without it. And to the fellow that accepted my $15 dollars for the $25 NYC gondola at close in Livonia(?) It WAS all I had besides $3 for gas and a buck for a soda 
(And I still asked to touch it after you agreed. Wasn't mine yet 
)
SJC posted:I've never sold (nor I I ever intend to) at a show but I have had the experience of being an exhibitor with our modular club, one of, if not the largest O gauge clubs in the country operating a modular layout at about 25-30 separate events each year.
Selling - as mentioned, I have no intention of selling. I've been a buyer of course over the years. I've been on the road with the modular layout for nearly 11 years now. I've been attending local shows - from World's Greatest Hobby shows, to Greenberg, to local swap meets, and local layout-only fundraiser events, including those at County Fairs and other non-train venues. Greenberg shows here are not what they used to be. We are not participating in the upcoming one, a first in a long time. Not worth the time to go see. Mostly toys, dolls, etc. A shell of their former selves. Of course, I go to York. I have seen a lot. I cannot think of a single time were I've seen things get "heated" between a customer or vendor. I haven't had it happen to me nor do I intend for it to happen to me. Have I seen some insanely priced items? You bet! Is it worth getting into an argument over? Nope. If it is something I want, I may or may not make an offer. If it is accepted, great. If not, so be it. No big deal.
Exhibitor - As an exhibitor with the modular layout, I've seen thing get tense, maybe even heated on rare occasions with the spectators. Granted we do not want this to happen but when mom or dad think nothing is wrong that Junior is grabbing at and/or picking up locomotives, cars, etc on the layout and they don't like us gently and kindly asking them to keep their hands to themselves, issues have come up. I have had equipment damaged by kids not being carefully watched by their parents. When kindly asking the to keep to themselves and if I bring up the cost of my damaged car or locomotive, I have had parents try to argue about the costs, "it shouldn't be here", my kid is just having fun, etc. Buy your own $500+ steam locomotive to trash, not mine. I remember one of our events at a county fair event. A friend of mine at the time, just proudly picked up a fully loaded MTH Premier Pennsylvania Railroad K4 - beautiful engine with the pinstripes on the wheels, tons of separate detail and a beautiful train of matching cars to go with it. I remember one parent picking it up off the layout to show their kid. Once we quickly attended to the situation, the parent was argumentative and rude.
Not to say all of the spectators are like this - absolutely not. I personally enjoy talking with the crowd more than I do just running the trains! However, there is a small bunch that think we are their babysitters for a bit.
You could have pointed out that.Your kids breaks you will replace it.I pretty sure the police will be happy to talk to you about this matter.Being that there signs all around saying about parents to keep watch over your children.Thankful the shows I have been to parents kept their kids in check.
sjc wrote:
Exhibitor - As an exhibitor with the modular layout, I've seen thing get tense, maybe even heated on rare occasions with the spectators. Granted we do not want this to happen but when mom or dad think nothing is wrong that Junior is grabbing at and/or picking up locomotives, cars, etc on the layout and they don't like us gently and kindly asking them to keep their hands to themselves, issues have come up. I have had equipment damaged by kids not being carefully watched by their parents. When kindly asking the to keep to themselves and if I bring up the cost of my damaged car or locomotive, I have had parents try to argue about the costs, "it shouldn't be here", my kid is just having fun, etc. Buy your own $500+ steam locomotive to trash, not mine. I remember one of our events at a county fair event. A friend of mine at the time, just proudly picked up a fully loaded MTH Premier Pennsylvania Railroad K4 - beautiful engine with the pinstripes on the wheels, tons of separate detail and a beautiful train of we quickly attended to the situation, the parent was argumentative and rude.
Unfortunately, there even some forum members with that point of view, that even think that it is blasphemous to put a plexi-glass screen around a layout to prevent such things.
There are those that feel it is wrong to prevent children from handling/damaging displayed trains(and have posted as much
) Some seem to feel that rather than "deprive" their child the right to grab anything sight, it is better to deprive other spectators the right to see Highly detailed, accurate or expensive equipment, that they otherwise likely would not see.
Personal responsibility and accountability are Quickly becoming things only found in History books.
Doug
Those parents who do not, and, apparently, today there are many who do not, teach their offspring respect for other people's property, will get to experience the guys in uniform driving the sedans with the bubble gum machines on top, at their door inquiring after their little darlings, and get to shell out to bail them out of the pokey, and for their legal fees. But, if we are all lucky, those same parents will get to see them on visitors' day at the government long term motel, and lament the bright futures they will have with a felony conviction.
Years back when I first started in the hobby there was a vendor at the Wayne NJ train show that had a table full of postwar stuff that he was trying to sell off at low prices. Some potential buyer kept coming over to his table and wanted to buy his exploding box car and insisted that $4.00 was a fair price. The seller declined. After the fifth try the seller had had enough and said watch this, he threw that car on the floor, stepped on it and cracked it in pieces, saying that for $4 I would rather break the car in half and throw it out, then sell it to you.
Another time at York maybe 10 years back I saw a buyer and seller arguing for reasons that I do not know. The altercation got so heated that security had to step in just as it was about to come to blows. I do not know what became of those two guys, but its reasonable to believe that they were banned from future meets.
The bottom line here is that we are talking about model trains. Are they so important that people need to fight over them?
Well Folks,
After reading all of the "entertaining" accounts of human interaction of the "Butthead Kind", I couldn't contain my contribution any longer. Back in the day when My Father and I did the "Weekend Warrior" train circuit, (most of northern Ohio and a little Michigan and Pennsylvania thrown in for laughs), I, on more than one occasion, encountered the, "I can get this (fill in the blank) for "X" Dollars less at that table over there", Guy. 
However, the key piece of information omitted by Mr. "Taffy Pockets" was that the Cheaper item he saw on a table "over there" wasn't compatible with what he was modeling. 
It was probably Great Northern or Union Pacific and this guy modeled Pennsy or one of the other eastern roads. So, to make a long story short, I would just give Mr." I can get it on that table over there for "X" Dollars less", the long blank stare and reply with, "Then whadda ya doin over here?" 
After which I would totally ignore Mr. "Price Conscious Shopper", and go about my business socializing with some of my Regular Clientele who would normally stop to visit and ALWAYS make a purchase. 
Those guys were "Golden". 
Chief Bob (Retired) 
Even where "a kid can be a kid" you'll be asked to leave if you're darling little animals belong on a leash
I've seen things I could not harm with a hammer broken by 8 year olds before. Those "aliens among us" theories looked pretty feasible on occasion.
While we often cry for new blood in the hobby, if we don't include a cry for respect also, why bother with "models"? Just pump out more throw away toys.
On the heads up side of the coin , there's also young folk like Maxrailroad. All is not lost.
Just food for thought; no real point or solution.
What brought it on was a memory of a hand slap while I was pointing at a PW Warbonnet while educating my brother. 4" was too close for that grump. I responded by asking for gloves to aggravate him, then walked off counting my singles as tens out loud. Gramps had me scouting for him, but the grump didn't know that. We did go back, he knew Gramps and apologized to me before being asked to or knowing we were together. I can't remember if the deal was struck or not, but it was the nicest SF red bonnet there, and I knew even then, I was an exception to the stereotype. Heck, I might have been more mature then than today I do remember Gramps bragging about his "re-railing" crew to the guy and his astonished acceptance of it as fact. When he asked how wise it was for a kid to have a wad of cash, I think finding out my singles were being counted as tens softened him some too. Finding out a kid pulled the wool down a bit has a humbling effect on most folk vs anger. But between those two shows, I had little reason to want to keep going to shows. I liked unwrapping surprises better.
I like this story.
Thanks Dennis I'm still laughing. Roo.
Years back when I first started in the hobby there was a vendor at the Wayne NJ train show that had a table full of postwar stuff that he was trying to sell off at low prices. Some potential buyer kept coming over to his table and wanted to buy his exploding box car and insisted that $4.00 was a fair price. The seller declined. After the fifth try the seller had had enough and said watch this, he threw that car on the floor, stepped on it and cracked it in pieces, saying that for $4 I would rather break the car in half and throw it out, then sell it to you.
Some funny stories. I'd pay double admission to see grown men get into a fight over toys.
Dang,two pages in and no mention of the two legendary,now banned,hot head sellers at the monthly Wheaton train shows.
When I'm selling I try very hard to avoid conflict and aggravation, etc.
However, it gets old really fast having guys pick up a $100 item than I have marked for $10 and ask if I'll take $1 for it. It gets older faster when it's another table holder that comes over for a $350 engine that I have on sale for $150 and asks if I'll take $100...when he's got 2 of them on his table for $250.
Jim 1939 posted:A private one with an old fart seller at York. He had something I had been looking for but when I picked it up he went into hyper tension. He had no do not touch signs and I told him I won't buy what I can't look at. His reply was you can look but do not touch. I walked away. April York it was still on his table.
I used to operate my current business in HO scale many years ago. I was working a train show and had modules with built-up examples of my building kits on display. I had "do not touch" signs everywhere.
Two women approached who spoke English but didn't understand it. They ignored my polite requests to not touch and starting picking stuff up. I finally got them to leave.
Another vendor nearby told me horror stories of the local show always siding with the customer, including those who broke things.
I willing honor a do not touch sign. This grumpy old guy had none. I can say that cause I'm a grumpy old guy too. He is a regular at York but I wonder if he ever sells anything.
CWB to answer you earlier question, yes others had what I was looking for.
Pufferbelly wrote -"Taffy Pockets"
That's priceless! Expect to be plagiarized.
Jim 1939 - Thanks for clarifying. You had this grump worried. It took me two two days to find the "stones" to throw. I hope they didn't bruise bad. I don't usually edit out my idiocy, but will if you'd like. Sorry. Insert "ASSuME" joke here please.
I do remember a time when I pulled a fast one on a buddy of mine.
I happened to call him and see if he was going to attend a local train show.
When I arrived I paid the early bird fee.
I happened to see an MTH corner building with a Miller neon sign on it for 20.00. I quickly paid for it and told the Vendor I would pick it up on the way out.
During the show I saw my friend arrive, and he saw the same building, he then picked it up and started to hand the seller money for it... before the seller could say it was sold, I snucked up behind him, firmly tapped him on the shoulder and said loudly "Sir, please put that building down, its mine ! He jumped about 3 foot...He then turned around and was ready to lay into me when he recognized who it was, and said you Son of a *#*$&! (pup) and we both started to laugh...
We still both laugh about it today....
About 15 years ago at York I was searching for a Standard Gauge 19 Combine to complete a set and I seen a table with one without a price. I asked the seller how much and he quoted a ridiculous high price. I made a offer he said no because I need the car and he had the car. I politely told him sorry I don't need the car and walked off. It was to my advantage because about 3 or 4 aisles over I spotted a identical car for less than half the price which I think was more than a fair price and bought it without making a offer which I think would have been a insult.
At a train or ham show, I keep my hands held behind my back unless I am interested in something. Sellers ask why I do that. I just say that is the way I was taught. Some thank me.
But I wonder if the situation with children would be if parents have to buy liability insurance on them.
I've really never had much of any problems nor have I witnessed any. Worst I had was a guy who bought a large AF transformer from me that had no handles and one of the shafts was damaged. I told him the only thing it was good for was as a fixed voltage source for accessories. He later came back and wanted a refund, which I refused to do. He went and got the event manager and after hearing both sides of the story, the manager refused to intervene.
However, I used to sell at computer shows and the biggest problem there was people buying something you had, knowing they had the exact same motherboard, hard drive, processor, or memory stick at home that was bad. After buying my item, they would return a while later and claim it was defective. I started putting a hidden mark on my items. That stopped that problem. I would also "seal" up a defective hard drive inside brand new packaging and put it out on the table for people to steal. Written inside under the double flap of the box was an explaination of why there was a bad hard drive in the sealed box that he had stolen. Pretty embarassing for the thief, but well worth my time and effort. The real hard drive was kept under the table for honest people who wanted to buy one. The show in Dallas had police on duty and would have them arrested. They would then photograph the thief and their documentation including the no trespassing citation. All of this would be published on their website each month. Kind of a rogues gallery. This allowed vendors to review all the pictures of problem individuals before each show and keep an eye out for them. Vegetable garden netting was also used to make it hard to pick things up. I have also photographed people who were disrespectful or very difficult to deal with for my future reference.
For trains, I have a table top display that has five stair stepped wooden shelves to display my trains. From the last shelf to the top of the table is protected by a "L" shaped piece of plexiglass about 12 inches deep and about 6 inches high. This seals the area from the top of the table to the bottom of the first shelf. Anything valuable, mint boxed postwar, small parts, engines, etc are put on the table top but under that plexiglass cover. It reduces the potential damage and loss from both large hands and small hands. It also reduces the Sunday shopper experience of "just picking it up to see how heavy it is" and "I always wanted to see one up close".
I can't imagine someone offering me the same price over and over after I had already said no. I'm not sure how that would work out. I would probably be getting my phone to take a picture of them.
Things I do at train meets,
Walk right by vendors who put their items under glass, plastic wrap or whatever.
No price, No stop
Dirty, no sale
Can not pick it up ( even if I ask ) to inspect it, seller can keep it.
unpleasant seller, you guess
Not willing to deal, take it home.
aussteve posted:He later came back and wanted a refund, which I refused to do. He went and got the event manager and after hearing both sides of the story, the manager refused to intervene.
I would also "seal" up a defective hard drive inside brand new packaging and put it out on the table for people to steal. Written inside under the double flap of the box was an explaination of why there was a bad hard drive in the sealed box that he had stolen. Pretty embarassing for the thief, but well worth my time and effort.
For model train stuff (I just sell excess stuff once a year) and military collectible shows (which I sell at several times a year), I've had several people come back and want a refund because they decided they didn't want it. I've always suspected in most cases they found another just like it cheaper at another table or a totally different item they wanted more and then realized they didn't have any more money left over after the purchase at my table. Beats me why anyone would think that would work. My response is always, "Hey, this isn't WalMart, there's no return counter here." That's always worked so far and nobody running those shows is going to take anyone's side of a dispute like that. Not that this has happened a lot of times, but it's happened enough to other guys I see at shows for me to have been ready for it the first time it happened to me.
I knew a guy who put some manner of GPS tracker into (non-model-train) items that were likely to be stolen from his sales table, and had big signs declaring as such. When something got stolen, he told the cops exactly where to go and that word got around fast. He also found a way to not have his Uhaul trucks stolen at hotel parking lots when he's going to big shows by putting a sign in the windows stating that a GPS unit is hidden somewhere in the truck (and it's no bluff) that will alert him immediately when it moves and that he'll have police go right to wherever it is. in transit, if stolen. Expensive, he says, but well worth the cost for peace of mind.
He will hover and hound the seller for a deal and become extremely irate if the seller does not drop his price.
If he does swaggle a deal he will immediately race home and put it on the bay for 3 or 5 times the price... (just look for the pink ruler)
Yeah, there's a guy like that locally for military shows. I never give him a deal and once he pestered me at my table, I told him that his prices are now 150% of everyone else. He screamed, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" And I smiled and said, "Twice the price, now. Forever." I told him it was an "@-hole tax." I refuse to sell anything to him at any price now. Drives him totally nuts.
Another Greenberg show years ago: A prospective customer was flipping tags over to see the prices when the seller suddenly went off on him with some of the filthiest language I've ever heard (and I'm an old Sailor with a terminal case of sailor mouth myself). The customer very slowly reached over and took the seller by the throat and squeezed until his tongue stuck out and said "I just wanted to see if your tongue had turned black from those words" and left. On my second pass through the hall, the seller had packed and left.
Good grief. That's a totally unacceptable response, I don't care what it said to the potential seller. No amount of rudeness merits that. I can tell you if someone did that to several of the show sellers I know (myself included), they'd likely be looking down the loaded barrel of a handgun and if they're lucky, without seeing that split second of the muzzle flash! That customer is lucky that didn't happen or the cops weren't called!
But as for the "I deserve a deal because I'm me" types, I've seen lots of them. You think model train people are cheap? Meh, rank amateurs compared to military collectors. Had a guy pull that, "Don't you know who I am?" shtick and turned out he'd written some guide book to collecting WW2 German stuff (which I'm not into). I replied, "Nope, and I don't price according to who a person is. the price is the price, period." Yeah, I do charge more for a few people I can't stand, but he got the point. He came close to being a 150%-er, too, but paid my price on the item after all.
At a railroad collector show in the late 80s, my NRHS chapter had a sales table. This guy saw a Southern RR china dish (a butter dish if I remember correctly) for sale at $1.00. He kept coming by offering 50 cents. Nope, we always replied, a buck is a deal. He kept hovering nearby and every time anyone would even touch it, he run over and have a panic attack at the chance he wouldn't get it. This kept going until the show was over and we were packing up. This manatee came waddling over with a [bleep]-eating grin, saying, "I bet you'll sell it to me for 50 cents now!" A guy in the group grabbed it, smashed it against the concrete floor, and gave the guy some choice words about annoying us all day. The look on his face was utterly priceless. All for fifty cents.
I first started buying stuff at RR collectible shows at the age of about 15 or so (I was in a NRHS chapter and would go to shows with those great guys). All the time, people would tell me "You don't have enough for that, kid," not realizing I'd saved up for half the year in some cases. Sometimes I'd buy something similar at another table, come by the "you can't afford this" table and point out I paid more for a better item elsewhere. Man, the looks on their faces. Happened all the time. Especially in this era, never assume a kid doesn't have any money. I've sold a lot of stuff to pre-teens with giant wads of bills before!
As for display stuff, my primary hobby is WW2 living history displays. I couldn't begin to mention all the insane things I've seen over the years. Couldn't count the number of times I've watched someone move the 'do not touch' sign out of the way to pick up some rare/expensive WW2 weapon. A family threw all the WW2 ammo crates out of my 1944 Jeep at an Armed Forces Day event to sit in it to eat their lunch (my do not touch display signs were scatted all over the place). They refused to get out when I told them to leave. they also refused to get out for the MP I called right over, but of course they left when told they were going to leave on foot or in the squad car and the choice was theirs. And the MP and I got the stink-eye from them because in their eyes, we were in the wrong.
Dan986 posted:Dang,two pages in and no mention of the two legendary,now banned,hot head sellers at the monthly Wheaton train shows.
They where banned as in come back and I will call the police.Really whats the story I like to hear it.
At one of the previous Greenberg train shows in Edison NJ , I was packing up with the Hi-Railers and caught a video of a man lashing out and attacking another man who had virtually destroyed hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of brand new or older HO trains. The way it went down was that a guy was backing his truck out of the building as is the common practice of bringing in commercial vehicles. Anyways this genius turns his truck slightly to the left and knocks over at least 18 milk cartons filled to the brim with HO train boxes. Not to mention the cartons were on folding tables at the time. With a huge bang three rows of packed trains fell to the floor. The resulting view was complete carnage. Milk cartons crushing other train boxes that had fallen to the floor, tables and boxes and pieces everywhere. Naturally I whipped out my phone and started filming. The owner stumbled back to the scene to witness most of the trains he didn't sell crushed and in ruin. Lets just say the look on his face was priceless. The owner confronted the driver like an angry bull and charged. He nearly strangled the driver while others jumped in to rip them apart. Of course this gentleman didn't realize someone could be filming him and basically made himself look like a fool. For me people like him give off a bad image of the hobby.
seaboardm2 posted:Dan986 posted:Dang,two pages in and no mention of the two legendary,now banned,hot head sellers at the monthly Wheaton train shows.
They where banned as in come back and I will call the police.Really whats the story I like to hear it.
Stuff like this is tightly isolated to the regulars of such shows and rarely ever known outside of those circles.
I've never heard of a model train seller so vilified that they were told never to come back under fear of calling the cops. What's the story there?
Considering some of the truly scary people you can meet at a model train show, I can't easily imagine how bad you'd have to be to get to this level!
I've not sold at train shows but have a few decades of farm toy show sales "under the belt". One thing I ended up making was a closed display case. I call this the price amplifier. The items inside are highly breakable and stuff I don't want pilfered. Since its in the case, it stays clean and finger print free. I'll gladly remove it for anyone interested to see closer if they want. I've heard of lots of other stuff that has "walked off" and my investment needs to be re-couped by ME!!!
I've done the coin flip on prices many times. If I have it marked at $20 and you offer $15, we flip a coin. If I win you pay my price, you win, you get it for yours. THIS saves a lot of haggling and it can be fun too!!
Never had a fight at a Farm Toy show, but country people must be more low stressed than others....
Something I've been asked to do many times is to "hold" an item and they will be by later to get it. I'll do this if ONLY they PAY for it. I don't have a free lay-a-way policy.
RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:At one of the previous Greenberg train shows in Edison NJ , I was packing up with the Hi-Railers and caught a video of a man lashing out and attacking another man who had virtually destroyed hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of brand new or older HO trains. The way it went down was that a guy was backing his truck out of the building as is the common practice of bringing in commercial vehicles. Anyways this genius turns his truck slightly to the left and knocks over at least 18 milk cartons filled to the brim with HO train boxes. Not to mention the cartons were on folding tables at the time. With a huge bang three rows of packed trains fell to the floor. The resulting view was complete carnage. Milk cartons crushing other train boxes that had fallen to the floor, tables and boxes and pieces everywhere. Naturally I whipped out my phone and started filming. The owner stumbled back to the scene to witness most of the trains he didn't sell crushed and in ruin. Lets just say the look on his face was priceless. The owner confronted the driver like an angry bull and charged. He nearly strangled the driver while others jumped in to rip them apart. Of course this gentleman didn't realize someone could be filming him and basically made himself look like a fool. For me people like him give off a bad image of the hobby.
Sounds like he had a big collection that took time to put together.All the lost money he will never get.As for the driver he should have jusy parked his truck outside.And got help to unload what ever he had.That way he would not have back into the trains.
Like P51 stated earlier, I had my Horse Cavalry display out, 1904 to 1945, and on the table I had an unissued Carbine scabbard for the saddle. All over the table I had Do Not Touch signs. Sure enough, Bill Ray Rollbar, came over, eating a Chili Dog, went to grab the scabbard, had to remind him of the signs. Things went south from there.
This is the best thread ever, forget about modelling . I'm going to be disappointed when it fizzles out.
I like this from BERMUDA KEN.
"I've done the coin flip on prices many times. If I have it marked at $20 and you offer $15, we flip a coin. If I win you pay my price, you win, you get it for yours. THIS saves a lot of haggling and it can be fun too!!"
Roo.
Dan986 posted:Dang,two pages in and no mention of the two legendary,now banned,hot head sellers at the monthly Wheaton train shows.
Would you mean anything about "Doug"? I don't know if anyone who has ever met him walked away without at the very least wanting to have some choice words with him.
Well, looks like posted above is a good reason they don't allow vehicles in the York halls.
Once at the Wheaton show my uncle and I were looking at a sellers brand new still in box post war horse car loader and my uncle picked up the box of horses and started to open it. I look over just in time to see the seller notice my uncle opening his precious box. The contortions his face was making made me wonder if somebody was pulling his toenails out with a pliers and every time my uncle moved that box his expressions got worse until he finally in a stammering voice yanked the box out of his hands and said J-J-J-J-JUST G-G-GIVIT TO ME". We laughed for a good half an hour and still get a great laugh everytime one of us brings it up. I wish I was video taping that.
Once at the Wheaton show my uncle and I were looking at a sellers brand new still in box post war horse car loader and my uncle picked up the box of horses and started to open it. I look over just in time to see the seller notice my uncle opening his precious box. The contortions his face was making made me wonder if somebody was pulling his toenails out with a pliers and every time my uncle moved that box his expressions got worse until he finally in a stammering voice yanked the box out of his hands and said J-J-J-J-JUST G-G-GIVIT TO ME". We laughed for a good half an hour and still get a great laugh everytime one of us brings it up. I wish I was video taping that.
Those small boxes can be extremely difficult to open without damaging the box. And there are some items that I think are just about impossible to get back in the box once its been removed (not the horses)
I think the seller had a lot of restraint to have let your uncle fidget with the box as much as he did. (Not that he should be rude about it).
Have been a buyer/seller at many types of collectible shows. I've only seen things get unpleasant on a couple of occasions, and it's usually related to poor general social skills from one party or the other. Incidents of real rudeness are pretty few and far between in my experience.
I've never had a problem smiling, saying thank you for your time, and then walking away from a deal that's not working for me, but as a younger-ish person who is generally knowledgeable about O gauge trains, being talked down to is particularly irritating.
The only personal story I have to add... I really like the old orange Lionel Tropicana cars (6-17307, 6-17308, 6-17309, 6-17310) and have four sets of four plus a couple of extras. I'm always willing to pick up another set when I can, as they look awesome behind my Lionel CSX Dash 8 (6-18215). Generally you shouldn't ever pay more than $100 for a full set of these, and no more than $20-$25 in the box, $15 out of the box.
This seller had a set of four marked RARE COMPLETE SET $225. Normally I would have just chuckled to myself and walked on, but I did take a closer look to see if they were some kind of special variant I hadn't heard about or something. When he saw me looking, he came right over. "You won't EVER find a complete set of those together, that's crazy rare and I've got a FANTASTIC price on them." I had no desire to engage with him because I'd seen him get short with people at previous shows, so I said thank you and that it was out of my price range. Then he had to go there: "You're going to have to start spending some money if you want to do anything in this hobby." I smiled again, took out my phone and showed him a picture of my four sets together. I said, "Here are mine--these cars are worth $25 each. I'll buy the set for $100 if you want to do it." He got red in the face and I left. Five or six shows later, those super-rare cars are still on his shelf. People aren't going to buy from you if you're grossly mispriced and condescending to boot.
We would have bought it if he wasn't such a jerk. The box had been opened, all in all, not that big of a deal. We though about buying just to rip up the boxes in front of him
