Original #2341 and cars

If it were my set, I would not run it. It's shelf piece, worth over $3,000.

What a great way to break into the hobby!   This story will become an urban legend within the TCA!!  This type of thing just doesn't happen very often.

The problem with a great set like that is the issue of using it!!   It is like having a mint 1967 Jaguar XK-E and driving it to enjoy it or keeping it in the garage so it stays like new!!  

Enjoy your best Christmas ever in August!!

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It's only worth 3k+ if he sells it. Until then, its value is tied up with the pleasure he derives from possessing it. If it is more pleasing to him to see it run, versus seeing on the shelf, then running it makes it more valuable, to him. And since it was run by its first owner, it is hard to see how running it now would decrease its eventual sale value, so long as care is taken to not tip the thing onto its side or stage a cornfield meet with it.

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I agree with Chris and Nickaix above.  You bought it to run and enjoy using it. Don't let the fact that it may be more valuable than you first thought stop you from enjoying it.

You are  in to football, so give it all you got, then play with the train, the train's only worth a lot of money if you sell it, but run it and enjoy.

You only find something like this once in a while, just my two cents.

Good luck with the  football.

Rod

Run, display, save, or sell?

The perspectives of Operators and Collectors are certainly going to be different.

I noticed some minor dings in the first group of pictures, so this lucky fellow's train is not quite in perfect condition. Therefore running it once in a while probably wouldn't diminish it's value. But  no matter how careful we are, the trains we run on a regular basis tend to pick up the occasional nick and scratch.

So folks probably have already concluded that were the train mine, I'd keep it, but run something of less value.

It should go without saying that my comments are intended to share information with the set owner, and are not meant to tell him what to do.

sell that and you could make one heck of a layout  Its a very nice set I would sell it or display it. If you want to run it if I were you I would just buy the Williams reproduction and sell this one then you have an almost identical train that is reliable engine and money for cars, track, and scenery. ow much did you pay for the set?

Heres one that pretty cheap and like new http://www.ebay.com/itm/WILLIA...22b3a#ht_1162wt_1032

Nice as Williams (or Lionel CC & PWC) stuff is, it just ain't the same.

Postwar will always be postwar.  It has a look, feel and yes, even smell that any modern reproduction or reissue just can't capture.

Rusty

Your right about the smell it's like walking into the train store all over again 

The proximity of the track to the cinder block wall - considering the leading and trailing overhand of these makes me nervous.

And the track is way to close to the table edge. What you will find with pressed together tubular that isn't screwed down is the track will "creep" apart over time. Next thing you know you're picking up pieces off the floor.

I'm in the camp of "run it" myself, but under better cconditions.

I've already said my piece, but I cannot resist this loose analogy:

To me, running the engine would be akin to spending a twenty dollar Liberty gold piece (at face value).

It was made to play with. Run it and have fun.

By all means, take the comments about $$$ with a grain of salt.  Life is much easier that way.  The number of people who WOULD actually pay top dollar for something like that these days are far and few between.  Oh, they're out there... but you can't deny that those who are truly linked to Lionel's post-war era by their childhood are dwindling in numbers.  And even at that, some of those folks are simply too old to WANT to spend that kind of money on something like that anymore.

Of course, some would argue you only need ONE buyer to make the sale.   

Personally, when you look at the "big picture", the best value is in the feeling these toy trains give you -- either when you find them, purchase them, or of course... now that you're running them.  Experience the moment... and always remember that's the REAL value to YOU.  Don't waste time getting caught up in the "collector's hype"... 'cause that's all it ultimately is.  IMHO, of course.

David

You guyz could take the fun out of a HONEYMOON cuz the remote was broken!!!  THANK YOU for the pictures, and have some fun...along with our CONGRATS!!!   Ron.

Lots of great advice!  We will possibly run on special occassions and never on that quickly tossed together layout.  i only set it on there and turned it on to show the unit lit up.  I ran it SLOWLY around the loop once - ( could not resist!)  We will be putting together a designed and much much safer layout and when we do we will post more photos.  Just glad so many observed the pictures and enjoyed it as we already have.  Thanks to all.  MarkH

Mark,

If I didn't say it in your first post about this set I will now, you are one lucky guy. You have in your possession possibly one of the 3 most desirable sets of the post war era if not the top 3, definitely in the top 5 (IMHO).

Whatever you decide to do with it, enjoy.

Mike

Jim 1939..Yes, it was made to play with in 1956, but it's not a train to play with now.

They are all made to play with. Collectors may hoard but anything I buy goes on the rails to play with. And like any other, that's where this set would go.

It's a toy! Run it carefully and enjoy it. Sitting on the shelf it will only collect dust, and if not run will act up and not operate well. Keep the boxes somewhere safe, and enjoy it. If you really get paranoid, get a different shell for the TrainMaster and put it on the frame, and store the original shell. Personally, I like to run everything, rare or not.