Postwar Prices?

Hey Andre -

Sounds like your "day dream" turned into a nightmare ... just sayin

Ah yes... twas just mite imbibed at the Postwar Pub sipping upon Marx PW wine, and thought a selection from the list of Lionel PW wines might be just the thing to really top off the evening... but once they handed me the Wine List... I sobered up rather quickly!

Andre

I've found the prices are high when I actively look, low when I don't.

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

I've found the prices are high when I actively look, low when I don't.

Rusty

Isn't that a strange phenomenon?

Ah well. 'Tis what it 'tis.

Andre

Keep looking Andre ! 

You never know....a few years ago I walked into a train store to pick up a layaway and ended up coming home with my 2065 ! 

It was a consignment item that was marked $76.00 !!! 

One of my better purchases !

That's funny. At our club sale shows in January, I have been selling PW Lionel locos for around $25 or so with tenders.

Bob:

'Ya done good. No... 'ya done GREAT! That's one clean 2065 for $75!!

Roy:

Premium steam engines (2055, 2065, 2056, etc)? Or, the plastic "Scout" type? If they were of the "premium" line up, I was definitely in the wrong place!

Andre

Presently,PW Lionel prices are all over the place.There's no rhyme nor reason to what I'm seeing. A lot of the craziness is likely due to the cancellation of train meets so most of the action has moved to the online actions and auction houses. The prices will settle down once the train meets are back up and running. BTW, It too burns me up when sellers separate steam locomotives from their proper tenders or break up A-A or A-B-A diesel sets! 

You're seeing high asking prices, but what are they actually selling for?

Ricky:

Could be on the "no train meets".

Lou:

Checking for completed auctions for 2065's indicates decent condition engines only going in the $60-$75 range. BUT, you need to add shipping on top of that ($15 or so). So you win an engine, now you've got to find the right tender and win it, too.  Just sucks to see the engines/tenders split up in the attempt to extract more for them. Sometimes the ploy is pretty obvious, for the same seller is selling the correct tender in a separate auction, most times listed right below the engine!

Should I get serious about acquiring a 2065 or something similar, I will do my absolute best to avoid the "splitter" sellers.

Andre

Actually some of these folk split to just get some kind of return asap.   And if they don't, Murphy and all his pals will ask about a split for the next time it is listed.

But you sure aren't wrong either

Here's a completed auction yesterday for a postwar Alco Santa Fe 223. Anyone know why such a huge price?   

I don't have anything to add about the high price, but I HATE when people stack trains for photos, and it seems to happen a lot. Metal wheels on the shell, never understood it.

@franktrain posted:

Here's a completed auction yesterday for a postwar Alco Santa Fe 223. Anyone know why such a huge price?   

The 223/218C is the toughest of the red/silver PW ALCo's. I usually see these sell around $150-200 for a C8 example with no skirt cracks and boxes. But for $770.00 Really? Let's see if it gets relisted. I've seen a lot of items sell for high prices only to see them offered again a day later.

@Lou1985 posted:

You're seeing high asking prices, but what are they actually selling for?

This ^^^.  Some of those listings find a sucker, but a lot of them end without a sale.  

In addition, it's condition condition condition.  If you watch auction prices, you'll see rare items and mint examples of postwar going for BIG money.  At excellent and below, the prices plummet.

Technically, I understand what you all are saying about purchase prices. Some do trickle through at lower selling prices than the stuff I see with high starting bids or high "Buy It Now" price tags.

In my case, IF a piece is priced at what I consider too high, and there's no "Make Offer" available to at least try to obtain it at more equitable price, then as far as my $$ is concerned, the piece is beyond sensible reach for me.

If, after watching eBay for a while over the coming weeks/months, I come to the conclusion that it would be too expensive to pursue my lark concerning Postwar Marx/Lionel, I'll fold my tent and move on.

Hopefully, I've still got several good years of HO left in me!

Andre

Folks....the relisting of items and change in prices; even the listing of ridiculous prices....I think have " shills" involved.  Y'know.....friends or business partners jerking around the prices (such as enhancing the bid $$) for the seller. 

Have experienced it firsthand.

@redjimmy1955 posted:

Folks....the relisting of items and change in prices; even the listing of ridiculous prices....I think have " shills" involved.  Y'know.....friends or business partners jerking around the prices (such as enhancing the bid $$) for the seller. 

Have experienced it firsthand.

I agree!

@redjimmy1955 posted:

Folks....the relisting of items and change in prices; even the listing of ridiculous prices....I think have " shills" involved.  Y'know.....friends or business partners jerking around the prices (such as enhancing the bid $$) for the seller. 

Have experienced it firsthand.

To which Ricky T. said:

I agree!

To which I say... "Give us back our train meets!"

Traditionally, I was able to see, handle, negotiate price, much more enjoyably at a train meet, even if it isn't as coldly efficient as The Bay. (Time needed to make the trip, the expense of the trip, etc.)

Don't get me wrong, I live by eBay. (I live in quite a model railroading "void" regionally.) However, there is a lot to be said about the "adventure" and "event" nature of trekking to a train meet.

Andre

In every hobby I'm involved in, there have been a lot of these can-you-believe-what-that-sold-for threads lately, and most are based on ebay. The consensus seems to be that ebay is a poor gauge for the market because:

1. Some of the prices are asking prices, not selling prices. Ebay is loaded with people who think everything in their attic is made of solid gold.  Craigslist is even worse. 

2. Bidding wars are common between people with more money (or testosterone) than brains, and this often results in exorbitant selling prices for common items. Once that happens, other sellers start setting crazy asking prices on their common items. 

3. Shills are not unheard of. The savvy ebay guys can look at the bidding on an item and spot whether shills were involved, but I don't know how to do it.

4. The lack of in-person meets may be a factor, but how much is that offset by a lot of people undergoing economic uncertainty and becoming more reluctant to spend as they used to?

I have found on You Tube sites that sell O Gauge for rather good prices, for the buyer, that is.  One, "O gauge Trains Buy and Sell".  On another, "Lionel & O Gauge, New & Old", especially for those in Texas, a couple East of Denton are selling a lot of PW that belong to his father.  They recently started opening old boxes in the garage and have found a lot of used PW.  Includes 2383 AA, 6475, many 6465, 455, 334, 6473, 6456-75, 6437, 3451, 6519, 6463, 3424, 2023 AA, 2521, 2522, 2523, 60, 736 w 2046, 2033, 229 AB, 2056, 2037,  a ZW and many other trans, lots of track and mics. accessories. Some Marx and other... close to 100 pieces total not including track.  Thought of getting myself, but cannot make the trip.  Very well worth looking into, and price is right... negotiable.  Lionel.. New & Old... Amanda Young and was posted on July 4th. Is used, but most PW is...….

Jesse   TCA  12-68275

@laming posted:

Ricky:

Could be on the "no train meets".

Lou:

Checking for completed auctions for 2065's indicates decent condition engines only going in the $60-$75 range. BUT, you need to add shipping on top of that ($15 or so). So you win an engine, now you've got to find the right tender and win it, too.  Just sucks to see the engines/tenders split up in the attempt to extract more for them. Sometimes the ploy is pretty obvious, for the same seller is selling the correct tender in a separate auction, most times listed right below the engine!

Should I get serious about acquiring a 2065 or something similar, I will do my absolute best to avoid the "splitter" sellers.

Andre

 

Andre,,

Splitting engines from tenders on eBay has been going on for at least 10 years. While sellers are free to do what they wish, I detest the practice. Back when I was actively adding to my post war fleet, I would see it all the time. Especially when the engine had the more "desirable" tender like the 12-wheel streamline tender or the beautiful cast metal tenders on the 773 or 726. I avoided those auctions at all costs.

Mike

@Joe Connor posted:

2. Bidding wars are common between people with more money (or testosterone) than brains, and this often results in exorbitant selling prices for common items.

Or maybe, some of us really want an item we've been searching the 'net for, for a long time.   We know the items exist, but I would like ot buy this item now.  I see one pop on eBay, and go for it.   Sure, I could wait around and wait for others to pop up, which they will, but it's okay, I can afford this one, so I place a high bid.   High enough I figure anyone else most likely won't.   Yeah, maybe I pay a lot more than what most would pay for said item, but it doesn't matter.

I'm happy and the seller's happy.

It has nothing to do with "more money than brains," which is actually kind of insulting.

Same thing happens with what I sell (not train related).    Several of my auctions have gone well over what I wanted to get.  They buyer is happy, and I'm happy.

@franktrain posted:

Here's a completed auction yesterday for a postwar Alco Santa Fe 223. Anyone know why such a huge price?   

I've got my own ideas on some of these out-of-the-world prices on auction sites. Remember Walter and Skyler White's car wash on Breaking Bad? I believe a lot of money laundering occurs on auction sites, not just car washes, nail salons, and other cash businesses.

@ezmike posted:

Andre,,

 

Splitting engines from tenders on eBay has been going on for at least 10 years. While sellers are free to do what they wish, I detest the practice. Back when I was actively adding to my post war fleet, I would see it all the time. Especially when the engine had the more "desirable" tender like the 12-wheel streamline tender or the beautiful cast metal tenders on the 773 or 726. I avoided those auctions at all costs.

Mike

I'm on the sell side of the business, and I find that I can usually get more selling the locomotive and tender separately.  I but the stuff that is flowing out of attics and basements as older folks downsize and need to do something with those old trains that have been gathering dust and rust for 70 years.  I buy, clean, repair and sell them.

I recently sold a 226E tender for $250 and the locomotive for $225.  I'd have been lucky to get $350 selling them together.  Right now looking at eBay recent sales I see that I could sell a 685 for $100 and the 6026W tender frame and whistle fully serviced for $50.  Locomotive and tender together have been bringing $100 to $130.  Add to that with patience I can get $10 to 20 for the tender shell.  So why leave money on the table selling ;locomotive and tender together.

Those are typical examples.  If you want to make money, you do what the market is telling you, and this market is saying sell them separately.

Also bear in mind that many of the PW locomotives now on the market have the wrong tender.  Back in the 50's and 60's people who had several locomotives and were just interested in operating and didn't care about the matching or did what looked good to them.  Now we are seeing those mismatches in the market.

Rusty,

When you look at a price,  of course it instantly "becomes" high.  That's just a form of  quantum entanglement intruding on our peaceful little corner of the universe.

Hal

@mlavender480 posted:

Prices seem to be up across the board.  I’m in several Facebook groups for buying and selling HO trains, and I’ve noticed an uptick in asking prices over the last couple months.  “Good deals” are less common than when I joined the groups a year or so ago, with many sellers asking list price or above for “barely used” trains.  As for why, I have no idea, maybe it’s just the secondary market catching up to the rising prices of new items, maybe it’s everyone being stuck at home and they’re willing to pay more?  

I agree about the current price trend.  Last week I listed an ZW for $165 and it sold the second day.  six months ago I was happy selling them for #125.

Wow.

I've been spending a bit of time surfing eBay to see price points for various PW pieces that I've owned in the past and would like to re-acquire.

Lesson: This big dummy shouldn't have sold off! (Especially at the prices I sold them!)

So much for the "PW prices are in the tank!" whining/crying from the "investor" types! (Never was an "investor" type, I liked to run and enjoy the stuff.)

Appears to be a sellers market right now.

Andre

Probably RELIABLE auction houses like Stout's offer more quality PW engines and correct tenders than the usual suspects on the internet. Of course, beware of shills! The prices may also be higher but you get what you pay for.

Art:

Well, this much is for sure: So much for "Boomers are aging out of the hobby and there will be nobody that wants these old trains flooding the shrinking market so they'll be dirt cheap for us surviving Boomers that want 'em" market dynamic I've been believing! 

Andre

Seems that theory is somewhat flawed!  :-(

@Tinplate Art posted:

Seems that theory is somewhat flawed!  :-(

I'm beginning to think that, too!

That flawed market dynamic was going to help me become a PW Mogul by acquiring any PW I wanted in such a flooded market at dirt cheap prices... but that dream is fading now!

Andre

For the record,I've been finding a lot of bargains on "Our favorite online auction". They're there if you really search and hunt around.I spend at least one hour each day looking through the listings. Before the current "situation" began a few months ago, I had attended several "in-person" train auctions (Not Stout or Toy Trains Other Stuff) around the US and brought home a LOT of trains at 1/5-1/3 of what they typically sell for online when compared to verified,completed auctions. The fact of the matter is this: There is an verifiable overall downward trend in prices for pre-1990 trains. As more large collections of these trains come to market and the number of active buyers continues to drop,the average prices will continue to drop overall. Common PW items will drop faster,high end like new PW items much less or flat. Maybe even some (Rare boxed PW sets) will continue to increase.

If we could predict the stock market we would all be rich and if we could predict the Pre War train market would know when to buy or sell the trains.  Those darn markets are unpredictalble.

Charlie

Premium condition and original boxes usually command higher prices in the postwar market.

Web Train prices may be rising from lots of folks working from home.  They surf the net, ebay, etc. and see more and bid more without the work computer geeks spying on them or the boss dropping by their at work desk, office.

Charlie

@laming posted:

I just allowed myself to go look on eBay to daydream a bit and take a look at any 2065's that were listed. Holy moly! Some of the prices are waaay up there!

The deals are out there. Timing is everything.

Timing is the thing.  Also patience, lots of it, especially selling stuff as parts.  I've waited three or four months for a sale.  If the price is right, anything will eventually sell.

Okay... enough of this. Break it up and move along. Nothing to see here. Y'all go on back to your modern trains and leave this junky PW stuff be. It's too crude, not scale... all that jazz. You really don't want it.

Andre

Note the name of this forum.  I think you're in a place different from where youthink you are.

@mlaughlinnyc posted:

Note the name of this forum.  I think you're in a place different from where youthink you are.

Um... if that was aimed at me... I think you missed the tongue-in-cheek part of it. (Hint: If you'll read my comments in this thread, a thread that I started, you'll see that I'm actively in the market again for Postwar.)

Andre

Hi All:

Don't know where to ask this, and I don't want to start a new topic, so I'll just ask it here:

Lionel 6026W tender: Are front/rear footsteps available to replace those that are broke off?

Same question for the other PW whistling tenders.

Thanks.

Andre

If you haven't already check out Choo Choo auctions. Charlie has been do this for a long time. Prices and appraisals are reasonable as is shipping,

https://www.choochooauctions.com/cgi-bin/ua/main.pl

Pete

Thanks Norton.

Andre

Andre...so glad to read that you are gearing up for postwar train running.

Curious if you have more affinity for steam engines, or diesels?  Good luck jumping back in!!!!  And some advice about turds that split up trains...such as separately selling the engine, tender or the A units without the B.

Learned from astute Mrs RedJimmy...ask/tell them you want both at a fair price...if not, YOU MOVE ON! Dont waste your time. After all you have the $$$ (thats leverage),  and they have something to sell, or cart around another umpteen years!

Hi redjimmy!

Over the years since my 3-rail experiments, the allure of "traditional-sized" trains, especially select PW Marx and Lionel pieces, has been residual within me.

For the immediate future, "running" will only be on a small loop set up on the kitchen table for piddle-playing and testing purposes. In the upcoming months, I'll be acquiring track on an "as can" basis, and eventually, I'll restore the ability to run trains on the existing "around the wall" bench work here in this 2'6" x 9' 6" "computer room".  In order to do that I will need to re-install the hinged drop-down bridge so as to have continuous running. (But I saved all the parts to the hinged drop-down bridge upon disassembly after the last experimental effort.)

As for steam or diesel?

Well, Lionel's PW Hudson steam engines that were based on the Berk boiler (including a Berk "one of these days") as well as the shorter "Baldwin" boiler Hudson's are my favorites among the postwar steam offerings. I'll start with those when it comes time to purchase.

As for Lionel PW diesels, I prefer the downsized "traditional" engines that better fit the 6464-type boxcars. That would mainly be the cast frame and stamp frame FA's. I am not interested in any "scale sized" equipment, either engines or rolling stock. Migrating toward "Hi-rail" was my downfall when I seriously explored 3-rail back almost 20 years ago.

Marx: Wouldn't mind at all having a #333 smoker and possibly a few litho diesels.

As for non-PW engines of interest would be MTH Railking "Stubby" F3's, and an RMT "Bang" Alco S-2 or two. OR, in time, perhaps any "traditional" sized Williams FA or what have you.

Long term: I fully intend to make progress on my HO layout and enjoy it as long as I dare before making a HUGE decision as to what to do with it once the "Hassle Factor" has overtaken the "Fun Factor". In meantime, hopefully within a few months I'll have double main continuous run loops w/switching here in my computer room upon which to scratch the 3-rail itch.

Hardest part will be dealing with some "take aways" that accommodating 3-rail will entail.

Andre

ALL:

This thread is really starting to drift. (I'm the culprit!) I wonder if I should start a new thread that's specific to my layout ideas/plans, options, input on same, pictures, etc? If so, which forum?

Andre

Hmm, has me thinking I should take off work Wed 22 Jul & attend that local train auction nearby....

@laming posted:

Um... if that was aimed at me... I think you missed the tongue-in-cheek part of it. (Hint: If you'll read my comments in this thread, a thread that I started, you'll see that I'm actively in the market again for Postwar.)

Andre

Sorry.  I'm a literalist about what I read.  That's a big downside of email groups - can't see the face so miss the humor.

No worries mlaughlinnyc.  I sort of take some getting used to.

Andre

6-28627 C&O Berk Junior for 0-27 (or similar JR) can/railsounds/conventional (I don't think its full tmcc..??)  I park it's tender powered for the cycling and bell. I was used to hearing a switcher bell for hours on end, non-stop. The two toghether make for a soothing symphony of ambiance when the rails get quiet fiddling, etc.

... the old Berk is kinda long in wheelbase and needs 31or 36 curves period.

Talk about prices and climbing. The 333 takes off every time I look serious at one.  Same with a Wyandotte streamiliner w/ Indian brave logo and Marx Mercurys. They were giving away sets a while back for what todays beaters may fetch. I would settle for a cheap shell of either about now. Ol Yella, the cheap bump and go trolley eludes me and the new died WAY too soon for another round of those yet.

Wanton spending can effect the bid costs imo, driving prices up artificially until a broad sampling can once again accurately show the averages. A lowball win does the same. Neither truely reflect market value imo; just some luck, some  greed, or apathy.  (I dont hound for last minute lowballs or walk away from yard sales giggling with a $10 boxed 2332 in tow either)

Just because you can throw some weight around, doesn't mean you should beat up the whole playground daily to be 1st thru last in line on the slide . 🤔

Some folks even overbid just to put the thumbscrews on others. Not to shill, but because they like to taste tears.

Well, I think y'all were right: Patience, and keep watching.

I actually wasn't ready to take the plunge and purchase just yet, but I was curious about the pricing and sale prices of the 2055/2065 type Lionel PW "Baby" Hudson's, so I have been frequenting the Bay, as well as the sale site at the link provided above.

As expected, the "Buy It Now" and "Opening Bid" prices on the Bay were way "up there". Prices were much better at the other site, but typically the models needed some help, or were being offered with non-whistle tenders. (Whistling tenders are essentially a "must" for me and Lionel PW steam.)

However, over on the Bay, a couple/three standard auctions appeared. One auction was a package deal. Long story short, I placed a bid that I felt would result in an acceptable price point for me, and surprisingly, mine was the winning bid and the sale price was lower than my maximum bid I had entered!

SO, I ended up purchasing my first PW items in years: A 2055 engine, a 2065 engine, and a 2046W tender for less than any of the decent looking 2065 w/tender listings! Quite surprising. In this one purchase I was able to obtain two engines that were on my long term "find/purchase" list, as well as a 2046W tender. They should be shipped tomorrow.

I'm really looking forward to their arrival. I really enjoy the heft of Lionel PW steam and I enjoy tinkering with them. (i.e. Cleaning them up, fixing any issues, tuning them, etc.) Can't wait!

Andre

Great looking engine here's my 2055 with its O gauge twin the 685. The 685 was 1953 only, both good runners.

,

Yes Frank, you've got a pair of mighty fine looking engines. I think between the two styles of baby Hudson's (Berk boilers and Baldwin boilers) the Baldwin boilers are my favorite. I hope to have examples of all of the the baby Hudson's "one of these days".

A few years ago I parted with my 665. (Pictured here shortly after I had cleaned it up and serviced it.) I've regretted selling it several times since.

This time, I intend to keep my Postwar purchases. My wife can feel free to sell them after I no longer have a need for them.

Andre

Andre, 20 years ago I followed the same path you are on now. HO most of my life but decided to get the Lionel set I had as a kid. For the first 5 years or so I was totally satisfied with traditional trains.

These are a few of my Hudsons that include Williams and K-Line. One you may not be familiar with is cab number 5340. Its a 2046 mechanism with an engine shell and tender offered by Charles Ro. Its truely a baby 700E closer to a NYC Hudson than the Berk body 2046.

Pete

@Training Wheels posted:

I know that PW prices can be a bit on the high side, but...c'mon, man!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vinta...c:g:n6wAAOSwGAVex~Jj

I did notice that there are zero bids!

Yea, just wait until the last 15- 20 seconds....lol

Zero bids are not unusual.  I get some and that's not a problem.  Anyone who sells a lot and doesn't get some zero bids is probably starting too low.  I make he opening price the absolute minimum that is worth while when including my time for packing and shipping.  Sometimes during the ten days of the auction no one comes along who is willing to buy at that price.  But then I set the same price as a buy-it-now and eventually it sells.  That just means the buyer willing to pay that price wasn't looking during the ten day auction window.

@franktrain posted:

Here's a completed auction yesterday for a postwar Alco Santa Fe 223. Anyone know why such a huge price?   

I believe I read several days ago in a "postwar" posting thru Collector's Weekly that the #223 was considered to be the rarest of the SF Alcos. Really? Not to trample on someone's idea of a good loco, but those Alcos are like child's toys compared to much better running, better looking, better detailed early postwar Alcos that were ditched by Lionel by the mid-to-late 50s. You need to be a stamp-collector to want to spend seven hundred bucks on a POS like those babies, but some people hate their money, I guess.

Question for those of you that have recently shipped a PW steam engine & tender:

Does it really cost in the neighborhood of $29.45 to ship anywhere in the contiguous 48 states?

OR, is this just another ploy to exact another $15 or so profit from the sale of the item?

Andre

Postal rates are outrageous lately, something I’ve noticed both as a buyer and seller.  Also, there doesn’t seem to be much difference in cost between priority and parcel post ground either.

Shipping things is getting very expensive lately. Just the other day I used FedEx due to them being half the price of USPS.

I've also noticed that shipping times are increasing. Nothing ever arrives on time.

@Pre-War Steve posted:

Postal rates are outrageous lately, something I’ve noticed both as a buyer and seller.  Also, there doesn’t seem to be much difference in cost between priority and parcel post ground either.

I hate the thought of shutting down the post offices. Priority Post is king in my mind. My rates to ship an engine. $12-15. Not including shipping materials.

Andre, what's wrong with asking over $600 for ONE aluminum passenger car? He says it's mint "but you be the judge". Don

I reckon it's whatever you think you kin git out of it?

Fortunately for me, I'm not interested in the big aluminum cars. To my demented mind, they wouldn't look "right" behind my Baldwin Hudson's, or my cast frame FA's. (I'm a bit anal about trying to keep my traditional stuff proportionally congruent.)

When it comes time for passenger cars, I'll be looking for the PW "generic" ("Lionel Lines") shorty cars along with the modern-era release of the Pullman Green "Baby Madison" set. (I've had two of those Pullman Baby Madison sets over the decades and stupidly sold both.)

Andre

@radar493 posted:

I hate the thought of shutting down the post offices. Priority Post is king in my mind. My rates to ship an engine. $12-15. Not including shipping materials.

N scale maybe !

.

Andre. un-anal yourself son. In 1954 one year only, Lionel sold a passenger train set with aluminum cars and a baby Hudson. LOL Don

Yes but the cars are too big for the engine. Doesn't look right or good.

Maybe that's why they only sold it one year. Don

scale rail:

LOL! 

I'm a'feared it's too late for me to un-anal myself. Given some of the silly things I can be anal about in HO, it's amazes me that I can even have an appreciation for some of the traditional stuff anyhoo's!

Dennis:

Yup, that's my problem with it.

Admittedly, such persnickitivness is a product of my GnC syndrome, too.

Andre

Andre, even though I only run scale trains now, I still have a love for the 50s Lionel and will never loose it. I remember going into Browns Dept. store in Mill Valley Ca. and just sitting in front of a wall of Lionel trains. I wanted an Alco Erie so bad. I alway asked my Pop for it but he would just say you have an engine now why do you want another one. I did save my money an bought a full size Madison car for 10 bucks. Wish I could have bought all of them. I thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world. Still have it. A good friend I'm helping is giving me a mint set of the green 027 cars from the 40's. I'm going to run it around the tree this Christmas with my 2026 I got in 1948. Have a great night. Don

@lee drennen posted:

There’s  a lot of that on sleezbay 

The posting of slanderous remarks like that is quite inappropriate.  I've been both a buyer and seller on eBay for about six years having sold over a thousand train items and bought well over a hundred.  In 99.9% of those transactions there has been a satisfied buyer and a satisfied seller.

It's an excellent market place for old trains.  If you aren't smart enough to avoid stuff that's overpriced, that's your problem.  Most items that are priced too high go unsold.  If you don't believe that study the sold prices on items that interest you.

@scale rail posted:

          Andre...

....I still have a love for the 50s Lionel and will never loose it....

I understand, Don, boy do I understand.

I enjoyed your reminisce. I agree about the Erie Alco's: One of Lionel's classiest scheme renditions ever. (Those Erie's in the pic are in excellent condition!)

I've denied/disciplined myself for several years now to not sink money into PW again (I've had three acquire/sell off cycles since the 1990s)... but my attraction for it just won't go away. SO, I've promised myself that this time, no matter what, I will NOT sell off any PW I acquire.

Now, I don't intend to get silly with it like I did in the 1990s... but I would like to have a very nice selection of PW steam engines, a few cast frame FA's... and some rolling stock that compliments my late-40s/early-50s era and theme choices. I have a small space that I can use for a semi-permanent layout... but that's on down the track before I need to decide on that.

You have a great night, too, Don.

Andre

@mlaughlinnyc posted:

<snip>

It's an excellent market place for old trains. 

<snip>

It's my only place to buy old trains at this point. If it weren't for The Bay... I'd be a stuck duck.

(I keep forgetting to check OGR's "Sell" forum!)

I agree: 'Ya gotta' pay attention and keep your head cut-in about pricing/shipping/etc. What I have purchased off eBay the past few weeks, ended up being purchased at genuine "good" prices.

(Confession: I've really kicked myself for not acting immediately on a "Buy It Now" listing for a set of 2031's in really nice shape at the lowest price I've seen recently. Oh well!)

SO... in many ways, eBay is what you make of it. It's like the small bird whose habitat is the harsh desert: It flits about and draws nectar from the flowering plants it finds. A larger bird circles overhead, scanning the scorching hot desert looking for carrion to eat. Same environs, two different birds looking for two different forms of sustenance. One looks for the sweet, the other the putrid. They both find what they're looking for.

Many things in life depends on what we're looking for, whether looking for the good, or the bad, we typically find it.

Andre

Evilbay has always had lots of "Wishing" when it comes to asking prices.  Just as at some estate sales, they see the name "Lionel" and automaticly think its worth a small fortune.  When 9 times out of 10 its a super common lower end piece.   I recently picked up a nice 2343 powered/dummy pair for under $250 to my door.  But I can remember when a pair this clean would have commanded 500-900 with boxed examples this nice being over 1K in price.  For those that do not wish to run the new computerized stuff, nice postwar is still a good buy if your willing to put in some time searching and knowing whats out of line price wise and what is a good or even great deal.    AD

@CHOO-CHOO MIKE posted:

N scale maybe !

Shipped a post-war #2020 yesterday priority post for $13.

Well, my own opinion is that while separateing loco and tender is sort of a cardinal sin to me, the prices you can find for a good 2065 are still sort of a bargain.  I know they don't have modern sound and cruise and remotes, but they are great locos and just bulletproof with a little bit of care and service - they never give problems.  

The Bay:

I think the general consensus is...

* "Buyer beware". (Know the going price and pay attention to the shipping.)

* "Seller take care". (Do your homework on market price vs condition of the piece, and try to be reasonable on the shipping.)

When the above two factors are on the same page, a good transaction for both sides will result.

665/2065's...

I've had a weakness for them all these decades. I've owned three now. I think much of its appeal is that imposing feed water heater hung atop the front of smoke box. (In spite of it being incorrectly mounted, in regards to the prototype. Hey, it's a Lionel toy train! Lionel gets a pass on a lot of things!)

685/2055's...

Conversely, the lack of the feed water heater gives the 685/2055 its own appeal to me. The fact that it doesn't have that imposing feed water heater on the top, well, to me it makes it look more sleek and contrasts wonderfully with the 665/2065. Just like the 2065, I really like my 2055.

Yeah, yeah, I know, such prosing as the above about old trains may be silly sounding, but that's the way my eyes and mind interpret Lionel's PW stuff. I reckon it's sort of like me riding dirt bikes: If I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand it.

Andre

Say, is it permissible to offer "trades" via the OGR "Buy/Sell" forums? If so, what forum?

Andre

If a locomotive and tender together would sell for $150 but I can get $90 for the tender and $120 for the locomotive, where's the sin in having two happy buyers rather than one ?

@laming posted:

The Bay:

665/2065's...

I've had a weakness for them all these decades. I've owned three now. I think much of its appeal is that imposing feed water heater hung atop the front of smoke box. (In spite of it being incorrectly mounted, in regards to the prototype. Hey, it's a Lionel toy train! Lionel gets a pass on a lot of things!)

Andre

   But wait, there's more as they say on TV.  With the 2065 you get not one, but two feedwater heaters!  And your not even paying an extra fee!   Not only do you get the Elesco, but there's still the Worthington SA cast into the smokebox top.

Didn't even realize what a bargain the 2065 is, did'ja?  No wonder those things run so well with all that preheated water coming in. 

All kidding aside, I always liked the 2055/2065/665's over the 2046/646's because of their over all proportions.

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

   But wait, there's more as they say on TV.  With the 2065 you get not one, but two feedwater heaters!  And your not even paying an extra fee!   Not only do you get the Elesco, but there's still the Worthington SA cast into the smokebox top.

Didn't even realize what a bargain the 2065 is, did'ja?  No wonder those things run so well with all that preheated water coming in. 

All kidding aside, I always liked the 2055/2065/665's over the 2046/646's because of their over all proportions.

Rusty

We probably ought to take this over to my rambling thread "The Scent Of Ozone"... but seeing as we started the drift here...

I didn't realize the Worthington was cast up top. That should come as no surprise, 'cause I'm not the sharpest tack in the box when it comes to late steam. However... I think I'll keep it that way in regards to me and 3-rail. I most certainly don't want the warts to take from the fun. Hey, it's PW Lionel... that's the only rationale I need!

Baldwin vs Long Boiler Hudson's...

I tend to agree with that, Rusty my man. I will have some eventually... but like you... to my eyes they don't quite have as pleasing lines as the Baldwin Hudson's. That is, unless the long boiler comes with a  Berk mechanism under it! (W/cast trailing truck.) That being the case, then nirvana is reached! Love the lines and look of the Berk's. Shame they're high as a cat's back. (There. Back on topic, now!  )

Andre