'Rare' or highly desirable today?

these may be more from the "rare and NOT in demand" category...

for over three years i looked for a hockey card that had a book value of 25 cents.

more relevant here and something i don't really understand... i am surprised when i see a ca.1985 Williams Challenger... the first tinplate articulated locomotive in regular production by a company that pretty much led the way in the emerging "3-rail scale"... sell for only a few $100...

perhaps it's either too early, or just me that considers this locomotive a landmark piece.

overlandflyer posted:

more relevant here and something i don't really understand... i am surprised when i see a ca.1985 Williams Challenger... the first tinplate articulated locomotive in regular production by a company that pretty much led the way in the emerging "3-rail scale"... sell for only a few $100...

perhaps it's either too early, or just me that considers this locomotive a landmark piece.

It's because many folks nowadays are more interested in the latest command, smoke and sound features rather than a conventional locomotive by itself.

Rusty

Certain Gilbert S Gauge items.

Rusty Traque posted:

overlandflyer posted:

more relevant here and something i don't really understand... i am surprised when i see a ca.1985 Williams Challenger... the first tinplate articulated locomotive in regular production by a company that pretty much led the way in the emerging "3-rail scale"... sell for only a few $100...

perhaps it's either too early, or just me that considers this locomotive a landmark piece.

It's because many folks nowadays are more interested in the latest command, smoke and sound features rather than a conventional locomotive by itself.

Rusty

you're probably right and that was the basis of my "too early" comment.  i'm sure in the 30's and 40's nobody wanted that junk from the 20's anymore ...

What seems to be in demand right now is I see a lot of people looking for the MTH Coors Light bullet train tail car.

NYC superliner set 4 pack 2 pack and station sound car.Have them but rarely seen at shows and crazy prices on bay.

I guess the K-Line Santa Fe 'Transition' cars would come to mind here as well...

dk122trains posted:

NYC superliner set 4 pack 2 pack and station sound car.Have them but rarely seen at shows and crazy prices on bay.

 

A beautiful set!  I wonder if the influence on the rarity was the scale crowd?

There were certainly enough people here decrying it as outlandish when it was offered, since NYC didn't survive long enough for either the cars or the SD80 that was made for them to have ever existed IRL.

Maybe there are just more people in the hobby now who appreciate this for what it is (causing the surge in pricing/demand when they are offered for sale).  A really nice train in a popular road name from the past.

-Dave

Dave45681: It's sad to say it, but those "Superliner" cars would have only existed on the NYC until they came to their first tunnel on the mainline......

There are very few rare items in the modern era. Just because somebody asks a high price for a item does not mean I would ever pay it. 

There are also just too many trains on the secondary market to overpay for anything. 

Dave

Chuck Sartor posted:

What seems to be in demand right now is I see a lot of people looking for the MTH Coors Light bullet train tail car.

I see them for $200 asking price but at the same time I picked one up NIB on ebay for $75.00.  To some people your dream acquisition is just their item to get rid of.

overlandflyer posted:

these may be more from the "rare and NOT in demand" category...

for over three years i looked for a hockey card that had a book value of 25 cents.

more relevant here and something i don't really understand... i am surprised when i see a ca.1985 Williams Challenger... the first tinplate articulated locomotive in regular production by a company that pretty much led the way in the emerging "3-rail scale"... sell for only a few $100...

perhaps it's either too early, or just me that considers this locomotive a landmark piece.

While I agree that it is a good engine and I proudly display one, there were brass big boys produced for the two rail market years before this one.  I would put the MTH Challenger as the top three rail locomotive to own because it changed the direction of the entire industry. 

The  Clinchfield Challenger was my first MTH purchase and over a period of 2 years I finally got 30 mixed brand CC&O Hoppers. I spent a lot of time in and around Clinchfield territory interviewing old timers for Mark Hipp (Mike's brother in law) to determine the paint color of the lettering. A large majority of retirees at Erwin Yard and local Cafes plus one rail artist all said "white". It was road numbered as one of the "Wartime Challengers" that Clinchfield bought from the government and ferried from Utah and redrafted and singlestacked them for eastern coal.

Anything from Kline or Weaver.

Some of the higher priced K-line passenger cars are the bi-level Santa Fe cars.....along with the transition car that goes with that set.  The recent prices on Ebay have been eye opening....

Like Alan, I have been watching the prices recently on the K-Line Superliner Santa Fe Set. Stupid prices are the norm.

I thought by now one of the manufacturers would have seen the  opportunity for SuperLiners in a variety of road names. The Atlas Santa Fe F Units and recent Power offerings by Lionel & MTH would look great pulling these high level cars.

It may take awhile - but I'm waiting for something new instead of paying $200 each for 15 year old cars.

Paul

I think the modern stuff will quickly decrease in price as the number of capable/interested buyers quickly decrease.  Some York's lately you see stacks of the rare limited edition MPC sets for a fraction of past prices.

Price dont matter if you like it, buy it and enjoy it.  Time is short

Here is a very bad video (cause I took it!) of a train of Santa Fe Hi-levels.  This was taken a couple of days ago as the sun began to shine through the east windows.  Makes the finish on those cars look fantastic....!

Hard to find items in my field are:

Ferdinand Magellan 3 rail pax car in all three schemes

Many Sunset Models PRR Brass locomotives

Sunset Models 3 rail PRR BRASS pax cars

Golden Gate Depot Amtrak passenger sets and cars

Atlas O Conrail- MP15 & U23b

K-Line PRR Scale diesels.

K-Line PRR 21"  passenger sets