What are these old Lionel Trains & Acc. worth?

there are several open bids on ebay for 2046 engines and 6464 Western Pacific cars with the bids in the $50 range. Good luck with your sale. From the Pictures trains look to be ii really good condition

I'm not any sort of expert on rarity/value, but from my own experience some years

ago, I used the Greenberg pocket guide to Lionel trains in order to come up with a

fair price to offer for a bunch of postwar trains I bought from a guy I worked with.

     Hoppy

Is the Greenberg pocket guide online or do you have to have the book? 

Just my opinion, but I would offer him $125-150 for all, not knowing if any work.

Remember this is one mans opinion.

Rod 

Greenberg Pocket Guides are not free or online.  You should be able to find a current edition at most hobby shops that carry O Gauge trains.

Chuck

I got my info from Greenberg's pocket price guide 2014 edition, paid around $24.00 with shipping from Kalmbach Books.

Lee Fritz

chester7,

The question is? Do you enjoy postwar trains enough to invest in your happiness? What you have is a complete set in what appears to be excellent condition. Do you have the shipper box that holds everything? You might want to do a little detective work on your own. It should not take you more than twenty-minutes. You will be amazed at what you have. This is a open forum, leaving your question open to receive many replies.

To be fair, at least $300, you have boxes and the visual condition is excellent.

Prices do vary by area.  If the set was offered to me, I'd be around 125-175, similar to Rod's estimate.

It looks like a nice set that was well cared for. I'd like to have it, but there is nothing there that is unusual or hard to find.

See if the engine and operating car work. If not offer around $200 for the whole set. 

From what I am seeing in the Greenberg's guide the whole set is # 1505WS with added items or # 1507WS with some different items then the Lionel offered ones. Somebody could have switched some things at the time of sale at the hobby store.

Lee Fritz

Thanks for all the reply's eh  

Don't waste your $$ on ordering the Greenberg book as they are not very accurate for pricing. Lots of good 'other' information however as they have put a lot research into the trains for a long time. A better investment would be one of the Greenberg or TM books on postwar Lionel trains in general concentrating on the history, cataloguing, and variations. The smaller guide contain mostly pricing info that is usually out o date when the book is published.

You've been given some good suggestions here already. It's a nice set in great condition and would be an excellent start to perhaps a different aspect of the hobby you could enjoy!

Very Good info here  Thanks Again eh

looks likes this set was well taken care of. unlike the trains made today, i think postwar w/ boxes will hold their value in years to come. if it was me i would start at $250 and go up to 300-325 on everthing. if the set box is there, add40-50$.great find you have there!!-jim

I would be very surprised if the 2046 Engine did not run noting its cosmetic condition.  Most engines in that good of shape run.  In fact, the whole set is in near excellent condition.  Greenberg's Volume 3, Lionel train Sets for 1945 to 1969 sets the price for the 1505WS Set at $350.00 for very good condition and $600.00 for Like New condition.  This set has extra components not listed in the 1505WS Set which should increase its value.  These would include the 309 Yard Set, the 3662 Operating Milk Car, Billboard Set, telephone pole set and the Paper Mache' tunnel.  Even with the passage of time since this Greenberg's volume was published I would think a fair offer would start at least at $300.00 and end at $400.00.  That's a nice looking set with decent looking boxes.

I tell 'ya, I know all the PW experts could probably come up with all sorts of reasons that

this set is "common" and nothing special, but I don't care. Look at it. Look at the end of that milk car. The whole thing reminds me of opening my Christmas 1955 set - different set, but the thing looks new in places. There are boxes.

I'm not a PW guy - but I am liking it. Somebody needs to make him a good offer. I'm

not that guy, but it's pretty outstanding, at least judging by the photos.

I believe that the estimate of values here by some is overly optimistic. This is similar to the dealers that I see at the shows exhibiting the same equipment year after year without selling anything. The price guides can tell you one thing but ideals, value and reality are very far apart. Fact is that the market for postwar trains is flooded. Older long time collections have become saturated with items and the prices on all but the rarest items have all but collapsed. I wouldn't offer more than $100 for what I see here. If you feel that I'm off, just do a search on eBay for what these items are selling for. That will tell the TRUE story. I laugh every time I meet a collector that believes that his trains are very valuable when in fact they are worth nothing.

Its a nice set, but I would be on the lower end of the offer, especially if the engine does not work.  A repair could be $50 even for a simple thing.  The wires on the transformer will need to be inspected, and most likely replaced. Same goes for the operating milk car and the operating track. Repairs are not hard, you probably can do them yourself, but you will need a manual and perhaps some replacement parts. So,  $175 to 225, depending on if the engine works.   

Hope this helps.   

I think that some folks may be over estimating the condition of these trains.

There are tape marks or scuffs on the side of the tender.

Dust and/or dirt is visible on the engine and all of the rolling stock. The dirt may or may not come off with a light cleaning. (be aware that Lionel's silver paint is particularly hard to clean without damaging the appearance).

I don't mean to imply that it isn't a nice set. It is.

I purchased a very similar set in December 2012 via private sale. It was a 1505WS set, with a 3482 Milk car and a pair of remote control switches, all boxed, but no set box.

I'd guess the book value on the 3482 milk car is less than that of the 3662 milk car. But IMHO, it is actually more difficult to find.  I paid $180.

Very interesting seeing all the different opinions eh 

Exactly Frank. Prices change a lot when ones buying and when ones selling. I think 275 is a fair price and would have no problem getting that or more if I was to sell it.

Price estimates are all over the place, and for the wrong reasons.

Consider your friendship with the seller first and do the right thing to meet his expectation or stay away from his trains.

Forget about what the collectors are saying the trains are worth unless your are going to flip them for a profit. If you flip them, it may cause the seller to think badly of you.

So, the original poster should over pay for the trains because they belong to a friend of his parents?

If the seller has unrealistic expectations on the value (they often do), walk away.

IMHO, Bobby's advice is solid, one has to be careful when dealing with friends and relatives. 

Finally! Somebody really got it right. Bobby Ogauge, good answer. I also agree with Dennis that the postwar market is flooded. However, the postwar market is top heavy with a tremendous amount of junk being advertised as "rare". Nice items like this set while not uncommon do not show up as often and will still command a good price. In the condition of the set as shown, I would be a buyer in the 275-300 range. If someone is buying the set for resale the price would obviously come down to allow the seller to make a profit. As for possible repairs, anyone that purchases a postwar transformer and does not replace the cord is quite literally playing with fire. Just about all transformers even having a nice looking cord will have issues either where the cord goes into the plug or in the knot inside the case. Its not worth taking the chance when the cord can be replace for a couple of bucks.

Regards,

Randall

quote:

I don't know how people live with themselves.

Just fine.

I paid more than most other folks in my area would pay. Certainly more than he would have gotten from a local hobby shop.

quote:

From your post further above, you stated you paid $180 for a set with a more desirable milk car

I wrote that the 3482 milk car was more difficult to find, but probably books for less  than a 3662.

If you want to translate that to more desirable, that's your privilege.

OK....here we go.  As soon as it appears that someone doesn't agree with another one's statement or semantics,  then the discussion degrades into "personalities".  Not every comment has to be taken or is meant to be personal.  So...I believe the OP has gotten enough advice as to the value of the items.  Rather than deleting the thread, it will be locked and then the "dramatic" will be cleaned up...