Buying Used Stuff: Take II

Agree, I almost never buy new RTR anymore and my experience on Ebay and show purchases (yeah remember those?) is caveat emptor. Even items appearing well assembled can later manifest issues that make my teeth grind, to the point where I buy a specific model for it's source kit or prototype with the expectation that disassembly and refinishing will be the next step with it, at least for 80 to 90% of my purchases these days.  I should mention I like building models a lot more than buying RTR anyway, so maybe I'm not the best opinion regarding used stuff either.

Almost never have bought RTR; virtually next to nothing RTR that fits in my modeling interests and era has been produced.

It's kits and scratchbuilding, and then rebuilding whatever I can find wherever I find it.

I bought RTR - those K-Line 21" streamliners were bargains!  I did buy a RTR PSC Cab Forward - beautiful, but not very exciting.  Anybody can buy stuff.  I traded it for more rugged, but less accurate models.

Mark, I should add, if the original builder showed some care, skill, or some obvious good attention to prototype detail, I do strive to retain, save, incorporate those/that feature(s) in the re-build as I think it does impart an intangible virtue to the model, at least for me, so I do sometimes avoid scraping off a good finish, under body, interior etc. as much out of respect as well as to save time, sometimes even when it would be easier to go back to "zero," but I'm sentimental like that.

I do appreciate the history of the hobby, candidly the hand-crafted  nature of some of it in particular,

When I did go nuts with the inexpensive and good quality RTR flood in the 2000's, I soon realized it was too easy and that I was ignoring both why I got into 1:48 in the first place, and my own satisfaction with mastering a few of the aspects and skills that it requires,  that is , it was not as satisfying as diy for me.

There is a certain spark of life in an individually created item, vs simply being pumped out of a perfect cloning mold, that will almost always win out for me. It isn't even a scale vs toy thing; I like handmade whimsy more than store bought too. ... crap, it isn't isn't even a train thing  

The RTR stuff isn't really about modeling; it's collecting, running, and/or conveniences for the buyers sake; by those who appreciate the copies of a certain model, or modelers work, for whatever reason.

Used or new preference is kinda lost on me for most items too. I'm not that "showy" or picky and actually often have more confidence that a used item is a somewhat proven item, while a new one hasn't even been tested yet.

 That's one part of "collecting"(or use of power in some models) I'll never really "get"; it doesn't matter if it runs well, as long as it looks the part?.... What? .. I'd leave the motor out of a hand made if it was going to be a shelf queen anyhow.

Unfortunately, a well powered model sitting on a shelf soon freezes up - just like airplanes, cars, and boats - if you don’t use them regularly they simply won’t run.

I bought the last Lobaugh Challenger.  It sat in a showroom for two decades, and when I got it, the axles were frozen so badly that I had to press the drivers off and start over.

To combat that, I use SAE 30 to lubricate steel on brass.  Seems to last longer.  Still . . .

I have maybe 15 unpowered locomotives including a couple of Lobaugh (gears in the boiler) one Big Boy, and my new Dockside.  Believe me when I say there are no shortages of fully operational locomotives around here.