Common Sources for Tinplate

I buy on eBay. BUT... I can fix things myself, enjoy fixing things, and never expect things to be perfect when received.

If you are one of those folks who is not handy and cannot fix your own toys, then eBay will be a much more dicey prospect.

PittsburghTim posted:

unhealthy fear of being taken by reproductions.

I don't think that's an unhealthy fear.  Although, from what I've seen, it's more likely to be taken by original pieces that have been altered. 

I have a shop near me that brings in vintage tinplate pretty regularly.  I look at it but rarely buy (a few structures and one piece of rolling stock).  I'm sure they keep all the good stuff for themselves and dish out the rest to their cronies who hover around the store like vultures.  Anything that I see has to have been passed over by all of them before I see it.  I've looked and bid on Stout auctions but have never won.  We all know its perils but I prefer ebay.

It is also highly likely that most European brands like Marklin are more plentiful at shops, meets and auctions in Europe than here in the states. In that regard, both Fred (Netherlands) and Daniel (France) have a distinct advantage in acquiring their respective gems, which they graciously share with us weekly!

To a large extent, answers regarding sources and concern over buying misrepresented items depends on your objective.  Collector, operator, desire for rare pieces, importance of original condition, etc.?  

There is a lot of tinplate at York - everything from original mint in box, new production, well-used originals, restored originals, to basket cases.  Common items in average condition (or less) have come down in price in recent years.

I'm an operator, and I'd rather have a nice reproduction than a rare old item, and although I have made a few ebay purchases, I get everything I need(!) at York, local meets, or from established mail order dealers.  If it's not new, I handle it in person before buying.  

Good luck with your search.

I run almost all current / reproduction stuff.  I’ve had a combination of eBay and direct sales.  The mth website “find it locally” feature has led me to do business with hobby shops I never would have otherwise.  

I also have had great luck with Stout’s auction.  Stout’s will cost you a little bit more sometimes due to buyers premium, but you see quality and variety you usually can’t find elsewhere on line.

I am not a collector, so I do not seek out originals. I prefer new and shiny MTH or Lionel Classics reproductions, and deal with established mail order shops like Western Depot, Ready to Roll, Grzyboski's, Sidetrack Hobbies, and a few others. It is still possible to obtain mint and unused standard gauge Lionel Classics. I avoid auctions and the bay. Been in model/toy trains most of my 76 years, and I have never been to York, yet I have done very well in multiple gauges over the years!

jhz563 posted:

The mth website “find it locally” feature has led me to do business with hobby shops I never would have otherwise. 

Good point.  Frequently that feature is totally inaccurate but sometimes you strike gold.  Desperate times call for desperate measures!   

Last January (2018), I was looking for a boxcar and saw the usual names listed on the MTH website (the usual names that don't update their inventory and don't have what you're looking for).  However, that time I saw a different name on the list.  It was a small New Jersey hobby shop with no website.  I called and sure enough the guy had the car.  It was 8 years old and still sitting NIB on his store shelf so I immediately bought it.  I still haven't seen another one so working the phones can pay off.

Another suggestion: my local Lionel club has a Standard Gauge layout.  While I've never purchased tinplate from other club members, just hanging around like minded people will put you in a position to buy. 

Also, look for ebay sellers who live near you.  Ebay makes it tough to exchange information but it's not impossible (they want their cut $ ).  Last November, there was a guy near me who kept listing tinplate items.  I asked him if I could pick-up the item if I won the auction.  He agreed.  When I went to pick up the item, it turned out he was an 80 year old guy who was BIG into modern era tinplate and he wanted to sell everything.  Of course, when this happened, I already had almost everything I wanted!  But I remained in contact with him and I went back last week and bought a few items again.

I don't consider myself a very social guy but those are two instances where it pays to be social.

Apart from buying at train stores, club meets, & swap meets, I usually get stuff off Ebay or Trainz auctions. I find the latter has some excellent deals on tinplate if you're patient. I purchased a Lionel 350e set for $85 from them as well as almost getting a 1-700e for $150 (I forgot to bid unfortunately).

As far as the repros go, I tend to prefer them because they typically run better than the originals, look new, plus they have the option of smoke & sound. I highly recommend Lionel Classics for the repros though, I think they look higher quality than some of the modern stuff and it's usually priced a lot more fairly.

Trainz .... wonderful for anyone in the States ... Astronomical ( seriously) shipping for anyone elsewhere

Fatman posted:

Trainz .... wonderful for anyone in the States ... Astronomical ( seriously) shipping for anyone elsewhere

You can drop ship it to me and I’ll hold it for you.

George

George S posted:

Fatman posted:

Trainz .... wonderful for anyone in the States ... Astronomical ( seriously) shipping for anyone elsewhere

You can drop ship it to me and I’ll hold it for you.

George

Be very careful what you say LOL ! ... If they ever list a USA Hornby M1 I might be forced to buy it

give it some time.  in a while you'll have so many trains you won't have to buy anymore.  you'll just keep finding stuff you didn't realize  you had in the first place.  every weekend i dedicate to cleaning up, i seem to run into a new/ old  treasure. 

fun stuff!... gary

MikeH posted:

jhz563 posted:

The mth website “find it locally” feature has led me to do business with hobby shops I never would have otherwise. 

Good point.  Frequently that feature is totally inaccurate but sometimes you strike gold.  Desperate times call for desperate measures!   

Last January (2018), I was looking for a boxcar and saw the usual names listed on the MTH website (the usual names that don't update their inventory and don't have what you're looking for).  However, that time I saw a different name on the list.  It was a small New Jersey hobby shop with no website.  I called and sure enough the guy had the car.  It was 8 years old and still sitting NIB on his store shelf so I immediately bought it.  I still haven't seen another one so working the phones can pay off.

B and F hobbies in Rhode Island is like that.  No website but a large tinplate inventory.  Super nice gentleman on the phone.  I had been looking for an mth red 261e for ages and found him through that feature, turned out he had 3 or 4 and had just decided to notify the locator feature!  Now when I am looking for something in particular I give him a call.

Being about an hour from Philly( Allentown/Bethlehem area) there's a lot of antique markets with multiple toy, and a few solely toy train, vendors, there's toy shows, still a good number of hobby shops(not the source for my tinplate- at least my "better" pieces- aka the pieces I like more), flea markets, and then people you end up meeting at these places. I was in Florida for 2 1/2 months this past summer, the pickings were slim down south compared to the northeast. That said, your name suggests you are from Pittsburgh....PA, in general- in my opinion- is saturated with toy trains and antique stores. Google some flea markets or antique toy stores, shops, shows in your area, don't limit yourself to places that only sell trains. Train shows or meets, of course, would be your best bet but sometimes you'll pay more- depending on what you want.

A tinplate story: I inherited a good amount of Marx from my grandfather, but it was one seller at a marketplace who had prewar Flyer tinplate, this was when I still thought Flyer=S Gauge- I bought the 5 cars he had over a couple weeks. Then one day- and this guy is familiar with a lot of Bing and Marklin- he had a pristine Bing baggage car sitting on the table with his "common pieces". I saw the made in Germany and looked it up on my phone, asked him about it and he just said it's from Germany. Bought it(still possibly the best deal I ever made). I asked him about it a few weeks later and he said it was definitely Bing he just never saw Bing with "couplers like that". Until last month, I understood what he meant, while the couplers worked with other Bing trains, I never saw them anywhere. Finally typed the right words in google and found out they were Bing "automatic" couplers via a post in this forum.

Kind of sadly, I was at a local train show just this weekend and ran into an older gentleman who was getting rid of his collection by becoming a vendor at these local shows. His edict from the wife was to come home with 3 less boxes than he packed to go out the door. He had some great pieces priced cheaply and I could tell how sad he was about it as he was taking my money.  Cast iron 110 Hafner clockwork and 3195 Flyer electric locos with tenders, a 1201 Flyer loco, Ives #69 lumber car and an 822 Lionel caboose, he told me $80 but I gave him $100 anyway. He was happy he had at least one less box to bring home. I fear I may one day be in a similar situation, but the alternative is, once I die, my wife will just put everything in a roll off and send it to the dump. She knows nothing about trains, their value, or how many I have. The vendor I purchased from was at least heartened by the fact that I knew what it was he was selling and I would get some enjoyment out of it before I end up in his same boat. In short, local shows may be even more populated with quality items priced fairly as we all reach that age. You are probably not going to sell a $200 Joustra Autorail at a show like that, but you can find quite a lot if you find the right vendor. 

What a sad story Jim.  It reflects poorly on the wife.  How little she knows her husband.

While my wife has no interest and does not go to meets etc,  she is friends with my train buddies and goes out to diner with us. She knows who to get help from.

Steve