About a year ago I posted on the forum an experience I had with a purchase of a long desired post-war Lionel Norfolk and Western J Class Northern. I had wanted this engine since childhood and last year I finally stumbled on one well within my price range. Its a great engine in superb condition and runs beautifully.
Well, the Train Gods have struck once again. Way back in 1991-1992 Lionel produced a Great Northern F3 ABA set which was later joined by another B unit. I always liked the Great Northern Empire Builder orange and green color scheme and in an ABBA configuration this set, in my opinion, was absolutely stunning. I wanted this set badly but needless to say at that point in time it was well beyond my price range. Over the years I continued to track this set but it continued to appreciate in value and remained outside my reach. Even today, despite being a conventional engine with early Railsounds in some price guides its listed value is close to $700.00. Periodically, they show up on E-Bay in the area of about $450.00 or so but most of the time they are selling for a price in excess of $600.00; still beyond what I was willing to spend on a conventional engine. Enter the OGR Buy/Sell trade forum with the entire ABBA set having never been used being offered for an incredibly low price. For once, I did not hesitate and offered to buy the set at the price offered. Today, I received the set in the mail. The original ABA set was still in shrink wrap untouched by human hands. The extra B unit was not in shrink wrap but it had never been run and is in pristine condition. During the course of my never ending pursuit of toy trains I have purchased a good deal of product on the secondary market but never anything that after almost 25 years was still in shrink wrap. What a feeling! I almost hated to open it. That sensation lasted all of about 5 seconds then off the shrink wrap came. Just beautiful. I immediately lubricated the motors and gears and then gave those stallions a test run on my layout. Smooth as silk even with their aged Pullmors, which I still love by the way. The early Railsounds sound system was raucous but I loved it. Thanks to the OGR Buy/Sell Forum history, at least for me, has repeated itself.
