LiveAuctioneers.

Jeff, good question!

I have found that since LiveAuctioneers is lesser known than eBay, you tend to get much better prices there. Just remember there's going to be shipping and buyer's premium depending on the auction host. Bidding is easy as pie, just make a free account and register in any auction. Past auction archives are also a great price guide.

Buyers fees are 14% and sinice I live in Pennsylvania and auction is in PA I have to add 6% sales tax.  So that's a whopping 20% add on I have to take into account. I am ignoring shipping because no matter where I buy there is a shipping charge. 

Ive found if it's a Stout auction you will probably pay top dollar. His auctions

have very good new in box type of stuff. If that is what you are looking for.

Also the Live auctioneer auctions go fast. So if you like an item, don't be shy

I like to log in just to see what the hot items are and what people are willing to pay

for them. I try to guess on what an item may go for. It beats listening to

politics in the morning......

Bruce..

It depends on which auction house is actually conducting the sale; Live Auctioneers is simply a facility for bidding online but also searching out what you are really after. Stout has good stuff and I have got a few bargains there but more importantly I have found two or three items that were simply unavailable elsewhere.

However, start with the "For Sale or Trade" forum here.

I have posted in the Wanted To Buy here on the forum. I had very good luck and the sellers were great to deal with. I think I will take your advice and list I want one here if I dont win at the auction. It is a Stout auction. Thanks. 

Be careful, look to see who it is, meaning, is it a Stout auction? If it is Stout, they are pretty reputable. I've won items on live auctions, the ones that I got stung on are those that do not post shipping and handling costs.

I won a Cab1 remote in the box for $35, they charged me over $40 to ship from Pennsylvania to Ohio. When I inquired, they explained that they hire outside parties to package and ship. I looked back and they did not mention costs in the auction. Needless to say, I do not even look at their items anymore.

So, yes, go ahead, register, heck, go ahead and place a bid or two for practice. But beware of anyone who does not post ship costs.

If you follow those auctions, you can find some of those hard to locate items.

Good luck.

place an absentee bid directly with stout. That way your emotions won't get the better of you and the buyer's premium is less.

Thanks all for input. I placed absentee ballot and don't plan on checking auction until its over. We shall see....

The Stout auction ended. It was my first time bidding. I watched it for about an hour. Seemed to be some good deals and a huge assortment of items. My objective was the K-Line TMCC Lackawanna Shay. It closed at 375.00. I bid $350.00. I still am unsure what the shipping would cost. I do know that there is a 14% fee and 6% pa sales tax. 

I did pick up a Williams Pennsy Aluminium 5 car passenger set at a good price. I am waiting for shipping price. I know they use a 3rd party service to pack and ship so I am expecting a $50.00 charge for that.  Darn, I really wanted the Shay. I have been looking quite a while for one at a fair price. 

Your experience was better than mine with this auction. I was opening my browser at the beginning and won the first item without realizing I bid---I called them to say hey I wasn't bidding, there wasn't even a picture up when it said I won.

Scott Smith

stout's is also in Indiana.  That will save your state sales tax.  They have for their next auction up on the website.  LOCOMOTION

Thanks all for info. 

Just in case you need your ardor cooled, that Shay is a beautiful model, but not O Scale. It towers over a standard box car, qnd the average Shay is smaller than the average box car.   I believe it is halfway to G Scale.

Opinion.

I had fun on watching and bidding on this auction today.  I picked up this Presidential set (engine and 4 cars) MIB for 825 (with fee).  Granted it has PS1 but the cars should look good behind my brass piper.

Sunrise

Wow. I did not know this. I never really looked at dimensions. It is one of those " have to get the moment you see picture of " items for me. I would have been very disappointed with the size if I won  it. I will research for sure. I was picturing nice small Shay moving about in my wooded areas. Thanks for that input. You may have just saved me $400.00. Any input from owners of the K-line Shay aprreciated....I'm putting idea on hold for now. 

Just wanted to post final update. In the auction I was high bidder (I hate to say won because I have to pay for it) on 5 Williams Aluminum passenger cars OB, and a K-line 18023 Reading coal hauler set LNOB.

I just recived invoice, shipping cost is $33.00. I find that to be very resonable. If items arrive safe and sound and are as listed I got a pretty sweet deal.

If you live in Pennsylvania, why not go to York to buy trains?  

Bill

Bill, because I'm a slow learner and an idiot. I have never been to York. I just got my TCA membership in mail today. I went to register online and it said I'm not in system yet. I am going to York and I am quite excited. The only reason I tried the auction was to get a K-line Shay. It went too high for what I think it's worth. A member here posted I should check the size of the Shay. He was right. It's huge. I am now glad I did not get it. I want a small Shay to run in my wooded area. hopefully we will bump into each other at York. 

Jeff:

No, I think you are learning very quickly by asking questions on this Forum, joining the TCA and going to York!  Welcome aboard and hope to see you in York, too.  You will be overwhelmed.  I reserved a table but don’t have my table assignment yet and have been set up in the Blue Hall the last 6 or 7 York meets.

Bill

If time permits email me your table number. I'll stop by and say hi and hopefully be a customer. 

I always thought the K-Line Shay was scale sized. Have you compared the dimensions to an actual two truck shay?

If it is not scale then neither is the MTH or Lionel versions.

Perhaps, if you are just having a separate lumber line, why not go the On30 route. The Bachmann shays are very reasonable.

I just received my September issue of the Interchange Track.  On page 11 is a nice article about Greg Stout.  If you can attend a Stout auction then go for it.  it is a lot of fun.  thanx Greg!!  LOCOMOTION  

I just checked out some of the Bachmann On30 products on You Tube. Very impressive. They do seem to have very nice sound. Did not notice any smoke coming from the stack though.

The DCC system seems to work well. Might be worth checking out.

Thanks for info Trainman9. Much appreciated. My plan is to research as much as I can before York. I have never been to York but I assume I will be able to see close up the ones I narrow my search to. I don't run conventional so it has to be DCS, TMCC or Legacy. Thanks again. 

Thanks LOCOMOTION.  I saw that article but did not get a chance to read yet. I was fun bidding online. You really have to do your research ahead of time and know exactly what you want to bid on and how much you are willing to pay. Stout has plenty of nice stuff and auction was smooth and well organized.