I was looking to bid on this tender for my lonely 681, until the price skyrocketed:
Normally one pays that price for the entire turbine and tender combo. I guess there's more people out there just looking for the tender only...
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I really dislike the new trend of splitting engine and tender and selling them separately. It is obvious with some listings that this is exactly what the seller has done.
Even if I'm very interested, I do not bid on items listed using those kind of sales tactics.
Also seeing this trend with A-A sets. Same deal: I refuse to bid. My refusal to bid on such won't make a difference, I'm sure... but I feel better about it! 
Andre
Keep looking. I notices that other sales for that tender have been lower over the last few weeks. It looks like the one you have been following is in an above average condition, looks like this buyer was willing to pay a premium for the better quality.
Folks break up engines and tenders / power units and dummies because they get more money. There aren't enough folks like laming who refuse to bid or buy.
I wouldn't worry about a few tenders going for crazy money on Ebay. At any auction, once in a while a few bidders will get caught up, and an item will go for an unreasonably high price. And once in a while, an item will go very low. Just keep looking.
Yeah, looks like that one went for what you would see it for at a train show. I've seen these go for $140 with a repro shell on eBay.
Sometimes when I want to buy a loco, I just want the loco and not the tender. So, this method of selling does have its advantages. The person pressing the "Place Bid" is the one in control.
Im lucky enough to have a 671 with the original 2671W tender with the back-up lights. It's (the tender) in nice condition, Im only the second owner. I tried to sell them both on eBay a few years ago for $150 & had no takers; I was surprised at that. I decided to hold onto them instead.
Guy
This tactic started in Buffalo, NY. many years ago. Certainly nothing new about
it. It ususally makes for a more expensive chooch, but every once in a blue
moon, it can work to your advantage. I know a fellow who has a Texas Special
F3B in excellent shape, but no matching A unit. NO WAY will I buy this thingie,
without the A unit! Same with steam locos....with the exception of the 2426
tender; which I buy to go behind my 736 Berks.
I really dislike the new trend of splitting engine and tender and selling them separately. It is obvious with some listings that this is exactly what the seller has done.
Even if I'm very interested, I do not bid on items listed using those kind of sales tactics.
Also seeing this trend with A-A sets.
I agree with laming, particularly with regard to A-A sets. Pat B.
I hate the practice of splitting Locos & Tenders, A and B Units, and train sets and boxes in particular. Auction houses sometimes sell the set as a whole, sell the set components, the set interior and outer boxes, TAKING the highest bid of all methods!!! Can't argue with them getting the highest price possible for the consignor, but in some cases, it is sad to see a set broken up after remaining intact for 70 years or so
.
Originally Posted by Ron Blume:
.... it is sad to see a set broken up after remaining intact for 70 years or so.
Exactly! It is not something that would be done by anyone interested in preserving the history of toy trains. We may not all be true toy train collector/historians, but I would like to think that we all have an interest in preserving the heritage of these trains. But, then again, many of us thought that about Penn Station too, didn't we!
Jim
The sellers are only interested in maximizing their selling price. They care not a fig for anything beyond that.
I see nothing wrong with the practice. It may not be what I would do, but it's their engine or tender to sell how they want to and where they want to. It's called capitalism. I also agree with the people that said they would not purchase such a split set. That is their decision and their money to spend as they see fit. It gives people more options to find exactly what they want. Remember if you split it on ebay you have to pay two listing fees, mail two packages, etc. It's double the work. I have more important things to think about.
In the 1970's it wasn't at all unusual for operators to swap tenders around to get the combination they thought would look the best.
I was lucky enough to pick up an orphan 773W tender as a result. I held onto it for years and years. Eventually I came into the posession of a 1964 773 that I would not have purchased if I didn't have the correct tender waiting for it.
