Hefty numbers on brass trains dotcom right now.
Eight grand apiece for two Kohs Challengers. $4500 for a GN W-1 Electric. $6995 for a PSC 8 car 1947 Empire Builder set. $3500 for a Key ACL E6 A nd B unit.
Somebody spending their Christmas money from Santa? 
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& Look at that PSC Greenbrier. What a beauty. I don't think I've seen that before. Oh if I only had the money.....
LUCKY, ME
i'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR SOME BRASS AUXILUARY TENDERS FOR A LONG TIME NOW AND IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS THREE HAVE FALLEN INTO MY LAP FOR FIRE SALE PRICES. i'M STARTING TO RESTORE AND REPAINT THEM AS WE SPEAK.
I am not judging here for sure. I splurged ($90) over 6 years ago on a used brass PRR N5 Cabin car. OK detail. That I could handle. I can't get my head around the cost of the items mentioned. But I am not a collector of the really fine rr models.
All 4 of those items are sold so lucky us. We can save our $35,000 and invest in other things
Wait for the next downturn, its coming and its going to be savage, then pick some of the pieces you covet at sensible prices from forced sellers.
In 20 years this stuff is going to be valueless:
I had 30 builders and cab plates five years ago, I now have 5, I have kept my favourite five and my daughters can send them to the metal recycling plant when I expire.
I have also thinned out my collectable high end brass for the same reason.
opinion (with a healthy dose of reality).
nick.
Older detail sparse brass rolling stock sells for about the same as new Atlas. Some real deals if you can solder and enhance these models. -Salty Rails-
None of those listed gems are on my modeling list, or even in my era.....so.......my pockets (and wallet) are quite safe! LOL.....
My available space is pretty much filled with toy trains. Fortunately, also, no one is making any models I have to have; this could change if 3rd Rail did a Reading K-1 or a PRR N2s.
Matt Makens posted:All 4 of those items are sold so lucky us. We can save our $35,000 and invest in other things
I've been lucky on the few brass items I've acquired, but every now and then I see one that causes me to start drooling.
I was friends with the late Louis Ertz from Memphis, Tennessee who had one of the best, if not the very best O Scale layouts I had ever seen. It was in his living room, 45 by 60, in a very upscale section of Memphis. Rich Melvin did a fantastic video of the layout, OGR THE Video #6 I think, or #5, they will know. A lot of Louis’s Locomotives were Brass. At one time he had over 100 brass models. His layout had hand laid track, an AAA fully indexed Turntable, all Scale couplers, signals, Simply the Best O Scale empire I ever witnessed....Then, there’s Howard Zane, possibly Columbia Maryland, who had the nicest HO Empire I ever visited. He had many many brass Locomotives. He also had a huge wall collection of postwar Lionel Trains. His layout had so many track lights, you could feel the heat coming off his light dimmers, Hot...He has a nice book picturing his collection...
The Question was, are we shelling out big bucks for brass Locomotives?, Actually no, but I am buying Lionel’s Brass Hybrid steamers...So far, it’s great. 
leapinlarry posted:I was friends with the late Louis Ertz from Memphis, Tennessee who had one of the best, if not the very best O Scale layouts I had ever seen. It was in his living room, 45 by 60, in a very upscale section of Memphis. Rich Melvin did a fantastic video of the layout, OGR THE Video #6 I think, or #5, they will know. A lot of Louis’s Locomotives were Brass. At one time he had over 100 brass models. His layout had hand laid track, an AAA fully indexed Turntable, all Scale couplers, signals, Simply the Best O Scale empire I ever witnessed....Then, there’s Howard Zane, possibly Columbia Maryland, who had the nicest HO Empire I ever visited. He had many many brass Locomotives. He also had a huge wall collection of postwar Lionel Trains. His layout had so many track lights, you could feel the heat coming off his light dimmers, Hot...He has a nice book picturing his collection...
The Question was, are we shelling out big bucks for brass Locomotives?, Actually no, but I am buying Lionel’s Brass Hybrid steamers...So far, it’s great.
Except it is a 3-Rail model. Lionel only offers 3-Rail models anymore.
Hot Water, your exactly correct, the Lionel version is three rail with Legacy Comnand. It’s a long way from an actual O Scale model, but, I have never seen a brass model Locomotive with all the neat electronic features of Lionel’s Legacy command system. I am a kid at heart and love the bells and whistles over actual realistic looks of true Scale. I admire 2 Rail Scale model Railroaders, it’s very hard and tedious work to wire, lay track on individual ties and weather the equipment. It’s an art. Three rail offers faster gratification to an end product, (I understand a Layout is never finished), Real O Scale is truly a long And expensive Journey that few can justify financially. Again, the Lionel Brass /Hybrid Models appeal to me in price and quality. Happy Railroading.
builders, and love seeing
The sad part is I'd bet a lot of this is going to be going onto a shelf or in a display cabinet and not on a layout.
It's times like this that really gets one thinking about what "floats your boat" in this hobby.
I'd trade all of my brass for a basement full of mountains with a long, winding coal hauling branch line.
Thankfully Chris Smith is moving so we haven't seen many of those N&W shots.
Wait... I take that basement part back. I want a sunroom full of mountains so I can enjoy the beauty of God's sunlight and have a chance for such beautiful O scale photos as Erik Lindgren does.
Rule292 posted:The sad part is I'd bet a lot of this is going to be going onto a shelf or in a display cabinet and not on a layout.
It's times like this that really gets one thinking about what "floats your boat" in this hobby.
I'd trade all of my brass for a basement full of mountains with a long, winding coal hauling branch line.
Thankfully Chris Smith is moving so we haven't seen many of those N&W shots.
Wait... I take that basement part back. I want a sunroom full of mountains so I can enjoy the beauty of God's sunlight and have a chance for such beautiful O scale photos as Erik Lindgren does.
You should have enough brass to finance that trade, 
Limey posted:Wait for the next downturn, its coming and its going to be savage, then pick some of the pieces you covet at sensible prices from forced sellers.
In 20 years this stuff is going to be valueless:
I had 30 builders and cab plates five years ago, I now have 5, I have kept my favourite five and my daughters can send them to the metal recycling plant when I expire.
I have also thinned out my collectable high end brass for the same reason.
opinion (with a healthy dose of reality).
nick.
Sound reasoning, if a person's rationale for collecting has a large component of investment with it. For those who collect things for personal enjoyment, selling because they don't think the object will be worth as much in the future isn't so much a consideration.
Collect to enjoy, don't buy more than you can afford, and don't keep more than you can afford to lose. Then relax and enjoy what you've got.
Sounds like a HUGE bunch of SOUR GRAPES to me. It's discretionary spending, and 8 grand or even 30 grand is chump change to a lot of folks. I say, more power to them! It's their money and their choice. I am in the same boat as Engineer Joe on this one!
Simon
breezinup posted:Limey posted:Wait for the next downturn, its coming and its going to be savage, then pick some of the pieces you covet at sensible prices from forced sellers.
In 20 years this stuff is going to be valueless:
I had 30 builders and cab plates five years ago, I now have 5, I have kept my favourite five and my daughters can send them to the metal recycling plant when I expire.
I have also thinned out my collectable high end brass for the same reason.
opinion (with a healthy dose of reality).
nick.
Sound reasoning, if a person's rationale for collecting has a large component of investment with it. For those who collect things for personal enjoyment, selling because they don't think the object will be worth as much in the future isn't so much a consideration.
Collect to enjoy, don't buy more than you can afford, and don't keep more than you can afford to lose. Then relax and enjoy what you've got.
Exactly.
Simon Winter posted:Sounds like a HUGE bunch of SOUR GRAPES to me. It's discretionary spending, and 8 grand or even 30 grand is chump change to a lot of folks. I say, more power to them! It's their money and their choice. I am in the same boat as Engineer Joe on this one!
Simon
Not from my perspective, and I even added the emoticons to convey such.
Your money, your toys is the way I look at it, though I set some stop limits on my purchases.
When I am no more my trains may be auctioned off for pennies on the dollar and I won't care one whit. You never see a hearse towing a U-haul. 
I wonder if 3rd Rail offered Steam Whistle effects in their engines, if that might sway a nice chunk back into the scale brass due to the appeal of the added bells and whistles,,,
VintageClassics posted:I wonder if 3rd Rail offered Steam Whistle effects in their engines, if that might sway a nice chunk back into the scale brass due to the appeal of the added bells and whistles,,,
There is certainly a market for "all the bells and whistles" when it comes to trains!
I'm the odd man out since I need Proto:48 which means things need to be converted and for a hefty price tag.
Anyone want to do a 3rd rail 4800 Old Rivets GG1 in Proto:48?
I have to agree with you Rob, I think Sunset could siphon a good deal of the ,market with prototypical, and more bells and whistles.. That 3rd Rail Old rivets sounds divine btw ....
Rule292 posted:Simon Winter posted:Sounds like a HUGE bunch of SOUR GRAPES to me. It's discretionary spending, and 8 grand or even 30 grand is chump change to a lot of folks. I say, more power to them! It's their money and their choice. I am in the same boat as Engineer Joe on this one!
Simon
Not from my perspective, and I even added the emoticons to convey such.
Your money, your toys is the way I look at it, though I set some stop limits on my purchases.
When I am no more my trains may be auctioned off for pennies on the dollar and I won't care one whit. You never see a hearse towing a U-haul.
If suggest you read my post again. I think we are saying the same thing. Look at the text highlighted in orange! As for worrying about the ultimate destination of material possessions, they will ALL disappear into the ooze at one point or another. As for they of the SOUR GRAPES, I am talking about those who are taking pot shots at your original statement. I an NOT among them!
Simon
I was with Simon above, and presumably Joe as well. A hobby is for enjoyment. You can do what you want, within your personal budget - that includes as many rails as you want, and on the mantel forever if that makes you happy.
I don't think "Proto-48'ing" "Old Rivets" would be that hard. I wouldn't do it because my narrow gauge track cannot handle the .115 wheel treads, but I think a little lathe work and some shaft loctite would do it. I personally would put a chain in there to drive the idler axle.
On the Lionel - these things are so stunningly done that it makes the track, wheels, and couplers incongruous. I have 2-railed the Lionel FEF, and it is three times the model that its USH neighbor is. I did use a Lobaugh frame and USH drivers (and accurate side rods) but the rest is pure Lionel. Somebody else has the magic electronics.
I have the Lionel 4-12-2 as well, and judging from all the enthusiasm generated by my ad on the Buy/Sell forum, I will be converting that someday too. Its big flaw is the sand dome, but I own a Dremel tool . . .
I went to Ole Miss so on one trip to from Virginia I met Bernie Lowe in Memphis and we went to Lou's house for a tour. He was a great host and had mover Overland waiting to be painted than I think Overland had in stock. His switches snapped with such force we said you could trim your fingernails with them. It was a pleasure spending time with Lou then heading to the Rondevue for ribs and staying at the Memphis Peabody.
There is no such thing has too many brass train models, just too little space and money.
VGN64 : I think you meant to type "more Overland" not "mover Overland".
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