Tips for buying at your local train show.

Just be aware that if you pass up an item of interest on the first pass, it might not be there on the second.

My best advice: if you are interested in items that can be difficult to find, learn all you can about them. Know how much you are willing to pay, and buy it when you see it.

 

When it comes to locomotives put it on a test track. Our show and a multiple gauge test track, we also test DCS, TMCC and Legacy on the club module. We have definitely helped make quite few sales.

same deal here I make one pass.

If I see something I absolutely gotta have I pick it up.

other items I let rest and come back to dicker later.

if the item is gone, then it wasn't met to be.

most times the dealers will take my first offer, because

I know that they have carried items from show to show and they

want some cash flow and are willing to ;part with items just to get the green.

One memory that has stuck with me:

 

I was at a show in the Buffalo, NY area. Fellow had a boxed Minitoys trolley on his table at a reasonable price. I put it down thinking it was an odd ball item that nobody else would want. Planned to go back and try to dicker in a little bit.
By the time I got to the end of the row, I decided to go back and get it.

It was already gone!

 

I have several Minitoys trolleys, but none of them are boxed. I don't think I've seen more than one or two other boxed ones.

If you want it and it is not a common item, the price is to your liking GRAB IT.

 

Art

Our shows in Michigan are in peril, they are getting smaller and smaller.

Usually I know all the sellers when I walk into the show. Its the new sellers I usually check items first. They are usually getting out of a certain scale and need it all gone.

In my glut of railroading, once I bought a whole table out... just saw too many items I needed and the prices were at a fire sale.

I'm a pretty tall guy so I usually see my favorite partners in crime selling 2 to 3 tables over! I can yell out "anything new"? They usually already know what I am looking for and with a wink they will set it aside.

There's a guy at the show here in Dalton and Medina that I chat with I have bought a caboose here and there now that I finally joined a club I'm looking for decent equipment one of the first People I will seek out will be the guy I've bought from before.

I'll second what others have said here.   If you see something you want and the price is acceptable to you then you should buy it.  It's happened to me more than once where going back to get the item it was gone.

Last York I saw an item that I passed on initially.   I decided to go back to get it. As I got back to the dealer's table I saw it walking away with another buyer.  I realize now what a great deal that buyer got.  I've never seen another at such a low price.

I keep with me a list of "wants" which includes a fair price after doing research online and at shows.   I used to keep a list of what I already have,  but I found it easier to use the "wants" list.

Test anything that has a motor.

I have been a victim of finding an item I liked at a very good price, but decided to check out the rest of the tables before making a buy decision. Sure enough, it was gone when I went back. Lesson learned. This has never happened again.

I am very patient, extremely frugal (when it comes to trains) and never panic buy. I decide what I want to pay beforehand for these worthless plastic objects and its always on the extreme low end of the price scale. If I see the item at a show priced even 2 bucks more than my set max, I just walk away.. My tight fisted approach has always worked. The item that I want, at the price I want to pay, always turns up at the next show. The key is to be patient and hold on to your cash; that way the wife can spend it!!

I agree with the advice to grab an item for which you have been searching, but it bit me once.  I happened on a Lionel 221 just a row inside the door at a show.  Having looked a long time for one in reasonable condition in the right price range, I took it.  But way at the back of the show was another, better one for $5 less.  And it was being sold by a dealer who had become a friend!  That really bummed me.  I still think about that every time I look at it.

"A bird in hand....", etc.  

 

We've had two York experiences that have driven this nail hard into our (wife+moi) crania...  One good, one bad.

 

Good...  We had just bought an MTH Premier NYC Dreyfus Hudson in Orange Hall.  We had earlier determined that the cars we wanted, however, were the Lionel set...blue stripe, no silhouettes but interiors with passengers, etc..  We found them next door at Brown Hall...and after wife negotiated a VERY good price for the 7 cars and was counting out the cash to the seller, two guys walked up in a hurry and said,'Are you buying these?'  As soon as she smiled an affirmation, they turned and left in a huff with something like...'I told you to get over here in a hurry!'  Too close!

 

Bad...  Charlie Ro had some old stock at sale prices on his G gauge work train cars at his booth.  On a Thursday afternoon we spied a particular car in a particular road name that we had been missing from our set.  But we had been focusing more on O gauge items that trip, so we decided to pass it by.  My wife (the G gauge project in the garden is her'baby'), couldn't get that car out of her mind.  So, as we were packing up the RV for an early Friday AM departure, she decided to make a quick stop at Charlie's booth and get that car.   Right.....it was gone.  Took it like a trooper and a lesson-learned.

 

See it?  Check it out.  Negotiate it.  Buy it!  If you walk away from a good item offered at a good price, you really didn't want it all that badly,.....IMHO.  That's what we've learned.

 

FWIW...

 

KD

The 'second pass' rule has a lot of perils. On one hand, you might see the same item later for a lot less or even in better condition. One the other hand, it might not be there. I've seen people go one table beyond the item, decide to go back, turn around and someone else is buying the item, just seconds later. I've handled items at shows where other people have been watching, waiting for me to put it down so they can buy it if I'm not going to (and I've done that, too).

I have a few tactics I use at shows:

• The 'wild take' rule. You know in cartoons when a character freaks out and they're eyes bug out and what not? That's known as a wild take in the animation world. If I have that reaction to something and at a price I'm willing to spend, I'll get it. Whatever something like that is, I probably won't mind seeing another later (and it'd be unlikely anyway). That rule has served me well.
• BRING A LIST. You'd be surprised how little money you spend at a show and how few 'what was I thinking?' items you wind up with if you do that. When I was still stockpiling items for my On30 layout, that served me well. I have very few items I can't use for the layout now from that tactic.
• Never buy anything you can't make sure works. If you can't test run it under the conditions you're going to use it, pass. I've seen too many people buy something that they later found wasn't working correctly. I don't buy motive power at shows, period, unless it's from a vendor I know very well.
• Avoid kits other people never built. You can't know what is missing from them. I knew a guy who would buy kits to get specific parts, then would box it back up and sell it at a show to sellers who didn't know it was misisng stuff.
• Bring your spouse. Seriously. It varies, but some spouses are okay with you buying stuff when they're with you but will get ticked if you just show up at the house with the same thing. If my wife is with me, I'm usually able to get more than if I went alone and come home explaining what I'd just bought. Just don't stay too long because the smell of unwashed train buffs will start to annoy them. And take them to a good lunch afterward!
• If it needs a lot of work, it's probably not worth it. Kind of like a used car, if you see stuff wrong, what else is wrong that you can't see? Now, if you're the kind who likes to work on stuff and tinker, good stuff can be found that way. But generally I avoid fixer-uppers.
• Avoid the 'no haggle seller'. If a seller if offended that you're offering a lower price, you'd best just move along. People like that generally have other issues with their stuff, as well. There's always an item or two a seller won't budge on, but no dickering is retail. I can go online for that.
• Just because something is cheap, doesn't mean you've got to have it. Most of the stuff I can't use on my layout were bought that way at shows. But at least I didn't spend much for them...

1. Don't pass on an item you REALLY want. It will be GONE when you get back.

 

2. The vendor should accommodate you in taking it out of the box and/or offering a test run if there is test track available. I SUPPOSE that this could be different with a "collectible".

 

          A. At my LHS I have gone so far as to buy something first conditionally

          on it working OK on the test track prior to leaving the shop.

 

3. A little friendly banter and train discussion will you give you the feel for the vendor. I always ask where they are from and for a card.

 

4. Don't be afraid to politely haggle the price. The worst that the vendor can do is say no and stand firm. Tactfully done you've lost nothing and may save a couple of dollars.

 

5. For me, train shows are more fun if you are looking for something in particular. But, never underestimate the power of impulse.

 

 

 

 

Lee, very well said.

Lots of good advice here. I like to go to a show with a list of specific things I am looking for, but I will still be open to an impulse purchase of something that will work with my layout.

 

I walk through the show and look over every table, but will stop for something on my list and make an offer. If I don't see anything on my list, I'll walk through the whole show then go back a second and even third time to see if anything strikes my fancy.

 

I'm fine with driving 2 hours to a show (they are infrequent and far apart in SC) and coming home with nothing. I still enjoy looking at all of the trains, buildings, etc. After 20 years back in the hobby, I'm still amazed at the variations in condition and pricing from table to table. At many shows you can find the same item in the same condition in different places for prices 30% apart.

 

I think the most important thing is to know yourself. If you like running conventional, then you might want to think twice before plunking down big bucks for a gorgeous command locomotive and vice versa (buying a conventional loco because it is such a good deal even though you run 90% command).

 

Courtesy goes a long way on both sides of the table. Unless a price is outstanding, I'll offer less, but always in a polite way. It is one thing to say "I was hoping for this in a slightly better condition, there are some missing parts and some rust, but if you'll consider XX$, I'll fix it up and take it. It is another thing to say, "Look at it. The paint is chipped, the plastic in the numberboard is missing, there's rust on the back truck, I'll give you half what you are asking and you'll be lucky to get that."

 

The same is true on the other side of the table. If the seller is nasty, contrary, ignores me for a long time for no apparent reason, then, no purchase, period. I don't need any train that much. Similarly, when a seller has 3 people waiting that isn't the time for a customer to expect a long discussion on the merits of a particular item.

 

I go to train shows to enjoy the merchandise, enjoy the conversations with sellers, get questions answered (often if a vendor doesn't have what I'm looking for, he'll know where I can find it), and generally look at it as a pleasant way to spend a morning or afternoon. Coming home with more toys is a bonus!

 

 

Well you guys have given me some killer tips I can't wait to find the PRR steam I'm looking for and share the results.

I agree with much of the above, except to say that local shows, like LHS, seem to be

drying up.   As for kit buying....there are old kits you may find nowhere else, and they

may be started or just the box opened....I am always looking for new and different

structure kits I can use, if I can find them...sometimes give up and scratchbuild whatever...but if they are missing parts, I usually can find or fabricate them.  You have to look at them..eyeball the parts.  I have gotten in kits identified as O, which were HO and promptly sent back, and I have gotten in a kit of the residual parts from contents

that had obviously been constructed, and not included, and sent that back.  In this

last case it was an estate settlement in which the seller had no knowledge of trains.

There are comparatively so few structure kits in O, you have to take a little risk.

B&LE643,

I'm glad you mentioned that you're looking for steam. Here is a few rules that a few overlook. 1) Check your drive-rods to make sure you have a matching set. 2) Confirm that all the screws, fasteners and the like match the era your locomotive was made. 3) Lastly and most important of all. Make sure that all drive wheels match. The same holds true for lead & pony trucks.

Happy Hunting

I only buy things in boxes for many reasons but for the most part it keeps them in good shape but its a PITA to store them with out boxes. Locos I will only buy from people I will see again so that limits me to some of the more rputable dealers who only deal in mostly new items

One more story on "buy it when you see it." Several years ago I had tables at a show and I was cruising around before it opened looking to see what the other vendors had. I came across a Standard Gauge 390E and some cars in absolutely amazing condition and negotiated a deal on the spot. Just before the show opened I was passing by the same table and I overheard another vendor, who I knew was a deep-pockets tinplate collector, asking the seller what had happened to that 390E. He was very, very disappointed that it was gone. That was my first piece of original tinplate. 

another vote for taking the spouse, or one of the kids, it can be good to have a second set of eyes. I can show one of them a picture of what I'm looking for, and they usually find it while I'm looking elsewhere.

Good timing. The Mobile Train Show is Sat/Sun (10:00 AM both days; 1717 Dauphin St.,

Mobile), so this was on my mind. We're trying to get a show going in the area again,

as they are few and far between outside the Model RR Belt. Last year's was modest but

successful - and fun.

===

Anyway and however, I enjoy train shows (well, duh), but I don't like the shopping

experience there. The problem is me - not the train show. I am not an impulse buyer,

which is -

Good - I don't have many things that I don't still like

Bad - I pass up things at train shows "for now", go back, and you know the rest

Bad - I have trouble selling anything; I still like my stuff (and there are few shows

around)

Bad - a large show can be overwhelming; so many things, so little time, space, money

(I went to York once; you can imagine my reaction; OK - breathe...)

Good - retailer and auction buying is much more effective for me, as I target and research

items pretty well - but train shows are more fun socially

===

I have a trade table at the upcoming Mobile show. Will more come home than went? 

quote:

another vote for taking the spouse

 

LOL, when my wife goes to a train show with me, she encourages me to purchase anything that I show the slightest interest in. Doesn't matter what it is, or what it cost.

mine is good for that too. I have a WBB N&W J( was dragging my feet, was really wanting a 746, or at least an MPC version, but that Williams looks really good in the case) and a MPC Pennsy Broadway set because of her! She doesn't care what I get, as long as get she gets a trip to her favorite county store or antique shops!

Buying at train shows requires a different modus operendi depending on whether the item you are offered is new or old.  If I want a something that is readily available elsewhere from any dealer, I refuse to buy unless I get a deal.  When I am in the Orange Building at York, for example, there are many vendors selling new stuff.  If they are selling at regular price, there is no incentive to buy at that price unless a deal can be made.  That is where I haggle; otherwise, they just have to take it home with them if unsold.  For collectible things or old stuff, that approach is more problematical.  I have lost an opportunity to purchase something I liked simply because I wanted to survey the room for awhile before making that purchase--it was a mistake.  My technique to minimize this effect and still try to get the best quality or best price for an item, is to get in line early.  Once the doors open, do not even stop to examine the item or negotiate with the seller--just note the price if it is listed.  Go through the entire hall  quickly, making a mental note of what attracts you.  You may find several of the same thing. Then go back to the dealer having the item you want closest to where you concluded and work backward, asking the price and negotiating.  Usually, most people spend their time negotiating at the first dealer they see, wasting time and not buying it because they then decide to look around first.  Compared to them, you are already ahead of the game because you have surveyed the entire market first.  Negotiate quickly and move on if the price is not right.  Sometimes the seller will be the one offering you a better price, especially if it is a difficult item to sell or it is late in the day.  But if your offer is reasonable, they would be the fool for not taking it when you've made it--so pass on it and go on to the next dealer. If you haven't been successful  in acquiring the item from another dealer, then try them again toward the end of the day to see if they are more negotiable.  If the item is gone, have no remorse because they probably sold it at the higher price than you were willing to pay anyway.  Most dealers will not be more reasonable just after you've left their table--they will continue to sell the item at the same price to the next prospective buyer until maybe at the end when they have to pack-up, they will become more reasonable.

When I go to shows I search for things that I can't find anywhere else. Like books, rare items and memorabilia. I usually buy things as soon as I see it especially if I know they are rare. But I only really attend the Dalton and Median shows which I work so I know where everything is. Occasionally I go to Kirkland but lately I have not really found much there. Last year at York I chanced upon the MTH Leviathan which I had forgotten they had made in 2009. Chances of finding one were slim but after having the real one run in Wellington, Ohio I figured I would keep my an eye out for it. Low and behold the second day I go into the Brown Hall and there's Leviathan staring right at me! Which just goes to show you never really know what you find at a show!

Also the RailKing PRR 2-10-0 is a great locomotive!

c

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quote:

LOL, when my wife goes to a train show with me, she encourages me to purchase anything that I show the slightest interest in. Doesn't matter what it is, or what it cost.

 

My wife is exactly as you describe and I wouldn't have it any other way. If it wasn't like this, I  do not answer to her as she is not my mother and I am not a slave. Within the context of what is lawful, moral and ethical; I do what I want when I want. I just purchased a larger commercial grade hydraulic lift for the garage to work on my classic cars. It cost a few thousand and she didn't get a vote.  

make an offer most will sell less than their price tag. its always a buyers market!!

 

This is my problem too, I've got more than a few things that I bought because I couldn't pass up a great deal but I either can't find a use for or never use.

 

I should buy and set up a table myself....

 

Paul

Since I have limited my buying to Legacy Controlled Locomotives, and VisionLine Engines, I am Pre-Ordering them from a select few Hobby Shops. My mission at Train Shows is to say hi to old friends, make new friends, and learn more about the Control System I use.

The three TCA York Meets, that I Attended, have  been highly entertaining as it's Fun to meet the Manufacturers, Big Vendors, Small Vendors, Manufacturers, And The OGR Booth.

My word of caution is carry an updated Greenberg Price Guide with You. 

And last, and Very Important, IF You see something you have always wanted and it's near an affordable price, BUY IT!