Skip to main content

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I have never understood people who do this.

Any real hobbyist is going to look at that and think, “That’s not exactly what I would do,” even if it was the scale-gauge they wanted. Sure, there are some layouts I’d love to buy the house and change next to nothing, but I could count those on my hands and have fingers left over. For example: http://laughingsquid.com/railw...s-own-mini-railroad/ But even here, though I love the G scale layout and probably wouldn’t change anything (except maybe rebuild an area into a representation of Chama), the live steam size stuff is really smaller than I’d like. If I went to all that trouble, I’d have to have something I could ride in, not on.

That's my point. Though I never liked building a layout all that much, it's a necessary evil because when you're done, you're not making do with someone else's concept.

Looking beyond, which I could not, the security problem possible by blowing this out

to the world, everybody's taste in about anything, is rarely cloned by someone else.

(the reason I have only occasionally bought even a car out of recent catalogs)  So

people are going to look at it and think, "I have to pay that much more and then

clean out this room?", or, "Gee, look at all of the (fill the square with roadname) stuff

I have to pay for, and then sell off".  And then I have no clue how many other three

railers could and would move to or around Delmar.  If his daughter typed a list, I

hope she, probably is, is computer literate and can shanghai helpers to load all of it

into internet auctions.  With the collection offered separately, only a large dealer/auction house is going to want all of it.....and probably well below the $140K.

Overheard at a model train show last year:
Seller (with HO scale old TYCO and Life-like junk in boxes, trying to justify his insane prices): But it's all new old stock, these cars were several bucks a piece when new!
Potential buyer: But now they're essentially scrap plastic. You waited too long and the hobby passed you buy. They're not worth a buck a piece now.
 
And the second guy was of course right.
 
 
Originally Posted by rtr12:

As for investment, I would never consider trains as an investment. Collection or for enjoyment yes, investment no.

Good point. We live in a "American pickers" culture now where people think that everything they have is priceless. And when they try to sell it, most of the time they get the cold reality hitting them like a hammer, finding out the stuff rarely is even worth as much to others as it is to you, and hardly ever more than its worth to you.

Last edited by p51
Originally Posted by p51:
Originally Posted by rtr12:

As for investment, I would never consider trains as an investment. Collection or for enjoyment yes, investment no.

Good point. We live in a "American pickers" culture now where people think that everything they have is priceless. And when they try to sell it, most of the time they get the cold reality hitting them like a hammer, finding out the stuff rarely is even worth as much to others as it is to you, and hardly ever more than its worth to you.

I see this happen pretty regularly. I visit my LHS every week. They also sell old trains, both pre and post war, in addition to new trains. About every other visit or so someone comes in with a box of old trains thinking they are going to make a killing. LHS owner seldom even makes an offer, tells them they might be good for parts or they could try selling on ebay, but he has no interest in them. He says the market for them around here has just about vanished and they sell very few old items now. 

Originally Posted by rtr12:
I visit my LHS every week. They also sell old trains, both pre and post war, in addition to new trains. About every other visit or so someone comes in with a box of old trains thinking they are going to make a killing. LHS owner seldom even makes an offer, tells them they might be good for parts or they could try selling on ebay, but he has no interest in them.  

Yep.

Try going to a comic book store and selling you old comics. Nobody is buying anymore.

I'm now convinced that when it comes to pretty much any hobbies, it's all a first-owner hobby market. There's simply no secondary market to speak of, not in a way that'll make you money, anyway...

Originally Posted by Tim Lewis:

I know numerous people that would buy just the trains. (Not including me)

Yeah, if the price were lower. Nobody is going to drop that kind of dime and end up with a bunch of duplicates or triples, stuff they don't want, etc. 

 

That's the problem with trying to sell a collection in bulk all at once: your vision for your collection is far from someone else's.

Some folks are marveling at the size of his collection.

According to the article, Dr. Winn has been collecting trains since the age of 7.
I believe he is now around 80.
That's 73 years.
let's discount his years in college, dental school, and starting his practice, and say he's been actively collecting for 50-55 years.

His EBay listing puts the value at "over $200,000".

That averages out to about $4,000 per year.
He has around 1,000 pieces, that's only 20 pieces per year.
He has a nice house, in a very nice town, and I am certain he has a lot of other nice things. So I expect he was able to afford them.
Does not seem excessive to me.

Last edited by C W Burfle
I dont know where you get that idea? No secondary market? Look over in the brass section on auction sites, while the prices are down some from the peaks, many things still trade much higher than the original price. I also collect real muscle cars, believe me they trade much higher than original price. The bottom line if you collect quality stuff, it holds or increases value. Buy anything with the word "collectible" "limited edition" then dont expect to make anything.

As far as the guys price, 110,000 for over 1000pcs, that averages to 110 a piece, not including the layout, buildings, power supplies, etc... Plus he even entertains offers! While i believe he would have better luck selling individual, at 110 average I dont think he is off his rocker either.

Originally Posted by p51:

       
Originally Posted by rtr12:
I visit my LHS every week. They also sell old trains, both pre and post war, in addition to new trains. About every other visit or so someone comes in with a box of old trains thinking they are going to make a killing. LHS owner seldom even makes an offer, tells them they might be good for parts or they could try selling on ebay, but he has no interest in them.  

Yep.

Try going to a comic book store and selling you old comics. Nobody is buying anymore.

I'm now convinced that when it comes to pretty much any hobbies, it's all a first-owner hobby market. There's simply no secondary market to speak of, not in a way that'll make you money, anyway...

Originally Posted by 2railguy:
I dont know where you get that idea? No secondary market? Look over in the brass section on auction sites, while the prices are down some from the peaks, many things still trade much higher than the original price. I also collect real muscle cars, believe me they trade much higher than original price. The bottom line if you collect quality stuff, it holds or increases value. Buy anything with the word "collectible" "limited edition" then dont expect to make anything.

As far as the guys price, 110,000 for over 1000pcs, that averages to 110 a piece, not including the layout, buildings, power supplies, etc... Plus he even entertains offers! While i believe he would have better luck selling individual, at 110 average I dont think he is off his rocker either.

Originally Posted by p51:

       
Originally Posted by rtr12:
I visit my LHS every week. They also sell old trains, both pre and post war, in addition to new trains. About every other visit or so someone comes in with a box of old trains thinking they are going to make a killing. LHS owner seldom even makes an offer, tells them they might be good for parts or they could try selling on ebay, but he has no interest in them.  

Yep.

Try going to a comic book store and selling you old comics. Nobody is buying anymore.

I'm now convinced that when it comes to pretty much any hobbies, it's all a first-owner hobby market. There's simply no secondary market to speak of, not in a way that'll make you money, anyway...

I got the idea from talking to the owner of my LHS every week for the last four years or so. He buys and sells used trains, I do not. This is strictly a hobby for me. I have had much better luck purchasing new so that is what most of mine are or were when purchased anyway. It is all just for fun here, I am not expecting to make anything in the way of profit off of any of it.

Well first my response was to p51's comment. But anyway if your judging resale market because some knucklehead brings a 6464 to sell to a a dealer thinking they are going to pay the national debt off then your view is flawed. First by now everyone should know that a dealer has to make profit, so they are going to lowball you or if its a cheap item not be interested, but this does not set the stage for the complete hobby. Like i said buy a quality piece and it will retain value or increase. Buy common cheap stuff or things that quickly outdate like sound or control systems and you will enjoy the roller coaster down in value.

Originally Posted by rtr12:

       
Originally Posted by 2railguy:
I dont know where you get that idea? No secondary market? Look over in the brass section on auction sites, while the prices are down some from the peaks, many things still trade much higher than the original price. I also collect real muscle cars, believe me they trade much higher than original price. The bottom line if you collect quality stuff, it holds or increases value. Buy anything with the word "collectible" "limited edition" then dont expect to make anything.

As far as the guys price, 110,000 for over 1000pcs, that averages to 110 a piece, not including the layout, buildings, power supplies, etc... Plus he even entertains offers! While i believe he would have better luck selling individual, at 110 average I dont think he is off his rocker either.

Originally Posted by p51:

       
Originally Posted by rtr12:
I visit my LHS every week. They also sell old trains, both pre and post war, in addition to new trains. About every other visit or so someone comes in with a box of old trains thinking they are going to make a killing. LHS owner seldom even makes an offer, tells them they might be good for parts or they could try selling on ebay, but he has no interest in them. 
Yep.
Try going to a comic book store and selling you old comics. Nobody is buying anymore.
I'm now convinced that when it comes to pretty much any hobbies, it's all a first-owner hobby market. There's simply no secondary market to speak of, not in a way that'll make you money, anyway...
I got the idea from talking to the owner of my LHS every week for the last four years or so. He buys and sells used trains, I do not. This is strictly a hobby for me. I have had much better luck purchasing new so that is what most of mine are or were when purchased anyway. It is all just for fun here, I am not expecting to make anything in the way of profit off of any of it.
Last edited by 2railguy

To Adman

     • Suggestion - Hi Alan, you should give his realtor a call and see if he /she would want to put an add in OGR Forum Magazine or Forum. I do recall this working with a realtor that sold a house in Colorado, with a live steam layout in the backyard. This was in Live Steam & Outdoor Railroading Magazine. C.R.S.

Gary

Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway

The Turtle Line 

Sold by Alan OGR Magazine

 

Add Reply

Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×