Trains never opened

You know you have too many trains when.........

No comment, we're going to let you squirm a bit first.

Well, Dick, if you hadn’t opened it, you could have posted it on the For Sale Forum as Never Run - New In Box  

I only started building my first layout when I retired a couple of years ago, but have been buying stuff for the eventual project for many years, so, yes... I occasionally open something that has never been opened before. In hindsight, this wasn’t always the best modus operandi - due to many changes in my plans, I have a bunch of stuff that will never make it to the layout. 

I am a member of that club Paul, I began buying trains and accessories in the early 2000's knowing I was going to build, only to have plans change twice, and move twice before got a layout built. The layout is totally different from my original plans, so there are dozens of train sets I have stored in closets/under the layout that will never see the light of day on my track.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

No comment, we're going to let you squirm a bit first.

I second that motion!

I cant tell you how many times I opened up a brand new loco after the warranty expired I had it so long.

Im a card carrying member of that club too Dick...….Im still finding trains I forgot I bought.....worse yet, bought a second cause I didn't think I had one...then wind up with two!

harmonyards posted:

Im a card carrying member of that club too Dick...….Im still finding trains I forgot I bought.....worse yet, bought a second cause I didn't think I had one...then wind up with two!

ditto

I have purchased engines and rolling stock to “give” myself at a future date - perhaps Christmas or my birthday but; I can honestly say I’ve never forgotten something and left it sitting around unopened.  I’m surprised this is as common as the responses to this point would seem to indicate.

Curt

Dick, I think there's quite a lot of people in that position...

I always open the boxes to check for defects or breakage, then I either display or just pack them back up and store them.  I actually run very few pieces of my collection.  Am I sick for just packing some up and storing them?  If I am then it appears I'm not the only one with this sickness.  All us sick people should get together and celebrate, how about we meet twice a year in a central/eastern location, PA maybe?  This could be big.

Chris Sheldon

I had a Lionel Chessie hopper set from 1987 ( I think) that I never opened until last year as wanted to put on display shelf. Engine still hasn't been run. I have a N/S set with the triple crown flat with trailers never opened yet, and I have the Virginian set never opened that had the tmcc Rectifier, and 3 hoppers and a caboose.  I'm sure there is at least one more up there somewhere LOL. Because not having a layout, I have engines I have never tested after buying off of Ebay. It happens to a lot of us.

Now when your in trouble is when you forget you even have the set. Here's one for you. I bought piece by piece the pieces and the boxes for Lionel B&M Freight set 2572 including the set box. What I forgot though, as it was on a shelf in front of me that I ended up with another full set but no boxes. I was thinking the set box with the boxes up in the cupboard was empty boxes until I started to bring it down to pack the second set up. Then with the weight it occurred to me that I had two of them lol. 

Ron_S posted:

I am a member of that club Paul, I began buying trains and accessories in the early 2000's knowing I was going to build, only to have plans change twice, and move twice before got a layout built. The layout is totally different from my original plans, so there are dozens of train sets I have stored in closets/under the layout that will never see the light of day on my track.

So, Ron, why not post them here on the For Sale forum so they will be run and you could use the cash from their sales to buy items you will use?

I have about a dozen boxes of trains I have never opened some still wrapped up in original paper/boxes.

I bought them when prices and shipping was reasonable with the idea if I don't need them in the future I can sell them again as never used.

No your not losing it mate most of us are like that.

Roo.

FireOne posted:

I always open the boxes to check for defects or breakage, then I either display or just pack them back up and store them.  I actually run very few pieces of my collection.  Am I sick for just packing some up and storing them?  If I am then it appears I'm not the only one with this sickness.  All us sick people should get together and celebrate, how about we meet twice a year in a central/eastern location, PA maybe?  This could be big.

Chris Sheldon

if we are gonna have a get together, please sell tickets at the door...….otherwise I wont be able to come, cause I would have forgotten I had an advance ticket.  

I’ve gone over to a club members house to run on his layout and found 2 sealed Hogwarts express sets under the layout

Tim, thank god you chimed in from the other side......at least we know now its a coast to coast problem!......and evidently world wide if Roo agrees with us!

Engines I will say I always opened them up to check them and run them back and forth before putting them back in the box again. Freight cars, that's another story. I still have Lionel cars brand new in the boxes and Weaver cars from the eighties with the shrink wrap and rubber bands on the trucks. I am in control LOL..............Paul

You guys have made me very happy! I honestly thought there may be something wrong with me! Of course that very well still could be true, but at least I'm not lonely anymore! LOL

acceptance on this matter allows me to live comfortably with denial  

I have a friend who started buying top of the line trains in the early 70's and stored them in his basement. After 30 years he decided to sell what he had and everything he had was brand new, never opened, never looked at and still in the original shipping box's. Most sold for many dollars below what he paid. At one time he was going to build a layout but that never happened. 

I myself open all my engines and cars and run them the day I get them. Why have them if I don't.

Dave

O gaugeguy,  Most have been on here over the last 3 years, I got a lot of snide remarks with having unopened boxes and hints that they were bogus or junk. I have them set aside, and from time to time attend local swapmeets, where some do sell. A lot are the TMCC F-3 sets, which most are not buying these days.

I’m a member, and please don’t ask how many trains you have that’s never been run. Lol

Larry

OK... that’s it - I think we need to start a twelve step program:

1. buy trains
2. buy more trains
3. buy even more trains
4. engage in denial
5. read the OGR Forum, begin to think you are overthinking the issue 
6. realize that you have no problem
7. buy trains
8. buy more trains
9. buy even more trains
10. publicly deny that you have a problem
11. vociferously deny you have a problem
12. seek solace with a group of like minded addicts...

Amen to that Paul. When can I get my first 12 step pin............Paul

naw, we need a coin!

Don't worry until you realize you have several of the same item!  Don't ask how I know this.

An inventory helps, but even at that, I’ve bought a duplicate .

Steve

You guys are all Train-aholics. I would never waste good train money on support group or coins acknowledging trainaholism

Sad part is my wife is now on to me.  She used to believe me when I said that I have run everything I own - it's all been put to good use. 

Then she found several large boxes with packing seals intact.  Oh dear!  

This was funny reading, but too much like looking in a mirror 

Happens to most of us who have been in the hobby for any length of time.

This is an occupation hazard of collecting.

There is always time and money to buy more, but no time to run or test out new trains.

There are far worse problems to have.

Like what did I buy from them ? , months later when the bills come due.

Where is the item I paid good money for ?

I know it is in a box somewhere in the house.

If you don't have duplicates or a wall of trains that never make it to the layout you don't qualify to be on the forum.  j

I barely get mine thru the front door before the cardboard starts flying!!!  I think the only boxes I have left are the ones the engines came in and maybe passenger cars.   I've *******ized most of what I have and never worry about resale value, I bought them for my enjoyment.

I guess my membership in this club is in doubt

Dick you are not alone! When we packed up to move into our new house and started pulling tubs and out food lockers out to get the empty boxes to pack the shelf kings imagine if how I felt when I found those tubs and footlockers that had not seen the light of day in maybe 15 years were full of trains I did not realize I had. Even worse was when I found duplicates during the packing/moving process. I had a goal once to acquire one example of every type of motive power the PRR operated in his history. I stoped at second generation diesels 10 years ago that still have never been out of their boxes. Also register me for the 12 step program.

I suspect all of us have at one time or another bought something in anticipation of the ever elusive event called "someday".  For some of us "someday" arrives and we operate happily ever after.  For most of us we wonder what we were thinking.

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

An inventory helps, but even at that, I’ve bought a duplicate .

 

Steve

Steve; I have had multiple occasions where I arrived home from a show only to discover I’d bought something I already had.  

Since I obviously can no longer rely on my memory to prevent duplicates; I started emailing myself my inventory spreadsheet right before leaving for a show.  This makes it real easy to access from my iPhone and prevents the “senior moment” purchases.

Of course; now I have to remember to email myself the darned spreadsheet.  🤔

Curt

I have never done that with trains, but I have with guns.  I have a Henry .22 that is five years old and never been shot and I have a used 7mm Mauser sporter that I bought at a good price, but have never shot it.