Tom Tee posted:Does anyone else buy two of almost everything? Engines, cars, tools, supplies, etc. (just one spouse)
I have bought 2 of something several times up to and including locomotives and passenger car sets to many times and the reason was I forgot I had the first one. I was very lucky as my LHS (The Best ne on the East Coast, Catoctin Mountain Trains in Thurmont MD) would always let be return or exchange. Dam I miss that store mostly the people there.
Tom Tee posted:Does anyone else buy two of almost everything? Engines, cars, tools, supplies, etc. (just one spouse)
Tom,
Remember the late70's and 80's when Postwar Lionel prices were higher at every show? During that period two of my friends bought 2 of every car in the Lionel catalogs, thinking that they would keep one for themselves and sell the duplicates in 20-30 years and make a killing. One even called it his "retirement fund".
Boy were they wrong, about 2 years ago they sold everything to a dealer for .20 cents on the dollar.
My philosophy was, and still is, buy what you like and play with it. Play value, not monetary.
Now that I have absolutely no room for acquisitions, either on the display shelves (nothing gets stored away in boxes) or on the layout, I sell stuff to make room for something I want more. Tastes change. What I do is look around at my collection and say to myself: "Self, if I saw that car today, would I buy it?". If the answer is "No", up for sale it goes making room for my newest treasure.
If I sell it for less than what I paid (usually the case nowadays) so be it, I received its play value already and whatever money I do get for it goes right into my train bank for new (mostly Postwar) goodies
As silly as some of the licensed sets are, I like 'em. Peanuts, Polar Express, Harry Potter, NASCAR, etc. And of course I then collect all the add-on cars that go with them.
And all of Macy's thanksgiving boxcars, beer cars, food cars, etc. Mostly Lionel, MTH and K-LINE. And some Atlas and RMT.
And candy cars: just got a Pez Aquarium Car to add to my Tootsie Roll and Lifesaver's train.
JimJohnson posted:Regarding Aquarium cars, they're pretty abundant on Ebay. I'm currently looking for#52584 TCA Kid;s Club Phillips car, and #81035 B&M car from the Paul Revere GP9 set. Those are really tough to find.
That is sort of a unique one. I was lucky to pick one up at York last April for what I considered a good price for such a unique car (and probably the most desirable one from the set) from a set break-up.
As for me, I'm sort of odd-ball with a few themes I like.
Modern versions of the classic Postwar items, particularly accessories and operating cars (still bummed that the cancelled the set with the Reconnaissance car a few years back). I also like some scale type items, and also some licensed stuff (Disney and WB).
-Dave
I collect K-Line prior to the change to the black and gold boxes....around 1998.
O-27, buildings, accessories, track, paper.
Because my first trainset as a child was a third-hand Lionel 1435 from 1947, when I got back in the hobby I limited my focus on coil couplers. Initially I shied away from flying shoe couplers, but now that's about all I look at. I like stuff I can learn from, or reinforce what I've learned. Condition isn't as important to me as sets I am reasonably confident came together from the factory.
Dan.
While I consider myself an 'operator' who changes my layout theme over the years, on looking around the basement, I seem to be collecting (and running) post-war Hornby O-gauge trucks and vans.
Dashster posted:Because my first trainset as a child was a third-hand Lionel 1435 from 1947, when I got back in the hobby I limited my focus on coil couplers. Initially I shied away from flying shoe couplers, but now that's about all I look at. I like stuff I can learn from, or reinforce what I've learned. Condition isn't as important to me as sets I am reasonably confident came together from the factory.
Dan.
If this is considered thread drift, maybe we can start a new topic. I am a post-war type operator. I find the coil couplers so much more user friendly than the thumbtack type. First, because exact spotting of a piece of rolling stock is not required. Second, because the coil couplers are sight unseen.
O size MA & PA RR most of which is very hard to find I have doubles in some rolling stock items. There are some items I'm still looking for but have narrowed the field considerably. I do have other O size trains but don't feel the need to collect more of the road names I already have.
For me it's:
And That's Enough! Im trying to Hold back including G scale!
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