What Is The Rarest Item You Own?

Mine is PROBABLY my great uncle's 1567W Lionel set, but given my I experiance with the commonest of Ives and modern Lionel, it might be my light green 16313 gondola (Lionel) or 70 baggage (Ives)

Green B&A Kline Berkshire with drop in EOB that uses the Kline tach sensor.  Both the engine itself is rare and you never see this cruise setup anywhere.

Probably my 1935 Hoge 900 Shovelnose, complete set with track original Hoge transformer, lockon, 5 rail track.  Missing the box though.  

My dads Lionel UP M10000 in silver and a Lionel 156 4-4-4.  Both are priceless to me.  Cheers Jim

Mine is a little more modern.  My MTH extra N&W F7 B unit for the N&W F7 ABA set.  I looked for 4 years to find one.  I wish Lionel would make a nice N&W F7 set with Legacy.

Without any doubt it would have to be my Sunset Models PRR S-2 turbine engine. I'm referring to the original brass version Scott Mann's father imported many years ago long before Sunset 3rdrail came into being. The detailing is superb even though the model has none of the newer electronic features we've come to expect in today's brass models. Very rare indeed.............

American Flyer, S gauge, 4-8-4, #21140.

About 15 years ago I acquired two mint in there boxes Kusan #8011 New Haven (checkerboard) box cars from the late Jay Duke of New Jersey. He said that he purchased them the day before I purchased them from him at the Wayne, NJ PAL Hall show. In the carton that these two cars were in were twelve other Kusan hard to find box cars but since the only ones that I did not already have were these two New Haven's I just purchased these two. Jay told me that the late Don Brill was interested in these cars but that I could purchase that ones that I wanted as Don had not arrived at the show. I had known that only about five others of these New Haven cars were known about. Two of the better known collectors of Kusan cars never owned these New Haven cars, the late John Bradshaw and the late John Marron. I have taken one of them to two of the TCA Conventions in 2008 and 2010 for display and I have been offered a considerable amount for it.

Ed along the New Haven Line of Metro-North and Amtrak.

The rarest model railroad item, would be the Sunset Mark Twain Zephyr set. 

It came off of Scott Mann's fathers personal layout in exchange for the one I had ordered that was damaged in shipment.  There weren't any unsold sets and Mr. Mann elected to forward his personal set to me.  The set is unique as it also has the Mars light where the Mark Twain production models did not (earlier version I suspect).  Just another great example of their customer service in action. 

This why they are second to none!

I have the 1936 UP M10000  and a 1954 Yellow & Black Virginian FM.

Mikey

Probably my 249E pre war engine and freight cars, second rarest is my 224E steam engine and passenger car set.

Lee Fritz

From a similar thread:

• 2 pair Deses made in Mexico diecast F units in N de M green and orange paint
• AMT B&O F unit
• AMT Silver Streak F unit
• KMT/Kusan Tennessee production Rutland, B&M, red M&StL, UP, WP, Pennsy Don't Stand Me Still, brown NYC, Soo Line, C&EI and B&O boxcars (still looking for the Missouri Pacific and NH black/orange checkerboard cars).  If you think a Lionel Sentinel or Alaskan 6464 are tough to find, try finding some of the KMT produced boxcars.  
• KMT/Kusan C&NW 3 car passenger set with pair of F units 
• Factory drawing of proposed AMT scale sized O gauge PA diesel
• Factory artwork for AMT Pennsylvania Railroad passenger car nameplates and number boards

My Lionel 00-scale (and proper US 00 gauge, not H0 gauge like UK 00 scale) Pre-War Hudson - the full-detail, 2-rail version, #003. Like a tiny 700E; good shape, too.

Sorry about the poor image:

D500 posted:

My Lionel 00-scale (and proper US 00 gauge, not H0 gauge like UK 00 scale) Pre-War Hudson - the full-detail, 2-rail version, #003. Like a tiny 700E; good shape, too.

Sorry about the poor image:

I have always wanted one of those; alas, I fear if I ever was to acquire one, it would prove one train too many, as I would have to build a new layout, and the chairwoman of Spacial allocations already has some issue with my current setup.

I had a yellow and black Virginian FM but sold it many years ago for 5000.00  A very nice item

Bob C.

A set of manuals for the N&W BLH 2300 Steam Turbine Electric...

I don't believe I own anything in O gauge that any on this forum would consider rare. But I might a display that is somewhat rare.

The first six MTH Premier boxcars and tank cars (total 12)

know better than to say.

 Post war Lionel REA dark green reefer - I picked it up during my first trip to York. 67?? I am not where I can see the car now.

Also the 225E Pre War Lionel steam engine.

Richad

This O-gauge locomotive is the only one ever made...

My Lionel 209 Alcos.   One year only.   Aprons are intact.  Found these at a train show in Long Island in 1991

I have only made one of these so I think that makes it pretty rare.

1950's Stube Monorail Set in Box, (but not complete ).

Needs motor parts and trailer car to complete.

Reproduction similar type Monorail motor cars are $200 from Germany, sets are $800 up.

I would like to see a photo of that monorail set.

Bob C.

MTN posted:

From a similar thread:

• 2 pair Deses made in Mexico diecast F units in N de M green and orange paint
• AMT B&O F unit
• AMT Silver Streak F unit
• KMT/Kusan Tennessee production Rutland, B&M, red M&StL, UP, WP, Pennsy Don't Stand Me Still, brown NYC, Soo Line, C&EI and B&O boxcars (still looking for the Missouri Pacific and NH black/orange checkerboard cars).  If you think a Lionel Sentinel or Alaskan 6464 are tough to find, try finding some of the KMT produced boxcars.  
• KMT/Kusan C&NW 3 car passenger set with pair of F units 
• Factory drawing of proposed AMT scale sized O gauge PA diesel
• Factory artwork for AMT Pennsylvania Railroad passenger car nameplates and number boards

The above cars listed reminds me that I also own in addition to the Kusan New Haven box cars listed earlier today I also own two rare cabooses. A Baltimore & Ohio caboose that uses the stamping from the B & O time saver box car and an undecorated red caboose. A  brown Boston & Maine box car that is decaled like the one that has printed lettering and has no printing on the other side. A depressed center flat car in black, no lettering and has several small holes in the body. I may have other rare Kusan cars but today I am at my friend's train store in Ardsley, NY while he is at the TCA Show in York, PA. If anyone wants to connect regarding AMT-Kusan cars let me know.

Ed

While maybe not rare but hard to find is my 2009 MTH Dealer Appreciation Program Union Pacific DDA40X Executive train with all 10 passenger cars that go with it. Got it all new for a great price from one store. Now all I need is the 2009 DAP catalog to go with it. 

Per Bob's request:

STUBE MONORAIL AS FOUND.

interesting looking item. I am sure it is quite rare.

Bob C.

Don't "own" her, of course, but committed for life....

My wife.

She shares this hobby with me 101%. 

Or, you could ask Steve Brenneisen of Ross Custom Switches what he thinks....  Yesterday at York my wife engaged him in discussion at the Ross booth at York.  She informed him that she wants one of Ross' 33" turntables, and hasn't convinced her husband (me) yet to spring for it.  Apparently he was .

She's one-in-a-bazillion, I'd say. That's pretty "rare". 

As for choo-choo hardware?   My Dad's 366W set.  Maybe it's not THAT rare in the big picture, but it's story in his life, it's impact on my life....priceless.

KD

totrainyard posted:

Per Bob's request:

STUBE MONORAIL AS FOUND.

That's amazing, a 1950's tin toy  patterned after the old Wuppertal monorail in Germany !

Probably the Max Grey PRR D16 - looks like the one at Strasburg.

There are some pretty cool stuff posted. For me as of now train wise CB&Q U30B. Project is in the finishing stages. Need to make number boards and install the lighting, otherwise operational. OK not old or a collectible but definitely one of.  Otherwise I have own a good number of rare diecast trucks one of which my be the only example in the US.

A Lionel #201 magic electrol switcher and remote.

My 3rd Rail Bessemer 2-10-4 Texas engines.  1 3rail 1 2rail only made 10 of each

along what tm terry posted.....i had collected the first 6  issues for mth premier freight cars,boxcar,reefer, tank, caboose,collector club,2-bay ps-2 covered hopper, gons.

none are too costly  or rare today,but i am proud to have em displayed on the shelf...

modern day issue, that ac&y 2 bay covered hopper car,uncataloged

I had a black MTH coil cover car. I can't remember the name on it but I believe it started with a M. I found a 

picture of it. Back in the seventies and early eighties I had some very rare Gilbert items.

Someone said that the KMT Frank's roundhouse boxcars decorated in UPS brown are rare.

But I have about 60 of them.

A #397 Loader with yellow cover. Local Flea Market Barn had it priced at an expensive $25.00 and a 10% discount for cash. The proprietor apologized that it was missing the belt and the paint was chipped... Wife said my eyeballs popped out when I saw it and I repeated holy **** for two hours straight...

Probably this error in my mint 1965 Virginian Set...on the NH boxcar...