Where did all the Modern Era Trains go?

I imagine they are hiding on layouts and in boxes. The MTH shakeup I feel disturbed the economics of the used market big time. I've been on the hunt for a handful of PS2 engines (Montana Rail Link SD70ACes and DM&IR Yellowstone) that just don't pop up on the bay at all. That's all I've got though...

@rdg_fan posted:

I just don't see them that frequently at train shows or at auctions including internet auctions. Were they simply discarded in favor of trains with command control? Did they break easily? Or are they hiding in basements and attics?

I'm having trouble understanding why you're apparently seeing a problem here.

      I see them literally everywhere -- everywhere that matters that is.

Just to confirm, your question is about scale, detailed, Modern Era locomotives without command control, and their associated cars?

Weaver Gold Edition, and Williams Crown Edition and Crown Edition Masterpiece Series, are in my favorites list on eBay and many show up everyday in my email.  Not just one hit, but often ten or more.  Granted, sellers seem to think they're hard to find because too often their description will have the word 'Rare' in it, when they're obviously not.

I also see them at every local show.  And, although I bought most of mine from on-line auctions, they were easily found and very reasonably priced.  There are none in our local hobby shops, but since there are only two such shops left, with both of them struggling, I wouldn't expect to see them there.

One thing I can agree on though is that scale-sized K-Line passenger cars from the period you describe are indeed hard to find, and quite expensive as a result.

Mike

There was a time in maybe the 1995-2005 period when some people were essentially operating dealerships out of their basements, buying directly from Lionel and selling items at a discount at train shows. Often these people weren't making any money, actually often losing money, but apparently were just looking for something to do (i.e., they didn't have enough else to do ), and got a rush out of selling at train shows, even if they lost money doing it. At some point, Lionel figured out what was going on after dealers started complaining to them about the clowns who were dumping trains at shows and seriously hurting their businesses. Lionel then cut off distribution to all but authorized resellers, and that was the end of that era.

There was also a huge reinterest in hobbies in general during the Covid lockdowns.  Many model train items in all scales became quickly consumed and hard to find.  What was out there on the market dried up quickly as folks stuck at home but with money to spend bought trains on ebay, Trainz or other online sources and had them delivered to their homes.   The trains are out there, many have moved from ebay to places like groups or market place on facebook.  I have seen plenty of modern era at local shows here in Indiana, some shows more that others.  I myself prefer USA made Lionel, so pre 2000 era from LTI, MPC, post and prewar era.  Everything is in cycles, many modern era are on layouts, in closets and anybody else folks have their collections.  In time, they will reappear on the market.   Until then, happy hunting!   AD

And there's always the OGR For Sale Forum. Works for me.

Gerry

@artfull dodger posted:

There was also a huge reinterest in hobbies in general during the Covid lockdowns.  Many model train items in all scales became quickly consumed and hard to find.  What was out there on the market dried up quickly as folks stuck at home but with money to spend bought trains on ebay, Trainz or other online sources and had them delivered to their homes.   The trains are out there, many have moved from ebay to places like groups or market place on facebook.  I have seen plenty of modern era at local shows here in Indiana, some shows more that others.  I myself prefer USA made Lionel, so pre 2000 era from LTI, MPC, post and prewar era.  Everything is in cycles, many modern era are on layouts, in closets and anybody else folks have their collections.  In time, they will reappear on the market.   Until then, happy hunting!   AD

You make a good point.  Everything I put online for sale during Covid got snapped up.

I have friends that model in smaller scales, and common stuff like track, cork roadbed and common locomotive models just disappeared off the market.   Between supply issues from the far east and a sudden new interest in hobbies in general led to the market drying up. Right now you really have to camp out on ebay, Trainz and fb to find many models.  Sometimes a "wanted" post works best as someone might have it, but not the time or motivation to post it for sale.  AD

@Will Ebbert posted:

I imagine they are hiding on layouts and in boxes. The MTH shakeup I feel disturbed the economics of the used market big time. I've been on the hunt for a handful of PS2 engines (Montana Rail Link SD70ACes and DM&IR Yellowstone) that just don't pop up on the bay at all. That's all I've got though...

I picked up a NIB PS/1 DM&IR Yellowstone for a good price on eBay, they still show up occasionally.

It's in the queue for a Legacy upgrade when I get to it.

I just sit back with patience. None of this stuff is a must needed emergency. I like doing the WTB and give fellow forum members my money first, then Trainz,lastly eBay. My patience has paid off as I've found many "rare finds" for a fraction of what people think their stuff is worth. Most of my LTI steam have been had at an excellent price. Just my recent k-line scale Hudson was bought at such a great price , it's worth upgrading in the future.

I am in the camp that @artfull dodger described. My dad passed away during covid, and it gave me a sparked interest in getting back in the hobby we both loved. And, of course, besides work and family, what else did I have to do during that time. Now I'm loving not just the items I have, but the chase and hunt for good deals!

Soon, with patience you too can become a Jedi master at buying and upgrading like GunrunnerJohn  and many other legends of the forum.

It's only hard to find something when you are looking for it. When you aren't, then it's easy to find .

I have noticed over the past few years that modern items made from ~2004 and on are harder to find that items made before that date. Production quantities seemed to have dropped off after that point, so there are less items produced after that point on the secondary market. Not that they don't come up for sale, they aren't as readily available.

@rdg_fan posted:

Were they simply discarded in favor of trains with command control? Did they break easily? Or are they hiding in basements and attics?

What do you think (or know)?

"Discarded"? As in the city dump? What? "Break easily?" Why would they?

As for me, I own many of this vintage, and I'm keeping them. They were good and simpler. I tend to avoid the hyper-locos of today (same with autos) and ERR-upgrade the older ones instead. That way - even at the now high ERR prices - you can "control your content" and costs, and keep things as simple as command/sound electronics can be kept, anyway. I skip sound now, sometimes.

Many of the the best locos were made by Samhongsa in Korea in 2000 and before, die-cast and brass. They built much for many names (Weaver, Williams brass, Lionel, MTH). They may be "rare" at times because of guys like me - mine aren't for sale. "Korean" tended to mean "quality" back then. Then they got too expensive, I guess, and production moved to....well, you know.

@rdg_fan  May depend on where you are looking. Certainly look at sponsor websites, but there are other train auction sites which tend to have these types more often recently.  I was bidding on several items Friday and did not pick up anything. They were going at market plus buyers premium or at even higher chokingly high prices (at least to me).  Of course if you want an item and have been looking at it for awhile, then a fair price means something else. K-line, Weavers and 3rd Rail engines continue to pop up regularly.

I just posted on a K-Line Milwaukee Road F series A-B-B-A set I picked up. Of course I have an earlier A-B-A set I am thinking about selling. Now that Blunami appears to be a realistic option, my other K-Lines,  Weavers and Atlas' will move in that direction. Yes I know there is another option but aside from a workaround from DCS to TMCC, which I do not care for, I really do not want to move into Legacy. (probably a dumb position to take)

I got my reissue 700e Hudson made in 1990 from Trainz for a great deal, had never been run, in fact I had to tear it down and service it before it would run, between hard grease and stuck motor brushes she would barely run.   But that was just enjoyable busy work making sure she was ready for layout duty.   The stuff is out there, just not always listed online, or at the local train show. The reissue of hte prewar PRR B6 is super common over on the bay and Trainz with very good prices, they run super nice as well. We are on the cuff of another train show season, been to a pair of shows the last 2 weeks and see several tables of more modern era trains, mostly Lionel.  Being this is very Union area, older made in the USA stuff tends to sell better, so that is what dealers bring. I do not need TMCC, Legacy or DCS to enjoy toy trains on my small layout.  So modern for me is up to 2000 model year Lionel.  AD

@D500 posted:

Many of the the best locos were made by Samhongsa in Korea in 2000 and before, die-cast and brass. They built much for many names (Weaver, Williams brass, Lionel, MTH). They may be "rare" at times because of guys like me - mine aren't for sale. "Korean" tended to mean "quality" back then. Then they got too expensive, I guess, and production moved to....well, you know.

As a FYI MTH still makes their Premier steam locomotives in Korea.

@Lou1985 posted:

As a FYI MTH still makes their Premier steam locomotives in Korea.

I have wondered about that. I now so seldom buy anything "new" (or old, really) that I can't recall the last time I looked at an MTH or Lionel current production box or locomotive, up close.

I'm looking for a few specific pieces of MTH rolling stock produced from 2006 onward.  The places I have the opportunity to look and I check often are:

-This forum

-Ebay (some good buys, but asking prices are getting stratospheric)

-Trainz (some rare finds with decent pricing, best to buy 2 items or more at a time if possible to reduce shipping)

-Cabin Fever auctions (watch the prices as buyer's premium and shipping are high)

-Stout auctions (great if you don't mind buying rolling stock in groups of 15 or so)

-Facebook groups (very limited results for me)

-Mr Muffin auctions (higher starting prices but no buyer's premium, so not too bad!)

-York and Allentown meets (always a pleasant surprise when I find something!)

Patience is definitely required if you are looking for something specific.  I wish MTH published their production numbers of the items they produced.

Also, ask around.  You never know what you can find. 

@Frank Mulligan  There are a few other auction sites which seem to be attracting the O Scale trains I am most interested in. However as with most everything today be prepared to pay more than you expect, if you really want it. All it takes is someone who wants it more than you. Great for the sellers.

On the other hand there seems to be a general lack of interest in semi-scale/027 stock.