Who Else Wants a Yellowstone?

Rather than sit around & hope for the maybe never, get a PS1 at a reasonable price, & upgrade it with all the electronics & added details you want. This way, you’ll have a tank, it’ll be built right, and you’ll save yourself some disappointment,….😉

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

Rather than sit around & hope for the maybe never, get a PS1 at a reasonable price, & upgrade it with all the electronics & added details you want. This way, you’ll have a tank, it’ll be built right, and you’ll save yourself some disappointment,….😉

Pat

Ditto. "Old" PS1 locos and ERR upgrades - even at today's higher prices - are a marriage made in heaven, as the old saying goes. I personally find the detail level of Premier PS1 locos to be excellent, actually, and the quality of those pieces is indeed tank-like.

All the brands have mostly offered good stuff over the years, but the outstanding thing about MTH, more than any of the others, was/is its consistency. An MTH box seldom held any surprises. (Weaver boxes seldom did, either.)

The PS1 Yellowstone does need a little help in the detail dept. ……but nothing life altering, …..darken the overly chrome tires, darken the gleaming side rods, add a few oiler linkages here & there, center drill the axles if you’re feeling froggy, add your favorite flavor of electronics, and presto, …..you’re in business, …..😉

Pat

For the prices I see the old PS/1 Yellowstones going for, I think I'd wait for one with modern electronics and better detailing!

@D500 posted:

Ditto. "Old" PS1 locos and ERR upgrades - even at today's higher prices - are a marriage made in heaven, as the old saying goes. I personally find the detail level of Premier PS1 locos to be excellent, actually, and the quality of those pieces is indeed tank-like.

All the brands have mostly offered good stuff over the years, but the outstanding thing about MTH, more than any of the others, was/is its consistency. An MTH box seldom held any surprises. (Weaver boxes seldom did, either.)

You are so correct D, ….it’s actually a lot of fun to bring those PS1 engines up to today’s standards, ….and the best part, this is all completely doable as a DIY project for 99% of folks in TV land, ……basic hand tools, and some know how, can make a PS1 into a fine scale model,……sounds like a good how to thread!!…..no??

Pat

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

For the prices I see the old PS/1 Yellowstones going for, I think I'd wait for one with modern electronics and better detailing!

You can’t count what that one certain seller does out the gate with his wares, ……he puts them on the moon, then slowly brings them back into orbit, …..😉…..but still sometimes stuff on that unmentionable shopping experience stay somewhere between boing!, and ouch!…

Pat

@Will Ebbert posted:

The DM&IR Yellowstone has always been one of my favorite models. The last time MTH made it, I couldn't afford one. Now that I have a real job and the means to buy one, all that pops up on the second hand market are PS-1 versions with less detail and outdated electronics. I would love to see the model offered again by MTH or Lionel if they got the tooling. I tried emailing MTH but never heard back. Maybe we can raise some interest on here. Anybody else in?

Available on eBay  eBay item number:314595161747

@Windy City posted:

Available on eBay  eBay item number:314595161747

That's a PS-1 model. I understand what many have said about converting one but I already have so many projects on the work bench as is, I'd really like one good to go out of the box.

My father has a gorgeous kit built 1939 Varney HO Yellowstone complete with the original 6v motor and with all the added detail parts as outlined in three articles spread across three issues of 1941 Model Railroaders.  Even in HO it is quite an impressive locomotive. 

I'm not sure what happened but all of a sudden the PS1 versions are going for over $1K on everyone's favorite auction site. The later PS2 versions rarely come up for sale anymore.

I've got the last run version from 2009 with the extra oiler linkage detail and wireless drawbar. I got it mint and unrun, sans boards and wiring, so it now sports PS3.

@harmonyards posted:

Rather than sit around & hope for the maybe never, get a PS1 at a reasonable price, & upgrade it with all the electronics & added details you want. This way, you’ll have a tank, it’ll be built right, and you’ll save yourself some disappointment,….😉

Pat

Pretty much what I'm having done with a ps1 Class A I got at York. Got a PS3 kit to go with it, which (with the help of a fellow Forumite who identified an installer in the area) I will be transporting to have installed next week.

---PCJ

@Lou1985 posted:

I'm not sure what happened but all of a sudden the PS1 versions are going for over $1K on everyone's favorite auction site. The later PS2 versions rarely come up for sale anymore.

I've got the last run version from 2009 with the extra oiler linkage detail and wireless drawbar. I got it mint and unrun, sans boards and wiring, so it now sports PS3.

Say, …..nice Yellowstone! …..😉

Pat

@Lou1985 posted:

I'm not sure what happened but all of a sudden the PS1 versions are going for over $1K on everyone's favorite auction site. The later PS2 versions rarely come up for sale anymore.

I've got the last run version from 2009 with the extra oiler linkage detail and wireless drawbar. I got it mint and unrun, sans boards and wiring, so it now sports PS3.

Well, there are some ups and downs over on all the sites really depending on who is selling. There have been a number of items that have been put up countless amounts of times because they are overpriced. Most times if the seller stays at the price, it is a never ending relist until they decide to reduce the price. I actually saw a listing I talked to a seller about trying to get a better price, which I declined his offer, they relisted it a couple of $100 more than what they had it before. I think it was relisted about 7-10 months before it disappeared. I don't know if they took an offer that was better than what I offered, or if they just ate it for now.

As far as some of these bigger locomotives, the prices do tend to stay up there especially for those like Big Boys, Challengers, and their big friends. That being said though, there are very rare occasions that do come up where it is up for bid, or a low price that can be had. Going for bids on the Bay is dependent on how many bids are there already. The one highlighted by Windy City above has 3 bidders, and it ends on Sunday morning. Best thing to do, see how many bids change from now until Saturday, see if there is a chance. If it stays at 3, there is a chance to get in on it. Best option, have two windows open, one refreshing near the last few minutes, and try to make a bid within the last few seconds as that is when everyone will try to pop their ace down. Sometimes you may have to redo your bid as someone popped over what yours would be.

Another alternative, look on the TCA Buy/sell. It is possible that there is one there for a reasonable price.

For me, I just set a snipe (with an on-line sniping service) for the maximum that I am willing to spend and forget about it. No sense hovering around the computer wasting time when I can be doing something else.

@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

Well, there are some ups and downs over on all the sites really depending on who is selling. There have been a number of items that have been put up countless amounts of times because they are overpriced. Most times if the seller stays at the price, it is a never ending relist until they decide to reduce the price. I actually saw a listing I talked to a seller about trying to get a better price, which I declined his offer, they relisted it a couple of $100 more than what they had it before. I think it was relisted about 7-10 months before it disappeared. I don't know if they took an offer that was better than what I offered, or if they just ate it for now.

As far as some of these bigger locomotives, the prices do tend to stay up there especially for those like Big Boys, Challengers, and their big friends. That being said though, there are very rare occasions that do come up where it is up for bid, or a low price that can be had. Going for bids on the Bay is dependent on how many bids are there already. The one highlighted by Windy City above has 3 bidders, and it ends on Sunday morning. Best thing to do, see how many bids change from now until Saturday, see if there is a chance. If it stays at 3, there is a chance to get in on it. Best option, have two windows open, one refreshing near the last few minutes, and try to make a bid within the last few seconds as that is when everyone will try to pop their ace down. Sometimes you may have to redo your bid as someone popped over what yours would be.

Another alternative, look on the TCA Buy/sell. It is possible that there is one there for a reasonable price.

The issue is even selling at a good price of ~800 (which one PS1 version did a few months ago, based on sold listings) there's still the cost of making the locomotive command control. PS3 is ~$200, TMCC ~350 (for synchronized chuff and smoke), add another couple hundred if you don't install the electronics yourself. Granted that's still less than a brand new version would cost (probably $1500-2000) but it's not a bargain. The days of the $300 Premier PS1 steam locomotive appear to be past.

If you watch the major train reseller sites and auctions a good chunk of the stuff that comes up regularly is 2005 and older items (for MTH PS1 & PS2 5V, Lionel TMCC). The later stuff is few and far between, as that's when production numbers were greatly reduced as BTO became more standard. The OP finding the version of the Yellowstone I have is going to be hard to accomplish, as I've never seen one for sale on the secondary market.

@Lou1985 posted:

The issue is even selling at a good price of ~800 (which one PS1 version did a few months ago, based on sold listings) there's still the cost of making the locomotive command control. PS3 is ~$200, TMCC ~350 (for synchronized chuff and smoke), add another couple hundred if you don't install the electronics yourself. Granted that's still less than a brand new version would cost (probably $1500-2000) but it's not a bargain. The days of the $300 Premier PS1 steam locomotive appear to be past.

If you watch the major train reseller sites and auctions a good chunk of the stuff that comes up regularly is 2005 and older items (for MTH PS1 & PS2 5V, Lionel TMCC). The later stuff is few and far between, as that's when production numbers were greatly reduced as BTO became more standard. The OP finding the version of the Yellowstone I have is going to be hard to accomplish, as I've never seen one for sale on the secondary market.

Oh yeah definitely. It all comes back with how much you want to put into it. Cost versus cost. Sometimes you can get lucky, most times though, it is an uphill battle. Furthermore, there was a topic about how some sellers sell their stuff, the buyer then sells what they just bought. There's a lot of that going on over the past few years. I can't recall who one of the resellers was, but the listing was for an overly priced Big Boy or something like that from Lionel's 2012 or so catalog. Someone did bite on the overly priced item, guess they had extra cash to burn.

I had a PS1 Yellowstone that was upgraded to PS2   I wound up selling it to Dave Minarik   I kick myself all the time saying I should have never sold it   FAst forward to the Allentown spring thaw show and lo and behold there is a PS1 Yellowstone sitting on a table   The guy says its broken and doesnt run   No problem   I gave him 200 for it and ordered the PS3 upgrade kit as soon as I got home

@bluelinec4 posted:

FAst forward to the Allentown spring thaw show and lo and behold there is a PS1 Yellowstone sitting on a table   The guy says its broken and doesnt run   No problem   I gave him 200 for it and ordered the PS3 upgrade kit as soon as I got home

You stole that one!

Ben just knows where the deals are John. They seem to fall into his lap.

As a fan of big steam, a DM&IR Yellowstone has long been on my wish list.  Not in my budget anytime soon though, unless I can find a deal like Ben's...

Andy

This just proves there’s still deals to be had, …..Ben can fully upgrade that Yellowstone, add some details, do some coloring on the over-done brightwork, and still be well under a grand, …….

Pat

Ironically since I looked up the Yellowstone listings as well, I got a message asking me if. Interested. Well, sorry, no. I just thought that it was funny that they(the site) decided to send me a message about that even though I did look at a few other things as well.

@harmonyards posted:

You are so correct D, ….it’s actually a lot of fun to bring those PS1 engines up to today’s standards, ….and the best part, this is all completely doable as a DIY project for 99% of folks in TV land, ……basic hand tools, and some know how, can make a PS1 into a fine scale model,……sounds like a good how to thread!!…..no??

Pat

Yes, you definitely should do that.

Probably 10 years ago I bought a PS1 Yellowstone a very reduced price. I had my favorite Tech Jon Nestlerode do a PS3 upgrade and it was way cheaper than retail. Still have it today and it’s the pride of the fleet.

I’m with you on the Yellowstone. The ps1 version is lacking detail in my opinion. The PS3 is the best for detail. I passed on a NOS PS3 version for  $1100 about 6 months ago and should’ve bought it.

Mr Muffins has one on their auction site

@Windy City posted:

Available on eBay  eBay item number:314595161747

That one looked so good I bought it for $535.

It was NIB, the wheels had never been on the track!  Other than a totally dead white battery, it runs perfectly.  Obviously, it won't stay as a PS/1 model, but it is an impressive beast!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

That one looked so good I bought it for $535.

It was NIB, the wheels had never been on the track!  Other than a totally dead white battery, it runs perfectly.  Obviously, it won't stay as a PS/1 model, but it is an impressive beast!

Well, John, you have a new project. I can't wait to see what you do when it is done.

I'm flipping a coin.  I think I'll do PS/3, I have a few PS/3 upgrade kits, and the sounds will be closer.