acquisition

[dab89]

Hey everybody, i'm completely new here. Actually, i'm completely new to the world of trains, I know next to nothing. I was however, lucky enough to be given quite a few trains. A good family friend gave me three enormous boxes of model trains. I have looked at a good deal of them and they are almost all in their original boxes and apparently untouched. I'm not sure how old they are but it appears to be a large and well preserved collection. I need to sell these trains but I have no idea what the market is like for model trains. I have tried the obligatory google search and ebay price finding but neither of these yields many results. Most of the trains I own are not on ebay at all, which leaves me at a loss of what to do with these trains because I plan on selling them through ebay. I thought that this would be a good place to ask what I should do. Are there any authoritative price guides that I need to look at or buy? What is the best method for determining the worth of the trains? Any help I can get would be nice, a link to a good website would be appreciated.

 

[sparkyftw]

best bet is to start making a list, and posting it on the forums here, and people will try to help you the best they can.

You might even be able to sell a few things here too

 

[dab89]

Ok, it will take me a very long time to make a list, so I'll just pull out a random one and maybe you can help.
I have a Arnold-N engine in its original box. It says Santa Fe on the side of the train. On the side of the box it says Thre Modell-Eisenbahn and K Arnold GMBH & CO D-8500 Nurnberg 1. Thats all I can really say about it, the price tag from the store is still on there, it sold for $49.98. Sorry if I don't give the right details; like I said, I don't know anything yet.
Thank you for helping me, I really appreciate it.

I just looked on ebay and I think there is the same train for sale, although it would still be useful to know how much more a mint condition train would sell for. This is the first train that I have actually found on ebay. Others trains, like my single cars of an unknown train and make, will be more difficult to price. Oh well.

 

[sparkyftw]

some stuff you might be able to sell alone, but most would probably have to be like 10-15 cars at once.

I wish I could help you but I don't really know the prices of stuff. But give it time and some of the experienced guys will chip in and let you know everything you need to know.

 

[UP2CSX]

A good example is that engine. It originally sold for $50. If it's new in the box (NIB), it might sell for near that price today but likely will sell for less. Are all the trains you have N scale? That would mean the wheels on everything are about as far apart as the wheels on the engine. If so, most of the older freight cars and locomotives have only a small amount of value as older N scale freight cars had very poor detailing and many older locomotives didn't run very well and have deep flanges, which don't work well on today's smaller track. My best advice is start taking photos of the lot and posting them here. We can at least tell you the ones that are likely to have the most value and those that probably won't bring more a couple bucks each.

 

[V&AL]

To be very honest with you, a lot of "old trains" depreciate over time rather than appreciate as is commonly thought, even MIB (Mint in Box) ones. Some really old Lionel stuff and collectors items, and rarities are worth a lot, but most old stuff is really worth no more than $20-$50 per engine and about $5 per car. It all depends on what you have. If you were able to take pictures and post them up here, I'm sure we could give you a much better opinion of the value of your stuff...

 

[V&AL]

wow Jim, great minds think alike...

 

[stang_crazy]

heck even if ya could snap some pics of stuff that be a start

 

[dab89]

Hmm, they depreciate? Why would that be? Pretty much all other collectors items appreciate. I have been looking through them, I have lots of N scale and I think pretty much every scale, there is a huge variety. I will take out one random box, spread it on the floor, and take a picture of it. I also have a german turntable that I would be interested in knowing the value of.

The German Turn Table

And a Preview of one of the boxes:

 

[Wastrel]

Contrary to popular belief, just because its a model train doesn't make it a collectors item. Most of the older stuff was flat out junk. Sure it was good for the time, but with the advances made in engines, wheels, tooling, and any number of other areas, you will be hard pressed to get "top dollar" for older equipment. Exceptions are of course brass models, special limited runs, and the like.

 

[Rico]

Okay,off the top of my pointy little head I think the box sets are worth something.
Looks like there may be some newer stuff in there too?
I'd like to see those passenger sets, Are they marked Arnold and Walthers on the box? They would do well on the net I'd think, we'll see what others think.

 

[V&AL]

the actual boxed sets should actually be worth a bit, but the individual stuff not as much...

the turntable should fetch a decent price (say $75ish...)

it ALL depends on the demand though...

 

[hamltnblue]

You might also want to make sure your good friend that gave you the trains knows you're planning on selling them. I of course don't know the circumstances but when some people give something to a friend they believe that person wants them. Selling it off could destroy the relationship if the sale is not understood up front.

 

[UP2CSX]

The HO stuff is just the typical AHM passenger cars and engines. The passenger cars might bring $10 and the engines maybe $25. The boxed N scale sets have a lot more value. I don't know the exact level of demand for some of these but I haven't seen those Walthers/Arnold sets before nor the Pennsylvania steam engine sets. This could either mean they were very poor sellers and not too valuable or they were very popular, had short runs, and could be worth $150-$200 each. I can't tell enough detail on the boxed diesels to even give you a guess except all the early N scale diesels have very little value. I see a couple of European engines and passenger cars and these may have more value than any of the American prototypes.

I think the best thing you can do is take the ones in the nicest condtion, especially the boxed sets, and advertise them on e-bay. We can speculate endlessly here but you won't know how much they are worth until people bid on them. Also rememeber that we are in the midst of a worldwide recession and many model railroad items are being dumped at far below the usual market value to raise cash, Unless you have a pressing reason to sell now, I would hold off for at least the next six months.

It's really none of our business but I'll echo the sentiment that, if these were given to you because you are, or claimed to be, a model railroader and you are now going to sell everything off, that would really make me unhappy if I was the person who gave them to you.