Where do you guys get your "stuff?"

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morgreh

morgreh

Member
So I'm reading the forums and I'm seeing some of you have huge collections and an aversion to paying retail for stuff.

Being completely new to the hobby and not having any material to start with, I don't have a lot of choice but to buy things.

So realizing, I'm not going to build up a big collection overnight, the question that comes to mind is where do you find your "stuff?" Locos, rolling stock, kits, etc.

I have heard some mention of Ebay, and some cursory searches indicate there is a lot of stuff on there, but I'm always concerned about the actual quality of things I buy on Ebay, plus I really have learned to hate Paypal, so Ebay isn't really a preferred place for me to buy things.

My LHS has been great, I actually have a couple within reasonable distance of me, and both have a purchase X amount and get a discount program. But things still aren't cheap.

So where do you guys find your bargains???

Thanks,

Rodney
 
I have a custom search for locos set up on ebay in case any stuff I want shows up. I wouldn't say it's always a "bargain", but it's good for finding locos that nobody else has in stock.

Fifer Hobby Supply and Model Train Stuff (commonly referred to as MB Klein) are really good online stores with great customer service.

Model train expos are often good for used rolling stock and locos, although in my experience a lot of it is a bargain because it's very old!
 


I agree with the online stores mentioned.......you didn't mention what scale you were into though........I also do a lot of preoreders with Brooklyn Locomotive Works, but they are an N scale retailer. Maybe 25% of my stuff comes from the local dealer, but my "local" dealer is 150 miles away, so not the most convenient option.....I make it there 7 or 8 times a year. There are a couple of train shows within driving distance that I'll pick a few bargains up at. Other than that it's EBAY........the key to EBAY is knowing what you are looking for and looking AT. That means it can be pretty tough for newcomers to the hobby to navigate. I learned by starting at the dealers and finding what I wanted, THEN looking for the exact same item on EBAY. EBAY has it's drawbacks, but what doesn't these days. The biggest advantage to me with EBAY is the number of old items available. I've been in the hobby for a long time, but just over a year ago decided to start modeling The Milwaukee Road. If you check the currently available offerings there's not much out there, but going to EBAY lets me tap into items going back into the 70's, many of which aren't (and may never be) available in any form currently. A lot of the items are used, but there's nothing wrong with good used, especially when the alternative is to try to modify something current.
 
I use modeltrainstuff.com several times a year. They are great on pricing, and have correct online inventory, so you know what you are getting.

Kent in KC
 
A little bit of everywhere. I use two local hobby shops. I have an account with Caboose Hobbies in Denver. I get stuff from Walthers. I hit train shows and swap meets, and so some mail ordering. I have bought brass models and some other big ticket items on e-Bay and have never had any issues with them or with Pay Pal. There are a few other on line retailers I use for specialty items. Custom Traxx and Alpine Division Scale Models for traction modeling, and Foscale for structures. Deals can be had, but I have had to pay retail for some stuff I really wanted or for which there was no substitute. My problem is I have a low tolerance for foobies, so I tend to go after correct models. This is a personal choice, and can get expensive. There are plenty of good deals out there. Most places discount to some degree, and if you're starting out and buying staples you should have a pretty easy time of it for a while. The choices get harder when you narrow your focus to a specific prototype or area or both.
 
I get a lot of real good stuff right here from Forum Members & then the rest I get from all of the listings from everyone else that has already posted their places for buying.:D
Ya gotta know your prices before you buy from Ebay & the Internet discount places.:D
 
This came in today from a member of HO Interchange. Brand new still sealed in the box for $44 shipped.

DSC01478.jpg


DSC01485.jpg
 


morgreh said:
So I'm reading the forums and I'm seeing some of you have huge collections and an aversion to paying retail for stuff. ...
So realizing, I'm not going to build up a big collection overnight, the question that comes to mind is where do you find your "stuff?" Locos, rolling stock, kits, etc. ...
So where do you guys find your bargains???
Click to expand...
I am HO and G-gauge but the same concepts apply to all scales.

First get a subscription to MR or MRC and read the ads in depth every month. Learn the list price and normal street price for objects of interest and even others just FYI. That is how you will get to know the "normal" prices for things, so you can recognize a bargan when you see it and not have to "think about it". Many really good bargans were snached by another person while I was thinking. That is the most important thing for bargan hunters - knowing the prices.

1. Watch for flyers and other announcments for model train swap meets in your area. Swap meets are where people go who want to dump a bunch of stuff quickly. "My father died and this is all his stuff I want to get rid of". Many organizaitons have these on a regular scheduled basis. Here in Denver one club has one every other month, another club has one every 6 months. The local Youth in Model Railroading is having their annual surplus sale on June 2. They always have great deals.

2. Go to the big train shows like the "Great Train Expo". While they have many full price vendors that go around with them, they also have the locals and other one time people that once again have come into an estate or something and want to get rid of it. Even the regular vendors have sales from time to time. One of our local hobby stores that normally has things marked pretty close to the suggested list price, had items at the show for 75% off.

3. Search the internet for specific items you want. I ran into a hobby store owner along the south east coast who had a really good price on Proto-2000 stock cars and Branchline Box cars. I ask a couple questions about shipping when buying more than one. In the conversation I struck up, I discovered he had a problem and was having trouble meeting this months expenses. So we struck up a volume discount such that I got a really good deal and helped him make his utility bills. Once again I think I purchased about 100 cars from him.

4. Find all the major vendors on the internet and do two things. A. Subscribe to their mailing lists. B. Find the button for Clearance or Factory Refurbished items. Example BLI, I got my Hudson from them for $90. Example, Train World in NYC. I got an e-mail for clearance SDP45s with Tsunami sound. My local hobby store had these for $329 each. They were on clearance to internet subscribers only for $129 each. I got 2. Likewise they had the BLI California Zephry cars for $29 each. I was buying them like mad and selling them on eBay for up to $130 each (for the beaver tail dome observations). Last TW example, the NYC 20th Century cars originally sold for $59 or so each. I bought none. Trainworld cleared them out to internet subscribers for $29 each. I bought 2 full train sets (not one of each car, real train sets)

5. There are several sale sites on-line like the HO and N scale yard sales. I haven't quite figured them out yet but I see what looks like some really good deals there.

6. Get into operating groups in your area. There is always someone with surplus equipment someone is trying to get rid of. Just last month I picked up about ten Proto-2000 10,000gallon tank cars for $4 each. Another friend sold me some Athearn Genesis F3 AB sets (both powered) for $90.

7. Ebay and other sites. I got a ton of stuff from Go-Motor-Bids.com before they went belly up.

When I find a really good deal I usually buy extras. Then at the swap meets I sell them for a good deal (just not so good) and usually end up paying for the units that I kept for myself. Net cost of my stuff - $0.


I have heard some mention of Ebay, and some cursory searches indicate there is a lot of stuff on there, but I'm always concerned about the actual quality of things I buy on Ebay, plus I really have learned to hate Paypal, so Ebay isn't really a preferred place for me to buy things.
Click to expand...
The SELLER pays Paypal, I love it. With Ebay one has to know exactly what the object is, read the description very well, and know what a "good deal" for that particular object is. With those things one can get some really good deals on eBay. I just got a NCE PRO wireless set for $300. That is less than 50% of the list price and about $200 off the normal shelf price.
 
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Some vendors and site owners suggest figuring out exactly the cars or items you want before shopping.....and that does make sense when you know what your looking for. I get further and have great luck shopping mostly by price. Have ended up with a well rounded variety of locomotives and most types of freight cars and some passenger too. Could not afford them if I bought what was in demand.

Some guys start up their own sites but they're not set up for browsing with a selection to look at. They say "tell me the items your looking for". That may work for some and that's fine. I need good pictures, a variety of in stock items to browse...and some lower priced deals to choose from.....and I find plenty of sites like this.

I have to wait a month between times when I can afford to buy....so enjoy browsing websites and their inventories and make note of cars, switches, or whatever I want...and by the time I have the cash some items at some vendors will be gone....but plenty of others are still available.


Mike
 
I buy and sell collections so I get alot of my stuff from there,I have items for sale on the sales thread here,Whole thing is buy it right to sell it right,if you need anything drop me a PM

L
 
nmaniac said:
I buy and sell collections so I get alot of my stuff from there,I have items for sale on the sales thread here,Whole thing is buy it right to sell it right,if you need anything drop me a PM
Click to expand...

Which is part of my question. Where does one find collections to buy and sell? I never see estate sales, garage sales, or whatever that say "Huge collection of model railroad items." But maybe I'm not looking in the right place.

Thanks.
 


After many years and having spent 10s of thousands of $$ on this hobby I decided I would try and build my new layout and acquire my locos and rolling stock on the cheap.

I have a second hand model railroad shop close to where I live, it is located in a backyard shed is open on Saturdays and has a massive stock of locos and rolling stock, plenty of new and second hand stuff available at super cheap prices, the policy is replace, repair or refund no questions asked.

I pay between $10aufor Lifelike and $40au for Kato N Scale locos and about $5au for freight rolling stock, there are always used plastic kits that I dismantle and use the parts to scratch build all my own structures, I even bought my track second hand including the turnouts and all works perfectly.

As I model the Penn Central Railroad I buy locos in any livery, repaint and decal them to suit, I enjoy the challenge of converting rolling stock and scratch building also building my scenery out of recycled styrofoam Broccoli boxes as it has opened up a new dimension to this great hobby.

I guess I feel like Scrooge McDuck but its a whole lot of fun.
 
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