how do you rate a brand new, unrun but custom painted engine ? original paint is gone , therefore max rating would be c-4. if i remove molded on grab irons and replace them with wire ones... that would mean c-3 because of missing parts. simply stupid, isn't it ?
No one says you HAVE to use the "c" rating system. I'd say that it's misuse by sellers, and buyer misunderstanding of it, make the system useless these days. A well worded and honest description should suffice without the use of a rating system that is totally meaningless to most buyers.
It wasn't eBay, however an n scale Key AC-9 coal version sold on brass trains today for 1650.00. I really wish the plastic manufacturers would make more SP models like the AC-9 and MT-5.
SPs, I am with you for sure. I have it all figured out as Broadway Limited will produce a very nice MT-5 and the job they did on the PRR M1a tells me they can do it. I have a friend with one of the M1a or b, not sure, and it is awesome. Now, the kicker. KATO will spread their wings and show all the others how to produce an excellent AC-9, with ESU Loksound factory installed. Guess I have been hitting those funny left hand cigarettes too hard. One can dream, can't one. ?. Carl
Carl, I know that athearn won't be shrinking their MT-4 any time soon, so here is to BLI doing it. I don't think we'll see Kato put out an articulated loco in our lifetime. Perhaps IM will reverse their AC-12 or Bmann will build an AC-9 shell for their EM-1. One day I'll get my hands on an AC-9 oil version, just not sure who the builder will be. And it won't be for 1600 bucks.
SPs, Here is my $160.00 version. Sort of looks it doesn't it. But I had a looottttt of fun with it.......................... Always, have fun, run steam, carl
Going back, the "C" system was intended for collectors of tinplate "toy" trains. Applying it to scale modeling has always, to me, been a problem. It simply does not work.
I have to agree with some of the other comments here: why even USE a grading system as long as you have a GOOD description. If you MUST use a system, 1-10 works better than a tinplate scale. Funny, but over the weekend, I ran across the parts for my AC-9 and thought about starting on it again...didn't, but I did think about it.
So.... This seller is joking with their shipping rate, right? http://www.ebay.com/itm/A427N-VARIO...807236?hash=item1ec1d25a44:g:wmUAAOSwx6pYqM17
I tried their shipping calculator. It gave me $11.75 USPS Priority Rate. This is probably about correct. They figure both size and weight. With some packaging materials, I'd guess very close. At least for me.
Someone just dropped 2100 on a Key T-1 duplex on eBay. Probably going to kick themselves when BLI releases theirs soon....which will be more to scale than the key version.
I guess i'm just jaded by experiencing some sellers who seem to think that using a higher than necessary shipping rate will help ensure a profit on their sale.
Yes, but plenty of shysters bill for one type of shipping method only to ship with another. I can't tell you how many times I have paid for Priority Mail only to receive the items First Class or Media Mail. It's bait and switch by liars and thieves.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kadee-MT-22...554422?hash=item51f3ad08b6:g:RAsAAOSw2gxYoMS2 Am I missing something?
Yes you are...it's an old (1973) car with a price based on pre-2008 MT collectible pricing. There WAS a time when some MT cars pulled ridiculous prices, until the bottom fell out of the housing market. People still look at the pricing guides and think that they can still get those prices...and that seller has a bunch of MT cars listed at HIGH prices. I guess you won't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket...
What gets me about the Milwaukee car in question is that its value (as a collectible) is based on its being "new in box, unopened" (as stated by the dealer in his listing)- but it is shown in the photo sitting on top of its opened box. In the days when people were paying outrageous prices, cutting the shrink wrap was considered heresy. And you would have wanted to see the original price tag, so you would know its pedigree. Still, there are times when I wish I had kept my original set of Kadee MT ATSF map cars in an unopened state. When eBay first went online, those would have gone for a small fortune. With eBay having been around for a while, it seems like folks have figured out that Kadee churned those boxcars out in fairly large numbers, and that any particular listing will NOT be the one and only chance you will ever get to own one in your lifetime.
I'm surprised the car hasn't disintegrated already from being removed from the shrink wrap and exposed to contaminated air, .
At $214 I'd suggest that this Seller is living in that past age as well, but this car was issued only four years ago. http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-scale-Mic...798234?hash=item3612bfde9a:g:t04AAOSwB-1Ypj8N
This should be Steve Mazanek, of "Grayland Station". Have not dealt with him in thirty years or so, but he was always good, reputable. I'd be curious to know how he arrived at this dollar amount. Has someone else sold this same item in that price range?