I have to agree that price is insane, especially since it started at $45 (and it's a PLASTIC model). But as Boxcab noted, the Utah Belt is very famous, mostly for its habit of modeling the present and upgrading its equipment with the times. Some people probably think having one of those engines is worth it. They're probably praying no one is allowed to make a "special run" of Utah Belt engines...
Why do people do this??? https://www.ebay.com/itm/202195145828?ul_noapp=true (hint: check the number boards, SP fans might be best advised to move on to the next post)
Yep. IIRC, there were several articles in RMC decades ago about this MRR. I found them to be among the best ever published. I was intrigued with the overall layout concept (basically point to point with stacked staging loops at each end), and the way that the designer (Eric B?) presented the articles as trains actually coming and going from places with a purpose. I still have the mags around here someplace. So, I don't see that price as necessarily "silly," and since it's determined by multiple bidders who likely all just appreciate the story and craftsmanship, then maybe one of the more sane ebay auctions we're looking at.
Am I seeing it right?? A reversed #6 on the right side number board? Or left side, when looking at head on. No thanks!! Have an N Scale 4 pack of Utah Belt coal hoppers. Got from ebay several years ago. Don't recall price though!
So... the new eBay shipping rates are out... and boy, did USPS First Class Pricing for Packages go up... New minimum for a one to four ounce package is $3.50, up from $2.67. eBay's price went up only five cents, to $2.66. A thirteen ounce package costs $5.50 at the Post Office, up from $4.29 and on eBay is now $4.10, up from $3.88. eBay negotiated the ability to send 14, 15 or 16 ounce packages First Class-- elsewhere, it jumps to Priority Mail-- but it's also up a bit. Clearly, the Postal Service is trying to push things to Priority Mail. The Flat Rate Small Box and Flat Rate Padded Envelope only went up five cents each. However, eBay's discount dropped from seventy cents off to just fifteen cents off... so $7.05 instead of $7.20 for the Small Box and $7.10 instead of $7.25 for the Padded Envelope. Yikes.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/N-Scale-NY...738548?hash=item33e07ecd34:g:7LQAAOSwFmxaaTQT Well, I agree with the "gritty" part. At least the shipping isn't over-priced. OK, that's all the nice things I can think of for this one. Where is the "eye-role" emoji?
Hrrk!...somehow I doubt that's the original roof. Wonder how they did that, heat gun? Also, mismatched couplers = ? I guess if you're not doing much switching and want to run a train with either coupler type...
At least shipping is free https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kato-20-17...384772&hash=item4b35544177:g:Cf4AAOSwkvdaY679
Four sections of track at that price. And I don't see anyway that it is a typo and I did not see anywhere that it is made out of pure gold or platinum. Talk about out of sight pricing. I am being nice and not saying what I would like to since this is a family venue.
Maybe they were trying to price it in yen instead of dollars? The item is located in Tokyo. 292.16 yen = 2.69 dollars, which is a fantastic deal (Way less than retail, about $9/pack, I think)
