I'm wondering if there are any actual "N" scale model train collectors on trainboard. This is usually someone who is not that interested in running trains or building a layout. Their only interest is collecting varrious locomotives and rollingstock. And perhaps a complete unique passenger train and/or freight train. These items must be brand new, never been run, and in the original manufacture's boxes. The one exception to this is the addition of a top of the line decoder such as a Lenz Gold Mini series decoder. If you are out there and serious about collecting please let me know, either by a post or IM. See ya Ron
I've only met one guy over the years that I would consider a "collector",a guy who tries to get one of everything,but even he's a modeler first.Never met a single guy in 50 years that only collected,but never ran or removed his trains from the boxes in any scale other than a few Lionel guys..I do have one buddy who models HO,paints,decals,builds,ETC,but never had a RR or ran them ever,not even at a club,which is kinda unusual,since there's a huge club here.He'd build them,and stick them in a case..Haven't seen him for a while,he lost 200+ locos in a fire ten years ago,but started right back at it.He lost several locos I scratchbuilt for him in the fire..
Well I used to be a KADEE/Micro-Trains Line SPECIAL-RUN car collector. I've got at least one of every KADEE/MTL Special-Run car produced until 1999-2000. I gave it up. Costs just too D*** much to collect the SP-Runs put out now. Used to be that a Special-Run was really something. There would only be 5-10 Special-Run cars in a year, and they were usually a fund raiser, a club anniversary car or a convention car. Now if somebody's baby fills a diaper, they will put out a "Special-Run' CAR AND WANT AN ARM & LEG FOR IT! There is a certain national N-Scale organization that ruined the Special-Run car market because of this very thing. At first all they cared about was "collecting" KD/MTL cars and if you were a runner or a modeler, they looked down on you. I had my fill of them at our 2008 Convention here in Louisville. The KSONS Club took a BATH at this convention, but the N-Scale organization came out smelling like a rose! And now they are saying they want to be the National Voice of N-Scale!!!! I sure hope NOT. I digress, There are Collectors and there are Runners, and most of the time they don't mix!
I'll submit that there are very, very few "pure collectors" and Porkypine, it's most likely some (not all) of those "pure collectors" that unfortunately looked down their nose at you. (I know with reasonable confidence that I'm not exactly welcome in that circle either.) The term I prefer to use is "accumulator" which is defined as "someone who has more equipment than will fit on the layout at one time." (And I may have to modify even that definition since I have two friends who are building very large home layouts; right now all of their equipment does fit on them!) The collectors vs. runners vs. operators vs. "investors" scrum pre-dates even the Code Wars, and usually results in nothing but vitriol and bad feelings-- and I don't see why we have to go there again...
"Scrum" I like that! Anyway, one of the guys hanging around my LHS is a collector. He says, "I don't have a layout but I have hundred of locos!" The other guys concur. Being a former mountain climber, I knew better than ask why he collected them. Jim:tb-err:
We have one customer who bought/buys everything that comes out in ATSF and now BNSF. One only of every variation no matter how minor the difference in the scheme. All go into a closet. I was sick when the MP15's came out in three BNSF variations since they were sold out on arrival. I would have preferred selling them to modelers who would run and appreciate them for what they actually repesent and what they can do. Putting any model in a closet with no intention to ever run it feels like it should be illegal IMO.
Yeah. I feel the same way about most classic cars. My old car was built to be driven, and as soon as I can finish rewiring it, that's the way it'll be.
Collectors tend to be an eccentric lot. I know a fellow who has probably one of the largest n-scale collections on the planet. I met him through selling him a couple of items on eBay. With each purchase, he would ask me if I had any other items to sell. I told him that my own collection was pretty large, and that he would have to be more specific if he expected a reply - how would I know what he was looking for? He told me he was currently trying to complete his collection of beer can tankers, short ore hoppers, and Arnold GG1's. Anyhow...I got an invite to his house to see his collection, and since he only lives a few miles away from me, I decided to take him up on his offer. When I arrived at his address, I was looking at an 80 year old Cape Cod dwelling that desperately needed paint years ago, a weed-infested lawn, a cinder block side porch that was being used as the main entrance to the house, and a 10 year old Saturn in the driveway. I knocked on the door and was warmly greeted and immediately taken downstairs into the basement. It was one of the times in my life that I was nearly speechless. The entire basement, except for a corner where the utilities room was located, was floor-to-ceiling industrial racks jam-packed with n-scale trains. (there was a small layout he used for testing - maybe about 3' by 8') He told me that at last count, he had over 6,000 locomotives, close to 100,000 pieces of rolling stock, and every single American prototype collector set that could be named. He stays completely away from brass, and does not bother with foreign prototypes except for a few notable train sets like the TGV, ICE, TEE, Der Adler, and a couple others. He said his goal was to have at least one of every N-scale model ConCor has ever made, in every variation and in every road name ever released. He was pretty close to that goal. He did not care if a model was used or not. I asked him how he came to own such a gigantic collection. He said that about 15 years ago, he inherited a relative's enormous HO and O Scale collection, which he ended up selling piece by piece and replacing the sold equipment with N Scale. Another big N-scale collector found out about him and seriously challenged him to a contest to see who could end up with the most stuff. The rest is history - the other guy quit collecting. Never judge a book by it's cover, so goes the old adage. And how!
Almost The Same Guy As kornellred stated about this guy: "Collectors tend to be an eccentric lot" This is probably the closest to an explanation of why I quit collecting SPECAIL-RUN KD/MTL cars. I HAD to have each issue and had the ability to obtain each one. It was getting to the "price was NO issue" mentality. Had a visitor, to my then built layout, look at all those SP-RUN cars and say "That's all they do? Just sit there on those shelves?" Right then and there I realized I was starting to "WEIRD OUT" on the collecting issue, I received all the SP-RUN cars I had on order and then quit serious collecting. There will be a bunch of SP-RUN cars, on the walls, on display shelving, in the new rebuilt layout room, and people will be able to handle them. Some will be on the INDIANA RAILWAY earning their keep, and a few will be in LOCKED STORAGE DISPLAYS. Like I said, a have more than few valuable cars. But I am a runner, not a collector anymore.
Right or wrong I put micro trains couplers on my pecos river brass cars , I also installed new trucks , wheels, windows, window shades and painted a few . My current project is repainting a 6-3 sleeper into the Pullman two tone gray. I think if anything I have enhanced the value or at least I like to think so. As far as other train collections I collect anything that is usable on my layout.
Okay I am a heretic, an unrepentant sinner, an old curmongeon, and whatever else comes to mind. But the first thing I do when I get a new purchase home is to open the box and let out all that polluted factory air.Then it, in some cases, gets the paint stripped and repainted and decaled. About 15 to 20 percent of my stuff will get modified in some form, thus in some circles I have the well deserved name of The Butcher. People who know me occassionaly cringe at the thought of what will happen to something after I leave the LHS. And I could care less if it is a rare onion pacific. If it is the car I want but not in my roadname then it gets corrected. And I'll be danged if I will pay almost $40 for something to sit on a shelf or in a box and I probably won't pay that or close for any car no matter how much I want it. To me this is not an investment but a hobby. So I am certainly not a collector.
I fully resemble the above "quoted"................(lol) I have always tried to keep my perspective in this "hobby"........these are, first & foremost toys (gasp!!) - and to me, they are meant to be enjoyed, not hoarded!! IMHO - "They ain't worth a darn if they aren't on the layout, doing their job!!" I have never understood the "collector mentality".........why spend good $$ on trains that never see the light of day, and for the most part, will NEVER be worth that "pot of gold" most think.............?????
Me too, run 'em, baby! Poor little trains being denied the purpose of their existence. I mean, at least build a diorama and display them. But to leave them in their boxes just seems pointless.
This past year I went a little nuts ("nuts" being a term that is relative to your level of income) on that auction website. But I did set limits for myself. I'm not one of those collectors; I only collect roadnames I'm interested in. But that might mean paying a little more for that Bluford Sky Blue DT&I 86' box car than some because it happens to be the last of the 3 roads #'s I need. Right now I'm mainly a collector because I don't have a layout, that should change after this winter. I did purchase a 2 year membership to N Scale Collector, but only because I wanted some of the NASA stuff, otherwise I'm rather disenchanted with the whole culture. Every time I get a new issue I'm disappointed: "Oh look, another Penn car," or "hooray! more Bethlehem steel." I just don't care about those roadnames. I also don't get into too many things that aren't prototypical. I just think the idea of flipping out over some rolling stock just because MTL says it's a limited release is ridiculous. Mind you, I just snagged a full set of C&O "Cameo" boxcars, but I payed less than the MSRP. And now I'm hearing about paint defects going for something like $500? Really? Give me a break people. For me it's always been "I really want to run that on my layout," and that's what drives me to buy. But I'm fine with collectors, do whatever blows yer hair back, I don't mind. Just as long as someone is paying $500 for, lets say, a paint defected boxcar, then there will be collectors trying to get their hands on one. Just don't forget what happened to Beanie Babies and Baseball Cards. My full set of 1989 Topps baseball cards is worth way less than what I payed for it. New, in 1989... I was 9... my parents spent $50 so I could have playground bragging rights for a week.
I pretty much buy what I like/need,if I really like something,don't care what it costs.I never buy fantasy stuff,probably the only fantasy pieces I have are an old Bachmann Bicentennial set I got in '76,some Turtle Creek MOW stuff I made,[decals in MR were too cute to pass up,LOL..]and maybe a few boxcars I ended up with buying lots of stuff.I never hesitate to hack something up to "improve" it,and most of my hacked stuff is probably worth more than it was before I got exuberant.If I were to "collect",it wouldn't be N,I'd go for MTH or Lionel if I was gonna do nothing but stare at it,LOL!!
