Some one is selling a MT new haven box car on "THAT" auction site. the STARTING price is $1200. Is it me or does this seem a bit steep? Paul f
I think that same type of box car went for about $3500 on N scale collector last year.Ah the crazy times we live in!
Over the years I've seen some wild bid wars drive prices out the roof and the next week the same item can't be given away.
"US buyer to pay $5.00 shipping via USPS, uninsured priority mail" for that much money you can atleast pay the extra buck for insurance.
And the box isn't complete.NO insert and M/T price sticker.For the people that would pay that kind of price(collectors).Those are the most important things they want.
I've got one of those New Haven boxcars. It was the first Kadee car I bought. But I've run it for 30 years and long ago discarded and later replaced the box, so I'd just as soon keep it, 'cause the collectors wouldn't want it.
Don't feel bad Greg, I've got the very first original SP double-door Kadee box with the metal wheels. Box, what box? It's weathered, tagged, and has a lumber load in it.... Well, if it weren't for people like us, there'd be no shortage! I think of it as kind of a public service of sorts.....
Heh heh heh...right on Rand, let's keep N scale safe for the collectors! Where's another vintage Kadee car I can weather? Ed, no wonder it's so 'cheap'...no insert, no sticker. Hence the lowball price...compared to the $3,500 reported above. Let's see, that little tag and slip of paper are worth about a grand each? What a screwy hobby this can be... "I don't collect trains, I just abuse them..."
So true! I saw an item sell on that site last weekend. A month ago, one went for $1100. On Saturday, this example got $249. Have a fellow with whom I talk with now and then. He knew the MT/Kadee collection I once had. And just loves to tell me what it would be worth these days.... Boxcab E50
Ok, what is special about it? for those lookin for it... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=19126&item=5914028138&rd=1
Virtual bird, what makes the car unusual is that the car type "XM" was done in letters the same size as the capacity, load limit and light weight, whereas "XM" should have been in larger letters. This was corrected in subsequent releases by Kadee. Remember, this was before Kadee, now Micro-Trains, went to limited production runs and monthly releases.
Don't you kind-of wonder if we'll be looking back in 2020 at the Intermountain and Atlas releases from 1990's and say... "Gee, if only I would have kept them in mint condition... I could be rich" Probably wayyyyyy to late for most of us... since the IMRC & Atlas cars have always been considered "runners" instead of shelf queens.
All of these auctions only fuel the hype of collectability and drive-up prices for a relatively ordinary hobby. I wouldn't be surprised if the cost of current new products aren't being somewhat affected by what people are paying for items on auction sites. I would hope that a company like Micro-trains isn't saying "Hmmm those 20000 series boxcars sell regularly on ebay for $20.00 & up... so that's where the market must be now... let's put our ordinary cars at $20.00 MSRP".
