Another Crazy eBay Price - Kato Pocket Line Set

I saw this listing and once I stopped laughing I just had to share. http://cgi.ebay.com/KATO-POCKET-TRA...ewItem&pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item51939ed733 This is for a Kato 10-500 "Pocket Line" set. They retailed for about $40 from a OHS on the East Coast. I got mine off of eBay for about $20. If the seller is who I think it is, I once mentioned the original pricing to them and the response was less than pleasant.

I personally try to set realistic prices for the odds and ends I sell on eBay but this takes the cake. I guess some people operate by Patton's favorite motto - "L'audace, l'audace; toujours l'audace." ("Audacity, audacity, in all things, audacity.")

Andy
"Tetsu Uma"

 

The pocket line renewel is just about to be released by Kato in Japan (it was supposed to be out this month but got set back to the beginning of July). People are obviously trying to offload their "rare" Japanese trains before it becomes obvious you can buy it off the shelf. Expect a "sale" at NewHallStation.

 

I've dealt with this guy in the past...he is now on my blocked bidder list. It was the most unpleasant transaction that I have had in over 10 years using eBay. You know; calling me an idiot and other things even though the MT car that I purchased from him had some kind of glue with a finger print on the side!

 

I used to see this in O a lot. "Rare" "Almost rare" "Soon to be rare" "May be rare". The more times they say "rare" in their ad, the more money they want for it.

That shop down in Florida that has all the out of production Kato stuff didn't want half that for the last one they had.

 

Such a deal on his shipping also

Parcel Post not First Class or Priority.

Gary

 

If that is the "Like New" price, I wonder what a "New" price would be?

 

About $40 plus shipping for the new release from Hobby Search in Japan.

 

The new release is also available in a better looking paint scheme.

Steam Locomotive of Fun Town (3-Car Set) (Model Train) Kato 10-500-1 Pocket Line|Locomotive|Passenger Car N Scale

 

Cheaper too!

Sales Price:3,600 yen (20%OFF) about 39.63 USD

Gary

 

And they are having a half price on shipping deal if you use paypal.

 

Well, they sure are cute little cars....

People and eBay sometimes make for interesting conversations. I like the auctions for the static display Southern Pacific set that was given away by Reader's Digest or something similar for ridiculous prices...amazing....

 

As soon as I clicked on the link in this thread, I recognized who that seller is/was...

His old eBay ID was RAMBO something or other. I can't find it now; I used to keep the URL in my Favorites list on my previous computer. Anyway... there was a website called eBay's 10 worst N scale sellers (or something close to that if you search for it).

This Rambo, now UPBigboy was always the #1 or #2 worst seller. That website always had humorous, sarcastic comments about eBay sellers who used embellished descriptions, super high minimum bids and outlandish shipping charges.

He's got a lot of less than complimentary feedback. Makes you wonder what the heck bidders were thinking when they chose to bid on his auctions in the first place?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/LONG-HOPPER-WES...ewItem&pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item51939e5b18

All I can say is, HUH?????? WOW

 

Wow!!! I don't get this guy? Most of his LL and prehistoric freight cars are all around $20, not even worth the cost of the MT trucks if equiped + the value of the cars. Yet, he's selling engines for $5-$10.

 

The new set IS nice. I was thinking about having a set sent to my nephew in Tokyo.

I think he is operating on the P.T. Barnum, "there's a sucker born every minute" business model i.e. hope that someone who doesn't know the market bids on the item. That or he got taken and doesn't want to eat the loss. He's had that set up for auction before and ate the fees when it didn't sell. Check out this so-called "Kato" locomotive he has up for auction. Doesn't look like an NW2 to me . . . http://cgi.ebay.com/KATO-ENGINE-DIE...ewItem&pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item51939d8f8c

 

You are correct it is not a NW2 but either a SW1200 or SW1500 or ...

Kato made locomotives for different importers, Atlas and Con-Cor to name just two. They did this before and after they started producing their own line in 1987 with the EMD GP38-2.

According to the N-Scale Locomotive Encyclopedia

Circa 1985, Con-Cor contracted Kato (Japan) to produce an entirely new mechanism for the "cow" units (albeit retaining the original Rivarossi tooling for the shell and with the "calf" units remaining entirely unchanged). This version was manufactured up until around 1989, at which point Kato and Con-Cor went their separate ways. Kato "A" units can be identified by looking at the bottom of the trucks (where it says "Kato"). Con-Cor re-re-issued a new Chinese manufactured version of their Kato-made SW1500 in 1997 (using much of the original Kato tooling). And for reasons unknown, Con-Cor decided to market this new release as an SW1200 rather than an SW1500
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I would have to say that the EBay ad in question is misleading, if not totally false.

I believe I purchased once from this seller when he was using a different name. After 14 days and not receiving my items along with no responses to my emails, I filled a complaint with both EBay and Paypal. That caused an instant response from the seller stating the the item was shipped the day after I paid for it and that I just needed to wait a couple more days because of the distance. Postmark on the package that arrived 3 days later was the day I filed the complaints.

BUYER BEWARE

Gary​

 

I knew (and own) Atlas by Kato locomotives (including the SD9) and some Con-Cor/Seikisui Kinzoku (Kato) box cars but I did not know they did any SWs for Con-Cor. Suprise me. (I was being a little sarcastic about the NW2 comment). Still, to not mention this was Con-Cor by Kato is kind of lame.

 

Is it misleading or lame? I think so too.

I'm not defending his/her actions here, but maybe he/she does not know that it is a Con-Cor by Kato. It seems that there are many EBay sellers that do not have a clue as to what they have when it comes to MR items. Recently I purchased a new Athern 57' Mechanical Reefer that was advertised as "A boxcar with ventilation grills." MSRP $15.98 for $7.50 including S&H.

Some poor sucker is going to see the "Kato" locomotive and jump on it only to get something else.

I do not know how well the Con-Cor by Kato locomotives run since I do not own one. I would think that they would be fairly good (read better) compared to some of the other Con-Cor by XXXX (you replace the XXXX's). I base this on the Atlas of the 70's and 80's and how they ran compared to the Atlas by Kato of the 80's and 90's.

Gary

 

You can review a sellers ebay ID history and see all the names he/she was listed under. Click on a sellers feedback and then to the right, view more options.

 

If, based on feedback, I see that a seller doesn't usually deal in model railroad items; I'm willing to cut them a break and bounce a question over to them. But to deal in model railroad items and not know basic details or fail to mention things like "no box" (a personal pet peeve of mine); I'm not willing to extend the benefit of the doubt.