In the latest issue of Classic Toy Trains, there's an article following the value of a collection of trains the magazine has been following for a number of years. During the last four years, the value of that collection has fallen. For collectors of toy trains, how does this affect you? Is it really important? In my case, it's irrelevant. My reason for collecting toy trains isn't for their monetary value, but rather for their play value, especially when I can involve my children. What do you think?
I guess the reason why I bring this topic up is because I hear of so many kids who purchase "collectible" items, such as baseball cards or Hot Wheels or Lionel trains, then set them aside and never play with them, because to do so will hurt their value. They're missing the whole point of buying these things in the first place! The only reason things like baseball cards and Lionel trains from the 1950s and 60s are so valuable now, is because those of us who were kids back then, who didn't save their toys, have the money to recreate their childhood. Maybe if they didn't bother to grow up in the first place, they wouldn't have this problem! Pat
There is an old Marx train behind the couch at my grandmother's house. The last time that thing ran was probably 1975, and it's in immaculate condition. I'm thinking of restoring it, purchasing some new track, and making a "Christmas Train" out of it, rather than selling the items for a profit (although they'd probably be worth quite a bit).
Hi fellows, I am like you guys, I operate my trains, not collect or invest in them. How ever I do sell an item on ebay from time to time as well as purchase at lot from there also. Recently I sold a coal loader and it went finally for about, well much less than I paid for it 5 years ago. I am a disabled vet and haven't the budget for a lot of train stuff, so I need to buy and trade carefully. I hate to see items drop in price when or if I need to sell something to fund a new purchase. I by a lot odd scrap box items, parts and restorable cars and accessories so top end values on collectable pieces doesn't affect me much. If the Girls Set or a Blue Comet std. ga set decreases I dont care. I will never own one. This is my first post here and it is great to find a board like this. Gil
Gil, Welcome to trainboard, it is always great seeing new members post for the first time. If you have any questions feel free to email me. I look forward to seeing more of your posts, once again welcome.
Me too Gil, I have bought a few box lots on eBay for HO, and have some old Lionel and Marx stuff. Not collecting, just keep sakes from my dad and childhood. All the HO I run, but do not collect it. Maybe you have some parts and pieces I can use when I find one I need to repair? Welcome aboard. Tell us about your interests, and what are you doing with them.
You guys are most kind. I didn't put much in the profile here as this is a little new to me. If I want to add something I can do so later. Also I didn't know how it would go here, I have logged on to a few other boards that were all sort of click oriented or gauge specific and tin men and 3 railers were not credited for much. Those were mostly HO and the like. That seems not to be the case here. My name is Steve but I use this handle of Gil Finn both on fishing post boards (I have a modest OBX fishing page) and for on line commerce and train stuff (as in Gil Finns Aquarium Car :^) ) I live in W Va and spend a good deal of time in NC. I am acquiring a lot of Marx stuff at present, mostly post war and the deluxe plastic stuff. I have a lot of Marx tin accessories, 3/16th and some pre war trains. I like to refurbish Standard Ga. parts stuff and project pieces and have a modest amount of that as well as a fair sampling of other Lionel prewar items. I started out collecting postwar Lionel when my son was young as a hobby we could work on together but you know how that universal story ends, LOL. It is fortunate I have some rental property I maintain for storage and can set up several layouts there as I dont have the space here at home any longer, except for the holidays. Last year I came by an old 4x8 table about 50 years old, from the looks of it with track and switches still in place. I rebuilt that and to set it up with trains and accessories is the next step. It had 2 Lionel and 2 Marx switches and the track was a mix also. It was easy to see where it had been expanded several times from old traces of paint and drilled and screw holes. Most of the track though rusty was salvageable and with a good cleaning and oiling the turn pouts work fine. The grass that had been used was paper desk blotters. I recall those blotters as a kid on my dads desk at home. That was replaced with the hobby shop paper on the roll and with a new coat of green paint the table looks as it must have in it's hey day. My Train Page: http://www.geocities.com/bubbaobx61/Toy_Trains.html My Ebay Page:http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/bubbaobx61/
Steve, welcome to TrainBoard. As a youngster, I had a big collection of Marx items (read family couldn't afford Lionel). Every Christmas all I wanted was another car or two, or more track or switches. I owned the original Marx 2-4-2 999, but had added classification lights and a whistle to it at a friend's machine shop. I think my pride and joy was finally getting the plastic Marx 4-6-4 Santa Fe Hudson. As I recall it was very noisy, growled like an Alco! Do you have one of those? I can remember a PFE reefer car, NYC Pacemaker boxcar, a couple of different tank cars, hoppers, gons, and the passenger cars as well. When I went away to school they got passed on to some young cousins and I haven't seen them since.
No, I dont have that engine but I do have the 999 & the 666. Also I have a 726 RR Lionel. I had a set of Marx as a kid but I was to young to play with them and no one would set them up for me that I recal. They were also hand me downs. My first new train was an AF.
Hey Gil, Welcome Aboard!!! Hope you find everything you want to know about Trains here, there are alot of interesting stories and neat folks here. Ask questions and they will be answered. Enjoy!
Gill, You wouldn't have sold a MDC 3 truck Shay on ebay a few months back? 3 or 4 months at the most. It went for I think $56 or something relitively close to that. I had gotten highest bid on it. If so, i'm the fellow that bought it from you! And I got some of it assembled. It was a complete unassembled kit like brand new! Also... Welcome aboard the family here at trainboard!
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Gil Finn: [QB]You guys are most kind. I didn't put much in the profile here as this is a little new to me. If I want to add something I can do so later. Also I didn't know how it would go here, I have logged on to a few other boards that were all sort of click oriented or gauge specific and tin men and 3 railers were not credited for much. Those were mostly HO and the like. ]<hr></blockquote> Hi Steve, you might be interested in the OGR forum, http://www.ogaugerr.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi This forum is dedicated to all O gauge trains, tinplate included........
7600EM_1 , that wasn't me but if I had seen that auction, I would have given you a run for your money on that. What are you guys doing for Christmas with your trains? My ebay handle is Bubbaobx61 and the current email for trains is marxbidder@aol.com [ 14 December 2001: Message edited by: Gil Finn ]
Hi Fitz and all (you do get around Fitz). I have never bought any trains for collectors value or possible profit (except for junkers to fix and sell).This is not a hobby that people will get rich in. Ask my boss at the train store I work at 3 days aweek. Marx is great for running but has less collector value then most because it was made in such large quanties and very cheaply. Much of it will not run on Lionel switches because of the large gears on the drivers. My favorite Marx pieces are the little four wheel tin cars. They really got me back into the toy train game about 20 years ago after going straight scale O/On3,for about30 years.(But that is a very long story,huh Fitz.)
Hi Fitz and all (you do get around Fitz). I have never bought any trains for collectors value or possible profit (except for junkers to fix and sell).This is not a hobby that people will get rich in. Ask my boss at the train store I work at 3 days aweek. Marx is great for running but has less collector value then most because it was made in such large quanties and very cheaply. Much of it will not run on Lionel switches because of the large gears on the drivers. My favorite Marx pieces are the little four wheel tin cars. They really got me back into the toy train game about 20 years ago after going straight scale O/On3,for about30 years.(But that is a very long story,huh Fitz.)
