Freight cars for steam engines

[Doneldon]

Where do people get the idea that some of this stuff is worth so much?

J-J:

They read one Christmas season that some guy who was in financial distress and nearly suicidal because he couldn't give his kids a Christmas found his old Lionel set in a corner of his basement and sold it for enough that he could afford the best Christmas ever. Ergo, every old train ever sold is worth a million bucks. Toss in plain old wishful thinking and a residual belief from childhood that there are treasures out there just for the finding and it's pretty easy to see where the thinking is coming from.  
                                                                                                                                                                                -- D

[jbrock27]

I don't know why  JBJ
Doc's explanation is as good as any I have heard.
Maybe in some cases, it has to do something with greed perhaps, or for some, it is like trying to run a con.

[Doneldon]

Jim-

I'm sure there are a few folks who are hoping to make a killing with an old train sale, whether or not the trains have any actual value, but I think there aren't so many of those folks. For one thing, selling a $10 car for $150 really doesn't offer much reward for the risk and effort. I think most folks are just a little greedy and looking to make a great sale because it would be cool to do so. That's sort of like greed but I think it's mainly wishful thinking.
                                                                                                                                                              -- D

[RAM]

Well they are like some voters.  If some one says it, its bound to be true.  I think we have gone so far off of the subject (freight cars of the 40s and 50s) that we ought to shut it down.

[jbsmith]

I'm modeling in HO steam engines.  I'd like to get freight cars from the 20's, 30's, 40's period.  All cars that I see advertised are modern day.  Where can I find cars from the period that I am modeling?

Roundhouse/Athearn  and Accurail are good bets.
Bachmann too,,the tankers, 40ft box , the coal hoppers, crane cars, could be from the 40's,,

But then again who sez you can't run modern cars with steam ?  I think someone forgot to tell Union Pacific about that.
Enjoy the video to see what I mean

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhgHrDbN4EU

[jbrock27]

jbsmith, I know someone who scoffs at running modern cars with steam

RAM, take it easy, it's all under control, no reason to shut the thread down.  Just some good dialog here.

Doc, your point is well taken.  But while it is not much one item at a time, if someone is doing that multiple times and over the course of time, then it adds up.  The cumulative effect.

[rogertra]

jbsmith, I know someone who scoffs at running modern cars with steam

As I believe in era accuracy, even though I freelance, I do not believe in running out of era equipment on my GER.

So you'll not see Technotoasters pulling 36 foot single sheath box cars nor will you see 2-6-0s pulling cryogenic reefers.

But that's my choice.  If other people want to do that more power to them, even if it's not accurate.

[Len]

The 'KL&B Eastern Lines Railroad Museum' on my layout is located on a 35 mile spur the Class-I was getting ready to abandon and tear up. So deals were made, and agreements struck, so now the KL&B gets financing for the museum by halling freight dropped off by the Class-I to the businesses on the spur that might otherwise have had to shut down.

On any given day you might see a Light Mikado or a Consolidation hauling spine cars to the lumber yard, or modern box cars to one of the factories, you never know.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Where do people get the idea that some of this stuff is worth so much?

J-J:

They read one Christmas season that some guy who was in financial distress and nearly suicidal because he couldn't give his kids a Christmas found his old Lionel set in a corner of his basement and sold it for enough that he could afford the best Christmas ever. Ergo, every old train ever sold is worth a million bucks. Toss in plain old wishful thinking and a residual belief from childhood that there are treasures out there just for the finding and it's pretty easy to see where the thinking is coming from. 
                                                                                                                                                                     -- D

I suppose we should toss in there "lack of knowledge of toy or model trains," and that "residual belief" about undiscovered treasures is probably propped up by Antiques Road Show and perhaps American Pickers.

Ooops, sorry, I guess I went OT again. My bad. ... 

[jbrock27]

Agree JBJ.

[richg]

What I find interesting is the OP never came back or I missed his input.

Rich

[Woody Elmore]

There are tons of steam era cars out there. I would go to a train show if possible because you never know what you are getting from Ebay .

My neighbor's grandson is eight years old and loves trains. His dad bought a bunch of stuff from Ebay. A few of the cars were old Tyco with talgo trucks and X2f couplers. He was disappointed with the cars. I had told him to let me know what he was bidding on before buying.

The grandson is having a great time hot gluing finishing nails into some of the freight cars to add weight (he uses a postal scale) and I made a conversion car for them - knuckle coupler one end, x2f at the other. Now they can use almost all of the cars they got online.

As for old trains being worth a lot of money, the reverse is not true in all cases with brass models. Many of them have not increased in value because they simply have 40 year old technology or can't comapre to today's offering. A friend's United K-4 is a nice brass model but doesn't have the detail or run as nicely as a Bachmann offering.

I go to garage sales out here on Long Island and am still waiting for that million dollar Lionel collection although I found a guy with an American Flyer streamline passenger car - he wanted $150! It was in terrible condition but did have a torn up box. I bet he still has this AF treasure!

[Doneldon]

As for old trains being worth a lot of money, the reverse is not true in all cases with brass models. Many of them have not increased in value because they simply have 40 year old technology or can't compare to today's offering. A friend's United K-4 is a nice brass model but doesn't have the detail or run as nicely as a Bachmann offering.

Woody-

This is largely true. These models do sell for significantly more than when new but adjusting for inflation shows that few have actually appreciated. As for value growth potential and detail level, the trick is to buy only high-end examples. By that I mean the limited editions from the best builders. And it helps to have a great paint job and some believable weathering.
                                                                                                                                                                            -- D

[Woody Elmore]

There was some pretty poor quality brass stuff imported during the late seventies - Hallmark, Empire Midland and NJ Custom Brass are examples. They were using Korean builders because the Japanese builders were much more expensive. Westside started off as a great builder but they went through some financial problems and by 1976 their stuff was becoming second rate.

I always looked to buy from PFM - United, Tenshodo and Fuji were respectable builders.

The problem with buying brass on Ebay, or any other online auction, is that you don't know who has tinkered with the engine in the past. Also, a lot of the brass engines came with extra screws, etc., and thesse are often missing.

When all is said and done I wish I had never sold my United Southern Railway Ps-4!