1982 Chef Boyardee Diesel Hustler

[BensMom]

Hello everyone! My name is Susan and I have a question. My son was just given this train set, still sealed in it's original box. The original shipping box has a post mark of April 6 1982. There is a number on the train box10626. Of course, what 8 year old wouldn't want to rip right into it and start playing?

I on the other hand have told him that I would like to research a little on it to see if it would be worth hanging onto for a while. If the value isn't too great now, and won't increase much, then He may have it now. I can't expect an 8 year old to appreciate a collectable if he can't see the value. Can some one please direct me to an appraisel? Then I may show him what it was appraised for, and make a decision from there.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Susan

[chewie8han]

Have you searched for this item on Ebay?  That's a pretty good appraisal.  I'm not saying you won't be able to sell it for more at some private auction house, but a lot of people won't pay more than what it's selling for on Ebay.

Unfortunately, I have no idea what this item's worth is, so I can't really say a whole lot more.  I have heard that these collectors trains aren't really worth a whole lot, so I doubt they'd go up that much more in price.  Hopefully someone else on here will have a little better idea for you.

Kevin

[scottychaos]

Here is a Chef Boyardee boxcar,
the auction has ended, they were asking $14.99, it didnt sell, no bids:

http://tinyurl.com/27adfp

there are two other boxcars that also didnt sell..same prices asked.

generally old HO scale train sets have very little value.
and the special "chef boyardee" paintscheme could actually DEcrease its value, (as opposed to an actual railroad paintscheme) because not many people would be interested in a Chef Boyardee train.

Here are four complete "diesel hustler" Bachmann sets that recently sold on ebay:
http://tinyurl.com/2j6g5o

they sold between $17.50 and $31.00.

I vote for giving it to the kid!

Scot

[BensMom]

Thank you Kevin.




Thanks Scott.
I just didn't want to make a mistake and feel sick later after finding out he could have sold it for a lot of money either now or in the future. I don't know much about collectables, what I do know is that in an original package, things can be considerably more valuable. I did see the car on e-Bay. That was the first place I looked. What we have is a complete set 3'x3' circle track lighted locomotive, engine with three cars with the power pack.

[Rich R]

Hi Susan,

If I were you I would remove the train from the box and give the train and track and everything to the lad to enjoy. That's what it was meant to do in the first place right?
Now as to what you also mentioned about the original box? I'd take that and store it someplace where it won't be exposed to light, extremes of heat or cold or any abnormal wear and tear. In twenty years or so you might find the box to be more valuable than what was in it and your son has enjoyed his trains.
Best of both worlds and your worries are put to rest.

Cheers,
Rich R

[HOplasserem80c]

Helo susan,

HO trains never go up in value like lionel trains do. it is onlt as vauable as the person who wants it makes it. i have a car with universal conversion couplers on it and i won't sell it because it means i can connect any coupler to any othercoupler which is very usefull when running trains with different couplers on it. hope this helps. and also your son probably has the joy of trains in him so don't take that away. i remember the day the UPS man brought my train to the front door it was a bright sunny day and we i saw the box i didn't know what it was i opened it and i went nuts. i ran to the phone and called the hobby store to see if it was a train set you could add stuff too.and when  he said they had stuff for HO train sets i was happy my mom took me to the train store and i got a amtrak train with two superliners. then we rushed home and i played with my train all day which continue to do today and i alway will.
                                                                    HOplasserem80c

[JM]

Some HO scale equipment has increased in value, but it is the exception rather than the rule...any mass produced set like the one you are asking about will never be worth a fortune....it might become a collectors item some day.....[the old TYCO stuff can fetch a very good price on EBAY and it was never even worth what it cost originally].....but I doubt a Chef Boyardee set would be much of a ''collectable.
   MY two cents...let'em have it to play with,could spark an interest in the worlds greatest hobby.

[BensMom]

Thank you all for your advice. Benjamin has had Trains of the Brain since he was old enough to tell the difference between a Train and  a Truck. Ironically, a lot of the gifts I recieved at my baby shower were train related. The first Christmas ornament we purchased to mark his First Christmas was a train. He has quite the library of videos as well. Amazingly enough he most always appreciated the documentary style over anything else. By the age of four, he could tell you what all the different cars were used for, and the differences between the engines.
As it turns out, on my Fathers side of the family there were quite a few train workers , and many more model enthusiasts. So, the Rails are in his blood and whether I let him have the set or not....(He will get it when  he gets home from school...fear not Train collectors! LOL) His passion is already stoked. Even without a fireman he is full steam ahead!

[SteamGene]

Ah, a mother bringing her son up well.  Steam.  Fireman.  Wonderful. 
Now, the down side.  A 1982 train set is going to have brass track, a poor locomotive, nasty couplers, and undependable cars.   The power pack is very outdated. 
It might be best to set the set aside and go and buy a nice Bachmann set with modern stuff.  There is a world of difference between 1982 promotional sets and what is available today.  Depending on where you live, you might be able to find a set that features a local "fallen flag." 
Actually, at eight, I'd suggest On30, not HO.  If I had a grandchild to suddenly develope an interest in Grandpa's hobby, that's where I'd go. 
Gene

[HOplasserem80c]

why would he want on30. get him the most popular size HO

[BIG BEAR]

        Ya Ma let 'em play wif it!
    If your already intellegent young man shows this much enthusiasm, he can conquer the universe.
    Making him wait until you did some research, probably will make him respect this item even more.   
   
     Hoping you both enjoy this journey,

                          Barry

[BensMom]

Thank you Steam Gene. Benjamin already owns the same Bachman set minus the Chef Boyardee, and 22 years newer. We have also purchased additional track pieces so he may expand. He wants to combine the two. I hadn't realized there would be a difference in fittings and such. Will it cause a problem?  What is the difference between the HO and the on30? He actually has a couple different HO sets I think both are Bachman. He also has 3 different larger sets, the ones that you can get a Wal Mart for Christmas. (Not sure what kind or size, they are the cheap sets though, one year 3 different family members decided he needed one)

Barry - That certainly is my hope. He has gotten to that careless stage, where he doesn't exactly take care of or respect his belongings. Of course, he gets very upset when he discovers things not working properly or worse yet..........broken.

To all you Gentlemen........

I appreciate your time in answering my question, also the kind words in regards to bringing him up right, and how intelligent my son is. He is my world. I encourage him to pursue his interests, and help him any way I can. May be one day Benjamin will be chatting with you about your common passion. Amazing how diverse a group of people can be yet completely enjoy each others company. I know Benjamin would be thrilled to talk to someone else about trains!

[SteamGene]

Ben's Mom,
On30 is O gauge in size, but runs on HO track.  There is a general rule that the younger the user, the larger the scale.  On30 tends to be sturdier than HO, though it is perhaps a bit harder to put on the track itself.  You mention the breakage - On30 might aleviate that to some degree. 
I'm assuming that the 1982 cars have horn hook couplers - with what appear to be hooks on the end and a straight vertical piece sticking down about half-way down the coupler.  If he has new stuff, the coupler quite likely looks like a real railroad knuckle coupler. 

HO, Prithee, when thou putst thy pen to paper in correspondence to me, pray use thy capital letters yea even correct punctuation.  Thy language arts master is frustrated in that worthy's attempts to raise thee up in thy language skills.  It is not that thou typst to swiftly; thou checkest not behind thyself and it doth smite thee.   Thou dost not put thy car on its rails without checking that its wheels are on the track.  Do also with thy writing and thou also shalt travel smooth as the peregrine doth soar in the sky. 
Gene

[HOplasserem80c]

susan when i started i had different couplers but i went to a train show and a man sold me a universal car.no matter which way u turn it it connects to other couplers hope this helps

[BensMom]

Actually gentlemen, I was concerned about the tracks not being compatible. Steam Gene mentioned the 1982 being brass tracks. What are they now, and can they be used together?