Bachmann Bicentennial Set (New In Box)

[MasterChief68]

Hello, I am new to here and to HO trains.  I had some sets when I was younger, but nothing but just a couple of trains and a track.  The other day I dug out my old trains and some stuff that's been pasted down to me and I want to build a layout.  
Anyways I wanted to ask this question, I have a Bachmann Bicentennial set that has never been opened, and I was thinking about using it but I have no clue what it's worth and I hate to ruin the value by opening it.  I been doing web searches and can find nothing to compare it too.  Ebay has some used cars but that's about it.  What scared me was that I seen a BACHMANN THOMAS JEFFERSON BICENTENNIAL 51' BOX CAR - N SCALE #5205 for $698.75 on Amazon, and yea that is N scale. So back to the question should I open it or not.
BTW, I also got Tyco's, Alco 430 Diesel in Spirit of '76 and the Twin F9 Diesels Spirit of '76 plus some Commemorative State box cars.  Just another reason I wanted to open it.

[Woody Elmore]

The Ebay price is absurd. As for your train set, old train sets are not like old baseball cards - they do not have much value. Why not just set up the trains and enjoy them.

Merry Christmas.

[mhampton]

I just did a quick scan at Amazon.com and found a car being sold through Amazon (not by Amazon) by a dealer named Artmatrix for $498.75.  At that price, I don't think it will actually ever be sold.  It's real worth is about 1/100 of the asking price.  As Woody said, old mass produced plastic train sets don't carry much monetary value.  Their real value is in the future memories they can create.

[MasterChief68]

Baseball cards?  but they don't do anything, why would you want them. lol  Thanks guys I think I am going to use it. I am in no hurry to open it since I am starting from scratch building my layout, an seeing I have no clue it might be a while lol.