Wondering What rolling stock is worth from the 70's

[parc_1]

Hey everyone,
   I just got some rolling stock that my grandfather had after he recently died, It is only like 4 cars, and not a whole set, was wondering what they may be worth or where to sell them to someone who would use them the way my grandfather cared about his toy trains. The first is a Bachmann HO scale #0990 36ft. Steel Caboose Burlington Northern, Still in the box. The second is a Bachmann 0941 42' Steel Gondola Burlington, Still in the box. The third is a Bachmann box car all Green with the word Reading across the side highlighted in yellow, not sure of the number but it is still in the box. And the last one is a South Pacific Tank car, silver and black still in the box. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[bobwrgt]

About $2-$3.00 each. You can check ebay to see what others might be paying.

Bob

[rogertra]

About $2-$3.00 each. You can check ebay to see what others might be paying.

Bob

That's what you have to pay to have people take them away.  ;-)

[blwfish]

Alas, Bachmann rolling stock from the 70s is pretty awful stuff. Completely and utterly different from what they produce today. I have a few from that era and I use them as practice items for trying out techniques before attempting them on more worthwhile models. The detail is mediocre at best, the couplers need to be replaced, the weights are usually nowhere close to right, and the trucks nearly always need to be replaced to run reliably.

[jettrainfan]

I sold 8 old cars to a friend for $20. 2 old bachmanns and the rest tyco. if I had the money, I'd buy old Bachmann cars because they got screws. tycos are a totally different story.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

if I had the money, I'd buy old Bachmann cars because they got screws. tycos are a totally different story.

If you go back far enough--to the early '60s--Tyco/Mantua rolling stock had screw-on trucks, but maybe that's not what you meant about screws.

They also had good, heavy metal underframes.

[CNE Runner]

Parc - We do not put virtually any products from the 1970s on our tables at train shows. The cost of transporting, and the display space taken up, isn't justified by the price these items can garner. I do keep a 'bargain box' of cars that would be similar to yours and usually sell them for a buck or two.

Train show attendees are trying to get the biggest 'bang' for their buck(s) and are not interested in older rolling stock. As an experiment, put one of your 1970s cars next to a new(er) car and see if you can tell the difference. Frankly, you can't beat today's products. I do (occasionally) sell an older brass locomotive or two...only in "unknown" condition as most of these relics don't run.

Advice: Find a youngster, in your area, who is just starting out in model railroading and give those items to him.

Regards,
Ray

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Train show attendees are trying to get the biggest 'bang' for their buck(s) and are not interested in older rolling stock.

And then there's the oddball like me who's looking for the truly "vintage" stuff. ...   

I agree with you, though, about looking to get the biggest bang for the buck.

[bevernie]

Greetings!! Many times, also, it depends on the particular car. Maybe a roadname, or grafiti, or some other "quirk"!!

[jerryl]

Put them on a shelf in your room to remember your grandfather.

[electrical whiz kid]

If you got enough of this stuff, you could sell it for plastic regrind-Or maybe go for broke and do landfill...
Rich

[Joe323]

I use it for displays etc