Building (not even scratch-building) a high-quality car kit is indeed time-consuming. ESPECIALLY urethane (which is what the Pacific Mountain kits are) although wood kits like this one are no joke either. Having constructed several for myself, if I were doing it to make money, even $125 probably wouldn’t represent much above minimum wage. However, as several have pointed out, actual market value is a different matter. A somewhat nicer brass model of the same prototype can be had for $150-$170 with a known re-sale value, and this is the stumbling block that this seller is up against.
Probably would have been smarter to start the bidding low, say $25. and have a reserve o $125. That way he could see how much modelers would be willing to pay, even if it did not sell.
Well to start, the pictures are small and fuzzy. Second, waaaaay to high price to start out at. I can gaurentee there will be no bids. Although it does look like a great model, although I am not spending $125 for a caboose!
I have seen a few of those kits and can tell you that they are for the moderate to experienced modeler. If someone wants to spend that much time on it and make it look that good (although the pics are fuzzy) you can see the detail. Then I would gladly hand him $125.00 for the work. My time is worth a lot more then that.
Hello fellow modelers, scratchbuiltmike here. I never thought that my starting price of $125 would be such an issue. All I can say is the ones that have replied stating the fact of how much time and effort went into such a model because they have built one are the only ones that understand the reasoning behind the price. For the ones who never attempted one of these kits, well just stay with your mass production models and keep hoping one of the manufacturers come out with something you’ve been wanting. Oh and by the way, I would like to know also, why is one a fool if he/she pays a higher price for something they have always wanted. Does this mean all brass buyers out there are fools too?
Yes you might be able to buy it in brass but if you have ever seen a brass caboose with scribed lines to look like wood next to one made from wood there is no comparison. The wood one will run circles around the brasss for authenticity.
I have purchased some of his upgraded work and they are truly great models. The details he adds I could not do. I had him scratch build a Southern Railway Tennessean square end observation with interior. It is a work of art. I also had him scratch build a Central of Georgia vista-dome. It is a fine piece also.
Hi all
On the basis of the pictures
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE JOKING!!!
Mind you I paid about $600 to get a rake of hornby
4wh coaches painted in the correct livery they should have been
But then I know what was involved in the re paint and, know it was imposable to do more than one hour at a time after the base colours where on.
Painting panelled coaches properly is not for the faint hearted who’s hand is not as steady as a rock.
I have seen many just plain dumb prices on Ebay I have the suspicion this is another one don’t bid on anything without knowing its brand new cost or collectors value before you start and as far as posable be sure of its condition.
or like me just look but don’t buy on Ebay
regards John
hi mike , and welcome to the forums
nice model , i can only begin to imagine the work that went into it . i’m sure it’s worth $125 , i just think it’s a mistake to start the bidding that high . someone suggested starting at $25 but having a reserve of $125 , sounds like a good idea to me . part of the fun of ebay auctions to me is the thought that the price is determined by the bidders , that’s why i don’t like ‘buy-it-now’ auctions . but that’s just me , other people like things different ways
about the whole fool thing … in general if someone pays $100 for something worth $20 then i’d have to think they’re foolish . of course they have every right to do that , and i have every right to have , and express my opinion of them . paying $$$ for a brass loco that lists for $$$ isn’t foolish , that’s just the price . paying $125 for your caboose isn’t foolish , any more than paying the prices that mellowmike or aggrojones are getting for their weathered freight cars is foolish . but you’ll notice that neither of them start their auctions at a high price
Although $125 is way beyond my budget, I can and do appreciate the work that you must have put into that kit. Excellent job. Perhaps you can post some hints on here so that we can improve our own modeling efforts.
Welcome to the forums. That is a great model, fuzzy pix or not!. Was this from the QC series of “brass” cabooses? I built the QC C&O’s for a friend, that came with the etched brass sides, cupola sides and ends while the rest of the car was wood, (frame, support structure) and the steps were castings. Turned out well but even from those “fuzzy pix”, you did a fantastic job.
Meant to add that I miss QC kits, there’s just not the selection on oldstyle kits, like this one, there once was.
Hello cjcrescent, This was the QC all wood with cast white metal parts (steps, brake parts, etc) kit. I did win one of the QC brass sided C&O/WM kits which was from a ebay listing that contained 5 different kits and I resold it because it was the same caboose Proto2K offered at one time and can still be found. Thanks for the commit. You are one of the understanding kit builders I mentioned in my first reply.