Spotted this post on e-bay
Is this price realistic?. In the past I have seen a few of the PFM unfinished brass trade in the $1,000 mark.
Note that the new brass offerings of this engine are of the streamlined version, with DCC and sound and are painted, they sell for around $1,200 - $1,300 mark.
There were only two runs out of the 1970’s of the T1a non-streamlined version, the Pacific Pike run and the PFM version. Nothing since,
Once again, the price of anything is only determined by how much the buyer is willing to pay and how badly the sellers wishes to be rid of the item.
If I had to keep it and run as a condition of sale, I would not give $5 for it, but that has no bearing on its value, since I don’t “want” it.
Who cares if the sellers price is “realistic”? Do you want one of these Don?
Will you pay that much? If not what do you care if he sells it or not?
Maybe he is “fishing” - maybe he will find a fish? maybe not?
I want a Western Maryland Pacific - but to be honest I don’t want it $300, or $400 worth - and since they only exist in brass, usually at about that price, I don’t own one yet - I’m fishing for a $200 deal just like this guy is fishing for a modivated buyer.
Sheldon
As the old saying goes, “Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes.”
Since I have just about as much use for a Selkirk as I do for a box of snakes, I won’t be saluting. That doesn’t mean nobody will. To me, it’s not the cost, it’s the lack of need.
Someone else, otherwise sane, might shout, “That’s just what I need,” and whip out his credit card. Or, if the seller isn’t that lucky, the price might come down. Only time will tell exactly what will happen - after it happens.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
The way I look at prices is:
If I have to ask myself if it’s worth it, then the answer is no. At least for me.
When I don’t ask, then I know it is - for me. So keep looking.
Happy Hunting
Paul
I was in one of the larger hobby shops recently, what a treat compared to what I have in my town. Division Point has recently released some Canadian steam. I was looking at the new CNR and CPR Pacific engines which were priced around the $1,500 mark. These are DCC ready, no sound.
I have some older PFM CNR and CPR locomotives from the 1970-1980’s and am very happy with them, most of the brass I have I have acquired in the last year or two for around the $200-$300 mark.
The newer brass is a bit more detailed but I certainly would not pay for the new brass at the $1,500 mark. One of the Division point locomotives was their new CNR 4-8-4 U2, these are selling for just a bit more than the Pacifics, I bought a few of the True Train’s offerings last year of their CNR U2 engines that were initially selling for around $1,100, and then marked down to $400. These have QSI sound, dcc and are excellent running engines now that they are fully run in.
Talking to the hobby shop owner, he advised me that a lot of his customers with locomoitive on consignement have been increasing their asking prices for their old brass, especially in the last year.
He also advises me that for the more popular steam engines they are getting their asking prices. Not surprised since in many instances the old brass is selling for one third of the new brass prices.
FYI I bought a Selkirk last year, professionally painted, no wear and paid just over $500 for it. I have had offers double what I paid. There is no way I would sell it, I lucked out and was lucky to get the engine cheap, I posted pictures of the engine when I first received it, and also a few of it running on my layout.
The offers I received originated from my posting in this forum. Obviously the Selkirk to some is popular and they would like to own one and there are none of the original unstreamlined versions available except for the old PFM stock from the 1970’s.
Don,Old brass locomotives prices are all over the place and regardless of the constant uninformed replies…
So one more time.
Some old brass locomotives is worth far more then they sold for in the 50/60/70s while others isn’t worth all that much.
The reason isn’t as simple as many think due to the collectibility and rarity of the locomotive which sets the price collectors and modelers are willing to pay if we want (say) a N&W M1A 4-8-0…
Examples.
Let’s look at a Alco Models RS1 that goes for 100.00- $150.00 on a good day and if lady luck smiles for you…
Why should we buy that locomotive with a inferior drive when the Atlas RS1 is far superior? Simply put we wouldn’t.A collector would be happy to pay that price if the locomotive was needed.
Now another look.
Let’s look at a rare locomotive.
A GN 2-8-8-2 with closed cab and factory painted.
Selling price $1,800-2,200…
There are collectors and GN modelers willing to pay that price.
Don.
There is no rhyme or reason for sellers and buyers on E-bay. I have bought 4 brass locos on it so far. 3 of the 4 were total surprises of my winning. The B6 I acquired for $120 was the first surprise. One exactly like it but damaged sold the day before for $70 more than I paid. The next was the 2-6-0. Finally this past week I picked up a Westside K5 pacific for under $125 brand new never run. I have seen junk go for incredible amounts and I have witnessed the deals of the century. I was watching a 2-8-0 H10 once and figured I would never have a chance with my very limited budget. I was taken with the final price of $99. Someone was very lucky that day! That was a Key that originally sold new for $1200.
A friend of mine said “E-bay is like a woman, You can’t figure it out.” He is also the guy that paid $8 shipping on a $2 post card and it still took 6 weeks to arrive from the next state over!
Pete
Have you looked at brasstrains(dot)com? I think that is the correct web site. If they have one (same or similar) you’ve got one beanchmark. If not, you might ask if he’d be interested in one and see if he is even interested in taking it on consignment. I recently asked if he’d be interested in a Westside SSW/Cotton Belt 4-8-4, custom painted and in excellent shape. He declined and didn’t say why, but I’m guessing he knows something about the market for that model. I may be mistaken. Maybe he was just having a bad day [:'(]
Mike
Brasstrains is not that informative a site.
Their prices are over two years out of date and they have no grading system on the locomotives they have on consignment.
What with the new brass in the market place and no recognition of being out of date I can not take any of their inforjmation as gospel or current.
Perhaps I need to explain the meaning of “one benchmark.” Seems you know a lot about the answer to the queston you asked.
Not a steam guy, but is this the same thing: http://www.brasstrains.com/classic/Product/Detail/031531/HO-Totem-CPR-T1a-2-10-4-8000-Custom-NICE (description says T1a, but box says T4a).
And then there’s a T1c: http://www.brasstrains.com/classic/Product/Detail/036681/HO-Van-Hobbies-CP-Canadian-Pacific-2-10-4-T-1c-Selkirk
Most dealer including Dan’s will purchase collections, but are not interesting in individual models. Their pricing for buying a customer collection is about 40 to 50% of the value of each model. Anytime they pay out for a collection, their money is tied up until the collection can be sold and that sometimes takes month to sell the most wanted and about 20% of the collection could be in stock for several years. Their profit is slow in coming and they have to make money to continue in business. I would have to believe if they offered the wholesale price for most older Westside models to a customer, the person would be offended. If you want to sell something quickly, you will always take a loss. Ebay is a way of getting what a model is worth or more in some cases providing it is a model that more than one person on Ebay wants and will bid on it.
One way of selling the model is to list it under consignment with a known local dealer or a dealer like Caboose Hobbies. You can set the sales price and they charge 20 to 30% of the selling price. If you set the price too high, it will not sell but they also advise of what the selling price is for most models.
The Westside CB 4-8-4, which is a nic
The two items are worlds apart! Sorry, they are not the same thing. One is a one of the kind locomotive model and the other is a less than model of a later CP 2-10-4.
CZ
I understand the dealer "business model’ quite well. I’m a collector of varied items from 4,000 year old Egyptian artifacts, to historically identified U.S. martial arms, to Mayan art to… list too long to bother with here.
What annoyed me about my query to “Dan” is he did not give me the courtesy to explain what you have just summarized very well. He didn’t owe it to me to be anything other than “curt”, but by basically disregarding my inquery, he basically lost a customer.
For what it is worth, I actually offered three brass items for possible consignment–didn’t even ask him to buy them. I will keep looking at this web site for one particular brass item and if it turns up, I’ll make an offer. If he takes it we’ll both be ahead; if not, his heirs can figure out what to do with his inventory.
BTW: I’m not a brass"collector." The brass locos and cabooses I have–10 in all-- are destined for use on the layout. My personal view is that brass collecting is, like most ‘collectables’ , not a long term investment for profit.
Mike
Here’s a simplified answer to "BRASS’’ locomotives, if you want a specific type of locomotive from a specific railroad, you probably will have to pay a fairly high price, if you want a “brass” locomotive from any railroad and you don’t care what type of locomotive you can get some great deals, eg: NP Z-6 4-6-6-4 will cost you $3,000.00. or a C.N.R U-2e 4-8-4 will be $1,500.00, now if you want a beautiful mint brass locomotive get a Sunset, USRA, 2-8-2 heavy mikado for $275.00. it’s pretty simple eh?