I’m not really into Lionel (prefer HO and Z gauge) but this set on eBay caught my eye… HOLY COW PEOPLE!! This is a lot of money for this set!!
Because it is a very rare, hard to find, antique collector’s item today.
I don’t own any Lionel, either, but saw a video a couple of years ago entitled “100 Years of Classic Lionel Trains” that showed one of these that was valued at $20K plus.
Yeah, but just look at those boxes!! WOW!!!
It is a 1937 train by Lionel. Need we say more! I only hope that in seventy years my HO Lionel Challenger is still worth $200.00, the blow out price.
Boy, do I wish that I still had my 1938 (actually Christmas, 1937) Lionel set[:O]
I wonder if the chew marks on the boxcar I (literally) cut my teeth on would reduce its value[:-^]
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
he did something smart…best offer
In general, Lionel prices are down. The exception are sets like this. Rare, excellent condition, with the boxes, including the set box, and the skys the limit as far as price goes. A while back a set box, just the empty cardboard box, on a rare set from the 50’s sold for $5000 on e-bay. Now in my mind thats just nuts. But to some collector out there it was worth that kind of dough.
Wow, I sold off my Lionel collection years ago (have always regretted it). But a find like this is almost tempting me to start collecting again right now. I mean I’m going to have to start collecting again sooner or later for my MR museum anyway. I don’t think it is crazy at all. The quality of all the items in the set complete with all the original boxes! This will be a centerpiece for any collector who gets their hands on it. It would be really cool for a museum. If I had $10,000 cash sitting around I think I would submit an “or best offer” for it.
1967-1970 Shelby Mustangs that originally sold for $4000 are going for up to one million. Regular 1964 Mustangs are going for $250K. No one seems to think that is crazy, why should rare trains raise an eyebrow?
whats up with the 75.00 for shipping? hope it comes in a gold plated card board box with air ride control for that kinda money…
Well, I figure insurance coverage for $17,500 won’t exactly be cheap… [:D]
I agree this price isn’t too bad for what your getting. It’s just ashamed how prices have gotten out of hand for trains (and cars) once the auction houses got involved.
You’re right, the condition of those boxes is terrible, ripped seals, different types of tape applied, greatly discolored, many rips and tears, certainly not looked after.
It’s funny that the Hudson itself is scale, while the tender and coaches are tinplate. I’d rather have a Lionel scale Hudson for display than that set.
Is anyone going to make an offer? [:-^]
Makes me wonder if the folks that designed that stuff ever looked at a real train.[%-)]
The 700 EW was a true scale Hudson with far more detail including an accurate tender than this engine. Even today this engine stands up as a scale model replica. It was meant to run on T rail, not the usual Lionel tubular rail. Unforunately due to the quality of the zinc castings used, most 700 EW Hudsons ended up split or damaged. It is rare to see a perfect example.
The boiler, an excellent model, was the basis for the Semi-scale 763 that is seen in this set. According to the McComas & Tuohy book “Lionel, a Collector’s Guide & History,” the the semi scale Hudson came with two sets. The gray 763 with Vanderbilt tender came with four Blue Comet cars from 1937 to 1939. In 1940 the same cars were painted green. In 1941-42 the 763 was painted black, with a black coal tender, and the set came with four Irvington cars.
The authors write “It is disappointing that Lionel, in bringing out the Rail Chief in 1937, did not develop a better looking passenger set in which to showcase the Hudson…”
Lionel did come out with real scale freight cars in 1940: a box car, tank car, hopper and NYC caboose. They went with a nice scale PRR 0-6-0. The boxcar and caboose were the basis for the Hallmark Lionel ornaments a year or two back.
By the way the authors state that having boxes adds 40% to the value. In a book published in 1975 they stated a value of $2500 for a gun metal gray 763E with oil tender, $5000 if it has the coal tender. They priced this set at $3500.
So what’s the real “value?” Econ 101 – set by a willing buyer and a willing seller …
Dave Nelson
I think simplified-scale is a better description, since the locomotive itself is proportionately to scale, but lacks the elaborate detail of the 700 EW, which was a masterpiece, btw. It’s a real shame that those engines in particular fell victim to impurities in the castings; in fact I was just talking to the owner of my LHS who said he knew someone who spent big money for one only to have it crumble to dust in a matter of years. [:(]
The semi-scale/tinplate combination makes this an odd looking set though, and the loco looks far too long to make it around a 27" radius. The flanges also look like they were made for T-rail, and not tubular track. Do you know what radius was included with it?
The book (which uses the semi-scale phrase) does not mention track but back in those days Lionel had O tubular track with a large radius. I bet our colleagues over in the Classic Toy Trains part of this forum know that kind of information backwards and forwards.
It is indeed a pity about the inpurities in the metal in the scale Hudson. The same problem afflicted Varney’s HO models. The sideframes and trucks of my wonderful Varney F3 which could out pull just about anything totally disintegrated some years ago leaving mostly the shell which was no great shakes for detail. You could crumble the castings in your fingers.
Dave Nelson
Tatans is right. It’s really not that much for the full set, looks like one of those boxes is worth over $5000!
Doesn’t look like there are any takers yet.
Tilden