And again I wanted to wish everyone a good morning and hope everyone is having a great day so far.
I wanted to inquire about used trains. I have searched craigslist here and came up with nothing. At this point I have 3 sheets of plywood donated by a local construction company. As a few may already know, I’m a combat veteran of OIF II and on disability. So I have to be careful what I spend at this point. I did find a few hobby shops about an hour south of me. But I am not sure what they have as far as used trains.
My goal is to get another consist going on my layout. My wife already “adopted” the diesel and the cars that came with our set. So I am looking for a steam locomotive and cars. If anyone has a set they no longer use and want to sell, please let me know. You were right when you said I was “bitten by the bug”. I wake up thinking about how the layout will look and how soon I can get started on it LOL
Shea Ghering
SW Florida
Hi, Shea. You will have to deal with reputable sellers on the various auction sites for used engines of any decent value and mechanical condition…unless someone here contacts you off line via PM or email.
It has been a bit of a crap shoot for some members here even when looking for what are advertised as “new in the box” locomotives. However, many members here, the majority it seems, have enjoyed good success dealing with reputable sellers.
I hope you and your wife can play sharesies until then. [(-D]
-Crandell
Hi Shea
Have you tried Ebay? they usually have something under model trains. You may also try local flea markets and yard sales, I know: but sometimes you can pick up a real good deal on some nice stuff. last year I ran across a really good deal at the local flea market on two Athearn sd40-2 locos for $10 each and they had never been used.
The lady I bought them from said they belonged to her husband who had passed away the previous year and she just wanted to get rid of them. Of course I asked her the obvious, If she had anymore “train” stuff that she wanted to sell, I just about died when she told me that she threw out all of the rest of it months earlier and only had these because they were in an box that she had not checked before.
Keep it on the tall skinny stuff Neil
Welcome Shea
Before buying more loco’s you should consider your layout, especially the minimum radius curves you will be using(How tight). If you will be usinga anything under 22 inches, stick with 4 axle loco’s and smaller steamers.
Good morning. Let us know what scale you are modeling. If you are HO, try HO Yardsale. For train shows and swap meets in your neck of the woods, try looking here.
I get most of my stuff from eBay. When starting out pay attention to the feedback of the seller, and only buy from thise with high positive feedback numbers. Always look at the pictures carefully - a reputable seller will have plenty and they will be clear enough to see what you are bidding on. Look for obviously dmaaged or missing parts, and read the text carefully - again, a reputable seller ill accurately describe the item and not just say 4 or 5 words. Reputable sellers sometimes have damaged items, but they will clearly sya so in the description. And the number 1 rule, don’t get carried away bidding. Set a price limit and don’t bid over it - if you miss this one, another of the same thing will come along later. Don’t be swayed by the typical capitalized “RARE!” the accompanies many auctions - if it’s a common brand it was probably produced in the thousands if not tens of thousands and certainly is NOT rare. In fact check other auctions, that “RARE!!!” item is probably available in 5 other auctions. You can often get brand new items at a discount if you watch and bid carefully, but check the prices against reputable online sources like MB Klein (modeltrainstuff.com) or Trainworld. A common ‘trick’ on eBay is to charge a riduclous amount of shipping to make up for the low sale price - having both bought and sold for years now I have a pretty fair idea of how much is costs to chip things, so I usually skip right past the people charging say $10 to ship one freight car. But add up the cost plus shipping - if it’s a car that sells for $20 at the hobby shop and you can get it for $5 with a $10 shipping charge, it’s still a deal.
–Randy
LOL thanks for the input. Yea I had my stint on ebay for a few years. Kept getting burned by people, accused of not shipping after they had already recieved the item, etc. My mom, dad, wife, and myself own and run an antique auction gallery here in Fl so I have learned what to look for and not to look for.
I agree that I should look at my layout first so that is going to be the route to take for now.
Been there Shea, I have dreams about running trains.
On E Bay and HO Yard sale, before you start buying, look at the LHS and or on line for engines you might like to have and what they cost. After I got done with buy junk, I found better brands like Athearn, Proto an Atlas. But I did not know what there prices should be. I saw some Proto’s at my LHS that where $200.00 so I thought that was there norm. Got in a bidding war on E Bay for a new Proto 2000 E 6, none sound. Won the bid at $63.00 plus shipping, it was local so I picked it up. Later at my LHS I saw the same engine for $65.00?
Far as 18 inch turns, read what the manufacture say it will handle. Some big engines will take a 18 inch turns with no problem. May look silly, but when most people getting started all we care about is if it stays on the track!
Do you like fixing stuff? If so, I might have all the parts to a old set of Athearn Blue Box FP 45 in Am Track colors. Old BB are easy to work on and you can still buy the parts for them.
Boy, I had to dig for this picture.
It was taken 4 years ago, layout looks a little better now.
Cuda Ken
Along with all the good suggestions above, maybe try a “Wanted” ad on Craigslist. Also those community bulletin boards that are all over? I know, no one looks at those - but if you put a photo of a train on your “wanted” poster, it will get attention, I’m sure. People love a chance to empty out attics and basements without having to do any actual work. I know I do.
Good luck and tell your wife to play nice or I’m turning this car around!
Hi, and welcome home!
May I suggest that you work on the layout itself first, and then get more cars/locos. I sure understand the “urge”, but you can’t run trains without a layout, and once the layout is up and running you have years to add cars/locos.
For what its worth…
Mobilman44
PS: My Dad was a tank commander with the 44th tank battalion assigned to the 1st Cav and saw action in the Phillippines in 1945 (and later occupied Japan).
Well I like to think I’m pretty good at repairing things. If not I’m always up to learn how.
Here are a couple of links to site or groups that I’ve had some success on buying and selling stuff on. As others have mentioned a good idea is to at least get some sort of track plan so you’ll know minimum radius curves etc. Although it sounds like your not going to be building some gigantic garage empire so more then likely you won’t have problems with any steam locomotives. The most finicky of which will be larger wheel arrangement such as 4-8-4’s and 2-10-2 or 2-10-0 as these have longer wheelbases and relay on blind drivers so they “slip” through curves rather then big articulated locomotives that pivot or hinge in the middle I would say if you stay with a minimum of lets say 20" radius curves you’ll be fine. Most of your larger locomotives claim they can run on an 18" radius curve minimum.
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=21
http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=31
Mobileman, that is common seines talking. If we had common seines we would have had never got into trains in the first places.
Far as E Bay, I have spent $30,000.00 there and only got stiffed for $25.00 so I guess I am lucky.
So would you like the FP 45’s?
If so, PM me with your phone number.
Cuda Ken