Last train show, just last weekend, no one, not a single vendor, in two buildings, had any glue (CA or otherwise) for sale, nobody was selling tools either, and only a handleful were selling scenery supplies, rather surprising.
If I’m looking for something new I make sure I know the price, including shipping charges.
I have bought many used pieces of rolling stock and had very good luck, only one overweight car that couldn’t be opened without major surgery to remove some of the weight. I can see what it looks like (unlike sending for something on ebay) and whether they need metal wheels or KD’s. Built structures I can see how well they are made. I’ve never had a problem with new kits either.
There are risks, but so far I have been lucky.
Go to the show, have fun, look around, get ideas and if you see a good buy consider yourself lucky.
Have fun,
Richard
Basically, I have a mental list, and I know my prices. I’m hesitant to buy anything expensive, as it’s generally “buyer beware”, so I usually avoid anything non-sealed or above trainset quality, unless it’s very rare.
One of the vendors at a train show I was at recently, had to have been re-sealing used old stock in plastic to make it appear like new old stock, so be very very careful. I almost dropped $50 on a rare walthers B-unit that “appeared” new, but actually had quite a lot of step damage on the back side. It was very deceptive.
Good point. In these days of cheap sealing machines, you have to be careful. Sealed is not necessarily the same as factory sealed.
Paul
I’ve never had a problem buying anything at a train show. Scam artists know they will get banned if they blatantly rip people off. Nearly all of the train shows I’ve been to have a test track section set up by the show organizers to test locos. The last time I bought a loco at a show was really positive. It was a DCC version of an Athearn N scale loco that I owned the earlier DC version, but no 3rd-party drop-in decoder existed for it. The DCC-equipped version was a slight update. I caught it towards the end of the show as the vendor was packing and I struck up a conversation with the vendor. He gave me his contact info and agreed to sell it to me after the show. He lived locally and it turns out he’s a member of a local club that I’m familiar with. I dropped by during one of their club nights and bought the loco from him there, nearly two months after the show. It works just fine. I ended up selling the DC version that I had to someone else.
I have gotten everything from rail cars, street vehicles, scenery items (including a package deal for Woodland scenics tree kits, at a very good price, that included everything needed, including glue) and structures, (kits only), to tools, glue, and other supplies for scratch building and kit bashing, books, shirts and hats, even a hoodie, up through DCC decoders, speakers, and even locomotives. (Only had one where it needed a little TLC to get it right, but the price made it still worthwhile.)
The shows I have attended, all have always had somewhere you could test locomotives at, somewhere you could test a power supply, and, in one case, a place you could test signals. (So, at this one, I did buy used signals that were proven to work.) All, except the factory new locomotives, were test ran, and worked, or I passed on them. My rule is, unless it is factory new, from a dealer who has a actual shop for handling returns if there is an issue, is that if powered, it gets tested. If they are unwilling, I bypass the item. (One time ever that this has occurred, someone refused to this test, stating that this was an “unnecessary step”, and I walked away. Next show, this individual was missing, and I felt that I might have avoided a bad deal.)
I will always have in mind what I am looking for, and what I am willing to pay. Sometimes, I leave empty handed, and other times, I walk away after buying half the show (or so it seems… [:-^])
There are times I will find something at a good enough price I just can’t leave without it, and there are times that I will walk away from a deal, just because it will be a “get it now, no chance to think” style, and I will bypass it, as I tend to be skeptical of those types of deals. (And once, at the last show I attended, I bypassed a package deal, as it was still over my limit spending wise, even though it was a very good deal. I did thank the vendor for being willing to deal, and
Hi all
When I can get to the show I always have a look at what the second hand dealers have.
Particularly in what I call the junk I am looking for bits to fix older models I have
Many have been fixed that way the garbage left over is waiting for a layout to start its new career as junk yard matierial
I also look at the good models to see if anything is of interest.
The caviet is only deal with a second hand dealer you trust the one I deal with has never let me down
Has even saved some better damadged cars than I have and mine has been used to fix the better one
Iether way as long as the end result is what I want that car usable again and looking complete I am happy
regards John
70% of my locomotives was bought used at train shows with no issues. I inspect the locomotives for usage and broken/missing parts.
60% of my IPD boxcar collection was bought at train shows most came with KD couplers and metal wheels for $4-8.00.
70% of my other freight cars was bought new or used at train shows.
All cars are inspected for damage or other tomfoolery.
I fully agree beware of that new catch phase" New Old Stock". There’s no way a gold box LL or a Atlas/Roco locomotive will be NOS. Use your common sense.
There is no reason to fear buying use freight cars that fit your era nor should you shy away from buying quality used locomotives.
Inspect and test run those jewels before flopping your cash down-unless you have a good eye for troublesome locomotives… Some clues would be missing screws,wrong size screws,wheel wear- that where the nickel silver has worn off the wheel-broken handrails or details from improper handing.
For those old BB locomotives that many of us still cherish my advice on unbuilt kits or used is no handrails no sale…
I bought a dummy BB Family Lines GP7 for $8.00 with all handrails and numbers in the number boards. I placed the shell on a CR GP7 drive.
Hello all,
Good point!
Not only used, out of print, books but new works too.
There’s an author the writes historical books about the Colorado Southern narrow gage that ran through South Park, with a branch to Alma.
He only sells at train shows. Last time I attended the show he was selling at I had already used up my budget. When he saw my interest in his work we struck up a conversation. I asked him if he’d considered a volume about the Alma branch? He told me that one was in the works!
Next time I attend that show I’m going to buy all four volumes, including the new one about the Alma branch.
Hope this helps.
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With the yearly train show in Easley, SC coming next weekend and train show season in general kicking off, I can’t help but remember my experiences have been mixed. Somtetomes I’ve gotten great deals, other times gotten burned. I’ve come to the realization there are some things to buy at shows and some things never to buy. Ve made a little list.
To buy:
Scenery material, details, structures, rolling stock, track.
Not to buy:
Locomotives (unless buying them from a reputable dealer or they’re no longer in production), DCC stuff with the same caveat as locomotives, power supplies (unless you can test them).
what would you guys add to the lists?
If it’s cheap I buy it. I love junk boxes and often barter a price for the whole she-bang. Often I end up with only a few treasures and lots of junk parts that will find their way to good use somewhere. Perhaps in the layout scrap yard or just on the shelf smiling at ya. Never know when a raillroad buddy might just need that broken up water tower for a kit bashing project.
My beef is when they “heat” shrink unboxed rolling stock…the pressure often breaks the stirrups and couplers, and requires an Xacto knife to meticuolusly cut the car out of its wrap.
I do buy scenery materials, details, parts, structures, and rolling stock.
Track, in my opnion, is questionable, (usally too expensive in shows)
Since I love both the modern DCC sound as well as older locos such as MDC roundhouse, or brass locos to fix/restore just for fun, I always buys locos in train shows.
Oh yea and I always look under the table to find some real “Steals” [:)]
dehusman, I would love to buy a Bachmann 4-6-0 for $50! I see them sell for around $75 these days.
Charles
What to buy:
Rolling stock (I’ve bought most of my N scale PFE orange reefers at train shows)
Structures: even if they aren’t exactly what you’re planning to build, I will occasionally buy one to tinker around with. I just make sure they’re nice and cheap.
Books: I’ve bought many rare railroading books at train shows. At one show, I didn’t even buy any model trains, but spent close to 200.00 on some rare Espee books I’d been looking for.
Not to buy:
Locomotives-though on one occasion I bought some engines as the vendor was also a hobby shop I visit every month or so, and they recognized me. They said I could return the models to their shop if there were issues. None so far-them Espee GP9’s run great!
Anything I can get from a local hobby shop at close to the same prices, as I 'd like to support them as much as I can.
Jeff
I’m hitting up Timonium this weekend. I’m going in with a specific list of items of must-haves: certain freight and passenger car models; a BLI or brass Pennsy K4s, (if the price is fair.) Plus, particular figures and vehicles. I will not be buying scenery materials, structures, signals, track, roadbed, and DCC components, as I do not have a layout in progress. As for tools, I’ll see what is there, than decide. Books and magazines Pennsy related may be purchased as well.