I got lucky and picked up a Lionel Prewar PRR B6 set this past weekend, set 859B. Was making not my first, but third round at the show in Urbana, IL on Saturday.(Was there running G scale live steam with our group). On this older couples table of mixed scale trains was a tupperware tub with a B6 in it. I started looking it over, and from the dust and grime in the gears she had not run in many years. Other than a few minor missing things like marker lights on the engine, doors on the double door box car, the set was complete and the paint finish was really nice. Figuring it would be WAY out of my budget as these usually are, I asked what he was asking for the set as it wasn't marked. He said $100!! That was exactly what I took to the show, the $100 I got from my parents for my birthday the week before! Needless to say, I bought the set. As others were runing thier engines, I took the engine apart and cleaned and serviced it right there at the show. I had to completely rewire the bell ringing tender, the old wiring was total rubbish. I rarely have that kind of spending money at any one time for trains. My two live steamers, a LGB/Aster Frank S in G scale, and a Bassett Lowke LMS Super Enterprise in O gauge tinplate took months of saving combined with selling off my HO trains. So someone was smiling on me from up above that day. There were lots of more deals, nice prewar 252 apple green electric for $100 in super nice condition, atleast 1 ZW for $100. Anyhow, here are some pics. Mike the Aspie.
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
You're a lucky man. They're beautiful! I only have the caboose, and the Pennsy auto boxcar, in those pictures. Always wanted a B6...
Thanks Paul, I was darn lucky to find that one. If he had it tagged with that price, it would have probably been sold before I found it. I sure miss having Radio Shack here in town, I could replace the burnt out bulbs in my cabooses without having to resort to mail order. Mike the Aspie
I really miss Radio Shack, too. Because I like to tinker. Fortunately, I loaded up on bulbs before they closed their doors.
By the way, I do have the 1615, which comes close to resembling a Pennsy A5. Had to weight the tender down, but she's a "Really useful engine". Have to throttle down, or she'll go airborne on the curves.
A little workhorse, though.
Paul
Wow, what a great find! Oh, how I envy thee!
"Unless bought from a known and trusted dealer who can vouch otherwise, assume every train for sale requires servicing before use"
Ya done good, Mike!
Usually if I'm at a show and don't see a price tag on something I'm interested in I just walk on by. I've got the philosophy of "If he's not proud enough of his price to put it on the merchandise he's not worth the asking!" but you proved it DOES pay to ask!
Although sometimes I do break my own rule from time to time and DO ask. Scored a K-Line Hershey's steam set, complete and new in the box for $85 at a flea market that way.
That deal makes up for what I spent on this one. Tinplate live steam from Bassett Lowke. I had sold two G scale live steamers, bought a gauge one engine, but it didn't like the fairly wide curves on our groups portable layout, so I traded it for a LGB Frank S and some cash, which bought this wee beast.
She's a beauty ! Would she be a "Black Five"?
That part of the hobby ( live steam), has forever been a dream of mine.
I hope to savor that experience one day. That would take the hobby to a whole new level.
But, I am happy for what I have, and happy that I bought what I bought, when I bought it. I don't need too much these days.
Just need brushes, and smoke fluid...
I've mentioned it before, that I got my 1950 773 out of a dirty train-show tub for $50. If you get an outrageous bargain, it's almost certainly something that the seller's not proud of. It does pay to ask!
Bob Nelson
The B6 set was proudly sitting in the tupperware tote with the lid removed, so it wasnt hidden. Nothing of his had prices on it, he said he picked it up at an estate sale a few years ago and never did anything with it. Most of his stuff looked like estate/flea market finds. Heck, I have seen others find super deals on vintage Lionel/AF or even Brass trains at garage sales, flea markets ect. The days of super deals are here if your out looking. This is stuff that would not be on the internet, but must be found in person by getting off the computer and getting in some excercise walking and enjoying life. The Bassett Lowke take its cues from many, be it a Black 5, Royal Scott, GWR Hall class ect. BL offered this model with and without the belpair boiler feature. They also did a 4-4-0 version call Enterprise, this one being the Super Enterprise model. Thier 2-6-0 Mogul is really easy to find. Good dealers in the UK that will ship overseas is "The Station Masters Rooms, and Vintage Hornby.net(Mike Delaney) which is where I got my engine from. One can do an entire layout with 2 rail tinplate track, using clockwork and live steam for motive power. Now that is a true prewar layout, trains that do not require any type of commercial electrical power for opeartion.
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