So, this morning I went to a local "Happy Little Chugger Show" (anyone can call 'em "Train Meets") and at the first exhibitor's table I found this...
https://www.trainzauctions.com/dash/universe/catalog_item/MT-0582166
I never in a million years expected to find one of these, and in Virginia no less! A special-run trolley like this is a North Jersey thing.
Needless to say I didn't think twice, it was priced very reasonably, and no, I didn't rip my pants getting the wallet out.
I found a "Life Savers" tank car too, Lady Firestorm's very impressed with that one! But that's another story.
Just goes to show you, don't pass up a train show, 'cause you never know what's in there!
Those are sort of neat. It's half of the combination they offered for the TCA convention 3 years ago.
(sorry if I'm not adding anything you don't know, but here's a link about this trolley and it's counterpart)
(Funny, but trainz has the lionel item # wrong - I was wondering why I was having trouble google'ing it to get the reference story. it's 58238, not 52838. I only realized the problem when I zoomed on on the pic and noted it didn't match their text ;) )
I suspect the convention didn't get enough people to go for the original deal requiring the hotel stay to get the first trolley and then the offer of being able to buy the second trolley once you did, because they offered them after the convention (I think it was at the TCA Museum during York week a few meets back) and I bought a pair, I think for around $120-$130.
-Dave
Don't you just love it when that happens?
My chance is next Saturday.
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
[quote user="Penny Trains"]
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Oh yeah Becky, it just made my week! Best of luck to you next weekend!
And Dave, thanks for that link! I enjoyed reading it, and also followed the link to the Palisades Amusement Park website. I grew up in that part of the country so I remember the radio commercials and the Freddy "Boom-Boom" Cannon song quite well. I'd first read about that trolley car in a "Collectors Corner" by Ed Boyle in "O Gauge Railroading" magazine. Needless to say I never expected to even see one, much less own one. Miracles do happen!
Wayne
PS: What makes this even more fun is I have a family connection to Public Service of New Jersey. One of my uncles worked for the Public Service electrical division for 35 years. The triangle in the Public Service logo used to stand for the three branches of the company, electric, gas, and transit.
Public Service is still around doing electric and gas, but got out of the transit business almost 40 years ago. New Jersey Transit does that part now.
PPS: I saw something else at that show today that cracked me up. One of the exhibitors had a complete set of Lionel's "Spirit of '76" cars, that is, complete except for one.
The sign on the top of the stack read "Sorry Santa, there is no Virginia!"
Firelock76 .......... And Dave, thanks for that link! I enjoyed reading it, and also followed the link to the Palisades Amusement Park website. I grew up in that part of the country so I remember the radio commercials and the Freddy "Boom-Boom" Cannon song quite well. I'd first read about that trolley car in a "Collectors Corner" by Ed Boyle in "O Gauge Railroading" magazine. Needless to say I never expected to even see one, much less own one. Miracles do happen! Wayne PS: What makes this even more fun is I have a family connection to Public Service of New Jersey. One of my uncles worked for the Public Service electrical division for 35 years. The triangle in the Public Service logo used to stand for the three branches of the company, electric, gas, and transit. Public Service is still around doing electric and gas, but got out of the transit part almost 40 years ago. New Jersey Transit does that part now. PPS: I saw something else at that show today that cracked me up. One of the exhibitors had a complete set of Lionel's "Spirit of '76" cars, that is, complete except for one. The sign on the top of the stack read "Sorry Santa, there is no Virginia!"
..........
Public Service is still around doing electric and gas, but got out of the transit part almost 40 years ago. New Jersey Transit does that part now.
The Virginia "Spirit of '76" cars are the rarest of the rare, and the odd thing is no-one knows why. There's theorys, but no concrete proof. Pick the story you like and stick with it, no-one can say you're wrong. I live in Virginia now and the only one I've ever seen here is the one I own. I was lucky and found a complete "Spirit" set with locomotive and caboose a year ago at a price too good to pass up.
Hmm. Ok, perhaps I mis-spoke. (or, no perhaps about it, I wasn't aware of that specific shortage, I assumed the missing one was sort of random).
I know I see a lot of that series offered at local meets, but maybe most are missing that car or incomplete in some other way.
I've never sought to collect a whole set myself, so I guess I learned something today! :) :D Thanks for the explanation!
The story I heard ( who knows if it's true or not) but the cars where sold to VA. for employees of VA.
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
rtraincollector The story I heard ( who knows if it's true or not) but the cars where sold to VA. for employees of VA.
I've heard that story myself, and maybe it's true, but that being the case I'd expect to see more of them around here. Maybe they're out there somewhere but just haven't surfaced yet.
The collector demand's certainly there. Most "Spirit of '76" cars can be had in the $25 to $35 dollar range. The Virginia car has a postulated price of $140 to $150, according to the books I have.
A quick peek at Ebay shows four cars, 1 each at $99, $125, $127 and $140 which is about average for what I've seen.
I guess it's the typical "whatever the market will bear..." situation.
Since those cars were produced 40+ years ago I doubt there's anyone around who was connected with Lionel back then who knows just what the story is concerning the Virginia car and its scarcity.
Maybe Roger Carp knows? You looking in, Roger?
Good morning and thanks for the shout-out regarding the Lionel no. 7610 Virginia boxcar. Let me offer some thoughts, although I have no information from anyone who worked at General Mills at the time and have no production records about the quantity of cars made..
There would seem to be no reason for Lionel to make fewer of one state (or colony) boxcar than any other. Still, the quantity may be lower, which would account for the Virginia car having a higher price. Conversely, demand for the car may always have been stronger than for other cars, a situation that would have driven the price up.
When I have questions about the current value of an item, I do an advanced search of eBay for examples that have recently sold. Doing so for the Virginia revealed many of them being offered (so much for the scarcity angle) and then selling at lower prices than shown in the price guide. Like-new and new examples, including the original box, went in the past couple of months for anywhere from $30 to $100. That would seem to be in line with the other cars in the Spirit of 76 series.
So if you want one, you should be able to get one through eBay at a reasonable price. Good luck and thanks for asking for my input.
Roger Carp
Senior editor
Classic Toy Trains
Thanks so much for the response Roger! Luckily, I've got one of those Virginia cars already, so I don't need another, but I'm sure your input will be a great help to those looking for one, especially Santa, who I'm sure doesn't want to hear "...there is no Virginia!"
Thanks again! Nice to know you're looking out for us!
Firelock, you are very welcome. All of us on the editorial team look at our Forum several times each day. We want to do everything we can to make it valuable to readers and contributors, especially when it comes to answering questions.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Roger
And the same to you sir!
Well you still never know, do you?
We went to a train show this weekend, I didn't really see anything I wanted to bring home until I found this...
https://marketplace.trainzauctions.com/offer/details/107421
Yep, a Corgi limited-run Public Service bus! I've been looking for one for my North Jersey themed layout and never expected to find one, and there it was.
Plus, I remember this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjVF0IKKlZc
So how could I pass up a Public Service bus?
As Lou Palumbo says, "Keep searchin'!"
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