How do I date and ID a garage sale train box?

[Anonymous]

I got a whole bunch of STUFF. Train stuff. In a box.
At a garage sale. With the candlestick. No, wait...

Anyway, which of this sounds most interesting, and how do I possibly go about ID-ing and dating it? And then, what do I possibly DO with it all? The track is useful, but the cars are all different sizes. Any ideas on where I could either sell or trade parts? Is any of it any good? :)

Inside the box:
Half of it is track. Atlas track. Happily, it is all nice and clean, so it looks like trains can run for Christmas if this is the right size... One track segment says AHM and "made in italy" on it. Is that one also Atlas? And how do I measure it to see what gauge it is? I'd believe it was 7/8inch, except it seems to be more like 6/8 inch?

Buildings. More Atlas stuff. Most labeled "made in western germany" on the bottom, which is cool and dates them. But none seem to be perfect.

Two prehistoric transformers.

Some actual trains!
Engines:
There are two pull-back-and-they-roll train engines that were made by some Japanese company. One engine which holds a AA battery for running. One normal looking engine which opened into two parts when I played with it... Another that looks S-gauge: Bachmann, Santa Fe 307, Hong Kong on the bottom. Any way I can test it?

Cars:

~11.25 inch long passenger car that looks like it was built out of metal and wood. Painted dark green? No wheels. Body about 1 3/8 inches across. (Balsa wood bottom??)

O gauge Lionel. yellow plastic with metal bottom, Union Pacific, 6167
Possibly a caboose, but I can't tell if it is missing pieces or not.

S gauge Southern Pacific. Brown and looks like someone built it out of wood. Red metal windows. No other marks.

One Tycho "Old Dutch Cleanser" car. S??

More S cars:

PR&R caboose & car. No maker?

Bunch of Bachmann cars:

Santa Fe caboose, Morrison-Knudsen, Erie Lackawanna cushioned car, Burlington, The Rock (I guess I need a basic primer on what to call different flatbed cars?)

Some train parts.
Er, maybe something else that I boxed up in another box...
You probably would like a photo? Eventually...[:)]

[Anonymous]

I got a whole bunch of STUFF. Train stuff. In a box.
At a garage sale. With the candlestick. No, wait...

Anyway, which of this sounds most interesting, and how do I possibly go about ID-ing and dating it? And then, what do I possibly DO with it all? The track is useful, but the cars are all different sizes. Any ideas on where I could either sell or trade parts? Is any of it any good? :)

Inside the box:
Half of it is track. Atlas track. Happily, it is all nice and clean, so it looks like trains can run for Christmas if this is the right size... One track segment says AHM and "made in italy" on it. Is that one also Atlas? And how do I measure it to see what gauge it is? I'd believe it was 7/8inch, except it seems to be more like 6/8 inch?

Buildings. More Atlas stuff. Most labeled "made in western germany" on the bottom, which is cool and dates them. But none seem to be perfect.

Two prehistoric transformers.

Some actual trains!
Engines:
There are two pull-back-and-they-roll train engines that were made by some Japanese company. One engine which holds a AA battery for running. One normal looking engine which opened into two parts when I played with it... Another that looks S-gauge: Bachmann, Santa Fe 307, Hong Kong on the bottom. Any way I can test it?

Cars:

~11.25 inch long passenger car that looks like it was built out of metal and wood. Painted dark green? No wheels. Body about 1 3/8 inches across. (Balsa wood bottom??)

O gauge Lionel. yellow plastic with metal bottom, Union Pacific, 6167
Possibly a caboose, but I can't tell if it is missing pieces or not.

S gauge Southern Pacific. Brown and looks like someone built it out of wood. Red metal windows. No other marks.

One Tycho "Old Dutch Cleanser" car. S??

More S cars:

PR&R caboose & car. No maker?

Bunch of Bachmann cars:

Santa Fe caboose, Morrison-Knudsen, Erie Lackawanna cushioned car, Burlington, The Rock (I guess I need a basic primer on what to call different flatbed cars?)

Some train parts.
Er, maybe something else that I boxed up in another box...
You probably would like a photo? Eventually...[:)]

[Algonquin]

Hi,

I am not familiar with the HO, but I can help you with the Lionel. Kalmbach publishes the Greenberg series of Lionel Guides that can help you date and estimate prices for items. Relative to your 6167 Union Pacific caboose, this caboose was manufactured by Lionel in the late sixties. Two different versions exist. One with metal end rails and one without. The value of this caboose is highly affected by its condition. If the caboose is in Like New condition with no rust, scratches, chips or missing parts it could be worth $40 to $55 to a collector. If you would like to see pictures of these caboose versions go to www.postwarlionel.com. They have the pictures posted of both versions as well as a detailed history of their production.

Regards,

Tim Pignatari

[Algonquin]

Hi,

I am not familiar with the HO, but I can help you with the Lionel. Kalmbach publishes the Greenberg series of Lionel Guides that can help you date and estimate prices for items. Relative to your 6167 Union Pacific caboose, this caboose was manufactured by Lionel in the late sixties. Two different versions exist. One with metal end rails and one without. The value of this caboose is highly affected by its condition. If the caboose is in Like New condition with no rust, scratches, chips or missing parts it could be worth $40 to $55 to a collector. If you would like to see pictures of these caboose versions go to www.postwarlionel.com. They have the pictures posted of both versions as well as a detailed history of their production.

Regards,

Tim Pignatari

[lionelsoni]

As for the 3/4"-gauge track, Lionel made "OO" trains for that gauge at one time. These should not be confused with the British "OO", which uses the same 1/76 scale but runs on HO track (16.5 mm, about 5/8 inch, between the insides of the rail heads).

Bob Nelson

[lionelsoni]

As for the 3/4"-gauge track, Lionel made "OO" trains for that gauge at one time. These should not be confused with the British "OO", which uses the same 1/76 scale but runs on HO track (16.5 mm, about 5/8 inch, between the insides of the rail heads).

Bob Nelson

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you found an interesting box of stuff. I love checking garage sales and other places myself for used trains and it's always a thrill to find a box full of all kinds of stuff and go through it. I'll bet these trains probably cost you next to nothing.

The items you describe as being S gauge are in fact HO gauge (half of O gauge). The Santa Fe 307 is a model of an GM EMD F9 diesel locomotive and is painted in what is referred to as the Warbonnet paint scheme. For more information on the Bachmann F9 go to http://tycotrain.tripod.com/bachmanntrainscollectorsresource/id16.html

Good luck in getting some of this stuff set up and running and have fun!

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you found an interesting box of stuff. I love checking garage sales and other places myself for used trains and it's always a thrill to find a box full of all kinds of stuff and go through it. I'll bet these trains probably cost you next to nothing.

The items you describe as being S gauge are in fact HO gauge (half of O gauge). The Santa Fe 307 is a model of an GM EMD F9 diesel locomotive and is painted in what is referred to as the Warbonnet paint scheme. For more information on the Bachmann F9 go to http://tycotrain.tripod.com/bachmanntrainscollectorsresource/id16.html

Good luck in getting some of this stuff set up and running and have fun!