Hints on buying

[Fox14120]

 Getting really frustrated here and need some help. For the last 6 months i've known what i've wanted train wise as my next train figured it shouldn't be too hard to find since it was a popular rail road. Start looking and find Lionel and MTH haven't made a version of it in 5+ years or if they did it was in a big set that i'd of had to spend my whole train budget on to buy only to get the engine i'm looking for and not the passenger cars. Weeks ago learned MTH is going to bring out something close engine wise to what i'm looking for next month so got that part figured out. Start looking and getting the info so i can make sure i get the correct passenger cars for it. I've checked alot of the bigger online train shops and even Ebay and practiacally came up empty. MTH made the cars for that paint scheme back in 2007 but today can't be bought at any of those places and checked smaller shops also. The only set of car i found were from about the same time but were Lionel and with not alot of detail on them won't look right with a MTH engine. Going to go to some shows when they start in Sept but don't want to put all my hopes into that. Odviously others have to have this problem also but from the expearence of others is there someplace i should be looking that i'm not or something i'm missing. I like would to think that  something about 3 years old wouldn't be this hard to find anywhere since it's New York Central and not a small railroad. 

[dwiemer]

Unfortunately, when you get very specific in your "wants", you may have to either wait some time for it to be made, or you might have to adapt an existing model and fabricate what is needed to your specifics.  Even though MTH is supposed to come out with one you are looking at, you can't be guaranteed that it would be made.  I have been looking for a rather obscure set of engines, but have been told that Atlas is planning on making something similar.  I will have to get one and do some modifications along with a paint job to get what I want....just goes with the territory.  As to places to look, certainly continue with the auction places but you may also want to check OGR's buy/sell board and if what you want is not listed, but a "Wanted" post for one.

Good Luck,
Dennis

[Fox14120]

If i was super specific i could understand like with my one choice in steam being the Empire State Express not many different copies were made and the ones that were are expensive. What i was looking for was just a NYC diesel passenger with the lightning scheme on it. What frustrates me is the passenger cars have been released a few times in the last 10 years the last time about 2 1/2 years ago but even going through MTH's site no dealers have it. Could understand if the cars were 5+ years old that they'd be nonexistant but less then 3 there should be some around since they weren't limited runs. And if it was a special model i was trying to make would buy and touch up to make it look like i want but can't see paying $300 for passenger cars so i can compleatly repaint them to make them look like standard lightning stripe cars. Again can buy the Lionel version of the cars but the detail isn't there in the cars compared to the MTH engine and it's not paint i'm talking. I've been in this hobby for a year now and other then my original post war set i started with that was family owned everything i've been able to find around here was the cheaper Lionel trains. Now i'm looking to buy something new instead of constantly repairing the old stuff but if i'm going to buy new i want it to be something i'm going to use for a while especially at the cost of new.

[dougdagrump]

Have you tried doing a "google" or "yahoo" search using the MTH part number that you want? You'll probably have to wade thru a lot of useless info but you mite find what you are looking for.

[Fox14120]

 Yeah i tried that already if it comes up with anything train at all it's usually just the makers site which is where i pulled the info from usually. In some cases doesn't even come up with anything. Going back through the old catalogs hoping to find one i missed. With Lionel i do see that there' a more detailed version of them all i have is a pic and a number and that's it. Google comes up with nothing. Even using the shop locator for Lionel and MTH and inputting zips from other states hoping it'll show me a mom & pop store with a site that might have what i want i can order from.

[phillyreading]

You might want to check out www.choochooauctions.com and see if they have what you are looking for. They even have a search feature in their site that makes it easier to search their inventory.

Another thing is you may want to look to Williams by Bachmann for what you want, as Williams makes some stuff that other companies don't make. Go to www.bachmanntrains.com then go to O gauge trains.

Lee F.