If you have the $...

[ModelTrainLover]

Ok and track ballast is the the dirt and stuff they put on the rr bed to make it even right or close enough?

[tschmidt]

Grits would be the same as track ballast.[:D]

TomS

[ModelTrainLover]

What are grits any way???

[Dave Farquhar]

No problem, Dave. I have an acquaintance who deals in rare books who uses precisely this method when he thinks he's found something special. And one time he fat-fingered his asking price, adding an extra zero, and he got it. (I don't remember the exact numbers, but it was something like he intended to ask $500, accidentally asked $5,000, and got it.)

As for the shipping... Most likely the $25 shipping charge is due to insurance. Since $50 worth of insurance costs $1.30 when you ship via USPS, $40,000 worth of insurance for, say, $20 (assuming the actual cost of shipping is $5) is reasonable. In any case, when the numbers get this high, $25 is a rounding error.

[FJ and G]

Dave,

Thanks for the explanation. I can see what you're say'in.

[ModelTrainLover]

But still the shipping charges are not what the public wants.

[Poppa_Zit]

They were listed at those prices because there is one born every day.

Thank you very many.

[Dave Farquhar]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

I find it a bit ironic that the title of this forum is "Toy train operating and collecting," and no collector has jumped in here to defend the price as "reasonable."

OK, I'll bite. I'm more interested in collecting than operating, and a whole heck of a lot more interested in collecting than in rivet-counting.

It's a common tactic, when you have an item that you believe is one of a kind or extremely rare, to put in on eBay with an outrageously high price. He's fishing for offers and letting the collecting public know that his stuff is on the trading block. I don't think he believes that either car will get anywhere near the asking price, and chances are neither does any other serious collector, but obviously to him it was worth the listing fees (at those prices, it won't be cheap) to find out what the market is for these two cars. And he has it listed just before York. That can't be a coincidence. If I put 3 and 3 together, I don't think this thing's going to sell on eBay. If it sells, it'll sell at York.

The chances are pretty good that someone whose collection has been featured in a Greenberg book has been around the block more than a few times and probably knows exactly what he's doing.

[ModelTrainLover]

I agree.

[Anonymous]

The practical side of me doesn't understand why anyone would pay the outrageous prices quoted on some of these "rare" toy trains. If I were to hit the MegaMillions Lottery, I would never entertain spending that kind of money.

It's like watching the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction on Speed TV and seeing wealthy people trying to out bid each other over "Classic" Muscle Cars from the 60's & 70's.
Who in their right mind would bid $100.000 plus for a car that probably cost $3000 to $4000 brand new?

I have nostalgic feelings for those cars too but quess what? I would only get one if the price asked made any sense. Some of these collectors pay these crazy prices because they are speculating that the market will continue to grow and they look at this as an investment. If you can afford to gamble then more power to you.

Steve Tapper
Northern Central High Railers

[Anonymous]

$100,000.00 ???????? wow excuse me WWWWWWWWWWWW OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WWWWWWWWWWWWWW
No free shipping? What about insurance cost ( I don't me shipping I mean LIFE ) My wife would kill me, revive me Kill me and so on and so on etc. Never even if I hit the power ball for 200 + million
Oh Laz ?? How do you know what brillo taste like ?????

Jim D.
a.k.a. SOCKO

[ModelTrainLover]

Boys we are here to talk about trains NOT to have a contest on who can name the most expensive PLASTIC BOXCAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is all.[:)][:D][8D][:I][:o)][;)][}:)][:p][B)][8][:(][8)][|)][xx(][:(!][|)][xx(][:(!][^][V][?]

[ModelTrainLover]

Why would any one sell a POST WAR PROTOTYPE SHREDED WEAT BOXCAR for that much $$$$$$$$$$$$ Man imagin how many times you could refill your car at the gas prices we have in Maine some were between $2.29 to $2.40 a galion.

[phillyreading]

Even if it is the prototype I would not bid more than $250.00. Didn't notice that it said prototype.
Lee.

[IRONROOSTER]

Remember this is the prototype - the price guide covers the production boxcars. Personally, no matter how good the documentation is on it, it's out of my league. But then it is one of a kind.
Enjoy
Paul

[tschmidt]

Lee,

Thanks for that info. I would think someone spending that kind of money would research the purchase first. Maybe they read this Forum and will enlighten us as to why it was worth the money they paid.

Maybe the whole thing is a hoax between the buyer and seller just to see what kind of a commotion it would make here.

TomS

[phillyreading]

TomS,
I am almost 100% sure this is the same model as is posted in Greenberg's Price guide
of 2006 page 85; 6024 Nabisco Shredded Wheat Boxcar, 57, good $13.00, exc. $30.00.
Right below it is the RCA Whirlpool Boxcar for $28.00 & $60.00.
Also I am familiar with post war stuff to know that this car looks just like a post war item,
some post war will bring high dollar but this item as somebody else mentioned should be on America's Biggest Hustle Program if there ever would be one such program.
Lee Fritz

[Anonymous]

They should put this item on AMC's program called the Hustler .

[tschmidt]

Lee,

Are you sure it's the same one that is in the price guide? I can't believe anyone would be that crazy.

TomS

[phillyreading]

The latest bid & last bid was $40,000.00. I could do a lot more than just one semi rare
Lionel box car with $40,000. The sad thing here is that according to Greenberg's Price guide it should have brought closer to $50.00.
Lee Fritz

[Anonymous]

Already have one like it, found it at a garage sale if you can believe it.

[Anonymous]

This car has the name NABISCO on the side.

NABISCO is short for the National Biscuit Company

Now there are trucks roaming the nation with the phrase
NABISCO Biscuit Company.

How did the sign printer lose the word Nabisco in vinyl sign?

We can flood the LIONEL Talk To Us e-mail messenger with requests for new NABISCO Boxcars, so that this one will become less valuable in a few years.

Andrew F.

[phillyreading]

HAS anybody looked at Greenberg's price guide???
If not I will sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, send to New York for the title!!

Had to throw that one in as regards the price of the car on ebay.

[Fred Bear]

Since we are selling rare stuff, I'm going to part with mine. I have a 1771 ( year of manufacture) Lionel kite car. It runs from a string that is attached to a kite. Can only be run when windy and during a lightening storm. It's from my private collection also. It's plastic. Ben Franklin had a part in the invention. Jake

[underworld]

I'd take it if he had the whole set! Bits and pieces.....amateur! [:p]

underworld

aka The Violet

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[mersenne6]

Ok, managed to find the picture on pp. 25 of Volume 5. The car in the e-bay ad does match the one pictured- including the trucks. I was thinking of the CB&Q prototype on pp.23 which is of similar color and does have the prototype 0000 serial number. The credit for the picture says "private collection" so given that the seller can offer the pedigree it looks like it is for real....guess I'll have to pass though[:)]

[1688torpedo]

Hello Mercenne6! Lionel usually used four zero's to designate a Protoyype & they did this for Engines & Rolling Stock as well.Some items had maybe one or two zero's or none at all.Take Care.

[DCmontana]

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[mersenne6]

FJ and G ....ooooooh that hurt! ....so can one assume that you define a collector as a person who is enamoured of trains and has no monitary sense at all??? [:O]

Granted, I have met a few fellow collectors over the years who seemed to think that 401K was the minimum amount of money needed to build a starter layout , however, I suspect the reason no collector has jumped in is because they are in complete agreement (as I am) and have nothing else to offer.[:)]

I can't speak for the black PRR car but I do have the TM book that is referenced and memory says the Seaboard boxcar pictured in that volume has serial number 0000 on the side which is at odds with the car pictured. I'm also a little skeptical of the trucks on the Seaboard car. I'll check the book this evening and post an update if I have anything to add/correct.