Why do you keep all that old junk if you can afford new trains?

[gvdobler]

When the banker was showing the Beverly Hillbillies their newly aquired mansion in Beverly Hills he pointed out all the fine antiqes.  Granny said "why would we keep that old junk when we can afford to buy new furniture."

I think I'm more like the Beverly Hillbillies, I want new stuff in a box, even if it is new old stock.  The oldest train I have is 20 years old and I bought it new.  I've given away so many trains over the years, I probably don't want to know what some of it would be worth today.

Does your "old stuff (I mean old)" still run on your layout or does if ride the shelf?

[otftch]

Everything I have runs on my layout.Some of the rarer stuff not as much but I can't see having it if I can't run it.When I do shows it is always newer stuff,but at home you're liable to see a set of 204's or 208's as anything else.I have been collecting my trains for over fifty years so nothing gets run all the time,but I like variety.I run my newer diesels with much longer trains but there is just something about a fifty year old train still doing its job that get me.

                                                                     Ed

[pbjwilson]

Got to run 'em. I have a lot of old trains. They all get run. This set is for under the Christmas tree. Always fun to run the really old stuff around the holidays.

[lionelsoni]

Did you get rid of all your old junk before or after you stopped beating your wife?

[dwiemer]

  The vast majority of my items are Post War.  While I do have some of the newer stuff, when I got back into the hobby, my first quest was to get one of everything in the 1949 catalog.  After that, I started to get some newer items and things that just caught my eye.  With the quality of the postwar items and durability, they should be run and enjoyed.  If you find yourself wanting to get rid of some older items, hey, drop me a line.

Dennis

[brianel027]

OLD saying, and still pertinent...

One's man's trash is another man's treasure.

Some say the hobby is better today than ever. It is also more divisive, and yet those divisions are mostly opinions based on personal preference: MTH vs. Lionel, postwar vs. modern, tinplate vs. hirail, scale vs. traditional, prototypical vs. imaginary, CTT vs. OGR, TMCC vs. DCS, command vs. traditional, and on and on it goes.

There's no right or wrong. The only thing that strikes me as being wrong is the intolerance over the other guy who chooses some other way to run or operate his trains.

[envfocus]

All I run is "old stuff" including my accessories.   My youngest engine is a 1937 265E Blue Streak Streamline engine.  My oldest is a 1925 Lionel 256 electric locomotive.  I run all six of my prewar engines and they still look great pulling their respective freight and passenger cars.  Although I understand buying something for the shelf, I only buy trains so I can run them.  Maybe I love the prewar stuff in hopes that I can still look and run as good as they do when I get to be 70+ years!

[Frank53]

I really like my old junk.

Betcha these will all still be running like champs long after the time when the stuff coming over from Asia is relegated to non-runnable shelf queen duty.

[prewardude]

I really like my old junk.

Betcha these will all still be running like champs long after the time when the stuff coming over from Asia is relegated to non-runnable shelf queen duty.

My thoughts exactly, Frank. Beautiful trains, BTW.

Regards,
Clint

[daan]

Of course my old junk still runs! Which new locomotive makes such noise and smell as the horizontal motors F3 Lionel? It has much more charm then any new locomotive. (though loco's with sound are also spectacular..)

[traindaddy1]

This "older" guy likes "older" stuff and enjoys running them, that is if they can still  be run.  If anyone no longer wants any of that stuff, send it to me.  I might even pay (did I say 'pay' ? - must be my age) the postage.

[LL675]

I love the old stuff. I spend my time at shows digging thru the junk boxes looking for my next project, or parts. Anyone can buy a new train and run it. The challenge to me is to bring back the dead.

[Dave Farquhar]

Well, I could afford new(er) trains I suppose, but I have lots of other things I'm trying to pay for right now. Like some of the other people here, I really enjoy finding junkers from under the table at shows (or wherever else junkers lurk) and bringing them back from the dead. My wife found me a Lionel 2034 and a Marx 490 this week. The 2034 needs a few more parts but I got it running. The 490's body is pretty far gone but I can put the motor in something else.

So even if and when I get to the point where I can afford to drop a grand and a half on a new locomotive, I'll probably still buy and refurbish junkers. It's really satisfying to take something that can barely move on its own, fix it up, and watch it tear around the track.

[c50truck]

All I run is "old stuff". I have no need for anything else. I love resurrecting from the dead an old Marx, Lionel engine. I drive old resurrected vehicles. My 39 Model AA flat bed, or my 50 Plymouth 4 door clipper or my, (favorite vehicle) the 1950 5 window Chevy truck. AKA, c50truck.

It's not junk. It's an under appreciated item.

Rod LaFrance

[Curmudgeon]

I run the old stuff (only) as I could care less about all the new control systems.

I see folks spend half an hour trying to get them "programmed" to run and give up.

Yank out a set of NP 2343's (I have an A-B-A and an A-B) and if they haven't run for a while I oil them, but they run, and they're more than half a century old.

My 225E, in the family since new, runs just fine.

I restored my Dad's 252 and gave it to my brother several years ago. Runs fine (after new wheels).

My 1950 Ford Tudor, which I've driven for 37 years, runs just fine (and faster than your chebbie!), my 1950 F-1 will go where few want to with their big, wide, new trucks.

The old stuff was built to run and last (like my Colt 1911) and my old Tube radios.

 

 

[JamesPH1966]

With only a couple exceptions (stuff that "fits") - I run my old junk exclusively. If you have any old junk (cheap tin or plastic Marx, old used pre/post-war Lionel - even some of that Flyer or Ives stuff) I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands and dispose of it properly.

I mean it's not like any of that stuff still runs after half a century or anything...

 

[Jumijo]

Well, I could afford new(er) trains I suppose, but I have lots of other things I'm trying to pay for right now. Like some of the other people here, I really enjoy finding junkers from under the table at shows (or wherever else junkers lurk) and bringing them back from the dead. My wife found me a Lionel 2034 and a Marx 490 this week. The 2034 needs a few more parts but I got it running. The 490's body is pretty far gone but I can put the motor in something else.

So even if and when I get to the point where I can afford to drop a grand and a half on a new locomotive, I'll probably still buy and refurbish junkers. It's really satisfying to take something that can barely move on its own, fix it up, and watch it tear around the track.

Here's a photo of our humble 2034. Like Dave F., I enjoy seeing the old junkers brought back to life. My 2034 was destined for the trash heap. A good cleaning and some lubing made all the difference. Isn't she a beauty?!

Jim

[Frank53]

Isn't she a beauty?!

Jim

Why yes, yes she most certainly is!

[darianj]

I really like my old junk.

Betcha these will all still be running like champs long after the time when the stuff coming over from Asia is relegated to non-runnable shelf queen duty.

Don't jinks me...I'm new to the hobby had I only have new stuff!

[Frank53]

Don't jinks me...I'm new to the hobby had I only have new stuff!

[Anonymous]

New stuff generally runs good and sounds good.  Old stuff generally runs good and sounds loud, but there is one thing you cannot get with new stuff.  That "good ole" ozone smell.  Especially from old marx trains, that smell brings me back over 40 years....

[Anonymous]

I keep the old stuff for sentimental reasons.  When I was a kid, everything was second-hand.  It all gave me a lot of joy, however, and I just can't see getting rid of it.  I love my big, new stuff with the fancy sounds and all, but I still run the old stuff; even the Lionel Scout engine with the bent axle!

Bob Blomberg

[3railguy]

The old stuff is the good stuff and runs on the layout. My new stuff is junk and sits on the shelf with scrambled battery boards, trashed rubber band wheels, and toasted smoke units. As more people buy the new junk, the prices of the good old stuff has come down which gives me more buying power for the good old stuff.

[Train Memories]

I got all new stuff and I like it. Today's stuff has new features like The Odyssey system which lets the train crawl and great Railsounds, and highly detail, etc. Old stuff is only good for shelve memories. Sure, I got great memories of these old timers (I was raised up in the post war time,early fifties). but everytime I see post war trains running (in train clubs) around the loops, they have to run 180 MPH to keep from stopping in the turns. Unrealistic.Yes, my layout has today's scale engines and the shelfs have my old happy memories trains which I'll never get rid off.                             Reuben

 

 

 

[RR Redneck]

I really like my old junk.

Betcha these will all still be running like champs long after the time when the stuff coming over from Asia is relegated to non-runnable shelf queen duty.

My thoughts exactly, Frank. Beautiful trains, BTW.

Regards,
Clint

I couldn't have said it better myself boys.

[MartyE]

I have a lot of new stuff and some "old Junk".  I have to agree with Frank...The Old Junk will probably out live my new stuff.  And when it does I'll pick up some e units from a show and make them..."Old Junk".