2340 w/ Congressional Cars

[lionel2]

I will bet ebay has some nice congressional GG1 and Congressional Cars...they will cost me a fortune but well worth it...i mean the set with the 2340 and 4 cars with boxes is like 6,500 and with no boxes is like 5,500 so i am not sure if i can afford that just now.  Be lucky to get a set for like 3,000.  Guess i wil keep looking for a good deal on ebay or someplace else..thanks for the help guys and gals.

[lionel2]

I have been told that the 2340 with the 4 cars with no boxes is in the range of 4000 to 5000...its 1000 just for the boxes and would raise the value up to 5000 to 6500....so i am looking at a set that has no boxes that is in ex+ to like new condition and if i was to buy it from a store they would charge me like 4k or 5k for the set....i would guess 2k just for the engine is a good price and 1200 for the cars would be nice value of them...but then again i can get my hands on the set engine and cars maybe i can resell it and make 4k or 5k..humm...thanks

[DMUinCT]

Personal observation and a look at a 3 year old guide. 

A 2340-1 Tuscan, no box, excellant, books for $1,500 so a show price would be at least $1200. the four cars show $900 book. ($225 each)

The single motor 2332 is a pretty locomotive for display but is a poor puller and a slow seller.  All original and excelant the book said $650, but prices are falling.  Re-striped, cuts the price in half. A good looker for display at $300.

Too bad you don't have the boxes for the 2340-1, the box alone is listed at $250.

The "Congressional Set", "excellant, with all boxes (include box for each unit and set box), all inserts, and packaging material" does book for $6,000.

[Anonymous]

Here's both of my cents on the issue.

Price guides are a joke. - One cent down, one to go.

Regarding the matter at hand - let's say hypothetically, your friend is 20& high - or just high for wanting to sell this set - but I digress . . .

That's $2000 vs $2500.

The stuff is hard to come by and is usually in the hands of folks who think they have the second coming on their hands.

If you have access to this and it is in acceptable condition to you, I can't think of a reason not to buy it. Even if you overpay by a couple of hundred bucks, although my gut tells me this is a pretty fair price, you've got a really nice classic set of Lionel material that will stand teh test of time. The price on these type of sets, while not keeping pace with teh price of gold, certainly isn't go to magically fall.

If you like it, buy and run it like it was meant to be run - on tubular track connected to a vintage zw

except for the tubular/vintage zw comment... If I remember correctly the GG1 is an ELECTRIC engine with pantographs... that means it should get its power from OVERHEAD lines, not from the track! But that is my

Goodness, if I had some spare change and I had access to this set... lets just say he wouldn't have had the set long enough to even blink an eye, let alone me go home and write about it on a train board!

[Frank53]

Here's both of my cents on the issue.

Price guides are a joke. - One cent down, one to go.

Regarding the matter at hand - let's say hypothetically, your friend is 20& high - or just high for wanting to sell this set - but I digress . . .

That's $2000 vs $2500.

The stuff is hard to come by and is usually in the hands of folks who think they have the second coming on their hands.

If you have access to this and it is in acceptable condition to you, I can't think of a reason not to buy it. Even if you overpay by a couple of hundred bucks, although my gut tells me this is a pretty fair price, you've got a really nice classic set of Lionel material that will stand teh test of time. The price on these type of sets, while not keeping pace with teh price of gold, certainly isn't go to magically fall.

If you like it, buy and run it like it was meant to be run - on tubular track connected to a vintage zw

[bfskinner]

lionel2,

The lack of boxes decreases its value. Also, the $6,500 estimate is for a slightly different model. The TCA grading standards (see their web site) are incredibly strict, so maybe it's Ex/LN, maybe it isn't. If I were you I'd get a lot more opinions and try to find examples of recent auctions.

If I needed this item to complete a collection and had a spare $2,500, I'd pay it. However, I would view it as a purchse rather than an investment. As an operator, no way. I'd more likely buy the Williams reproduction for $550 (list) or less and maybe get a couple more cars.

[Jumijo]

Do you realize what a gold mine you're sitting on?!!! Buy that train immediately!!! Hurry!! You, you're on the verge of becoming a toy train mogul!! I'm hyperventilating here...breathe, Jimmy, breathe...

Jim 

[lionel2]

so $2500 is a really good deal??...it has no boxes at all...but ex to like new condition....could it be in the price range of 3500 or more??

[USNRol]

You said 1000 for the cars and 1200 for the GG1; he's asking 2500 for the set and he's your friend, 6500 is the Kalmbach collectors value...pay the man his money, and play with your new train.

Roland

 

[bfskinner]

lionel2,

Your post has been up all day with no sign that anyone wants to take it on, so here goes nothing. In its current catalog Williams offers a "Golden Memories" Congressional set based on their version of the original Lionel 2360 loco. Their advertising department would have you believe that if you could find an original Lionel set in mint condition it might be worth $6,500 "Collector's value" which they base on Greenberg's Guide to Lionel trains, 1945-1969, volume I, Kalmbach Publishing Company, etc.

I think it is safe to say that $6,500 would be absolutely top-dollar for that specific train; therefore the train available to you would probably be worth a good deal less. Still, there is a lot of wiggle-room between $6,500 and $2,500, and the latter price might be tempting. At least it's a start. Perhaps a true collector/expert would like to jump in.

[lionel2]

I was wondering what is a good price to pay for a congressional set with the 2340 Tuscan GG1 from 1955??  My friend is selling his set and he has a price of $2500.00 on it.  Is this a good price for the set??  The Loco and Cars are 100% orginal, no new parts and all stripes are there, no restriping of any kind.  I figured it would be about 800 to 1000 for the cars alone and about 1200 for the GG1.  What is a good price to pay for this set?  If i cannot afford it he has a 2332 GG1 with a red motor that he is asking 300.00 for.  not sure if this is a good price cause it does have the red motor and has been restriped, but orginal paint and keystones.  let me know what you think.   thanks.