Collectable or trash?

[Anonymous]

after 50+ years of being in and out of HO scale model railroading, I've had to clean my basement. The layout had to go, the fiber tie bendable track couldn't hold guage and nothing stayed on the track. Among my non-rolling rolling stock are some passenger cars I acquired as a youth in the 50's which are all wood and paperboard. they are partially assembled and none finished (as a youth is want to do). I also have some brass stamped "Old Time" passenger cars (possibly Mantua, my memory tells me they have their couplers) which are again not finished. I also have some switch and bridge kits that I never had the nerve to attempt assembling. Throw in some MR magazines from the 50's and you have the things I haven't been able to send to landfill. Is there any future for these?

[Anonymous]

Geez, YES! Ebay! If you can't do Ebay, have a kid do it for you!

[CNJ831]

Except for particularly unusual items there isn't any really great market for vintage HO. One might expect to get an average $12-$20 for each of the items you describe under the right circumstances, although much would depend on who was the original manufacturer. Really old Varney often sells fairly well, Binkley, Red Ball, and Mantua not nearly as well. A lot also depends on how much work has already been done on the kit and of what quality that work is.

CNJ831

[Anonymous]

I picked up some older kits some time ago, figuring I'd make a killing with them on eBay. There was an early MDC Roundhouse kit and another one whose name escapes me. They sold for $10-15, meaning I barely broke even with them. More recently I came across an F-7 A&B set of dummy diesels made by Globe. These are the models that Athearn started with probably 60 years ago. They have their original boxes and other parts, and have not been assembled. I found similar ones going for around $10.00, so I did not bother to offer them on eBay.

These are only a few examples, and who knows - what you have might be of great value to someone somewhere. An idea would be to do a search on eBay that includes completed sales to see if there are similar ones being offered.

Good luck!

Bob Boudreau

[StillGrande]

I sold a box of broken stuff that I listed as broken stuff for $50 (a few non-running engines and some busted shells, a couple of ragged cars).
It is a little luck, a little bit of timing, and a little of what you are selling.
What I am saying is who does it hurt to list it. Be honest and list the flaws. Don't expect to retire on the proceeds. At least when it sells (and it will. I am amazed at what sells) you will be a little bit ahead and someone will have what they were looking for. Maybe they have been looking for parts to fix grandads old trains, and there you go.

[Anonymous]

Looking at this from the other end, I am always going through Ebay to see what might be for sale that might be of use to me on the railroad. I have purchased "a box of miscellaneous mixed and broken" more than one time. Rather than list each item, you might try to sell a "box of miscellaneous" with a "buy it now" minimum price. You might be surprized. I am not the only nut surfing Ebay.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Opps, I am wrong again! You need to throw these items in the trash. However, could you please put them in my trash, please?

[Anonymous]

Id say list them on E-pay. Start low, youll usually be surprised who needs what youve got.
Good luck,j1

[PennsyHoosier]

Put them on ebay. You've had these for some time, so whatever you get, you'll be coming out ahead. I just watched an auction where a used Bachmann switcher went for almost list for new. This thing could have been bought at Trainworld or First Hobby much cheaper. I couldn't believe it!