I browse CL ho scale for sale items once in a while and have been seeing layouts offered for sale as a unit. The photos which accompany these ads generally show an oval or figure 8 track plan on a board surface and what appears to be last Christmas' train set and a few extra cars. The prices are astounding- $400 or even $600 - etc. These can't be serious model railroaders, can they...
Cedarwoodron
No, because if they were, they wouldn't get selling off their layouts. Trying to get every penny back they paid for it all plus some fee for their time assembling it. If the train set is one of those crazy 'collectible' ones from Bradford Exchange or similar, they probbaly DID pay that much for it.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
This reminds me of one eBay seller of die-cast ... the one who guarantees you'll never have to change the oil ... who puts a fancy description on regular product to make it seem special and then charges what may be hundreds of dollars for the 'privilege'.
There are sure to be some trying to get into the hobby who think the initial step up from Thomas will look like a train table, only a bit bigger (and no less expensive). It is a shame there are people who probably think of themselves as craftsmen who would exploit the unwary in that way.
While I can count on one hand how many of my ISL I manage to sell over the years,I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the ones that ended up in the dumpster.
I didn't get rich by a landslide from those I sold..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I have seen layouts for sale at train shows lately. Usually poorly made 4 by 8s, and nothing much better than an improved train set.
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These have sold for $500.00 to $800.00 from what I have seen.
It is very surprising to me, but the buyers seem to be really old people, and I guess they are filling a need.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
They pop up on ebay occassionally too. And some are very poorly made and way over priced for the lack of quality
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
From time to time I am contacted by purchasers of second-hand or “spec-built” layouts (usually HO 4X8s) looking for help in making these layouts more enjoyable. Often these folks have already grown bored with the track arrangement. And many times, the layout does not run well. Unfortunately, there are sometimes no easy fixes -- and it becomes another layout moldering under a tarp in the corner of a basement or garage.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
I remember the very first home layout I ever saw was one that was for sale. (I had seen the professionally built ones in department store windows and the Chicago Museum). It was built on open grid and was just the roadbed and track. It was about 4x8. It was a spaghetti bowl with 18 inch curves and looked more like a rollercoaster than at train layout. I was in 2nd grade and I loved it and wanted my parents to buy it for me. They might have except that it didn’t come with a transformer or any locomotives or cars. In recent years I have seen layouts for sale on eBay and I always laugh at them because they are usually simple loops with paper grass for scenery and are far more expensive than the cost of the track, transformer and trains they come with. I never see them actually sell. I do see slot car layouts sell but that is comparing apples to oranges. The hobby of slot cars is all about racing the cars while at least half of model railroading is building the layout.
Lone Wolf and Santa FeI do see slot car layouts sell but that is comparing apples to oranges.
1/25 scale slot car layouts have sold for insane amounts of money on eBay. The pictures of how these things are assembled put all of us to shame. Some of the layouts I have seen look like they could survive an infantry assault.
They must weigh thousands of pounds.
I see layouts for sale at train shows that are nicely done. Usually N or Z 2x4 or smaller. Generally, there are 2 loops of track one of which does a figure 8. Some times a spur or two. Complete scenery and structures. Prices run from around $400 up to $1500(or more), higher end is usually a coffee table.
But really all you can do is watch 2 trains run loops which seems a little boring to me.
But they seem to sell or generate commissions from folks, because I see the same vendors over and over.
Paul