Tips on safely buying used HO locos from ebay would be appreciated. I learned the hard way not to buy something described as Untested. Maybe it is a mistake to buy any used HO locos online. After all, if they are old, they might be worn out. Any advice would be appreciated.
If they don't describe the loco as being test run, with it operating normally and all functions working, I would assume something is not right. Sometimes the seller doesn't know trains that well and is more of a second hand flea market type not knowing his product more than an attempt by someone to mislead a buyer.
Try to determine if the seller knows trains. Compare the descriptions of various sellers just by reading them, even if you're not interested in buying. You can tell the difference between those hwo know what their talking about and offer full disclosure and those who don't.
- Douglas
Doughless,
that helps. Also, should the age of the loco and its maker be considered? Maybe some of them just are not expected to live to a riped old age.
I have never had a bad experience buying a used locomotive online.
.
Every piece of used brass I have bought was run perfectly. All were described as operational, and all ran better than the seller described.
"TRAINZ" in Buford, Georgia does a very good job of making sure everything they descibe as running good actually does, but because of this their items get lots of bids and tend to go for higher prices.
Maybe I am just lucky, but I tend to think most sellers are quite honest.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
The Gnome Doughless, that helps. Also, should the age of the loco and its maker be considered? Maybe some of them just are not expected to live to a riped old age.
As for age, not really. Some are old but might be shelf queens. Again, the description should describe if it has been run a lot or not.
Different manufacturers produce various level of quality from the factory. Some are made to run well. Others were never designed to run exceptionally great when new. If you don't know the higher quality manufacturers from the lower quality ones, you need to educate yourself a bit to know how something should run when its new.
My biggest indicators
For DC: Please get something beyond mantua or lifelike or bachmann. Untested really doesn't bug me, because they usually land up only needing to be broken in from their long period of not being run. Always go for a trusted brand. Check description and pics for any broken parts. Fuzzy pictures should be a red flag.
For DCC and or sound: This is a bit more tricky. I would not ever jump for one unless the brand of decoder is specified. Make sure it works. If you are not sure of the decoder, you second bet is to look to the loco brand. Certian manufacturers put certian brands of decoders in depending on the run of products it was in. If you do not check this, you could be a sucker for DCC sound that turns out to be an MRC decoder. As for condition in other areas, again check for details broken or missing. As an added note, save yourself a headache that I have given myself and make sure it actually has a prototype, if that is your thing. There are probably more things that I missed for both categories, but I tried to cover the primary ones.
I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.
Brand might not be such a great indicator after all. Every maker has its weaker products. What we need is a consumer reports ranking on the most reliable locos from each maker.
but of course the owner could still have ruined it, even if it was a great loco.
maybe i will just buy only new Locos. It might be cheaper in the long run.
I bought a tyco switcher on ebay. It was full of gunk. I cleaned it up as much as i could without drilling out the plastic screws that hold the motor to the chassis, but it just sits in the track deader than a door nail. The magnet is still good. The wheels will move sideways. The wires are touching the wheels. The soldering looks solid. But it has no interest in electricity.
the ad said Untested.
Hi Jim:
You might get more detailed answers if you were to tell us specifically what types of locomotives you are interested in.
My knowledge is limited to Transition Era diesels. I have bought about 25 locomotives from eBay and only one was a dud (pancake motor). I bought it before I knew anything about product quality. Fortunately I didn't pay much.
I tend to buy older editions without DCC installed. I have locomotives by Atlas, InterMountain, Kato, Bachmann Spectrum and LifeLike P2K.
- The older Atlas locomotives in the yellow boxes run very nicely and they are usually reasonably priced.
- InterMountain locomotives also run very well. I did have a problem with one locomotive where the motor was squeaking, but InterMountain sent me a new motor for free despite the fact that I bought the locomotive used on eBay
- LifeLike Proto 1000 and Proto 2000 locomotives also run very nicely and are usually reasonably priced. Some of their GP series had problems with cracked axle gears but the gears are easy to replace and not expensive. Some of the details can be very fragile. I busted half the lift rings off of my E6 the first time I handled it! The details can be replaced fairly easily. Note that the older LifeLike toy train engines are a waste of time unless you want something for target practice. The LifeLike models you should consider are labelled Proto 1000 or Proto 2000.
- I have a few Kato engines and they run well too.
- I have a couple of Bachmann Spectrum locomotives but they don't run as smoothly as the other brands.
If you want to get into DCC then I would avoid buying older locomotives that someone has added a decoder to, particularly if there is sound involved. As someone said, that can be a real crap shoot. Installing your own decoders is not difficult.
That barely touches the surface. Give us some additional details so we can be more specific.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Avoid sellers that insist on checks or money orders only. I only buy locomotives from sellers that have PayPal accounts, and even then avoid sellers that insist on using the "Friends/Family" setting. This only serves to save the seller shipping costs, and purchasing this way means you forfeit your PayPal protections.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
The GnomeI bought a tyco switcher on ebay.
Tyco is one brand to avoid (unless you are into building steam engine kits - their old cast metal kits can be built into decent models but it takes some work).
As I said in my previous post, LifeLike non Proto 1000 (P1K) or Proto 2000 (P2K) are a waste.
Mantua stuff is pretty primitive, although like Tyco they did make some steamer kits that are fun to built if you are so inclined. Like the Tyco kits, they take some effort to get running properly and the details need to be replaced.
If you don't recognize the manufacturer then don't buy, at least until you have more knowledge.
I usually go for used Atlas and Athearn locos with decoders. but sometimes I buy them new.
My opinion: Unless you spend a lot of time and be extremely patient, don't expect to find a super deal on Ebay. As others have said, go for a good brand, and a buyer that accepts returns. For me, Ebay is a good place to find rarer locos, or pieces I can't find new.
Simon
Dave,
my purpose is to make a diesel railbus. I saw a youtube video from the UK by Budget Model Railways in which he cut down a passenger coach shell then fitted it over a loco chassis with motor. The particular products he used are not available in the USA, so I was going to try it with a different loco and a different shell. No luck on the loco yet.
Sounds like a fun project! Ebay is your best ally for such projects. Please post pictures when you are done.
I have bought locos and rolling stock off and Facebook Groups. I do not spend more than I can afford to throw away and not miss. Paypal only no friends and family. I also read about the seller. Have had good luck for the most part.
This is my policy.
I have several e-Bay stores I buy from on a routine bases that is a B&M hobby shop and I maintain a list of trusted private sellers that I bought from at least twice before..
I will not buy untested locomotives or cars and locomotives with poor dark photos..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I see a lot of athearn blue box being sold with prices of the genesis series. I see that with tyco and others as well. It pays to be able to identify the maker just on pictures alone. Also pays to know the msrp or market going price. To many way over priced and if course it is rare or hard to find. There is only 10 others over the next 3 pagges. I bought a rivarossi 0-8-0 that iwanted to do a little work to. Make it fit the new road a little better. I found a tested one in decent shape. So the pic showed. Seller said nothing of that damage saying it was in good shape. Turns out the tender was melted on the side you couldnt see in the pic. They had put a mantua motor in it. The pilot was broke and sloppily and poorly glued back on. Lucky i was already olanning to redue the pilot. And a new tender shell was an easy swap. New motor was already planned. The message. Beware of the pics. They can be taken in just a way to hide a lot ot flaws. Study the pics closely
Wolfie
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
I would like to know more about those. How does one fix a rivarossi 0-8-0? The motor is in the tender, and the rest of the mechanism is in the loco. Mine is missing the connecting bar, and the motor isnt real great. Sorry if i am hijacking the thread. I may have to make a seperate one.
I have bought several used locomotives on eBay and only had trouble with one of them. Most of the ones I have bought were being sold by the owner who was thinning out his collection. The one I had trouble with was sold by a junk dealer. It was listed as new but it was from a from an old trainset. It still was in it’s original box which was part of the set but it didn’t have the retail printing on the end of the box. It run but the light didn’t work, the wheels were dirty, and some of the detail parts were missing. If they had broken off in shipping then they would have been in the box but they were long gone. As for old locomotives: Old Tyco and other toy brands I avoid because they usually don’t last very long to begin with. Old Atlas, Walthers, and Athearn blue box as well as Rivarossi all have been fine because they were well made to begin with.
If you are looking at Proto 2000, many/most will need the split gears replaced but thats modus operandi and not a big deal. I recently sold GP30 I never had out of the box and the buyer reported had to replace the gears but new that would be needed and just did it in stride. The ones I don't sell I know I'll have to do that myself eventually.
I see a lot of athearn blue box being sold with prices of the genesis series.
Me too. We all see nutty prices on Ebay, move along ... move along ...
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
The inly good use for old tyco are for young kids. Or painting. If you are new to painting or airbrushing they are a good cheap practice tool. Along with practicing masking skills. Goes good for weathering too
Hello all,
My one piece of advice...
Caveat Emptor!
OK, to be serious...
Probably 90%-95% of my motive power was bought on eBay. Some with DCC, some DCC Ready and some straight DC that I converted to DCC.
First- -Set a budget!
The thing to know is the real-world value of the item you are looking at; this holds true at train shows as well.
If it's out of your budget you better be sure this is the "deal of the century" and can justify this to your partner/wife/husband/roommate/significant other, et al!
Many online sellers will do their "research" through retail outlets, then determine their price(s) base on the upper-end value.
I model in HO. If I see a Bachmann GP30, DCC ready, listed on eBay at $110.00 it's a pass. I know that I can get a brand new unit from a nearby hobby store for $65.00. And that includes a factory warranty.
The sellers might also try to up-sell the item by describing it as "unique" or "one-of-a-kind". Beware of these phrases.
I bought a MOW weight car for $10.00 + $2.00 S+H $12.00. A few weeks later I saw the same item listed for $45.00. The item was damaged and shipping was $15.00! But the seller listed this item as "Unique".
The old addage, "A photo is worth 1,000 words."
Sellers that have several, clear, photos of the listed item and the photos include detail shots, I'm more likely to buy from that seller.
If they also have instructions/documentation that is a good sign too.
As has been posted- -ONLY go through PayPal!
Years ago I was caught-up in a cycling shoe scam through eBay. I went through the PayPal grievance process and was returned every penny.
That being said...
I did receive a loco that, could be generously said to be "Not As Described"!
After contacting the seller he admitted that it wasn't "As Described" and refunded me my money.
On the other end of the spectrum, I saw a listing of two Bachmann DCC locomotives; GP40 & GP38-2, for $45.00. I pulled the trigger on them.
When they arrived I put them on the programming track, addressed them, adjusted some CVs and they are now my strongest runners.
Is this a project or do you want RTR...
Many of my eBay purchases have been with the specific intent of parting-out for projects bought on eBay.
I bought an Aero Train body and a Yugoslavian made RS1. The RS1 had a missing fuel tank and air reservoirs. The shell is chunky and unrealistic.
This chassis runs great on DC and is a perfect fit for the Aero Train shell and conversion to DCC. Next up on the project list.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
The feedback on this thread has been very helpful. Going into ebay blind is very risky. Know the current prices for the same items. Know which products are likely to be junk when you buy them used. Study the photos carefully but know they might be misleading. Stick with trusted sellers when you can.
So far I am batting zero on ebay because I am a slow learner. But I think I am learning from each mistake.
One purchase I am hopeful about should arrive tomorrow. It is the shell for a paseenger coach, which I intend to cut down to make the body of a diesel railbus/trolley/streetcar/tram. How could they trick me when it is just a shell? we will find out soon.
Next I will need a motorized chassis that can fit underneath it. That might be difficult to find. I mean one that actually runs.
If you want to power a passenger car as a rail bus, one route to consider would be a Bowser trolley drive. You can find them, along with chassis plates meant to work with them, at Custom Traxx.
You'll probably spend about $50 to $60, but it will work.
Eric
Eric,
i was hoping to spend less making a motorized trolley than it would cost to buy one. If a previously owned diesel loco chassis would fit under a cut down coach, it might cost me less than $50. That is my hope, anyway.
another way to do this is to buy a street car then modify the roof to remove all evidence of the pole. But streetcars are not cheap either.
i will look into Bowser trolley drives at Custom Traxx.
Watch out for scales too. Lots of misleading ones where it is posted as one scale but is really another. Or a toy of some sort not a model at all
Ebay used locos??
In addition to what has been said here: I have purchased about 80% of my roster on Ebay - approx 2/3 of that was used. I have had pretty good luck with the purchases.
I do have a couple of problem areas that come up - packaging on brass has been spotty. after a couple of "$25 packing fee that amounted to throw the item in a Priority mail shipping box with little padding" incidents (both resulted in damage) - I now send a note to the seller outlining what I consider reasonable packaging when I pay for the item.
The other issue is bidders that push the price up in $5 increments to increase the item price - After being burned on this once - I use auction stealer to snipe so my bid isn't hanging out there.
I always make surte I'm up to snuff on what I'm buying and I take into account the condition of the item when bidding.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
The Gnomemy purpose is to make a diesel railbus.
Neat project!
I have done a couple of similar projects and I didn't have to spend a lot of money.
Here is a Roundhouse 3 in 1 kit. It has DCC incl. sound. It uses a Tenshodo 'Spud' drive. Both the 3 in 1 kit and the Tenshodo drive are discontinued, but I was able to get them for peanuts on eBay. The paint job needs to be finished:
Here is a close up of the Tenshodo drive. The side frames are scratch built:
You will likely have to be patient for the Tenshodo Spud drives to show up at a reasonable price. They are listed fairly regularly but most times the asking price is too high.
Here is a railtruck that is mostly scratchbuilt. I found a couple of ancient kits on eBay for railtrucks. The kits were so old that some of the resin castings had started to go soft, and the parts that weren't soft were too flimsy to use. Most of the kit was tossed. I saved the motor, the geared rear axle and the front two wheel sets. The rest is scratch built with the exception of the cab, engine compartment and the fenders which are from a Jordan Highway Miniatures school bus. It has DCC with sound and working lights. Needs paint:
Here are a couple of pictures of the frame. The frame was shortened after the picture was taken. The front truck and the rear suspension are scratchbuilt:
Here is the kit but I wouldn't bother looking for one. Motors and geared axles are easy to find. Check out North West Short Line (NWSL):
http://www.nwsl.com/
Cheers,