Toy train operating and collecting

What do you mean "no market"? Aren't you in the train publication business?

It's been my position for a long time that the Hobby "Toy Trains" is becoming more and more fragmented. For a long time MPC was shunned by collectors looking for postwar.. Years back there was another boundry at pre and post 1954 trains. Some say they're looking at MPC as a "Made in the USA" backlash against current Chinese imports.

But looking across the spectrum you have the Scale Big Boys and the Beeps. Atlas now makes 3 types of O-Gauge. You have bare bones Williams, Legacy and DCS. Starter Sets and Premium.

Every part of the hobby is becoming smaller as it becomes more specialized. I take Bob's comments to mean that although interest in MPC is growing it might not be large enough to make the minimum printing numbers profitable.

Chris F wrote:

This one was part of a 6-volume set by Tom McComas and James Tuohy, covering everything from Prewar to 1980 production, and volumes on the archives and advertising/art.  The last time I saw complete sets for sale was at the DuPage County train show in the mid-90's (Tom drove over from Michigan to sell his wares at most of these monthly shows).

Lottsa good ideas here. Nevertheless, I am going to re-post the link to abe book exchange. But first, from their promotional material:

         Search 13,500 booksellers selling 110 million books 

That's a lot of sellers and a heckava lot of books. I have found things there that I couldn't find anywhere else. and the site is very easy to navigate. So, once again, the link:

                     http://www.abebooks.com/

Someone probably already mentioned it, but when sees estate sales in the newpaper that mention train collections, there are often extensive libraries of train books and mags also.

Hello all,

Done putting down new wood flooring for the day.  From now on when I see people on TV say it is a one day job I'm just going to laugh..... there days must be longer than mine.

I have been looking for references that cover the MPC era also.  I like the MPC stuff because it isnt expensive, and there is a good selection available.  I've been collecting Trainmasters lately, what great engines they are!  Probably my favorites (for the moment...)

Bob - if you reprint I'll buy one, I promise.

Have a great evening.

Tim   

Bob,

I watch several of Kalmbach's out of print guides on ebay, just to see what the going price is. The Greenberg guides to American Flyer Prewar O gauge by Schuweiler consistenly go for double what their original selling price was, and that is for both editions.  The guide for Wide Gauge has gone for 2-3 times its original price, and the reprint of the Flyer Catalogues 1946-1955 is at least double, and that was $125.00, to begin with.  It seems to me that there are plenty of bidders for those items. Amazon.com has standing requests for these items as well.   I realize that I am not saavy to the printing business but the numbers bidding and the prices that are being acheived would indicate to me that there is a demand for some of these books to be reprinted How many copies are there in a small run?

Greg

BTW, are you or any of the staff going to be at Mad City train show in Madison next week?