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buying track

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  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Warren, MI O scaler
  • 553 posts
Posted by el-capitan on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 9:32 AM

St Francis Consolidated RR

 really, thirteen-year-olds have no business having accounts on ebay and buying used track.

     I suggest you start with a nice, quality HO scale set that your parents can buy for you for under $100 shipping included on ebay from a top-rated seller, then expand from there once you have some of the basics down.

I have no idea on how this is supposed to be taken but its insulting. What is wrong with a 13 yo buying used items off ebay? My 11yo has been buying items off ebay for a few years now and I think it's great. He is learning to spend his money wisely and stretch his dollars as far as he can. If you ask me, telling a kid that he should have mommy and daddy buy him a brand new trainset is what is wrong with this generation of kids, they are way too dependant on their parents for everything.  So instead of telling him he has no business going on ebay, I will say this:

Research the items carefully as well as the seller. Pay attention to their feedback. Look at the other items they have for sale. The more RR stuff that is for sale, the more likely that they are knowledgeable about what they are selling. Always ask questions before bidding. Set a dollar amount for what you want to spend on the item and don't go over trying to win an item.

 

Good luck.

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Deming Sub Deming Sub

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Big Blackfoot River
  • 2,788 posts
Posted by Geared Steam on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 6:38 PM

BRAKIE

 

 Geared Steam:

 

If its a myth show me where to buy new brass track?

 

 

Its a myth..Brass track was pushed aside and branded evil by the "experts "  in  MR and Kalmbach books and those articles and books amount to nothing more then infomercials for their advertisers..

I wonder what the poor brass track did to make the experts so mad? Whistling

It's conspiracy about a myth, or a myth about a conspiracy?

I'm going back to playing with trains with my NS track......which IS the only kind available to me brand spankin' new.Smile, Wink & Grin

 

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Back in the PNW
  • 659 posts
Posted by alco_fan on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 6:55 PM

BRAKIE
Its a myth..Brass track was pushed aside and branded evil by the "experts "  in  MR and Kalmbach books and those articles and books amount to nothing more then infomercials for their advertisers..

Sorry, even for a conspiracy theorist like you, that is a ridiculous statement. The same people that advertised brass track in MR (Atlas, Model Power) back in the day advertise nickel silver today.

You are saying that Kalmbach covninced the manufacturers to drop brass? Nutty.

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • 547 posts
Posted by eaglescout on Thursday, February 23, 2012 8:19 AM

The actual myth is that newer necessarily means better.  Read a few reviews on new appliances on the market that people are fed up with.  My parents had a 1950's refrigerator in their basement that never needed a repair in 50 years.  Marketing and lack of anything better pushes sales in many areas.  Model railroading is not immune from it.  If there was not a market for brass track it wouldn't be selling on Ebay for close to retail many times.  I pick and choose what I bid on and still get a good buy now and then.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Sorumsand, Norway
  • 3,417 posts
Posted by steinjr on Thursday, February 23, 2012 8:54 AM

el-capitan

 

 St Francis Consolidated RR:

 

 really, thirteen-year-olds have no business having accounts on ebay and buying used track.

     I suggest you start with a nice, quality HO scale set that your parents can buy for you for under $100 shipping included on ebay from a top-rated seller, then expand from there once you have some of the basics down.

 

 

I have no idea on how this is supposed to be taken but its insulting. What is wrong with a 13 yo buying used items off ebay?

 The kid was "dissapointed" (sic) that a decades old Mantua engine he bought used for $2 did not contain a DCC decoder.  Might be a wee bit early for his parents to let him go buy stuff on the net unsupervised - the kid still has not reached a level of maturity where he has reasonably realistic expectations.

 Apart from that, there is a little sentence at the bottom of the page when you register for eBay (right above the "Submit" button) where you sign off on "I am at least 18 years old."

 Smile,
 Stein

 

 

  • Member since
    October 2011
  • 29 posts
Posted by MRR kid on Thursday, February 23, 2012 9:44 AM

after i asked my second question i googled MB kleins and www.modeltrainstuff.com popped up. i have been on it before and did not know that was it.

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Warren, MI O scaler
  • 553 posts
Posted by el-capitan on Thursday, February 23, 2012 6:00 PM

steinjr

 

 The kid was "dissapointed" (sic) that a decades old Mantua engine he bought used for $2 did not contain a DCC decoder.  Might be a wee bit early for his parents to let him go buy stuff on the net unsupervised - the kid still has not reached a level of maturity where he has reasonably realistic expectations.

 Apart from that, there is a little sentence at the bottom of the page when you register for eBay (right above the "Submit" button) where you sign off on "I am at least 18 years old."

 Smile,
 Stein

A kid being disappointed is like water being wet.

Apparently there is a history outside this thread that I am ignorant to so I'm not going to disagree with you. Just wanted to point out that with proper supervision, ebay can be a useful tool in showing children the value of a dollar. And, just so everyone knows, my son does not have his own account, he uses mine when he wants to buy or sell something. And never bids unless he has my OK.

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  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: upstate NY
  • 9,236 posts
Posted by galaxy on Friday, February 24, 2012 4:24 AM

80ktsClamp

wholesaletrains.com was where I bought most of my track, turnouts, and roadbed- it was by far the best deal!  

I second the motion!!!

Code 100 track is here:

http://www.wholesaletrains.com/HOProducts2.asp?Scale=HO&Item=150TRACK100

and code 83 is here:

http://www.wholesaletrains.com/HOProducts2.asp?Scale=HO&Item=150TRACK83

They have teh BEST prices around...and usually a fast turnaround of a only day {or two} to get your order out!

I highly recommend them! Wink

Geeked

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

  • Member since
    August 2010
  • From: Northeast of Atlanta, GA
  • 179 posts
Posted by 80ktsClamp on Sunday, February 26, 2012 2:24 AM

Exactly... when I haven't had a gift card or whatever for Amazon, or when wholesale hasn't had it in stock (which is rare), they are far and beyond the best prices anywhere.  I easily saved several hundred dollars on my track and turnouts!  

Hold my beer... ya'll watch this!

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