tomikawaTT This is one of those unfortunate cases. The gentleman probably has everything he ever acquired, and no other assets. Now he needs funds. Reading just a little into his ad, this is probably like cutting off his arm, or trying to sell the pound of flesh closest to his heart. If I had to replace my present roster from Japanese sources at today's MSRP, I couldn't do it for $90,000 US. OTOH, if I tried to sell as a dump unload, I might make the equivalent of one month of my wife's Social Security income. That's why I don't even count my railroad as part of my estate. The kids/grandkids/great-grandkids can divide it up among themselves, either to use or to see what they can get when they try to sell it. Once I leave the building, I won't care. Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
This is one of those unfortunate cases. The gentleman probably has everything he ever acquired, and no other assets. Now he needs funds. Reading just a little into his ad, this is probably like cutting off his arm, or trying to sell the pound of flesh closest to his heart.
If I had to replace my present roster from Japanese sources at today's MSRP, I couldn't do it for $90,000 US. OTOH, if I tried to sell as a dump unload, I might make the equivalent of one month of my wife's Social Security income. That's why I don't even count my railroad as part of my estate. The kids/grandkids/great-grandkids can divide it up among themselves, either to use or to see what they can get when they try to sell it. Once I leave the building, I won't care.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Chuck
Most of us have the same situation. If you need money fast, selling the trains is not the way to go.
CZ
There appears to be good stuff in this sale. Not likely that there's $90K worth. The presentation of the merchandise simply doesn't tell a potential purchaser what he's buying or whether it really is worth $90K. The ad expects the purchaser to buy a pig in a poke, and most purchasers aren't that loose with their money, even if they have a spare $90K to blow. I do sympathize with the seller's predicament & hope it never happens to me (or anybody else, for that matter); but the simple fact is that this eBay ad isn't likely to succeed, and never was likely to succeed.
Holy smokes batman, did you see how much track he has. The entire layout looks way too crowded, how in the world did he even run trains on it. Even the basement itselft looks are dark and dingy and too much crap everywhere. Defenatley Horder status.
I guarantee if he just tried to give the layout away, not including the locos and cars, that nobody would want it even free. He probably has brass track too.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
gatrhumpy I would never buy anything from anyone who misspells something in their auction.
I would never buy anything from anyone who misspells something in their auction.
I've gotten an Kato Amtrak buisness car for $15 and a Walther's Platinum line caboose for $5 because they misspelled it and had few bidders and views. The tricky part is to deliberately misspell something to find them
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
Motley Holy smokes batman, did you see how much track he has. The entire layout looks way too crowded, how in the world did he even run trains on it. Even the basement itselft looks are dark and dingy and too much crap everywhere. Defenatley Horder status.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
I have seen widows and wives (and ex-wives) who over-value the model trains, but usually the modeler/owner himself has a more realistic view, perhaps because that modeler/owner used to buy other guys' stuff and realizes the drastic discount involved as soon as regular commercial model train equipment is "used." Indeed I have even seen one of a kind scratchbuilt stuff go dirt cheap.
Track in particular -- previously owned but still new-in-box is one thing, but truly used track has about as much resale value as used toothbrushes.
Dave Nelson
dknelson I have seen widows and wives (and ex-wives) who over-value the model trains, but usually the modeler/owner himself has a more realistic view, perhaps because that modeler/owner used to buy other guys' stuff and realizes the drastic discount involved as soon as regular commercial model train equipment is "used." Indeed I have even seen one of a kind scratchbuilt stuff go dirt cheap. Track in particular -- previously owned but still new-in-box is one thing, but truly used track has about as much resale value as used toothbrushes. Dave Nelson
I would definitely agree with that. After dealing in used model train equipment I've seen track, structures, and rolling stock go for pennies on the dollar. The only things that really hold any value are locomotives, passenger cars, and turnouts. Even used turnouts can bring some good coin, but they have to be in good shape & not all beat up/broken ties.
Never attempt anything you don't want to explain to the EMT