Every once in a while at one of the annual train shows I like to attend, this guy shows up and sets up a table (or two) full of track that has a few dozen brass locomotives sitting on it.
On this one particular day I was giving it a close inspection when I heard the elderly gentleman next to me break his silence, and with a very proper english accent go, "oh my God, would you look at that!" It turned out that this gentleman was stationed in Nairobi as a Naval Attache. Being a railroad buff, he and his wife would take rail trips on days off.
So there sat in front of him a perfect brass model of a steam engine that would pull them through the Kenyan countryside, complete with the correct herald on its tender. His wife insisted he buy it, even though it was $400.00 and he said "they didn't have that kind of money". These two were giddy and you could tell the sight of this loco took them back to a special period in their lives.
The vender knocked a hundred bucks off and actually took a cheque from the wife for payment. We all had a good chat about his time in Africa and it made for a memorable day at the show.
So tell us, what was the strangest, most obscure, most unlikely, rarest thing you ever came across at a train show and did you buy it? How much of an eureka moment was it for you?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
For me it was a tinplate forgery, some guy had cut a hole in the roof of an extremely common car to make it look like a rare, just goes to show how much people like to cheat newbs
I was looking for a McKean centerbeam flat car for a long time when I found this kit at a show. It was warped and I had to use a hairdryer to straighten it out. The wheels were the worst ever and were replaced with metal wheels/trucks. First I used Jeager lumber loads with it but later cut a Walthers load down to size. Now it is pretty nice.
I found a box car with a FRED built by a local electronics geek. I moved it into this express boxcar so it can always be on nthe end of my passenger train.
I have found some good DVDs, besides the regular mass produced copies I have found ones made by locals that were good. I've found nice tee shirts. Also I've found some good bargins.
I met a pretty girl at one. No caboose but some nice big tankers.
I wouldn't call it one of the greatest finds in history, but one year at the big show in West Springfield, MA, I was looking for one of the rarer old HO scale Plasticville kits. I wanted to modify it to enter a local model contest. I tried to look at every table in all four halls over two days without much success. Then, during the last hour on Sunday, I went over to another building with a friend to quickly see a dealer. While we were there, my friend got occupied at a dealer table, so I made a quick restroom break. When I was done, I stood around waiting for him near a dealer with tables full of old Lionel trains. Since that's not my field of interest I wasn't paying much attention to them...until I happened to glance down and see a few old HO buildings in among the big Lionel trains. And there was the Plasticville kit I had been looking for! It was built up and not in great condition, but it didn't matter. I think it was in a bag with another one and I got them both for a few dollars.
Funny how one old simple item can make you so happy.
Jim
BATMAN So tell us, what was the strangest, most obscure, most unlikely, rarest thing you ever came across at a train show and did you buy it? How much of an eureka moment was it for you?
Well...I wouldn't necessarily call this a "eureka moment" but...I went to a small train show a number of years ago on a whim. The majority of the stuff at the show was O-scale Lionel so I didn't really find anything there in HO.
I was poking around a table when I overheard a vendor talking electronics with someone. I glanced up and noticed a woman talking to a gentleman...but then it occurred to me that both of them had male voices. Turns out that the vendor was indeed male...and a cross-dresser.
Caught me by surprise. He knew his electronics, though...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I have gotten a few bargins, like a brass 2-6-0 for around $15 in very good shape, he didn't relize it was brass till i bought it. Once bought a built up (well done) wood poultry car for $5 at a brass table, owner was only interested in brass.
A custom done blue box SD40'2 in Wheeling and Lake Erie for eighty dollars. Didn't buy it, but I should have.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
Mine was finding a plastic model of Jordon spreader. It ws made by a company called Canadian Models, which had never heard of. The only Jordon Spreader that I had seen previously were made of brass, which is out of my league. It is the pride of my MOW fleet.
For me it was a car I been looking for for 2-3 years.. A Bev-Bel/Athearn D&M 50' boxcar.
I found it and as you can see I bought.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE For me it was a car I been looking for for 2-3 years.. A Bev-Bel/Athearn D&M 50' boxcar. I found it and as you can see I bought.
SWEET!!
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Nice boxcar. My favorite (scale) engine was built from under the table HO and OO parts from EUROPE, of all places. It runs great.
My most unusual moment was at the large Timonium, MD show four years ago. I am into HOn3 and even large shows have extremely limited material.
I found a guy with a single table and on it was a complete and accurate, custom, handbuilt 2 X 2 foot diorama of the Durango turntable and roundhouse. Done in HOn3. The guy had a price of $200.00 or best offer. The interior was exquisitely detailed with metal tools, lathes, large shears, work pits, large milling machine, welding carts,etc. All wood and hydrocal wall castings.
I finally obtained it for $100.00 and the guy carried it to my car for me!
It had a name of Al Boos on the underside, who it turns out is an NMRA master modeler! I contacted him for a back story that would amaze me. (Too long to go into here) He noted that he built that over 30 years ago, commissioned to make it and many other custom narrow gauge HOn3 dioramas for a wealthy fellow in Texas!
How did it get to MD? He and I wondered at that and he noted that just the metal castings in the interior were about $100 way back then and that he spent 3 months making the model which is fully lit for night time operations.
I attach a simple image with one of my C-19s in a nigh scene.
What a buy, What a history and I doubt I'll be this lucky again.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed