While checking something else out on ebay, I decided to check on listings for ATSF Blue Goose locos. I was amazed at the size of the flock of these geese. Mostly Rivarossi. These were very popular back in the 1980s in both the Rivarossi version and high end brass but for some reason it seems to have fallen out of favor in recent years. Maybe because there was only one ever built. Apparently a lot of people are trying to unload those Blue Geese they have from the 1980s. I am one of those people although I haven't listed mine yet. With so many available, it doesn't seem like I'll get much for mine. I saw them listed from an overly optimistic $349 down to a more realistic $120 although I'm not even sure that seller will get his price. I'm going to keep an eye on them to see how many are getting sold and at what price.
Things change, most brass is half the price or less that it was. With Rivarossi the large flanges on some have affected the value of all as mistakes are sometimes made and then those people tend to shy away from the name.
Average sale is only $75.
The AHM Goose is just a warmed over version of their NYC Hudson.
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
I often notice when a mainstream manufacturer, say Broadway Limited for instance, announces a release for a unique or sought after model, such as the Baldwin Centipede or the upcoming PRR S2 Turbine or NYC Commodore Vanderbilt, that the closets are raided and the markets seem to get inundated with all the prior versions of these locomotives in short order.
Just the nature of the marketing beast and the vagaries of supply and demand for higher quality models. Sellers try to unload them perhaps before everyone knows about the future products coming.
Regards, Ed
OK, the brass Tenshodo Blue Goose, which has several rather significant errors, can occasionally be had "affordably", because most buyers today know it's just not that great of an engine.
However, the brass Hallmark/Samhongsa Super Crown versions bring more money now than when they were new during the 1990's, and other more recent releases are even pricier. From my experience, they are very nice engines that run very well and are worth the money for those who need a more correct Blue Goose. The Hallmark ones have coasting drive--you can push roll them across a table top, and they run exceptionally smoothly when power is applied, but you will have to add the DCC decoder as they didn't have it.
The Rivarossi ones are ok, and maybe I'd buy one for $120 if it were available in mint condition...but I don't think I'd go much higher.
steemtrayn The AHM Goose is just a warmed over version of their NYC Hudson.
In those days, pretty much everything from Rivarossi was generic with no prototypical specific details. Both locos were 4-6-4 so it is not suprising they would use the same mechanism and just put different bodies on each. I also bought their Cardinal Train set which also included one of their Hudsons, this one a non-streamlined loco with a red body. The red heavyweight cars were the same generic ones they sold under other road names.
By coincidence, I was in my LHS today and saw they had a brand new Rivarossi Blue Goose for sale. I'm guessing this new one is more prototypically accurate and is either DCC and/or sound equipped or at least DCC ready. I didn't look at it close enough to find out. Knowing that, I'm guessing the ones on ebay with the high asking prices are this new model.
It's probably the old AHM body on an improved mechanism.
With the exception of some Athearn Genesis diesels, and a few other notable exceptions, most model train manufacturers do not generally replace the body on something when they can keep cranking out (a few) sales with long since paid for tooling.
There are exceptions to that rule, like the Rivarossi U25C, but...
Much of the stuff on Ebay is legacy product from years ago that may be "new old stock" from somebody's closet roundhouse.
PRR8259 It's probably the old AHM body on an improved mechanism. With the exception of some Athearn Genesis diesels, and a few other notable exceptions, most model train manufacturers do not generally replace the body on something when they can keep cranking out (a few) sales with long since paid for tooling. There are exceptions to that rule, like the Rivarossi U25C, but... Much of the stuff on Ebay is legacy product from years ago that may be "new old stock" from somebody's closet roundhouse.
rrebell PRR8259 It's probably the old AHM body on an improved mechanism. With the exception of some Athearn Genesis diesels, and a few other notable exceptions, most model train manufacturers do not generally replace the body on something when they can keep cranking out (a few) sales with long since paid for tooling. There are exceptions to that rule, like the Rivarossi U25C, but... Much of the stuff on Ebay is legacy product from years ago that may be "new old stock" from somebody's closet roundhouse. I have bought new off the boat stuff on e-bay, many times and have sold some. Sometimes you have a plan and the plan changes and you sell what you bought.
I have bought new off the boat stuff on e-bay, many times and have sold some. Sometimes you have a plan and the plan changes and you sell what you bought.
There are also e-tailers operating out of their homes or maybe a small LHS that sell through ebay. Much of the "Buy it now" merchandise falls into that category. Retailers might be selling multiples of the same item that way. I suspect the Blue Goose with the asking price of $349 is such an item. The packaging looks identical to what I saw in my LHS and is not the packaging Rivarossi was using 20-30 years ago. I can't remember what I paid for mine back in the 1980s but I'm guessing it was in the $150-200 range which would be quite a bit more in today's dollars than $349.