HUUuuu ... uuuGe ebay estate sale

[Anonymous]

1,200 dollars for 30 year old outdated technology JUNK.

[loathar]

It almost looks like what was left in the back room of a hobby shop after people bought all the good stuff at a going out of business sale.

[reklein]

I spent all my money on Tyco and Mantua and the rest I just wasted.

If yer front porch collapses 'cause there's to much train stuff on it,it could mean your a model train nut.

 If yer dog sleeps in a house made to look like a caboose,it could mean yer a train nut.

If yer boy says "Dad I wanna go to bed now" and you say "shut up and program the consist" it could mean yer a train nut.

If yer bed frame is held up by stacks of MR mags . It could mean yer a.......................

[SteamFreak]

Yikes! It just jumped to $2,596.99, and the reserve still hasn't been met!

Maybe the sympathy angle is working its magic?

 

[snagletooth]

Yikes! It just jumped to $2,596.99, and the reserve still hasn't been met!

Maybe the sympathy angle is working its magic?

 

No, just people greed combined with idiocy. Such a tasty combo when you're trying to cook up a nice dish of profit.

[csmith9474]

Shill bids possibly??

[marknewton]

sad that people don't understand they're missing special time with the family.

Ever considered the possibility that some families aren't worth spending time with? Everyone on this thread seems to assume that the putative dead Tyco collector was the one with "issues"...

[SteamFreak]

sad that people don't understand they're missing special time with the family.

Ever considered the possibility that some families aren't worth spending time with? Everyone on this thread seems to assume that the putative dead Tyco collector was the one with "issues"...

Except in the case of a parent. The parent establishes the tenor and quality of the relationship with the child, popular notions and horror stories like "The Excorcist" and  "The Omen" notwithstanding. Children aren't born evil, and no child sacrifices a relationship with their father if he is a loving and attentive dad. It takes something traumatic and abusive to sever that instinctive bond.

[snagletooth]

 $3691. WOW! These must be the same guys that were bidding up that Tyco trainset.

[marknewton]

sad that people don't understand they're missing special time with the family.

Ever considered the possibility that some families aren't worth spending time with? Everyone on this thread seems to assume that the putative dead Tyco collector was the one with "issues"...

Except in the case of a parent. The parent establishes the tenor and quality of the relationship with the child, popular notions and horror stories like "The Excorcist" and  "The Omen" notwithstanding. Children aren't born evil, and no child sacrifices a relationship with their father if he is a loving and attentive dad. It takes something traumatic and abusive to sever that instinctive bond.

Righto, Dr Phil, whatever you reckon...

[aloco]

Junk.

[Anonymous]

 $3691. WOW! These must be the same guys that were bidding up that Tyco trainset.

There is something wrong with this.

I feel revulsion and disgust that such junk can pull a wallet out of pockets... and STILL no reserve met?

I think someone is being greedy.

[Tilden]

I agree there is a lot of stuff of base quality.  There is also a lot of Tyco items.  Now, if they were just in museum quality clear plastic cases..... The "Tyco Collectors" would be all over this one.

Tilden

[secondhandmodeler]

This has to be dealers.  Nobody else would get anything of value from it. It's kind of like a salvage yard.   You pay somebody $50 for the junker car then sell the drivers side mirror for $75.  You just have to be willing to have a junk yard.

[csmith9474]

 $3691. WOW! These must be the same guys that were bidding up that Tyco trainset.

There is something wrong with this.

I feel revulsion and disgust that such junk can pull a wallet out of pockets... and STILL no reserve met?

I think someone is being greedy.

I hate to be such a cynic, but I personally never bid on auctions where the user ID is kept private. Shill bidding is a huge problem on eBay (one of many), and I just don't trust auctions like this. I have seen many of these large lots bid up with zero IDs that are years old, or a lot of golden boys.

[loathar]

I agree there is a lot of stuff of base quality.  There is also a lot of Tyco items.  Now, if they were just in museum quality clear plastic cases..... The "Tyco Collectors" would be all over this one.

Tilden

You guys are forgetting something. There were no "Tyco Collectors" that bid on that Choo Choo set in the acylic case. There were zero bids on it. Tyco stuff NEVER even comes close what an empty Lionel box fetches. Which would an 8 rear old kid rather see under the tree on Xmas? A running Tyco train or an empty "Collectors" box?

The more I look at the photos, there's a lot of non-Tyco stuff in there. Somebody gonna make some $$$ off this provided the reserve isn't $10k.

[CPRail modeler]

This is kinda crazy because this guy devoted his entire life to trains and became one of the few people that actually kept on collecting and eventually running out of room for them. The bidding for this massive collection hit over 3500 dollars last time I checked and that is amazing. Whoever gets it will probably sift through everything and find something rare that they can sell for 200 bucks up. It is also sad that this great collector died. I think he even cut himself off from the outside world to be with his trains. A majority of (no, make that ALL) the trains were of the lower end stuff like Bachmann, Tyco, Mantua and maybe some Rivarossi. It could be worse...he could have been a crazy cat or dog collector. Those stories are always sad because people just keep on buying animals with no regard for their well being and keep on neglecting the older ones...its just so sad...

[reklein]

I wonder if the collection belonged to one of those strange people the movies keep depicting. Interestiing, this thread comes off as a spectator sport,unless of course you are bidding on the stuff.

[vsmith]

I'm at a disadvantage as I cannot access evilbay from where I'm at but if this collection is as enormous as it sounds it could still be a small gold mine depending on how you approach it.

The thing is that if you have the patience to sift thru all this and seperate the wheat from the chaff, you can still make alot more than you spent for it by selling it off the crap in lots of say 10 cars each, and selling the better items off individually.

Its been my experience even if you think the buyer bought a basement full of junk, when one parcels it out and sells it, even on the cheap on e-bay, they usually still come out ahead as they can sell the smaller lots for alot more relative than they could a large mass lot like this. People are more willing to bid higher on a smaller lots than they would relative to a single large lot.

Assuming 1000 crap cars; at 100 boxes of 10 cars at $30 each box ($3 a car?) = $3000

Now add 100 crap engines at $10 each = another $1000

Now add just 10 good engines at $50 each = $500

Total $4500

Anyone care to guess how much 'stuff' there really is here?

 

PS I would also be worried about shill bidding as well, its a real problem on Evilbay

[loathar]

TYCO my Precious!

GET OUT OF MY BASEMENT!!! AWAY FROM MY PRECIOUS TYCOS!!

[One Track Mind]

I'm at a disadvantage as I cannot access evilbay from where I'm at but if this collection is as enormous as it sounds it could still be a small gold mine depending on how you approach it.

The thing is that if you have the patience to sift thru all this and seperate the wheat from the chaff, you can still make alot more than you spent for it by selling it off the crap in lots of say 10 cars each, and selling the better items off individually.

Its been my experience even if you think the buyer bought a basement full of junk, when one parcels it out and sells it, even on the cheap on e-bay, they usually still come out ahead as they can sell the smaller lots for alot more relative than they could a large mass lot like this. People are more willing to bid higher on a smaller lots than they would relative to a single large lot.

Assuming 1000 crap cars; at 100 boxes of 10 cars at $30 each box ($3 a car?) = $3000

Now add 100 crap engines at $10 each = another $1000

Now add just 10 good engines at $50 each = $500

Total $4500

Anyone care to guess how much 'stuff' there really is here?

 

PS I would also be worried about shill bidding as well, its a real problem on Evilbay

 

 

You are on the right track here vsmith! I put in a bid for it, and I based my bid pretty much on the very same figures you provided.

I took into consideration that whether I went and picked it up, or had them deliver it, it was going to cost about 600 - 700 dollars either way for delivery. I considered that as part of my bid.

Then I asked myself if I could reasonably expect to double my money, which is better than I can do with new items.

So I put in my bid and it was apparently not close to the reserve price, but I can guarantee that it was not a shill bid.

This is not a bad deal for a train shop or train show dealer IF they were willing to put the time in to make the items presentable...I believe "coatings of dust" was mentioned several times...and IF the price was right...

But at over 3600 dollars and still the reserve has not been met...they are now way out of the range where a re-seller could realistically expect to make any money off of this...especially now that I read the updated information.

Glad I got outbid immediately...but a trip to Michigan might have been enjoyable!

 

[Master of Big Sky Blue]

TYCO my Precious!

GET OUT OF MY BASEMENT!!! AWAY FROM MY PRECIOUS TYCOS!!

 

I have a feeling that isn't to far from the truth. However that is just priceless LMAO

[Anonymous]

Yeah pretty sad family not want.

I showed my wife this e bay page, she drop! and read the story on e bay, pretty sad she said..

that would have happen to her father's train set!! Mother did not want nothing to do with it so. other sons did not want any too. AND told ME!! IF I dont want any it's going all out in TRASH!! Haaaaaa!!

so I took all and box it all up. yeah it's still in box no place to set to look at yet till we have our own house. am trying to remember what's there Ummm it's going be like chirstmas again.

 steve

[rrebell]

To me a bunch of junk, not even worth reselling, but the price goes up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[slow train Ed]

 you need help bns it could be an early christmas. To  get back to the topic I didn't see any engines except the one box that had decels. You would think if its that big it wouldn't fit in a small u-hall trailer ,beings it was a three day salvage, and not all taken out.It looks to be only one car garage to.Yes it would be nice to see it on person. and be able to talk the wife out of the mc for the trip. still got several days left to bid . will be watching and wishing .

slow trin Ed

[Railphotog]

Whoever wins the auction is going to have a LOT of work to do in order to dispose the stuff.  They'll have to check the condition of all models, making sure everything is included, not broken, cleaned, and in running order.  Selling the stuff on eBay could be a major project, even if models were offered in groups of ten or more.  Not something I'd be interested in spending several months to do!

 

 

[SteamFreak]

You guys just aren't thinking clearly. Imagine all of the kitbashing opportunities here, the stirrup steps that will need replacing, and the hours fun you'll have toning down the day-glo paint with weathering chalks. It's Christmas in July!

[Mark R.]

The seller makes mention of the $18,000 insurance rider a couple times. Based on that fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised the seller has the reserve set somewhere between 7,000 and 9,000 !!!  I know, I know, it's not worth anywhere near that to us .... I just got a feeling.

Mark. 

  

[Anonymous]

 

Look at it this way,  If some Insane Billionaire, such as my hypothetical self, were to

try to Model the Entire USA railsystem and Rolling stock,  well, this would give you a

two percent Start give or take a few percent.    Let see at HO scale that would mean

A space of  36 miles x 20 miles or so.    I hear Land in Nevada is still cheap.

But hey, that Stuff for sale is not DCC convertible so BOLLOCKS on that.

[tatans]

How pathetic this story is, and it is far more common than anyone can imagine, there are all kinds of people out there that think the more "stuff" you collect the happier you are---surprise folks ! ! I also get a kick of some responses on the mental state of this individual who would collect 3000 cars, there comment is "I only have 800 cars" what could anyone possibly do with 800 cars ! ! is there a contest somewhere?? ----800 ? ?   a 100 cars would be excess. There seems to be a problem with a lot of model railroaders that should be referred to as "hoarders"  there is a BIG difference. I hope some individuals learn a great lesson from this sad story.