Ebay and Trains

[dehusman]

I have bought many things on e-Bay, from cars to locomotives to rule books.

The key is to set a limit on the amount you want to spend and to know what you are buying and its value.

For example there was a train set witha Mehano 2-6-0 camelback in it. I wanted the camelback boiler to swap with the running gear from a Mehano 4-4-0 to make a camelback 4-4-0 which was a much more common wheel arrangement (the 2-6-0 is a of a NYO&W engine). Plus I got several cars that were useful for my 1900 ing interests. I won an auction for the whole set for about $40 plus shipping. Two months later there was a guy asking several hundred dollars for the exact same set.

My rule of thumb is to figure what i can buy the item for locally or mail order and then subtract out the shipping costs, that makes my maximum bid. If the retai cost of the item is $40 and shipping is $5 then I won't go much over $35 so my total cost is $40 (35 + 5 shipping). Also be aware that much of the bidding is done in the last hour of the auction.

I have had some real buys and a couple not so good buys. Overall i use it frequently and enjoy playing with it.

Dave H.

[Hawks05]

i've bought:

P2K GP7 Rock Island Locomotive
P2K GP7 Burlington Route locomotive
2 Roundhouse kits
2 Great Northern hoppers
2 Great Northern box car

all the items i got were in excellent condition. the locomotives were awesome. i'm thinking about buying another one from the guy if he has anymore.

[BruceJob]

I've had good luck in purchasing structure kits and engines thru eBay auctions. You can find some bargains if you follow some do's and don'ts:

DO:

Your homework. Research some of the discount internet retailers to get an idea of the price range of the item you're interested in.

Be patient. You'll probably see the item you want listed for auction in your price range...eventually.

Check the feedback rating.That's a good indicator of the reliability of the seller. My experience has been positive overall...most buyers and sellers are trustworthy. Those that aren't can be spotted by the negative feedback.

DON'T

Catch auction fever. Bid the max price you're willing to pay, then wait until the end of the auction.

Hope this is helpful.

Bruce J.

[Anonymous]

Canadians must beware the currency used. Most items on Ebay.ca are in U.S.$ and the shipping costs + taxes (GST and PST) can really catch you by surprise when converted to C$. I vote buying local. I have used Ebay and been "stung" a couple of times mostly due to not doing my research.

[Dough]

I have bid on many items, however I have only purchased a few. So far I have only bid on engines and some other misc. parts.

The main problem that I have is shipping. I have not yet been able to purchase a single piece of rolling stock due to shipping charges. You may save a few bucks only to spend $5 in shipping. At best you come out even, and in that case I'd rather just give my buddies down at the hobby shop my business.

On the other hand, I have been very pleased with every puchase that I have made. All I can say is just DO YOUR RESEARCH! I can't tell you how many times I see people on ebay pay more than what it costs to buy something in a store.

HTH

[Anonymous]

Wondering how many of you have done the ebay thing when searching for model railroad items. Is it worth the time and energy with the bidding and waiting, etc.?