Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

ebay buy NKP brass Berk

1949 views
21 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 2,844 posts
ebay buy NKP brass Berk
Posted by dinwitty on Saturday, September 22, 2007 8:49 PM

of all the ebaying I have done, this was curious. so many brass buyers willling to outbid you, even watched a Virginian Triplex go from a few dollars to over a thousand in the final bid...

 Heres this Brass United NKP berkshire, and its been taken comepletely apart ready for painiting. Seller says all the parts are there. I watched it and it went totally unbid on and its auction ended. They relisted it and I decided to bid on it, about 175 bucks starting cost. Fine with me.  So there it sat with my single bid, nooobody else bid on it. BLING I win it. I just got it today and yeppers it is in pieces, but in perfect pieces. All the tiniest parts are in a film cannister and bigger parts layed into the tender. It has minor paint chips but a dose of flat black with primer will fix that up. They even took the motor apart with brushes in the cannister. Not worried about the motor as I will change it to a can. It looks like all parts are there as the seller mentioned.

It will be like putting a bowser kit together but most of the hard work is done. heh.

But in its pieced out condition allows me to inspect and make changes and mod it up to be an even better model.

It surprises me that all the brass ebayers out there passed this up. Knackers to Joo guys, you dropped a great deal!! And no skilz at all!!  

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • 3,590 posts
Posted by csmith9474 on Saturday, September 22, 2007 9:01 PM
It seems like a lot of people aren't set up for soldering, or they just don't want to fool with it. I have gotten some killer deals on undec stuff. I am assuming it is for the same sort of reasons, either because folks aren't set up for painting and decalling or just don't want to mess with it. Good on you for the awesome deal. I think getting somthing like that tore down in the way that it has been is the way to go. Have fun!!
Smitty
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 3,264 posts
Posted by CAZEPHYR on Saturday, September 22, 2007 9:34 PM
 dinwitty wrote:

of all the ebaying I have done, this was curious. so many brass buyers willling to outbid you, even watched a Virginian Triplex go from a few dollars to over a thousand in the final bid...

 Heres this Brass United NKP berkshire, and its been taken comepletely apart ready for painiting. Seller says all the parts are there. I watched it and it went totally unbid on and its auction ended. They relisted it and I decided to bid on it, about 175 bucks starting cost. Fine with me.  So there it sat with my single bid, nooobody else bid on it. BLING I win it. I just got it today and yeppers it is in pieces, but in perfect pieces. All the tiniest parts are in a film cannister and bigger parts layed into the tender. It has minor paint chips but a dose of flat black with primer will fix that up. They even took the motor apart with brushes in the cannister. Not worried about the motor as I will change it to a can. It looks like all parts are there as the seller mentioned.

It will be like putting a bowser kit together but most of the hard work is done. heh.

But in its pieced out condition allows me to inspect and make changes and mod it up to be an even better model.

It surprises me that all the brass ebayers out there passed this up. Knackers to Joo guys, you dropped a great deal!! And no skilz at all!!  

If you get all of the parts, it is a decent price.  I have two of the PFM NKP Berkshires imported about 1968 and several of the PSC models from the 1990's.  The PFM models are not state of the art today, but it is still a nice model and should run fairly good.

I would venture a guess to the reason no one bid on it is the fact it has been taken apart and the P2K latest models are extremely detailed and very nice with DCC and sound.  I purchased two of those also and they compare very well to my PSC brass models.    

Cheers    

 

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Wisconsin
  • 735 posts
Posted by wgnrr on Saturday, September 22, 2007 10:10 PM

Considering MTH HO is going to produce a plastic-diecast model of a Virginian/Erie triplex, I don't expect that that those tripexes (?) will be going for over 1,000 anymore. The new model will be $499 with sound.

Phil

My Photo Albums: http://s84.photobucket.com/albums/k32/martin_lumber/ http://tinyurl.com/3yzns6
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 3,264 posts
Posted by CAZEPHYR on Saturday, September 22, 2007 10:55 PM
 wgnrr wrote:

Considering MTH HO is going to produce a plastic-diecast model of a Virginian/Erie triplex, I don't expect that that those tripexes (?) will be going for over 1,000 anymore. The new model will be $499 with sound.

Phil

IS the MTH announcement for the Triplex official????

 

Cheers 

 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Missouri
  • 366 posts
Posted by NYCentral1 on Saturday, September 22, 2007 11:43 PM
 CAZEPHYR wrote:
 wgnrr wrote:

Considering MTH HO is going to produce a plastic-diecast model of a Virginian/Erie triplex, I don't expect that that those tripexes (?) will be going for over 1,000 anymore. The new model will be $499 with sound.

Phil

IS the MTH announcement for the Triplex official????

 

Cheers 

 

Here you go...

http://www.railking1gauge.com/detail.asp?item=80-3107-1

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Ohio
  • 1,615 posts
Posted by Virginian on Sunday, September 23, 2007 6:47 AM
A lot of people are real leery of the phrase "all parts included".  If something is NOT there, good luck finding it.  Also, with buggered up screw heads the collector value is crushed.  I have done like you and scored big time on undec stuff.  Back when P2K and their great parts policy was still around  I was in hog heaven.
What could have happened.... did.
  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Springfield, Ohio
  • 231 posts
Posted by PB&J RR on Sunday, September 23, 2007 7:20 AM
 dinwitty wrote:

It surprises me that all the brass ebayers out there passed this up. Knackers to Joo guys, you dropped a great deal!! And no skilz at all!!  

Please define for me... Solely for my personal entertainment the terms:

Knackers:

Joo Guys:

Skilz:

This would be very helpful to me in my quest to find even more ways to misappropriate our national tongue...

Thanks,

Jim

J. Walt Layne President, CEO, and Chief Engineer Penneburgh, Briarwood & Jameson Railroad.
  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Springfield, Ohio
  • 231 posts
Posted by PB&J RR on Sunday, September 23, 2007 7:20 AM
 dinwitty wrote:

It surprises me that all the brass ebayers out there passed this up. Knackers to Joo guys, you dropped a great deal!! And no skilz at all!!  

Please define for me... Solely for my personal entertainment the terms:

Knackers:

Joo Guys:

Skilz:

This would be very helpful to me in my quest to find even more ways to misappropriate our national tongue...

Thanks,

Jim

J. Walt Layne President, CEO, and Chief Engineer Penneburgh, Briarwood & Jameson Railroad.
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 2,844 posts
Posted by dinwitty on Sunday, September 23, 2007 7:35 AM
some leet jargon, Joo=You, Knacker-semi-british knickers, Skilz-Skills toungue and cheeky here... 8-D I was going to ask the owner why it was apart and why sell it.
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 2,844 posts
Posted by dinwitty on Sunday, September 23, 2007 7:39 AM
 wgnrr wrote:

Considering MTH HO is going to produce a plastic-diecast model of a Virginian/Erie triplex, I don't expect that that those tripexes (?) will be going for over 1,000 anymore. The new model will be $499 with sound.

Phil

that is the Erie Trip. Virginian had 2-8-8-4, but the 2 engines were nearly identical.

I would buy MTH if they got smart. 

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • 599 posts
Posted by Milepost 266.2 on Sunday, September 23, 2007 8:23 AM
 NYCentral1 wrote:
 CAZEPHYR wrote:
 wgnrr wrote:

Considering MTH HO is going to produce a plastic-diecast model of a Virginian/Erie triplex, I don't expect that that those tripexes (?) will be going for over 1,000 anymore. The new model will be $499 with sound.

Phil

IS the MTH announcement for the Triplex official????

 

Cheers 

 

Here you go...

http://www.railking1gauge.com/detail.asp?item=80-3107-1



So if something as esoteric as this is a viable product, where's all the B&O steam? EM1? Big Six?
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 3,264 posts
Posted by CAZEPHYR on Sunday, September 23, 2007 8:47 AM

 

 

Milepost

The choice of the Triplex is odd indeed since they were major failure.  The boiler could not produce a sufficient amount of steam to run it except in slow helper service. 

MTH might make money on this simply because it is so odd that it might sell, but not to me.  The EM1 or the DM&IR M4 would have been a great choice and would have allowed MTH to get into the HO market.

Cheers 

 

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: THE FAR, FAR REACHES OF THE WILD, WILD WEST!
  • 3,672 posts
Posted by R. T. POTEET on Sunday, September 23, 2007 10:19 AM

Nice try there dinwitty, but 'NO SALE this weekend; I'm not buying an argument under any circumstance and good ole' CNJ851 will just have to find someone else to call an idiot. Remember what ole' Abraham said:
"Never argue with a fool -- bystanders may have a difficult time telling who is who."

From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • 4,115 posts
Posted by tatans on Sunday, September 23, 2007 10:22 AM
Good deal, I see on some sites Berks are going @ $7-800.00 and up, should be fun putting it back together, beats sitting in a bar eh? Knackers has a completely different meaning here in Canadaland, take a guess ! !  I got a berk(no tender) at an auction on the internet where no one new what madel trains were, there were hundreds of brass locos that went for under $100.00, I got mine for $40.00 and spent $30.00 fixing it, what a beauty eh  ! !  Have fun.
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Northfield Center TWP, OH
  • 2,538 posts
Posted by dti406 on Sunday, September 23, 2007 12:03 PM
 CAZEPHYR wrote:
 dinwitty wrote:

of all the ebaying I have done, this was curious. so many brass buyers willling to outbid you, even watched a Virginian Triplex go from a few dollars to over a thousand in the final bid...

 Heres this Brass United NKP berkshire, and its been taken comepletely apart ready for painiting. Seller says all the parts are there. I watched it and it went totally unbid on and its auction ended. They relisted it and I decided to bid on it, about 175 bucks starting cost. Fine with me.  So there it sat with my single bid, nooobody else bid on it. BLING I win it. I just got it today and yeppers it is in pieces, but in perfect pieces. All the tiniest parts are in a film cannister and bigger parts layed into the tender. It has minor paint chips but a dose of flat black with primer will fix that up. They even took the motor apart with brushes in the cannister. Not worried about the motor as I will change it to a can. It looks like all parts are there as the seller mentioned.

It will be like putting a bowser kit together but most of the hard work is done. heh.

But in its pieced out condition allows me to inspect and make changes and mod it up to be an even better model.

It surprises me that all the brass ebayers out there passed this up. Knackers to Joo guys, you dropped a great deal!! And no skilz at all!!  

If you get all of the parts, it is a decent price.  I have two of the PFM NKP Berkshires imported about 1968 and several of the PSC models from the 1990's.  The PFM models are not state of the art today, but it is still a nice model and should run fairly good.

I would venture a guess to the reason no one bid on it is the fact it has been taken apart and the P2K latest models are extremely detailed and very nice with DCC and sound.  I purchased two of those also and they compare very well to my PSC brass models.    

Cheers    

 

I have a number of old PFM brass, and I suspect they will all be running long after the Proto Berks give up the ghost.

Rick 

 

Rule 1: This is my railroad.

Rule 2: I make the rules.

Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 2,844 posts
Posted by dinwitty on Sunday, September 23, 2007 3:40 PM

 R. T. POTEET wrote:

Nice try there dinwitty, but 'NO SALE this weekend; I'm not buying an argument under any circumstance and good ole' CNJ851 will just have to find someone else to call an idiot. Remember what ole' Abraham said:
"Never argue with a fool -- bystanders may have a difficult time telling who is who."

 This arguement not for sale. I have some Florida swampland however...8-D

 I'm saving money to buy the Sunset Brass Electroliner...when they get it out...doing this saved me bucks, I'm no stranger to buying brass. There are people out there who don't want the trouble. Or their prized brass engine sits on a shelf on display. The model went totally unbid on.

Have fun and enjoy the hobby. 

  • Member since
    March 2006
  • From: New York, NY
  • 229 posts
Posted by Tom Curtin on Sunday, September 23, 2007 6:17 PM

I echo the sentiment of the person who pointed out something to the effect of "if all the pieces are there you're in good shape."  Indeed.  And I add one more thought: I hope you have an assembled model to put alongside your new disassembled one so you have a model for what screw goes where!!!  That can be a challenge.

Anyway, once you get the reassembly done you will have a very nice model.  I fully realize those United brass locos from the 1960s aren't on a par with today's stuff, but that NKP Berk is a good model nonetheless

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 3,264 posts
Posted by CAZEPHYR on Sunday, September 23, 2007 7:51 PM
 dti406 wrote:
 CAZEPHYR wrote:
 dinwitty wrote:

  

If you get all of the parts, it is a decent price.  I have two of the PFM NKP Berkshires imported about 1968 and several of the PSC models from the 1990's.  The PFM models are not state of the art today, but it is still a nice model and should run fairly good.

I would venture a guess to the reason no one bid on it is the fact it has been taken apart and the P2K latest models are extremely detailed and very nice with DCC and sound.  I purchased two of those also and they compare very well to my PSC brass models.    

Cheers    

 

I have a number of old PFM brass, and I suspect they will all be running long after the Proto Berks give up the ghost.

Rick 

 

 I agree that my two PFM models will probably run as long as they are needed and will probably last much longer than the P2K models.  I don't think any of the plastic or die cast models will last like the United built PFM brass.   The gear towers only needed a little grease and they just keep running.  Even the motors run many years, but used a lot of current.  The old motors are not suitable for DCC, but they do run on DC very well.   

 Cheers

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 2,844 posts
Posted by dinwitty on Monday, September 24, 2007 8:15 PM
 Tom Curtin wrote:

I echo the sentiment of the person who pointed out something to the effect of "if all the pieces are there you're in good shape."  Indeed.  And I add one more thought: I hope you have an assembled model to put alongside your new disassembled one so you have a model for what screw goes where!!!  That can be a challenge.

Anyway, once you get the reassembly done you will have a very nice model.  I fully realize those United brass locos from the 1960s aren't on a par with today's stuff, but that NKP Berk is a good model nonetheless

 

I think the fact I helped restore 765 on its first restoration and shot film of the whole thing helps...

Right now there are 2 Virginian EL2's on Ebay, one is the ALCo I already own, the other is the new Ajin, much higher quality. The bidders are crazy on it but the ALCO is not bidded on.

I know the ALCo will need some work as it had gear breakage problems and the new owner would have to fix it the way I did mine. If no one bids on the ALCO, I just MIGHT go for it if he re-lists it. But I already own one, but I can fix it if I buy it.

My EL2 runs like a champ. 

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 2,844 posts
Posted by dinwitty on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 10:59 PM

wow  the Ajin EL2 is over 1000 bucks now, the Alco is still unbid on.

 maybe the bidders are smart here. Ah well, I asked the seller of the Alco if he relisted it I might go for it if its unsold.

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 2,844 posts
Posted by dinwitty on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 9:18 PM

now, I won the 2-8-8-4 DM&IR that was just on Ebay, and I am estactic.

shwoop!, been trying to buy that model forever, any brand.

480 bucks for a brass engine , thats equal to the plastic today of similar designs.

The new PSC however is over 1000 bucks.

We do need new plastic model versions of some popular brass stuff thats hard to get.

Prolly the biggest concern is getting parts when something breaks.

 

 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!