I have this broadway limited 4-6-4 hudson sitting around. I was going to use it for an excursion train but I think it will be too big. Instead I will use a couple rs-1 for the job. Anywho I am going to sell the hudson on that auction site everyone hates and was thinking of doing a weathering job on it. Nothing heavy maybe something to depict that it has not seen the wash rack in a week or so. Do you think I would get more for the engine weathered or as it came from the factory? I have weathered a couple steam engines in the recent past and they have come out very good in my opinion. Following an article from MR I weathered a 4-6-4 revell plastic kit and a berkshire for the NPR. At the least I think I should paint the wheels as they came in sintered steel or whatever BLI uses for the wheels. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks
MIke
alco's forever!!!!! Majoring in HO scale Minorig in O scale:)
A weathered engine wouldn't necessarily be a show stopper for all people, but it could seriously dampen the enthusiasm for it if the person wanted either another type of weathering/look, or if he/she wanted a newer looking Hudson. If you list it as slightly used and non-weathered, you give the prospective buyer a clean slate.
I would not weather it now that you have decided to unload it.
Crandell
I hear what you are sayin. Should I still paint the wheels black or leave those factory as well?
Mike,
Offhand I'd say do not weather it or detail it in anyway. I prefer to buy rolling stock and motive power with original paint or undecorated and non-weathered. Weathering is something personal to people and differnet people have different ideas. Let the auction winner make the decision. After he pays you for the loco asked him if he wants it weathered. Be ready to show him some pics of your work if he is. Good luck
Bob
Seaboard Air Line Ry, "Through The Heart Of the South"
Logging Railroads: where the best *** geared engine ever made was the Willamette!
I'd say leave it original. Regardless of your skill level, not everyone will like what you do with it.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
thanks for the input. i might just do that.
I add to the previous - if you are a well known and highly published, or famous for some reason, model railroader - THEN weather it, and command a premium.
rrinker I add to the previous - if you are a well known and highly published, or famous for some reason, model railroader - THEN weather it, and command a premium. --Randy
HAhahaha I wouldn't go that far. Just an average everyday guy that is pretty good with an airbrush. Wish I was the well know highly published guy that can get the premium. Daddy needs some money in the house.
I'm published and famous for all the wrong reasons...
I'd leave it alone as well.
Seriously though, you can put on weathering but you can't really take it off.
San Dimas Southern slideshow
Mike:
I'd leave the Hudson as it is. Seriously. For some reason, even excellently weathered locomotives tend to pull in a lower asking price than 'left-alone' power.
I've noticed it a lot especially when I go 'brass' hunting for a particular locomotive that I can't get in plastic (which in my case, because of the railroad I model, is darn near ANY of them). Raw or factory painted brass tends to command the best prices, 'weathered' brass paint jobs much lower ones. Now with brass, you can strip the loco back down to raw brass and do what you wnat with the paint and weathering, but it's very difficult to do so with new, commercial plastic.
So I'd leave it as is and let the buyer do what he wants when it's THEIR new loco.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
I can tell you is that the weathered locomotives generally do not sell as well as mint.
I also think unless you absolutely have to sell it, you may want to wait a bit longer. There have been quite a few NYC Hudsons for sale lately and not many have been selling for much more than $150, if that.
Thank you for your opinions everyone. I think I will leave it alone.
I did search ebay the other day before I asked this question. There were a lot of hudsons but there was only one BLI and it was undecorated. So I thought it might have been a good time since everything else was old Rivarossis with the pizza cutters. I think I will list it and see how it does. It is free listing this month with ebay.
Thanks again
Mike
Another vote for leaving it as is.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
If you're wanting max dollar for it, I wouldn't paint anything - just clean up the wheels and dust it off - I would bet that the majority of buyers would prefer it as close to factory as possible - weather is a subjective thing and what you might consider okay , may be unacceptable to another person.
Just my thoughts...good luck
HF1
Everything is mint on it. It stays in a case 99% of the time. I hate dust and keep all my stuff clean. I even go the extra mile and clean everything before I list it on ebay. Not many sellers do that I tell ya.
I'm with the "leave it as it is" camp. If I were buying it, it would get painted and re-lettered anyway, so the less work to undo, the better.
I have had good success selling weathered locos and making money on them, too, but the people who bought them could see (and usually run) them before purchasing.
Wayne
Don't touch it if you want to sell it. If you weather even the wheels you have made the engine to meet your needs and taste. Don't let the new owner do as they wish. If you make the decision for them you have reduced the number of people that might be interested in buying.
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Thanks everyone for the advise. I listed it on ebay on sunday as is and was from the factory. Here is a pic of what I listed.
Again thanks for the advise on the engine.
Weather it, light to medium, take some awesome pictures showing off it's attractiveness and sit back and watch what happens, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Make sure your auction ends on a Sunday night at 10pm eastern time.
Have fun!
David