As a teenager, I tend to run very thin on money. But when I have the chance to buy a new car, or a new locomotive every other blue moon, I am very picky on what I get, especially if there are multiple things I want but I can only get one. But, there comes a time when I look back on something that I want, but can't get anymore. A few things include:
There are probably a billion other things I can't remeber, but those are (or were) my most desired models. I'm still chasing that Phase 4b coach. I know one's out there! Maybe I'll find it in a yard sale or a convention. Any models you guys regret not getting? If so, are you trying to find them?
eBay!
Keep an eye open for what you're looking for there. Eventually most everything I've ever missed earlier on came up there, and often at a pretty good price. Other times the price may be too high, I wait for it to show up again. Patience and parsistance are the key. Dan
I find with eBay, especially - that patience does pay off. Because I already determined the maximum amount I would or could spend on a particular item and waited for that price, 9 times out of 10 I found it for that price...or better. Even with items that I bid on and lost, I was able to find it at a later date.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Yes I'm with you. Several years ago I wanted to a UP Rio Grande SD70ACe that Kato made. (the first release) I had to wait for the second wave and it took me three months to raise $100.
Over the years I have missed a lot of things I want. The list is somewhat long but with new items coming in it always stays the same.
Unfortunately I should have bought my HO Thomas trains and freight cars and coaches since their long since discontinued.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Not so much regret as I couldn't afford it at the time. As noted, you can find stuff on eBay or train shows. I have managed to acquire a couple of Atlas F9's in O scale from the 70's that I had wanted at the time but couldn't afford. I love shopping train shows for old stuff, mostly kits, NIB. But truth be told, after 45 years in the hobby, I have plenty of stuff (in 3 scales yet) to keep busy a long time.
Paul
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
For some reason I remember my 4th birthday. I got a little white table and chair and a diecast airplane, sort of an AT-6 with fold up wings. I had a lot of fun with that plane but it eventually got thrown away for "better" toys.
In my early 30's at a Greenberg Train and Toy show I saw the exact same plane for $8 or $10. I did not buy it and 30 years later I still regret that.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Walthers released a Indiana & Ohio High Hood GP30..I had my hands on one and decided not to buy it.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Atlas C&WI RS-1
I did buy one of these Chicago & Western Indiana switchers when they were available, but I would kill to get another one.
Rich
Alton Junction
Rivarossi 4-6-0 Casey Jones. I always wanted one after watching Allan Hale in the TV series of the same name and later Petticoat Junction.
Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)
For the longest time I regretted not having bought the FSM version of John Allen's enginehouse when it came on the market I believe in the early 1980s. Since FSM kits are limited runs, if you snooze, you lose. Then ebay came along and a couple years ago I scored one. It's still in the box but I hope to get around to assembling it this fall/winter. If I do it well, I hope it will be one of the signature scenes on my branchline.
There have been a few plastic kits that I wanted but were discontinued. Walthers has a practice of "retiring" kits and then several years later reintroducing them, often under a different name. They had one called Miranda's Bananas that I had planned a spot for but they retired it before I could get it. A couple years ago they reintroduced it as a produce warehouse although I can't remember the exact name on it.
Alantrains Rivarossi 4-6-0 Casey Jones. I always wanted one after watching Allan Hale in the TV series of the same name and later Petticoat Junction.
I've got one of those lettered for the UP. I haven't run it for decades. Last I checked it was in good working order. I can check to see if it still runs although I have no idea what the shipping costs to OZ would be. Bachmann has since come out with their own 4-6-0 and I have two of them, one with sound. If you aren't particular about having the Rivarossi edition, you might check to see if the Bachmann is available.
I vaguely remember the TV series Casey Jones. I can't remember a single episode. I do sorta remember a few lines from the theme song.
"Casey Jones, a steamin' and a rollin' "
Alan Hale Jr. of course is best know as being the skipper on Gilligan's Island. I had no idea until fairly recently that he was also the actor who played Casey Jones.
misread the thread title.
Just this week the was an online add where I missed on a couple of out of production UTA frontrunner passenger cars. I'd already spent my train allowance for the week. They lasted less than 24 hours.
YES!
.
Life-Like Proto 2000 kit #30878 Undecorated Mather Patent Boxcar.
I did not have the money when they came out, new kids and everything, and now they are unattainable. Only one has shown up on eBay in they past several years, and I was outbid by someone who REALLY-REALLY wanted it.
I only want two of them, but I cannot even get lucky enough to have one.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
'63 Corvette convertible for $9K back in 1981.
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
I regret fighting to add a full size basement to the house we're in. House is a front to back split. I got the idea from Howard Zane's article how he designed his home around his trains. It would have been 38' x 14' for the railroad layout of my dreams, but was out voted 1-0. So I settled for a 20' x 20' room, all HO scale...
Neal
HO Thomas Trains gone??? I think they are stiill readily available.
No regrets on not buying anything.
However, I have bought, sold, traded an awful lot of trains and wish I had kept a few of the brass steamers which I had rebuilt and painted by Kelly Creek Backshop. The other stuff, I do not miss, but the completely rebuilt Rio Grande L-131 2-8-8-2, I sold because the model has certain inaccuracies, I just should have kept and used all these years since.
I could easily get another regeared by them, as the models are easy to find, but the costs are prohibitive right now.
In plastic, despite issues with Chinese assembly quality, I generally find that this year's model is better than the one from last year.
I am at a point now where I only want articulated steam power. My son has a BLI Hybrid GN 4-8-4, but excepting HO Thomas trains, everything else on hand is articulated. It is just what I like.
However, buying articulateds is a challenge because on Ebay the best late model plastic ones can be overpriced. I did get a B&O 2-8-8-4 affordably that needed a little minor repair and is gorgeous now, in its sinister nearly all black paint.
John Mock
HO scale Athearn R Mack tow trucks. They flew off the shelves when they came out. I found some on Ebay here and there but were priced double or more MSRP. It all comes down to how much i'm willing to pay.
willy6 HO scale Athearn R Mack tow trucks. They flew off the shelves when they came out. I found some on Ebay here and there but were priced double or more MSRP. It all comes down to how much i'm willing to pay.
A BM 2-8-4 at an estate auction. I went in with a cap on what I wanted to spend and a top 3 list. Walked out with 9 models when I hit my cap. Wish I had maxed out the credit card. Could have Ebay'd what I didnt want and made a huge profit after fees.
Some of my upcoming kitbashes assume the use of of some IHC structures which are no longer available, but fortunately I do see IHC kits from the past at certain train shows, in particular the Titletown Train Show in Green Bay WI. (I do not miss IHC rolling stock but I do miss their structures.)
The C&NW Historical Society over the years had many custom freight car kits created for them which I passed up when I was a PRR modeler. They are harder to come by but I do see them at the swap meets which conclude C&NW Historical Society meets. I do not see them on Ebay as a rule -- too specialized and rare I suspect.
Now that so much is limited run I think there will be more and more of us at train shows and swap meets with notebooks containing our "want lists." Little shrieks of joy and triumph will fill the air at these shows. Or not.
Dave Nelson
PRR8259 HO Thomas Trains gone??? I think they are stiill readily available.
Gordon's and James's composition and brake coaches, mail trucks, tar, oil tank cars (with words not pictures) and others that are gone.
A couple of months ago two brass HO diesel switchers came up on eBay that were exclusive to the Canadian Pacific. I really wanted them but I let my fiscal restraint get in the way of acquiring two rare models. Apparently there was only one other bidder, and he/she beat my bid by pennies on both items. Of course I will never know how high they would have bid so I might never have won them anyhow, but my point is that my highest bid was too low to get anywhere and I knew it at the time. I was hoping that Lady Luck would smile on me. Big mistake!
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
The ebay listing for the other Atlas B23-7 with Loksound decoder and ditchlights nicely installed by the previous owner. Got one of them for 100 bucks. Should have bid 120 for the other one.
- Douglas
Over 35 years ago an old line hardware store in downtown Pittsburgh was going out of business. They had trays of files for about $1 each. I bought some that turned out to be the finest files I have ever seen. They were Nicholson files that blow away almost anything you see being sold today in the hobby field. The teeth are finer than any files I have ever purchased. I wish I would have bought about $100 worth.
I know they may still make them today, but not for $1 each. And some of them don't even appear in their catalog today.
Jim
I was thinking about starting a thread called Anything You Regret Buying but then I thought that most of us would have a list so long it would swamp the forum.
NYBW-John I was thinking about starting a thread called Anything You Regret Buying but then I thought that most of us would have a list so long it would swamp the forum.
Agreed..My list would be long for buying cars and locomotives I truly didn't need.
NYBW-JohnI was thinking about starting a thread called Anything You Regret Buying but then I thought that most of us would have a list so long it would swamp the forum.
WOW! That could break in internet. I don't know if I could fit all my bad purchases on a single Excel spreadsheet!
Where would I even begin?
Not me, I have more than I wouldhave ever dreamed possible when I started in this hobby, and I have everything that is important for the theme of my layout.
Sheldon