A little talk about Vintage

[rrebell]

BEAUSABRE

Not restricting myself to model railroading

People who call a railroad herald a "logo"

Banjo music to the accompany any and all train videos - no matter what the location or time period. During the glory years, trains were anything but a rural thing (despite Lucius Beebe and "Mixed Train Daily"), but symbols of industrialization and a way to escape the back woods

Announcers and banjo players on tourist lines - is it too much to ask for one silent coach whose passengers just want to sit back, look at the scenery and enjoy the ride?

Tourist lines who sell their souls with "train robberies", "Arctic Express" and "Thomas" events - I know they bring in money, but once a year, please

I'm sure I have more, but that's enough for now

 

Hey, without the tourist, most historic real trains would go away, period. You either entertain the whole family or you are gone.

[BEAUSABRE]

Not restricting myself to model railroading

People who call a railroad herald a "logo"

Banjo music to the accompany any and all train videos - no matter what the location or time period. During the glory years, trains were anything but a rural thing (despite Lucius Beebe and "Mixed Train Daily"), but symbols of industrialization and a way to escape the back woods

Announcers and banjo players on tourist lines - is it too much to ask for one silent coach whose passengers just want to sit back, look at the scenery and enjoy the ride?

Tourist lines who sell their souls with "train robberies", "Arctic Express" and "Thomas" events - I know they bring in money, but once a year, please

I'm sure I have more, but that's enough for now

[rrebell]

And on occasion I have seen items sell for outrageous prices and of course real cheap too.

[Darth Santa Fe]

As far as eBay sellers are concerned, that Rapido SW1200 MRR just reviewed is now old enough to be vintage.  A day out of the factory?  Wow, so ancient!

Even worse is when things are being sold for too high of a price.  I've seen broken AHM C-LINERS listed for over $100 before.

[NVSRR]

good for practicing weathering techniques and painting/masking

SHane

[MisterBeasley]

Yes, a friend of mine came across one of those vintage Lionel set while cleaning out an attic.  He thought he had found Bluebeard's treasure hoard.  It had an atomic waste car, a helicopter car and a giraffe car.  I took it to a show and got $ 20 for it.

[BATMAN]

Someone gave me this "vintage" train set from their fathers' Estate. They thought they were doing me a favour. It is not worth enough to spend my time trying to sell yet I can't make myself toss it. The engine is powered by one truck and the transformer sounds like it is about to go critical. It is a real piece of crap.

 

 

[rrebell]

Accually many old items have gone down in value, seems antiques have lost their luster as more and more thing pop out of the woodwork. Brass model trains have dropped in value by half or more for a lot of older stuff, FSM kits are way cheaper than they used to be.

[MisterBeasley]

Vintage means that it still has its original horn-hooks.

[maxman]

selector

Axe a Brazilian

Now that's not nice.

[selector]

JDawg

   Specifically the adjective form, not as a noun.

   I do not understand why people insist on calling every model railroading item made more than 10 years ago "Vintage". Just saw an eBay item. "Walthers Trainline Great northern stock car, Vintage!" No it's not! The thing is NIB from a run barely 10 years old. The tyco listings really get me going. Tyco flatcar, vintage!!!!!!! Just stop, please. Your Lionel trainset from 1956? Vintage. Your Bachmann train set from 1996? NOT VINTAGE! So yeah, that's my post.

   So, what really grinds your gears in the model railroading world? You might as well get it off your chest. 

 

I hear you, but lest I be pointed to the corner for saying it, we are bound to discard terms like female and male.  Our language is, in a word, mutable.  It is in a constant evolution, and it is being assailed on all fronts, including from the influx of foreign words (that much is not new.  English was heavily changed during the Norman Conquest and just afterwards).

Just as our nearest friendly virus is easily changed due to the densities of pockets harbouring it (Canadian spulling), the increasing uses and mixing from zillions posting to fora across the entire internet means all languages are gaining speed in the Great Regression to the Mean.  I read a few years ago that an anthropologist answered a question put to him about where the human race was headed.  He replied, "Look at the folks in Brazil.  We'll all look like that in 150 years."

Want to know what vintage means?  Axe a Brazilian.

[wjstix]

It's kinda how Ebay or other sellers work. It's the same with guitars, an electric guitar that when new in 1981 sold for $300 - and was considered a piece of garbage - now sells for $2000 because it's "vintage" and young buyers don't know any better.

[tstage]

"Vintage" is the most overused word on eBay, with "Rare" 2nd.  It's just a way for sellers to add credence for overcharging what they want to sell - both "common" items and garbage.

Tom

[NorthBrit]

This is what we have come up with this side of the pond  --   and what they mean

 

Additive free. Pay us more for having taken them out.
Bargain! You should if only you knew, something like 10% of list price would be an appropriate place to begin.
Biological. We cannot explain what this means, but it sounds like we have science on our side.
Breakthrough. Will fall out of the packaging, and do much damage to itself or something else in the process.
Chemical free. Our ignorance knows no bounds.
Class-leading. We aimed at a very low class.
Collectable. Just like the contents of your landfill bin.
Comprehensive. Small print covers us from failure to deliver any of the purported benefits.
De-whatinated. Pay us yet more for having taken it out.
Digital. Possible you may find pieces of someone’s fingers in it
Durable. Don't ever use it and it will be.
Ecological. We let other people do the damage and pretend it’s no part of our business processes in any way.
Economy. We will enjoy watching you try for it.
Effective. Hopefully.
Entertaining. Just the thought of someone springing the cash for this.
Essential. Like an aircraft for a bird.
Ethical. Go and consult your philospher.
Exclusive. If it really was you wouldn't ever know about it.
Free From. And you are going to pay for getting less too.
FUN! We are so out of ideas.
Giant/Gigantic. From an ant’s perspective.
Golden. Just don’t scratch at it.
Green. Give us it, in large wads...
Hurry. Several competitors have something vastly better arriving soon.
Improved. A cost down version of something previously rather good.
Just In! Might have been competitive introduced a couple of years ago.
King Size. Progress in miniaturisation is so useful in providing comparisons.
Limited Edition. To you and anyone else we can persuade to buy one.
Look. Away would be best
Masterpiece. From an ill-coordinated three year old, possibly
Natural action. Much as earthquake, tornado, volcanic eruption, lightning strike, meteorite impact.
New. Already significantly obsolete.
Novel. That’s our story.
Numbered Limited Edition. We recently found a number stamp in the basement.
Organic. Just like excrement and gangrene.
Opportunity. For us to take your money
Original. Once, long ago..
Precision made. By the standards of the early iron age.
Pure. Garbage.
Quick! Before we are stuck with it on our hands.
Rare. Just like good ideas.
Responsible. We have thoroughly eliminated all traceability.
Revolutionary. As old an invention as the wheel.
Robust. If you carefully follow all our instructions to the letter and defend it with your life.
Sexy. If you are necrophiliac.
Stylish. Well, if you need to be told this then your fashion sense went West years ago.
Sustainable. We haven’t run out of Giant Pandas at time of writing.
Tasteful. Close your eyes and hope.
Time honoured. Think brussel sprouts, castor oil, false teeth and prunes.
Traditional. We have been trying to sell it for over two years.
Unique. Incompatible with everything else.
Value. Much as the dirt on your shoes possibly has some to someone.
Vastly. Hyperbole never failed us yet.
World changing. Let’s hope not.
X-rated. Very tame besides the internet.
Yes! This is going to cost you, one way or the other.
Zero Interest. Hopefully you will not look too closely to your own interest as a result.

 

 

David

[York1]

Trying to find some original railroad memorabilia, I found the word "vintage" meaningless.

On Ebay, even the word "original" doesn't mean what it seems to mean.  "Authentic"?  Forget that.  It may be an original, authentic 1910 sign that was made three years ago. 

[Billwiz]

But Jdawg, if it is an old train, it must be worth big bucks.  Especially if it is "vintage".

 

 

[JDawg]

   Specifically the adjective form, not as a noun.

   I do not understand why people insist on calling every model railroading item made more than 10 years ago "Vintage". Just saw an eBay item. "Walthers Trainline Great northern stock car, Vintage!" No it's not! The thing is NIB from a run barely 10 years old. The tyco listings really get me going. Tyco flatcar, vintage!!!!!!! Just stop, please. Your Lionel trainset from 1956? Vintage. Your Bachmann train set from 1996? NOT VINTAGE! So yeah, that's my post.

   So, what really grinds your gears in the model railroading world? You might as well get it off your chest.