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Quite a collection

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  • Member since
    January 2019
  • 2,572 posts
Quite a collection
Posted by John-NYBW on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 6:29 AM

Whenever I'm in Columbus, OH I make it a point to stop by my old LHS, The Train Station, that I used to live about a 10 minute drive from. Yesterday I made a stop with nothing particular in mind but the first thing I check out are the new arrivals. The next thing is the second hand shelf. Usually that has a few dozen items on it of varying quality. Yesterday I was amazed that there were boxes and boxes of equipment on two shelves that I estimate were stacked about four feet high and six feet wide. It was like a museum. Mostly freight cars and DC locos, all in original boxes. I didn't see any passenger equipment. There were current product lines, some from companies I hadn't seen for decades, some like Varney that I had heard of but never seen, and some from companies I had never heard of. There were both kit built and RTR and many of the kits had yet to be built. It was obviously an estate sale from someone who had been a modeler for many decades and had taken very good care of his equipment. Like most of us, there were kits he had never gotten around to building. One of the most curious things was a kit for an RS-3 with an unpainted 3 piece metal body from a company I had never heard of. I wish I had made a note of the name of it. 

Whoever this modeler was, he didn't seem to have a preference for any particular railroad. Both rolling stock and locos were from a variety of railroads both eastern and western. It made me wonder if he had a large layout or maybe he was just a collector.

It was quite a find and I had to exercise a lot of discipline in not going overboard with my purchases. I tried to limit myself to items that would fit the theme of my railroad while getting a good sampling of the various product lines. I ended up buying eight freight cars that fit my era. I could easily have bought several times that many. 

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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 8:35 AM

Good morning

I'm getting quite the collection over here John.  There will come a time where I'll need to, STOP! Laugh

Some of my more recent purchases of higher quality, more fine detailed models, make some of my older stuff look like junk.

It's getting to the point where I'm starting to think of selling off some of my earlier purchases, as I'm not liking them as much anymore.

In my case, collecting locomotives and rolling stock can sometimes, almost become more like a sicknessLaugh...Whistling

 

TF

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 8:38 AM

They mention the collection on their "What's New" page of their website.

I would love to find a collection like that in Gulf Coast Model Railroading in Sarasota.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 8:39 AM

Track fiddler
It's getting to the point where I'm starting to think of selling some of my earlier purchases, as I'm not liking them as much anymore.

I have "purged" my collection three or four times. Sometimes good newer stuff means that older stuff will never be used again.

That is when I get rid of it.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 8:47 AM

SeeYou190

That is when I get rid of it.

Apparently that's what needs to be done over here, as I'm running out of places to put all these delightful treasures.

The scary thing is, one of the bigger train shows and my favorite, is coming to the State Fairgrounds in a little over a weekIndifferent...Whistling

 

TF

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 9:15 AM

Track fiddler
The scary thing is, one of the bigger train shows and my favorite, is coming to the State Fairgrounds in a little over a week.

Have fun!

I am missing train shows down here. Most of the annual ones never started up again after Covid-19.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Heart of Georgia
  • 5,406 posts
Posted by Doughless on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 10:03 AM

Track fiddler
Some of my more recent purchases of higher quality, more fine detailed models, make some of my older stuff look like junk. It's getting to the point where I'm starting to think of selling off some of my earlier purchases, as I'm not liking them as much anymore.

That's what happened to me.  The older stuff just never made the play list anymore.  I'd be fine if the industry never offered highly detailed models, but once I bought a few, it was like trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube for me.

- Douglas

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 10:10 AM

Doughless
The older stuff just never made the play list anymore.

For me it has been items that never left the box.

When I started buyng items for the final layout in 2017, I was sure I would be happy with things like Walthers Cornerstone Sunrise Feed Mill.

Then I was able to afford Barnstead Lumber from Fine Scale Miniatures to fill that spot.

I am pretty sure my Sunrise Feed Mill kit will never be built. It was upgraded before it went into service.

Kind of like the last orders for Steam Locomotives that already had their diesel replacements requisitioned before they were delivered from the builder.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 569 posts
Posted by drgwcs on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 12:04 PM

John-NYBW

Whenever I'm in Columbus, OH I make it a point to stop by my old LHS, The Train Station, that I used to live about a 10 minute drive from. Yesterday I made a stop with nothing particular in mind but the first thing I check out are the new arrivals. The next thing is the second hand shelf. Usually that has a few dozen items on it of varying quality. Yesterday I was amazed that there were boxes and boxes of equipment on two shelves that I estimate were stacked about four feet high and six feet wide. It was like a museum. Mostly freight cars and DC locos, all in original boxes. I didn't see any passenger equipment. There were current product lines, some from companies I hadn't seen for decades, some like Varney that I had heard of but never seen, and some from companies I had never heard of. There were both kit built and RTR and many of the kits had yet to be built. It was obviously an estate sale from someone who had been a modeler for many decades and had taken very good care of his equipment. Like most of us, there were kits he had never gotten around to building. One of the most curious things was a kit for an RS-3 with an unpainted 3 piece metal body from a company I had never heard of. I wish I had made a note of the name of it. 

Whoever this modeler was, he didn't seem to have a preference for any particular railroad. Both rolling stock and locos were from a variety of railroads both eastern and western. It made me wonder if he had a large layout or maybe he was just a collector.

It was quite a find and I had to exercise a lot of discipline in not going overboard with my purchases. I tried to limit myself to items that would fit the theme of my railroad while getting a good sampling of the various product lines. I ended up buying eight freight cars that fit my era. I could easily have bought several times that many.

Might want to check out a place over in Lancaster OH Smoke stack Hobby Shop. They had to open a second store in the mall just because of a two million dollar collection they were consigning.  (Yes you read that right Surprise)  There have been several videos on YouTube. Unfortunately the first one came up a week after (it figures) after we had cut through Columbus on our way from Indiana back to Virginia. 

Jim

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 2,360 posts
Posted by kasskaboose on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 2:51 PM

If only I get such luck!

Anyone interested in parting with 1950s+ freight cars suitable for an N&W layout?  I'm always in the market.  Pls private msg me, so we can get things started.

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 170 posts
Posted by nycmodel on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 3:08 PM

That metal RS3 was probably from Hobbytown of Boston. The line was still active when I bought one in the 1970s. It was heavy and had a fairly low speed gearing. It was pretty much the only way to get an ALCO RS model of any kind in HO at that time. I still have it packed away somewhere. The detailing left a lot to be desired.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • 2,572 posts
Posted by John-NYBW on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 4:06 PM

SeeYou190

They mention the collection on their "What's New" page of their website.

I would love to find a collection like that in Gulf Coast Model Railroading in Sarasota.

-Kevin

 

Thank you for that, Kevin. I get into Columbus often enough that I am able to visit The Train Station in person without having to visit their website. As a result, I keep forgetting they have one. I just got home from cataract surgery and I am having trouble focusing, but that's just a temporary condition. I had the right eye done two weeks ago and recovered quickly and expect the same for the left eye. When I'm able, I intend to read all about that wonderful collection I ran across through serindipity.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • 2,572 posts
Posted by John-NYBW on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 4:19 PM

nycmodel

That metal RS3 was probably from Hobbytown of Boston. The line was still active when I bought one in the 1970s. It was heavy and had a fairly low speed gearing. It was pretty much the only way to get an ALCO RS model of any kind in HO at that time. I still have it packed away somewhere. The detailing left a lot to be desired.

That was my impression just taking a glance inside the box. I think it was priced at just $8 and I was tempted to take a flyer on it, but I've already built up a decent sized fleet of RS 1s and 3s and really didn't need another. I figured if I bought it, I'd just put it up on the shelf and forget about it and then it would end up being part of my estate sale. 

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 7, 2023 6:56 AM

Good morning

Doughless

 

 
Track fiddler
Some of my more recent purchases of higher quality, more fine detailed models, make some of my older stuff look like junk. It's getting to the point where I'm starting to think of selling off some of my earlier purchases, as I'm not liking them as much anymore.

 

That's what happened to me.  The older stuff just never made the play list anymore.  I'd be fine if the industry never offered highly detailed models, but once I bought a few, it was like trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube for me.

 

 

"Put the toothpaste back in the tube" LaughLaughLaugh  Funny Stuff Douglas, I'm probably going to use that one.

Ever since a few Broadway Limited, and ScaleTrains highly detailed models were purchased, (not a whole roster) but a bit more than a handful of the much less detailed ones, dont cut the mustard anymore.

It's kinda like trying to compare a tight and right Classic Shelby Mustang, to a Ford PintoLaugh

My freind bought a Charger, and wishes he would have got the Challenger.  That's a pretty big Oops!, not making the right decision on which new car one likes the most. 

We're all getting a little tired of hearing him whine about it.  It's usually when he sees another Challenger drive by.  If he brings it up again, I'm gonna tell him, you just need to figure out a way to... "Put the toothpaste back in the tube"Laugh

That's a Good One!

 

TF

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