Living in Naples, FL I find myself in a G scale desert. Friday my wife and I took an "overnight" to Arcadia, FL. This is a small agricultural town about 40 miles east of Ft Myers. Arcadia has a historic district with about a dozen antique shops. I am not an antique kind of guy but I poke around in these stores just for something to do. Went into one of the stores that had a sign on the window which read, "Going out of business" "Everything 20% off". As I browsed the store I found a small section with several LGB cars, a set and a bridge. The set is the Work train with crane car, 72402. The guy behind the counter said it had never been taken out of the box. This was clearly untrue since the track supplied was only three straight and four curved sections. The contact riders had been on the track at least a little but not very much. The set was marked 175.00, so 20% off brought it down to 140.00The only think missing from the set was the track, which, to me, was a non-issue. It even had the trackside workers. Another find was a 2061 Oberalp diesel loco. $125.00 minus 20% made it a hundred bucks. I came home with both of these items and found that both locos run as smooth as silk. Cars in the set are dirty but in very good condition. The guy offered to sell the resst of the group for an additional 160.00. I left without buying anything because I thought I was being too extravagant. A set and a loco in one day outght to be enough, right? When I got home I recognized the error and called the guy up to see if his offer was still good. He was a little vague. I am going to give him a coupla days to think it over. If he is willing to honor the commitment, I will be making the 65 mile drive back to Arcadia late this week.
Doc,
That sounds like a pretty good deal, but I am hardly an expert. In the handful of local finds I've had out here (You think you are in a large scale desert! You have no idea! !), the prices ranged from 10 times less to ten times more than comparative values on e-Bay and used train wholesale outfits. I've noticed on e-Bay most LGB "starter set" type cars and other 2-axle cars go for ~$40. The little locos that go with these sets seem to range from ~$75-~$125. When you figure your gas cost less than shipping, I'd say you came out OK!
Go and resuce your new trains' "buddies!" is what I'd say!
Eric
Thanks hoaloha,
I am (and have been for a long time) urked by the high price of new and used LGB items. But I was happy to find these deals. I will know about hte rest of it later on today or tomorrow.
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