# Maintaining Value



## PaulyWally (Oct 16, 2015)

First question: What do I need to do with Locos and rolling stock to maintain its value?

Second question: Will weathering / super-detailing devalue my Locos?


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

If you are getting into this hobby and expect to get out near what you put in you are in for a rude awakening. Most items do not retain their value. It is limited by the next thing to hit the shelf. My advice is get what you want and do what makes you happy with it, that is where the value is. 

There are a few kits / models that are collectible but in today's build a limited addition of as many as we can sell there is not much collect-ability.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

PaulyWally said:


> Will weathering / super-detailing devalue my Locos?


For some people a good weathering job will make a loco worth a little more. On the other hand some people would prefer it in pristine condition. But the value changes due to weathering (or not) are small compared to the value of the loco itself. The two most important things that affect the value of a loco are (1) no damage, and (2) does it run well.

So... follow tkruger's advice.


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## mikek (Dec 29, 2013)

I make sure locos have working lights. If it has lights on the rear (modern diesels) having them directional, and changing color even better. Things like ditch lights, classification lights, and cab lights all add to realism and value to me. Of course the horns and bells need to be there, and kadee couplers are preferred. I even put lights on tenders, especially the big backup light. On some I have put green and red jewels in the running lights. Super detailing like grab bars, windshield wipers, hoses, and working fans add value and realism. I put plastic windows in whenever I can, make a big difference in making the loco look real.
On rolling stock metal wheels are required by clubs, and they keep track cleaner. Kadees again, hand rails, grab bars, and lights on cabooses, if only jewels all add value. Personally, I don't like weathering. Good realistic graffiti can look good on boxcars. I like to see the graffiti on real cars going by, to me it's an art form, often well done.
I like to match up tenders to locos (steam) and have as many cars match the line's name (UP, AT&SF, etc) especially the caboose, as possible. Theme trains are real fun, and valuable to me, like logging trains, Amtrak of all the same color scheme, name trains like The Hiawatha and the New York lines.
Cleanliness and detail mean the most to me. Good luck with your hobby.


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

Good post. I would think that weathering would devalue a train. If both owners kept the box and the train in perfect shape I would guess the one that didn't get weathered would sell for 20% more.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Keep all boxes and paperwork.. That's the first thing people throw away...


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

PaulyWally said:


> First question: What do I need to do with Locos and rolling stock to maintain its value?
> 
> Second question: Will weathering / super-detailing devalue my Locos?


What an odd question. OK I can understand it to some extent. If you want to resell at some point keep the boxes. I guess everyone is different but I don't think of any loss of value when I alter/weather a loco or stock, i do it to please myself, not thinking that it may devalue them. Others will keep them in pristine condition. I recently bought some weathered box cars which had been well done with an airbrush and I was happy to pay a good price for them.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I can understand the question, but a typical model railroad 
layout must be considered an expense. There is very little
asset value in the trains, the controls, or the tracks. You
can check ebay and any train show and find excellent quality
locos and cars being sold for bargain basement prices. Typically,
the vendors obtained these trains from the estate of
a deceased modeller for very little outlay.

There are, however, valuable trains that are considered
collectibles. These include the pre and some post WII 
Lionel, Marx and American Flyers. This is a special
category of the hobby.

Don


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Don't go into the hobby thinking it's a investment. I sold my cousin's large pre-war and post-war Lionel collection, along with some MTH, and the best I could get was approx .30 cents on the dollar. A $15,000 dollar investment/collection sold at $5,500...


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

If the weathering job is *exceptionally* well done and realistic, it can command higher prices for the custom job.

If just "good" or "average", it's not likely to add much.

If it's poorly done it will tank the value.

But once you buy it from the manufacturer, you'll rarely get your original value back. Don't ever expect things to gain in value.


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## PaulyWally (Oct 16, 2015)

Thanks for the input.

Just to clarify, I know not to treat this as an "investment". But I asked because I was looking on eBay for some Locos and I noticed a few things (pertaining to "quality" products):

1.) They consistently obtain a (relatively) high number of watchers & bidders.

2.) They seem to sell for a pretty fair fraction of their original retail price (provided they are still in good condition w/ box).

3.) Some more desirable units get snipers push the price up 50% or more in the last couple minutes.

Like I said, I don't expect to get money back out of this. But it would be nice to know that I am protecting the items that are worth protecting. I don't want to do something to an expensive Loco if it would severely devalue it.


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## daveh219 (Sep 16, 2012)

PaulyWally...I will repeat, again, what was told to me long ago on this site. Your layout is YOUR layout. Now unless you are a strickler for a certain rail line or year buy what YOU want and add it too YOUR layout. Years ago I bought a simple flat car that had been "weathered" to make it a logging flatcar. Still have it because I liked it so much. I think you have seen that buying for an investment is not something most modelers do...so good luck hunting and buying..


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Maintaining value, sell everything and buy gold lol. As far as not ruining stuffs value, keep it as original as possible, weathering and stuff could go out of style, as could collecting trains. So maybe my first statement wasn't so funny after all


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

The best thing you could do is seal them in acrylic boxes and never run them, but where's the fun in that? 

They look better when weathered, IMO.

My heirs can sell my equipment when I'm gone. I'm not going to. If they get pennies on the dollar, they're pennies ahead.


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