# You should always listen to your wife.



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

That's what I said, and here's the story.

I thought my Xmas was over. My darling wife wanted to do some grocery shopping today. I had other plans, a quick trip to the LHS in York get some business done and hop home before the storm. I thought about it. Naw no way. Then she mentioned a side trip to the antique shop. Devious woman. I'll go and a good thing I did. 
Then it started to snow. OH NO! I knew it, one stop and a "I think we better get home before we get too much snow on the road. " My dreams began to crumble . The Antique shop was further down the road. Just my rotten luck. I was recovering from a nasty cold, she was in control of my destiny, she was driving.

We arrived at the store, did our business, then we began to leave. Outside,the storm let up. Or, did I just imagine it. Naw, it's snowing but not as much as before.
We get into the car, my fate is sealed. I am not even going to ask. We have another stop to go. Just another reason to head back. After all I have known this woman for over thirty years. We pull out of the parking space, wait a minute, she's going away from the lights. Could it be! YES!!!!!!!!!!!! She takes the quick right out to traffic and we are on our way.
The snowing recedes, my luck changes, for now. I stay quiet and watch the traffic.
We get there,relieved now that it is actually going to happen. We enter, I hit the first booth on the left. Lionel always a sure thing. Bingo I was right. A $200 Disney Engine, too much. Three Marx yard light towers, nice condition. They don't need work at 21 bucks apiece. Moving on. To the right, this guy has older stuff. The 600MKT is there and the 2o2 Union Pacific. I remember them from last time. A 600MKT I have , the 202 will need some budgeting if I decide to get one day, definetly not today. Hey, he has a Gateman, an Old one. It has the "THE" in Watch out for the Locomotive. I just did a thread about that one. It has a white door.. Mine has a red one. I don't need another one. OK, around the isle for the return. An auto carrier,Bonaza restaurant boxcar and an animated clown car. Not much nterest here.
The other room may have potential, I got the Gang car here. They sold a lot from last time. Two Marx sets are gone . The Lionel booth is wiped out except for a girder bridge. I am already working on a bridge, this one doesn't even need any work. I pass. 
Downstairs, mostly furniture and books. Saw an erector set there once, let me see. Oh, a sale area, items marked down in red. Figures, a baseball glove, a purs...
BINGO! A box, it has Lionel, it's parts, it's old, it's dirty it's got to be mine.!
The price 28 buck,s too much, wait a minute in red it says 18! 

All this excitement just for some old trains.










Two Marx Cars, A partial 260e shell and a 1926 era 252 electric engine missing very few parts and screws.


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## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey if you want to sell the 252 I would be interested I have one but it is just for parts Mabey I could take the two of them and make one good one let me know


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

What...no epoxy?

Nice find, the storm should blow by quickly.

It snowed like you know what here for around 2hrs then all of the sudden it stopped.:thumbsup:

Nice of her, now what did she want in return?:laugh:


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I have to question the title now. She got her share of postcards. Later she suggested I sell it to pay for some of my collecting 

See the 252 thread for progress,

At least I got to vent my exitement. I have eyed the 252's since I restored the 248.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

OMG! That's a great read ... a fabulous story ... with such a happy ending. I'll confess something, T-Man ... I think I shed a tear or two reading it! I'm all choked up!

... sniff ... sniff ... 

I think I want to give you a hug. Your own 252. And for 18-bucks!!! 18 bucks!!!!!!! Man ... what a great story ...

:thumbsup:

TJ

PS -- Hey, show some more pics / details of that 260 shell at some point, too! Beautiful loco, those 260's.


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## pookybear (Feb 3, 2011)

Why do I get the sense that T-man when it was snowing while his wife was
driving he was looking out the window of the car his face looked like 
this ---> ٩͡[๏̯͡๏]۶ 

and when she changed direction and headed for the store of dreams it 
changed again to this ---> ٩(๏̮͡๏)۶

Pookybear


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

When she headed for the store, his tail was wagging, too! I know mine would be!


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*She struck Gold again!*

This time of year the Boston Children Hospital supporters has a fundraiser in a Wallmart warehouse. This is a large indoor antique market. It goes on for two weekends, I think. Anyway, We go and the last time I found the St Louis Diesel pair. What am I going to find now? At the entrance there is an HO dealer, lots of stuff. No Lionel First row, nothing. I pick up speed leaving the wife to meander behind. A few rows later I find a Marx set, spring wound motor with the taker I just fixed. I found a Lionel MPC era steam 8902 maybe. The sound of steam. Then I ended up looking at some track near the end. So I reunite with the wife . She says Did you see the Lionel Trains back there? Pointing to a section where I found none. I replied no and that I must of missed them. So on with a strong scent of Lionel Trains I find the dealer. Prewar 800 series cars. Caboose, gondola, tanker and derrick. Beat up all repainted in PRR colors. Out of the blue I zero in on the derrick and ask? How Much? The guy says it's prewar and repainted, most of the parts are there. He said 30. Not bad. They can go for more. I bought it!  :thumbsup:




I never did ask him what he wanted for the rest.

The Derrick restore thread.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Holy <bleep>, Batman! That's a GREAT find/buy! I've seen those go for big bucks, even with parts/t.l.c. needed. And (echoed by your ruler), I've always been amazed at how huge those rigs are.

Nice find, T. Bonus points for the wife!

TJ


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

That is just great. Need to keep my eye's focused on what the antique shops have. My visits, with my wife, result in me trying to get out as fast as possible before were incur the national debit in the store.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*The streak continues.*

This morning we had a morning jaunt planned for Bomar Hall. Home of Port Line Hobby North and a few other Model RR Dealers. As Luck goes Delays in traffic, We made two tries at ATM's the second place actually closed up. I am feeling worn out we made one trip into Portsmouth and headed home. Here we go. The wife says "How about a visit to the shop in Stratham?. Not the most exciting place. It's just down the street. We go. The top floor had some Tyco HO and one of the largest tanker car in HO I have seen. Rats I didn't get a picture. I looked downstairs. Where my favorite guy had a booth but moved on. I looked all over and nothing so the little voice said look at something interesting UP CLOSE. The little voice, handy at times ,usually keeps you out of trouble. I look at a box, full of drape hangar hardware. Another box was empty. Just ready to leave and the wife points out a box. I see a huge funnel on the floor over a box. I pick it up. OOOOOOO track!!!!!! HMMMM we are hiding trains now. I see, O27 track, AF two rail and a two rail O scale track, and a bag. A plastic bag, with the contents of an American Flyer in pieces with a tender. Not another car in site. What a mess. OK How much??? Where is the tag? AHHH 24 bucks!! Sounds good to me.  


Thread link to the 310 on the S Scale Forum



It doesn't mean much, but the boiler is a 310, The tender is a cast shell with nickel bearing caps. Old, one site had it as 1947 but I could not find a catalog listing. It is a 4 -6 -2 Pacific.


The wife gets a save with an assist from the little voice. :laugh:









Plus it whirled on a bench test.:thumbsup:

Also came with a No 2 transformer and track.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

The wife's 2 for 2 on her recent batting average, T ... she might need a little bonus check soon!


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Nice! My wife hates to look for this stuff with me. However that might be a good thing,, she never really sees what I buy!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

And when she asks, you reply, "Ohh ... just some small stuff!"


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## 400E Blue Comet (Jul 11, 2014)

Whoa! $28 is too much? Even the 252 alone would probably be worth more than $28, it looks old. But $18 is still better either way


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

T-Man, your 310 appears to be 1946 production based on the Pennsylvania lettered on the tender.The Gilbert track may also be 1946 production, it is hard to be sure from the picture. 1946 Gilbert track was unique because the sides of the rails were black.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

One additional comment, thegilbertgallery.org website has a picture of a 1946 310 that is all original. Some other websites photoshopped their picture and are not accurate.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I rechecked the rails and they appeared to be gun blued. I got 11 curves, there was a mixture of track some Lionel and Marx too.

Some more eye candy.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

that is a really nice loco. Just beautiful. Some things are class, and this is one of them.

Good deal on the track it looks like its in very good conidition.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

My only possible response to a thread with this title is, "Duh". Disagree with her if you want, but listen you must.

Just remember, hapoy wife, happy life. Or, If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!


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## BobS (Jun 18, 2015)

Most, if not all the remaining antique stores near me, would have been asking 118 bucks for that box of stuff. And it would already been there for years and years, and would remain there for many more. I never could figure out why antique dealers need to make the BIG SCORE on everything they don't sell. Lower the prices to something reasonable, move the merchandise out, and get in some new stock. When I used to frequent these stores, years back, I would see the same merchandise on display, at high prices, for years. It made no sense to me then, and it still makes no sense to me today. 

When I decide to sell something, I price it to sell. I have had my time and enjoyment with it, and now it is time to move it out and look for something different. 

Anyway, good find, great story, and you have a very good partner in your wife.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

The wife is not called 'she who must be obeyed' for nothing.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I have seen overpriced trains in antique shops, but over the last thirty years it has diminished. My guess would be the availability of market information , or maybe the trains aren't getting to the auctions but are sold to buyers. if anything I am finding more bargains.


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