# Lionel "0" gauge postwar train Set #2205WS plus more



## Lionel736 (Oct 14, 2013)

Looking for advice on value for the following. It was handed-down from my aunt and although i think its neat, i just don't have the time, room nor do want to see my dog destroy it. What is the best way to sell it, as a set or individually. I'd prefer not to sell it on ebay or any other site that isn't person to person. Are train shows a good way to sell these classics?

736 Berkshire steam locomotive
2046W "Lionel Lines" whistle tender
3484 Pennsylvania Box Car
6456 black Lehigh Valley Hopper car
6415 Sunoco 3-Dome Tank Car
6468 Baltimore & Ohio Auto Box Car
6417 Pennsylvania caboose.
Lackawanna Box Car
Lionel multi-control "trainmaster" transformer
USC 
a small box or tracks
some paperwork
all the individual boxes and the original full set box 
(The sides of 3 of the individual boxes are broken off but I still have them. The Full set box has had the corners torn and it has been folded up)
Plasticville, what appears to be a freight station 

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Lionel736 said:


> Looking for advice on value for the following. It was handed-down from my aunt and although i think its neat, i just don't have the time, room nor do want to see my dog destroy it. What is the best way to sell it, as a set or individually. I'd prefer not to sell it on ebay or any other site that isn't person to person. Are train shows a good way to sell these classics?
> 
> 736 Berkshire steam locomotive
> 2046W "Lionel Lines" whistle tender
> ...


The 736 with that tender is desirable and sought after.
Does the master box have a product number I think what you have is a set.
And you have the boxes, makes it worth more.

It depends on what kind of shape they are in as to their value.

Train shows might be but you will have to do some homework as to the value.
If you have an asking price you could post them here.

This site won't give you the value but will tell you a little about the trains.
When your done looking at the engine here scroll down and click the main menu, they have all your cars there.
http://www.postwarlionel.com/cgi-bin/postwar?ITEM=736
But like I said their worth is not listed.
Get you started though.

How old is the dog? Pack them up and waits till it dies then you can have a layout.


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

I looked through my old catalogs and this appears to be the 2205WS from 1953.
Condition is everything. Posting a few photos would help. Torn boxes do not help much but a set box and instructions does. An intact set box in some cases is worth as much as the trains.

I show a 2205WS set worth between $700 and $1500. Since you have the boxes you should sell the set as a set. Why so down on ebay? I go to train shows all the time and I can tell you it's a terrible way to sell a small collection. By the time you add in travel, your time, table rental, hours of saying no to lowball offers and wasting an entire day only to sell a car or two it's a fools errand.

Take a bunch of photos and post them in the for-sale section. You may get an offer to your liking.


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## Lionel736 (Oct 14, 2013)

Thanks for the responses.

To clear things up, it is Set #2205WS, I had it in the subject line of the thread but i guess it is easily over looked. In addition to the set is an extra car or two plus tracks and a plasticville stand.

Thanks for the price range areizman, now I atleast have a starting point. Maybe i'll post it for sale here for a week and if no takers try the ebay route. I'm a little anti-ebay because I just hate the though of paying commission and then worrying about it being damaged or lost in the mail. From what I've seen if there is a problem ebay isn't always the easiest to work with despite all their policies to protect you.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Lionel736 said:


> Thanks for the responses.
> 
> To clear things up, it is Set #2205WS, I had it in the subject line of the thread but i guess it is easily over looked.


Sorry I completely missed that. 

What kind of shape are they in?
Brand new, well used? Broken dented scraped?

It sounds like they were sitting in storage for a while. It depends on who originally owned them. Were they given to a kid back then, like me?  ( I don't know why I did it. I blame it on Gomez Adams )
Or were they owned by an older person who took care of them?


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## Lionel736 (Oct 14, 2013)

big ed said:


> What kind of shape are they in?
> Brand new, well used? Broken dented scraped?


To me they are in like new condition. I'd upload photos but I don't have permission yet...

I uploaded 3 pics to flickr, let see if this works


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I see a little scuffing on the cab and around the front probably from the box?

Need and underneath shot to see how much wear there is on them
They do look in great shape, so far.

Pictures work. :thumbsup:


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## Lionel736 (Oct 14, 2013)

Underneath shots as requested




























The Green gem thing is broken off and missing. Ebay has the entire front piece with both gems for $30


















Is the black electrical tape original or a fix?









So assuming the rest are in similar condition is it a fair assumption to say the set is at the higher end of the range previously given?


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## Magne-rail (Oct 4, 2013)

Lionel736 said:


> To me they are in like new condition. I'd upload photos but I don't have permission yet...
> 
> I uploaded 3 pics to flickr, let see if this works


More like Very good plus to Excellent condition. Excellent would be minute scratches, nicks; no dents or rust. Like new would be free of blemishes, no nicks or scratches with faint signs of use and boxes to match. At a train meet out here in California you would be hard pressed to pull in more than $700.00 on a good day....Nice 736 w/2046ws..:thumbsup:


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

Nice set! I have three dogs and two cats (one of the cats is sure to spend a LOT of time attacking the train...) Don't let the dog deter you from keeping it, there are many ways to teach them to leave it alone. 

My mom had an early 80's plastic set when I was growing up. Our cat attacked it almost daily. lol It held up to the constant attacks quite well - usually involving flipping it off of the track and rolling the entire train over. Remember, toys like these were designed to be _used_ - unlike most modern toys that don't hold up to anything!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I don't think he/she wants them, read the first post.
I have no time or room.......I think the dog was just thrown in.

Poor dog being blamed for something it has not done yet.


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

I was at lowes tonight getting wire. The guy asked me what I needed it for. I told him an O Lionel train... He commented that he had a BIG set with the coal loader and barrels and log loader, etc etc etc. but that he sold them all years ago. And wishes he hadn't. That's the most common comment - I had one, I sold it, I wish I hadn't....

It seems that these trains get let go for "space" or for money, but before too long that decision is regretted, and re-buying them is a very expensive undertaking.

Almost my entire set fits in a large Rubbermaid container.... Not all that much space. 


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## Lionel736 (Oct 14, 2013)

mnp13 said:


> It seems that these trains get let go for "space" or for money, but before too long that decision is regretted, and re-buying them is a very expensive undertaking.
> 
> Almost my entire set fits in a large Rubbermaid container.... Not all that much space.


What good is a train set sitting in a box waiting for a rainy day if that day never comes?

It all boils down to interest, and I just don't have enough to keep it. I like the look of the set but have no urge to making a fancy layout and only run it around the track twice a year. I have other hobbies that keep me thinking, what can I do next.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Lionel736 said:


> What good is a train set sitting in a box waiting for a rainy day if that day never comes?
> 
> It all boils down to interest, and I just don't have enough to keep it. I like the look of the set but have no urge to making a fancy layout and only run it around the track twice a year. I have other hobbies that keep me thinking, what can I do next.


First thing you have to figure out is how much you want for it.
I have not seen all but the locomotive looks in good shape the tender too.

And you have the boxes, watch e bay for your set number and see what they bring. Note their condition to yours.
There are auction sites that might list the whole set too, do a search for that set number and see what comes up.

Or you could list it on fee bay and test the market by putting a reserve on it. But a lot won't even bother looking because of the reserve.

Or you can put it all up separately if you want.

For a collector the whole set would be better.

You have a starting ball park price yet?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

From couple from a quick search for you,

http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/great-lionel-2205ws-1953-berkshire-freight-885-c-q4b6wcm74h

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/1601624

You can watch them to see what they get if you want.
You might have to sign up to do it.


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

Lionel736 said:


> What good is a train set sitting in a box waiting for a rainy day if that day never comes?
> 
> It all boils down to interest, and I just don't have enough to keep it. I like the look of the set but have no urge to making a fancy layout and only run it around the track twice a year. I have other hobbies that keep me thinking, what can I do next.


That's the key - forget the "fancy" part of the layout. I have some switches and track, and I'm making two pretty basic layouts, one for our tree, one for my parent's tree. They will be out once a year for about 5 weeks. The one at my parent's house hadn't seen the light of day for about 20/25 years until I pulled it out last year. 

I've never heard anything but regret from people who "used to have a train set" and got rid of it. A number of people have heard about my train (fb, etc) and the response is either "I always wanted a train" or "I had a train and got rid of it and wish I had it back" I have yet to hear "I got rid of my train, oh well." Of course, some people never had them and never wanted them, but this is referring to people who did have them at some point. 

Just a different perspective to think of. The problem with old things, is replacing them in the future only gets more expensive. And new rarely, if ever, is affordable for the same quality.

Then again, I wouldn't have MY set if someone hadn't made the same decision that you are currently making!   So it's not all bad. :thumbsup:


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