# N Scale Price…..



## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I recently just noticed the price of N scale over the last decade, like everything, has gone up, but….

Top car price in 2016, bottom car price in 2005…..










This is for the same car (different paint scheme)….


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

$15.95 in 2005 comes out to 21.53 in 2020 Dollars. Can't do 2021.
Still a pretty good sized increase. $6.37 on a $27.90 purchase, about 30%

Magic


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## BigEd (Oct 28, 2014)

From my side it's worse! In 2005 that would have been ZAR96 and the latest one will be ZAR420... that doesn't include the postage increase or the taxes.

I saw a MT hopper in my flavor (UP) at my local pusher (one of 5 total pieces of N US rolling stock). Sticker price is also $27 something cents but my currency shows ZAR810! I just walked away. I'm all for open market business, but this is ridiculous. 

Luckily my my friend moved to Texas and started a Model Train business - I now have a foreign local pusher and he has a lovely open for us dweebs here in SA - Hold for Shipping. I buy monthly of not and add to my box. If it brims, I ship it...😁


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

BigEd said:


> Luckily my my friend moved to Texas and started a Model Train business - I now have a foreign local pusher and he has a lovely open for us dweebs here in SA - Hold for Shipping. I buy monthly of not and add to my box. If it brims, I ship it...😁


Where in Texas? I am always up for a trip to another shop?


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## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

Old_Hobo said:


> I recently just noticed the price of N scale over the last decade, like everything, has gone up, but….
> 
> Top car price in 2016, bottom car price in 2005…..
> 
> ...


I was into N-scale for quite a long time. But 2016 is about when I started putting the kibosh on buying new stuff. If it was pricey before, it really started getting pricey around that time frame, in my opinion.

I started seriously getting into O-gauge about then. One of the driving factors for me was that the secondary "O" market is loaded with a lot of good-to-excellent buys, definitely making O-gauge a lot more affordable for folks. I'm about ready to start selling off excess N-scale inventory, as I haven't hardly touched it in the past couple of years now. I would most likely keep some, but thinking right at the minute I could easily get rid of roughly 75% of my stuff and not miss it a bit.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Magic said:


> $15.95 in 2005 comes out to 21.53 in 2020 Dollars. Can't do 2021.
> Still a pretty good sized increase. $6.37 on a $27.90 purchase, about 30%
> 
> Magic


But what does the 2005 price equate to in 2016 dollars (the year the last one came out)…..?

$15.95 in 2005 dollars works out to $19.60 in 2016 dollars…..but MTL raised it in 2016 to $27.90,for a different of $8.30….for a 57% increase…..


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## BigEd (Oct 28, 2014)

Steve Rothstein said:


> Where in Texas? I am always up for a trip to another shop?


Henderson I believe.
N Scale Wherehouse https://nscalewherehouse.com/ 

Speak to my mate Kevin. He’s a modeller too - taught me a lot over the years…


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

BigEd said:


> Henderson I believe.
> N Scale Wherehouse https://nscalewherehouse.com/
> 
> Speak to my mate Kevin. He’s a modeller too - taught me a lot over the years…


Thanks, That is about a 5 hour drive from me, depending on traffic. I see a road trip in the near future.


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

I think 2021 will be interesting with pricing. News articles are hinting at big increases (in everything), and of course container shipping rates will be passed onto us as well. I’m glad that I have everything I need, and only have a couple of items I’d like to get in the future…..


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

I looked at ebay Kato locos for the first time in about five years. Asking buy it now prices were pretty high. I'll have to do more research on sold prices. I haven't run my N scale for years, so I was thinking of selling and trying to consider realistic pricing. I don't think I could in good conscience ask the prices I have seen. I did sell a near new Kato PA1 PB1 SP Daylight set for $110, and it sold the same day. I am not sure what to think of this market.


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## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

pmcgurin said:


> I looked at ebay Kato locos for the first time in about five years. Asking buy it now prices were pretty high. I'll have to do more research on sold prices. I haven't run my N scale for years, so I was thinking of selling and trying to consider realistic pricing. I don't think I could in good conscience ask the prices I have seen. I did sell a near new Kato PA1 PB1 SP Daylight set for $110, and it sold the same day. I am not sure what to think of this market.


Ask hi, sell for as much as you can.

What the heck - conscience be danged. If you can get it, what the heck!


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

You are right, Mixed Freight. I need to get my head around it.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

pmcgurin said:


> I looked at ebay Kato locos for the first time in about five years. Asking buy it now prices were pretty high. I'll have to do more research on sold prices. I haven't run my N scale for years, so I was thinking of selling and trying to consider realistic pricing. I don't think I could in good conscience ask the prices I have seen. I did sell a near new Kato PA1 PB1 SP Daylight set for $110, and it sold the same day. I am not sure what to think of this market.


Never feel guilty for selling something at the price the seller agrees to pay. I start all my stuff at 99 cents, and I'm just blown away at the final price of about half of it, the rest goes for expected prices. They want it, they get it.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Old_Hobo said:


> I recently just noticed the price of N scale over the last decade, like everything, has gone up, but….
> 
> Top car price in 2016, bottom car price in 2005…..
> 
> ...


I can remember when brand new Kadee N-scale cars (Micro-Trains hadn't branched off yet) retailed for $3- $5 per car. 

Traction Fan 🙂


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## 4G-Man (Jan 2, 2014)

A couple weeks ago I bought a handful of Bachmann, new in the box for $8 a car. The shop still has a handful left, I will probably stop and rifle through some more.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Looks like a nice car, in original box….great deal for $8.00….! 

Still has the original Rapido couplers, so a coupler conversion would need to be figured in, if the couplers will be changed…..


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## 4G-Man (Jan 2, 2014)

Old_Hobo said:


> Looks like a nice car, in original box….great deal for $8.00….!
> 
> *Still has the original Rapido couplers*, so a coupler conversion would need to be figured in, if the couplers will be changed…..


whatsutalknboutwillis?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

The couplers on the boxcar in the pic in post #15 are called Rapido couplers…..very different from the Micro Train knuckle couplers….many N scalers convert the Rapido couplers to Micro Train couplers, as they look more prototypical….

Rapido couplers









Micro Train Knuckle Couplers


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

And there also are Bachmann "Dummy Knuckles". They look like a Micro-Trains without the trip wire but are one piece of black plastic like Rapidos. They mate with Micro-Trains but not Rapidos. Con-Cor used something similar.

Sorry I don't have a picture.


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## 4G-Man (Jan 2, 2014)

oh - I do like that more better. can I buy the couplers alone or do I have to buy the trucks and all?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

You can get the couplers only, or the couplers and trucks…..less fiddling with tiny couplers that way, but a little more expensive…..

Here is a link to the Micro Trains site….it has everything you will need…..

Micro Trains Couplers


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

If you mean the "dummy knuckles", the answer is NO. They're obsolete and Bachmann doesn't stock them anymore. I'm just giving you a "heads up" that the absence of a trip wire doesn't guarantee that the coupler on older Bachmann couplers in a brick-and-mortar store guarantees they're compatible with Rapidos.


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## 4G-Man (Jan 2, 2014)

I took one apart on this car and put it back together, no biggie. Is this what I want to order?


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## 4G-Man (Jan 2, 2014)

Still snooping around on that site - how do I know if I want long or short couplers?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

4G-Man said:


> I took one apart on this car and put it back together, no biggie. Is this what I want to order?


Go to this link, and click on the PDF for Bachmann coupler conversion…scroll down until you find the car type you want to convert….it will tell you which one will work….

Micro Trains Coupler Cnoversions


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

4G-Man said:


> Still snooping around on that site - how do I know if I want long or short couplers?


If you are having trouble with the cars being coupled too closely to negotiate tight curves, the long shanks will work better…..


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## 4G-Man (Jan 2, 2014)

I don't even have it set up yet. I am in the purchase mode. Had been running O.


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## 4G-Man (Jan 2, 2014)

Old_Hobo said:


> If you are having trouble with the cars being coupled too closely to negotiate tight curves, the long shanks will work better…..


would long shank be recommended?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Short/regular is best, for looks and operation, unless it binds……that boxcar looks like it would be ok with the regular shank….


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

4G-Man said:


> oh - I do like that more better. can I buy the couplers alone or do I have to buy the trucks and all?


4G-man;

You can buy Micro-Trains couplers either with, or without, trucks attached to the couplers. You can also buy the couplers either factory-assembled or in kit form. Micro-Trains also sells their couplers in a wide variety of mounting options, to fit different types of cars. If your cars have their Rapido couplers mounted on the trucks, then the easiest way to convert cars to Micro-Trains couplers is actually to replace the trucks. If your layout has curves tighter than 11" radius, truck-mounted couplers may be the better option. However, nearly all newer locomotives, and many cars come with body-mounted couplers. It is important to pick one mounting location and use it on every piece of rolling stock. A body-mounted coupler, particularly when mounted on a locomotive, will often push against a truck-mounted coupler enough to force that coupler's attached truck to climb over the rail. Either all body mounts, or all truck mounts, will work. A combination of some body-mounted & some truck-mounted is very likely to cause problems.
Micro-Trains also sells special tools for assembling, and/or body mounting their couplers. Check their website.

Traction Fan


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

I converted a lot of my rapido couplers to Kato knuckle couplers, because I have mainly Kato locos and passenger cars. The couplers came in packs. I put them together and put them in the trucks. On a lot of the freight cars I just bought Micro trains trucks.


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

The Kato couplers are much easier to assemble, but they don't really play well with MTL couplers. 

My locomotives are kato and all body mounted. All of the rolling stock I have came with truck mounted couplers. The only time I have issues is when backing them through a turnout. 

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

I was considering replacing some more freight car trucks with microtrains, but how do I know whether to use Barber trucks or another type? Then there is the cost. Last time I did some of this ten pair of trucks cost about $25, and now they are over $50. Well, there has been inflation over those years. Looking at ebay, I see that this is an expensive hobby, but then other hobbies are not cheap either. Stamp collecting, pen collecting, etc., all costly. As my wife says, we are going to spend the money rather than leave it to someone else.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

pmcgurin said:


> I was considering replacing some more freight car trucks with microtrains, but how do I know whether to use Barber trucks or another type? Then there is the cost. Last time I did some of this ten pair of trucks cost about $25, and now they are over $50. Well, there has been inflation over those years. Looking at ebay, I see that this is an expensive hobby, but then other hobbies are not cheap either. Stamp collecting, pen collecting, etc., all costly. As my wife says, we are going to spend the money rather than leave it to someone else.





pmcgurin said:


> I was considering replacing some more freight car trucks with microtrains, but how do I know whether to use Barber trucks or another type? Then there is the cost. Last time I did some of this ten pair of trucks cost about $25, and now they are over $50. Well, there has been inflation over those years. Looking at ebay, I see that this is an expensive hobby, but then other hobbies are not cheap either. Stamp collecting, pen collecting, etc., all costly. As my wife says, we are going to spend the money rather than leave it to someone else.


pmcgurin;

Micro-Trains trucks come in many styles. In my opinion, the three main ones are Bettendorf, roller bearing, and archbar. Which one you use depends on the time period you are modeling. All the following eras are generalizations. There were exceptions. Some railroads, didn't interchange cars with other companies, and thus didn't have to follow some of the government restrictions on truck type. This was true of virtually all narrow gauge lines. They tended to keep using whatever older design trucks they had, right up to their demise.

Bettendorf trucks were used from the 1920s through the 1960s.

Roller bearing trucks started replacing the earlier Bettendorf design in the 1960s, and are still used today.

Archbar trucks were an early design used in the Civil War/ wild west era. Safety issues resulted in them being banned for interstate commerce in the early part of the 20th century.

There were dozens of competing designs, including the Barber trucks you mentioned. However, unless you're modeling a specific car that you know used something different, I suggest sticking with whichever one of the three designs I mentioned fits your modeling era. Each of them was a very common truck, widely used in their day.
By the way, the difference between a Micro-Trains Bettendorf truck and their roller bearing truck, is purely cosmetic, and limited to the outside appearance of the truck frames. Internally, they are all the same.

Traction Fan 🙂


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

Thanks, that's great info. I was bewildered by the variety.


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

Prices for N scale are higher today than they were a few years ago, but prices for everything are going up. On ebay prices seem high and a lot of older items have disappeared or the price has become pretty high, nearly double of about five years ago. There is little I want anyway, except some Kato LED light kits for passenger cars. Well, I sold about a thousand dollars of N scale items on ebay. I'll probably get rid of most of the rest and keep a couple of passenger trains. Getting older and my wife wouldn't know what to do with the stuff I have collected. It has been fun. More fun yet to be had.


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