# Hit the mother load... Maybe...



## Polak (Jul 15, 2010)

I came into a few model train items at an estate sale.

I know exactly jack squat about model trains, but the lot wasn't moving and I had the room to store it, so I bought it. (Impulse buy, or so the wife said!)

What's the best source for figuring out what I've got, whether it's worth setting up or just parting out?

One of the items was the entire setup in the basement of the house. Unfortunately it wasn't built with the intention of ever being moved. Still haven't figured out what to do with it, if anything. I've got two weeks to get it out of the house or I forfeit any claim to it.

I'll get over there tomorrow and get some pics of the set-up and components.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!,
Polak


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

AJ, let me start with a question: if you don't mind saying, where in IN are you? Town is close enough, we don't need your street address. The reason is we might have members near you who would be interested in buying, trading, or just helping you sort through it. Give it some thought.

Second...the first question is, who makes it? Cars and Locomotives will usually have the manufaturer's name on them, and that's a major first step in understanding what you have. Look for things Like Lionel, American Flyer, Bachman, Marx, and so on.

Third: the numbers on the locomotives and the cars are the key to identifying the individual units. Unless the previous owner customized and repainted them all, each will have an id # prominently displayed on either side of the unit. Usually, these are 3, 4, or 5 digit numbers.

Here is an example: let's say you are holding a steam engine that says "American Flyer" on the side or on the tender (coal car). On the side of the engine, you see the number "307". You could then go to this site and see when it was made, a description of it, and many of it's features: 

http://www.americanflyerexpress.com...r-products-directory-steam-locomotives-01.htm

There are similar sites for other manufacturers, as well. The more information you can give us, the more we can help you sort it out.

Next: scale or gauge. These are classes of trains by size. Once we get the first number from a car or engine, we can tell you what size you have. At that point, you will probably do best by moving your questions to that particular "room" in the forum and continuing. It's a way of organizing the conversations, here, to help people go back and research previous discussions by the trains they are associated with.

Finally----PICTURES!!!! Everyone here loves photos! If you see this in an answer: TTIWWP, it's telling you to put some pics up so we can see what you're talking about! It means This Thread Is Worthless Without Pictures!

Best wishes, and it's nice to have you join us.


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## modeltrainhead (Nov 15, 2009)

i from indiana if you want to get rid of an loco or a few switches i am from there


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## Polak (Jul 15, 2010)

Thanks guys!

I'm located west of Indianapolis, just west of Brownsburg, IN.

I'll get some pics of everything and get them posted.

Thanks again,
AJ


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

AJ, I'm in Louisville, KY, about 90 miles south of you. Nice to have you with us!


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## modeltrainhead (Nov 15, 2009)

i live WAY UP north in rochester IN my father live in lafayette you should stay in the hobby its a good one it teaches hand eye cordanation i think you would love thsi hobby i recomend this hobby to everyone


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

AJ,

Great intro thoughts by Reck up above. Welcome (again), and looking forward to peeking over your shoulder to the truck-load of train stuff. Hope we forum guys can help guide you in some way.

Cheers,

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Welcome Polak........

I can be on my way from Jersey, with a flatbed truck and a small crane on the back. With that and a chain saw we can get it out.
Might take me 8 hrs or so to get there.

Do you know what scale they are? 
Are they big ones like Gomez Adams ran and blew up on TV.


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## Polak (Jul 15, 2010)

Thanks again all!

Unfortunately I just got a message from the auction house. Seems that sometime last night vandals burned the house. So everything I left there is now sitting under a pile of burnt rubble

I was afraid this would happen since the house is in the middle of nowhere (by some railroad tracks ) and unoccupied. The estate had already slated the house for demolition, so I'm guessing there'll be no insurance recourse

I'm going to take a ride out there after work today to see if there's any chance of saving anything.

Too bad too, it was about a 250-300 sqft model. IH8Vandals!!!

I'll still get some pics of the stuff I have posted.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Oh, man! I'm really sorry to hear about that. Please accept my condolences.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Ditto!


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## stationmaster (Dec 7, 2008)

I live in Marion, guys. Not far from Rochester and about a 2-hour drive north of Brownsburg, just off I69. Hmmmmm....

Bob


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I guess now they really look like Gomez Adams trains!


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## Polak (Jul 15, 2010)

Gomez Adams is putting it lightly!

They had the place roped off b/c of asbestos, but there wasn't a chance for the model

I did however recover a Whistle Stop cast iron sign, so that made the trip worth it. It really hadn't sustained any damage. Surprisingly as it was bolted to the side of the display. It's like the whole house came down around that sign.

Here's the only pic the auction house had taken of the set up. It's much larger than what you vcan see in the picture.


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## Polak (Jul 15, 2010)

Sorry for the delay, got stuck in Chicago over the weekend.

Unloaded the box and took a few pics.

Looks like it's all HO scale.

I'd like to know if I've got something, or just a box-o-crap.


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## Rocky Mountian (May 17, 2010)

Looks like there's lots of usable items and as you look deeper you fine that you can mix and match some of it.

Good find.


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## nsr_civic (Jun 21, 2010)

man i wish some of the estate sales around here were that cool all i ever find are cloths and old stereo equipment...


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

That old Marn-o-stat throttle has me peaked. Most of the first few pictures are of old school stuff that most modelers don't want. Not that they aren't salable, it's just a limited market now with all the microelectronics now. The freight on those old power pieces alone makes them hard to sell in any setting other than a swap meet.

Starting at the kits though, you've got some nice Ebay fodder there, especially the Suydam trolley and the Walthers coach. Your picture format is a bit hard on my eyes, making it hard to compare shots. I drool over the parts box and separate bits.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I drool over the parts box and separate bits. 

Me too.

I'm confused?
Did these come from the burnt down home?


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I like the way American Flyer put "miles per hour" on its transformer ... with "120 mph" at the top end. Got a good laugh out of that!

Neat finds, all around. Thanks for the post-fire post!

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks B&M for putting them photos all together.:thumbsup:

Keep up the good work and a raise is in the forecast.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

If it's working, I might have an interest in that AF transformer. If you run across any S scale stuff in there and are going to part with it, please let me know. S scale is about half-way, in size, between HO and O. Old-school stuff will have American Flyer on it.

Thanks!


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## Polak (Jul 15, 2010)

big ed said:


> I'm confused?
> Did these come from the burnt down home?


Yes & no. They came from an estate sale, at which I also purchased the whole model (roughly 250-300sqft.) Before I could figure out how to get the model out of the basement, vandals/arsonist burnt the house down.

So this, plus a cast iron whistle stop sign I recovered after the fire, is all that's left since it's all I took w/ me the day of the sale.

If anyone is interested in any of the pieces drop me PM and we'll work something out. Not looking to get rich, I'd rather this stuff find a good home in lieu of the dumpster! Besides, as long as I break even on the deal, it'll keep the wife off my back, which is really the goal


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Polak -- it looks like several of your pics show a box, but offer no real clue as to what's inside. You might want to inventory things a bit, if you can, to clarify.

Greg / Choo Choo -- Did you see his short cabooses in pic #1947?

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Polak -- it looks like several of your pics show a box, but offer no real clue as to what's inside. You might want to inventory things a bit, if you can, to clarify.
> 
> Greg / Choo Choo -- Did you see his short cabooses in pic #1947?
> 
> TJ




Greg / Choo Choo -- Did you see his short cabooses in pic #1947?

TJ[/QUOTE]


First thing I thought of too. For the Short Line RR.


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## imatt88 (Jan 31, 2010)

MAn, that SUCKS. They should be shot


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

imatt88 said:


> MAn, that SUCKS. They should be shot



Shot? Burned on the stake is better! Slower.


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