# Found a lionel train collection in my basement



## JimmyV882 (Jun 21, 2010)

Is there anyone here who could give me an idea of what all this is worth, if anything? It would be much appreciated. 

pictures can be found here:
http://s877.photobucket.com/albums/ab340/JimmyV882/Lionel Trains/

Included in the collection is:

In Box

(Everything in box contains original paperwork)

* 3 Die cast metal bumpers.
* 1 Remote control operating track.
* 3 Sets of straight tracks, each box contains 4 tracks.
* 1 Illuminated passenger and freight station building.
* 1 44 ton Pennsylvania Diesel engine. It has a horn, headlights, and dual motors.
* 1 Station Platform building.
* 1 Blue car, marked with CSX.
* 2 Remote control switches.
* 1 Brown/red car marked with New Haven.
* 1 Black girder bridge.
* 1 Orange Amtrak car.
* 1 Western Maryland fully operating coal dump car.
* 1 Red car marked with Nickel Plate Road.
* 1 Cargo car marked with Santa Fe with included spools. 

Without a Box

* 1 Red circus car with a zebra and tiger that pop out as the car moves.
* 3 Billboards with different messages.
* 1 Four way track.
* 2 Switchable tracks.
* 48 Straight tracks.
* 20 Curved tracks.
* 3 Automated switch controls.
* 16 Power lines.
* 2 Lamps.
* 1 Sealed bag of signs.
* 1 Water tower.
* 2 Metal speed controls.
* 1 Black metal engine, marked with NKP and the number 8617.
* 1 Black coal car, marked with NKP and Nickel Plate Road.
* 1 Black car, marked with NKP, the number 6254, and Nickel Plate Road.
* 1 Grey car marked with NKP.
* 1 Yellow car marked with NKP.
* A bunch of extra cords.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Welcome, You are going to have to show a picture here by linking it. Your link isnt working. past the url to the postcard. You need the car numbers to properly id them. Your set could be twenty or 80 years old.
Make ten comments and try again.

I had to search your user name. It's about 30 years old. Everthing is in good condition. The switcher is the most valuable but we need a number. With a price guide you are in the 50 to 70 percent price range. I doubt you have any rare jewels. Track, some in original packing and cheep transformers. Rolling stock go for 10 to 40 from that era with box for commons. I need to look up the 8617 triple nickel The paint looks good but can't tell what's broken. The engine list at 35.

Without the switcher it would make a good starter set.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Jimmy,

Welcome to the forum. I don't run Lionel, so I can't tell you anything about them. However, I can cover some of the basic issues.

First, there's no set price for any piece in your set, or the set in it's entirety. It's like going to a used car lot and trying to say how much an individual car is worth, or all the inventory on the lot is worth. A good description of price is this: it's where how little you will take meets how much a person with cash in hand is willing to pay. Until you reach that place, any discussion of price is purely speculating.

Second: Cars have numbers on the sides, as do engines: they identify the item you are holding in your hand. Please list the numbers so people know which item you are talking about. This also applies to the larger accessories: buildings, briges, and so on.

Third: forgive the offensiveness of this next suggestion, but it is appropriate. "I found a lot of unused, unopened train stuff in my basement" sounds a lot like "I stole a big part of someone's train set and want to sell it." Please elaborate on how you came by all this stuff. No one wants to buy a bunch of hot train cars they may have to return to an owner.

Thanks,


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

...pictures would help too and, with markings like CSX and Amtrak, I wouldn't plan to retire on it...after the excesses of the late 80s/early 90s collector market, there are few Lionel pieces one can hang their retirement on.


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## JimmyV882 (Jun 21, 2010)

Hey thanks for the reply. 

Sorry about the pictures, here's a fixed link : http://s877.photobucket.com/albums/ab340/JimmyV882/Lionel Trains/

Any idea of a ballpark figure of what the set would go for? Between 200-300 bucks maybe? I have a friend who wants to buy these off me but I have no idea how much to ask for.


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## x_doug_x (Jun 21, 2010)

really depends, in my opinion sold individually on a auction site like ebay you could prob. get 300-400 maybe more out of it. but if you were to post it on local classifieds maybe 100-150 for everthing... i'm new to model train forums so i dunno what something like that would go for on here. good luck with it.


like stated on here above, every piece has a number on it. search that number and see what it's going for and add it up. that's the best way to find out.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

JimmyV882 said:


> Hey thanks for the reply.
> 
> Sorry about the pictures, here's a fixed link : http://s877.photobucket.com/albums/ab340/JimmyV882/Lionel Trains/
> 
> Any idea of a ballpark figure of what the set would go for? Between 200-300 bucks maybe? I have a friend who wants to buy these off me but I have no idea how much to ask for.


Hi Jimmy, 

I don't do Lionel... but I just did a quick ebay search on your switcher and the asking prices for 44 tonners range from $110-$200 depending on model and condition. I suggest that you do an ebay search on each item to get a range of asking prices to help you decide. If you have the time, also watch selected auctions close to see what an item's actual selling price ends up being... or even if it sells at all. That will give you a good feel of what the current market will bring. 

Your stuff looks like it's in really nice condition, so that already moves you toward the upper side of the asking price ranges.

Greg


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## x_doug_x (Jun 21, 2010)

theres over 500 dollars worth of stuff there. he searched google and i think he signed up for every model train forum he could to ask what that sets worth. he may not post back here. he was offered 300 on another forum.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

x_doug_x said:


> theres over 500 dollars worth of stuff there. he searched google and i think he signed up for every model train forum he could to ask what that sets worth. he may not post back here. he was offered 300 on another forum.



:laugh:

We ought to charge for our services.

I did not respond knowing he was just a fly by.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

That's not a bad idea although it would be more properly done in the For Sale section. He would have the opportunity to sell direct outside the structure of ebay and PayPal fees.

If I was a Lionel guy, I'd be all over it.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

I thought it interesting he never responded on the "How I found it" question.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

big ed said:


> :laugh:
> 
> We ought to charge for our services.
> .


We need a commision Commisioner to police things like this!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Reckers said:


> I thought it interesting he never responded on the "How I found it" question.


:laugh:
Heck I went in my basement and found a whole bunch of trains....I never knew I had.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

big ed said:


> :laugh:
> 
> We ought to charge for our services.
> 
> I did not respond knowing he was just a fly by.


I agree that we should police this some way...a 25 post minimum before your first sale ad or price inquiry maybe?


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Yeah, I'd be up for something like that ... perhaps 10 post minimum before any "I have this to sell" ads. There have been a handful of first-time posters who have very diplomatically introduced themselves and offered their wares ... sometimes selling with very positive feedback. However, I think more often newbies chime in on post one with "here's my stuff ... this is what I'm asking", with no introductions, background info, etc. I don't like that at all. 

My 2-cents, anyway.

TJ


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## Rocky Mountian (May 17, 2010)

Heck TJ that was worth 3-cents LOL


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

I'm reluctant to make it difficult for people to sell here for two reasons. The first is that it gives everyone here a chance to get a good deal on something. The second is that the sales attempts are sometimes the result of the loss of a loved one, and the seller is trying to deal with that while parting with a train they have no use for.

That said, I thought the "I found $500 worth of trains in my basement" was pure bull. I dimly recollect a post about 6-8 months ago about someone's train collection being stolen, and I think the stuff was from that or a similar theft. The fact he made no effort to flesh out his story reinforced that belief. I'm not going to criticize anyone for buying from him: as far as I know, every item I've bought on ebay is just as likely to have been stolen. I had no use for his stuff, though, so it made more sense for me to challenge his story than anyone who might want to buy from him if he was legit.


There's my 3 cents worth. Personally, I have no problem with 1st-post sellers as long as it's stuff related to our hobby---today's Filla-Glu or whatever it was is a good example. He's offering a product someone might want. We acquired Rocky Mountain as a member, if I recall correctly, because he initially wanted to sell some stuff and move on. He posted, then liked what he saw and we are the better for it. 

So, here's my wrap-up...sorry I'm being so long-winded. I feel first-time sellers are okay, but I yield to the preference of the group. Second, I think there's reluctance of potential buyers to challenge a poor story or poorly-expressed story, and that is understandable: someone with no vested interest should step up to the plate and ask some pointed questions. Those who feel the "seller" is just looking for free advice should feel free to ignore him---notice it's never a woman? Finally...*grins*...anyone soliciting customers for an auction site should be horribly abused and mistreated: when was the last time anyone here had a good outcome from one of those solicitations?


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

I don't have any problem with one post sellers either... as long as it's trains.  

It's always fun to see what wares sellers are peddling, and no one here is fooled by transparent pretext stories anyways.

There is a basic business axiom: The fish *always* matches the bait. 

People treat me *exactly* as decent as I am... 

...and even if they *aren't*... 

...they treat me *as if* they were. 

Greg


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## x_doug_x (Jun 21, 2010)

i don't agree with the 25 posts before you ask what something is worth. Personally i think you'll get more members the way the forums are. you start those regulations you'll prob. won't get many new members.


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

I think that the forums fine, just as it is. Buying/Selling on the Internet is always a risk!


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