The Mother Lode

iis612

Member
My Father-In-Law is an avid model builder. He loves building railroad models, but not a model railroad. He switched from HO to HOn3 and during his last visit he brought me a bunch (about 15) of HO craftsman kits. They are all older kits, and most of them do not match my era or region. He also gave me about 100 back issues of MRR.
He told me that he knows most of the kits are out of my era, but I could sell or trade them for more relevant items. I will post pics later.
I also picked up a Bachmann Spectrum Berkshire lettered for Pere Marquette.

Matt
 

iis612

Member
I had intended to do that but I got caught up in other things.
I will put together an inventory and post it, along with some pics, either later tonight or tomorrow.
 

iis612

Member
Alright, let's start the list with:

"Quality Craft Models"
29' Changeable Tank Car UTLX
CP Bathtub Gondola
70' Transport Leasing "Hello Dolly" Box Car

"Ambroid"
60' Insulated Box Car, Burlington
SP Hydra Cushion Sky Box
2 Pennsy 100 ton 3 bay hoppers
ACF Center Flow Covered Hopper, KATY
ACF Center Flow Covered Hopper, CPR "2 in 1 kit" this one has Kadee couplers and draft gear with it
2 Pullman-Standard Full Door Box Cars, Southern
CB&Q Dynomometer Car
St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Stock Car
50 ton 3 bay hopper, Erie - Susquehanna
70 ton bulkhead flat car Bangor & Aroostook (Maine Central)

All of these kits are mostly wood, as the picture shows. They all have cast metal and brass detail parts with them. Most of them do not have couplers or draft gear and some do not have trucks. As far as I know, these kits are better than 35 years old. Some of these kits are supposed to build more than 1 of the listed car.
I CAN NOT give a guarantee that each kit is complete as I haven't the experience with these kits to know what I am looking for.
These are just the tip of the iceburg. I have about 10 more that I am keeping, and my Father-In-Law is supposed to have about 50-60 more that he is going to give to me.
If anyone is interested in making a trade, pm me and make me an offer. Otherwise, the kits that I have listed here will be sold on eBay as 1 big lot.
If you want more pics, let me know. I am happy to take as many pics as you would like.

For more information on the Ambroid kits go to: http://www.trainweb.org/ambroidkits/ambroid.htm

Matt
 

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pgandw

Active Member
Alright, let's start the list with:

"Quality Craft Models"
29' Changeable Tank Car UTLX
CP Bathtub Gondola
70' Transport Leasing "Hello Dolly" Box Car

"Ambroid"
60' Insulated Box Car, Burlington
SP Hydra Cushion Sky Box
2 Pennsy 100 ton 3 bay hoppers
ACF Center Flow Covered Hopper, KATY
ACF Center Flow Covered Hopper, CPR "2 in 1 kit" this one has Kadee couplers and draft gear with it
2 Pullman-Standard Full Door Box Cars, Southern
CB&Q Dynomometer Car
St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Stock Car
50 ton 3 bay hopper, Erie - Susquehanna
70 ton bulkhead flat car Bangor & Aroostook (Maine Central)

All of these kits are mostly wood, as the picture shows. They all have cast metal and brass detail parts with them. Most of them do not have couplers or draft gear and some do not have trucks. As far as I know, these kits are better than 35 years old. Some of these kits are supposed to build more than 1 of the listed car.
I CAN NOT give a guarantee that each kit is complete as I haven't the experience with these kits to know what I am looking for.
These are just the tip of the iceburg. I have about 10 more that I am keeping, and my Father-In-Law is supposed to have about 50-60 more that he is going to give to me.
If anyone is interested in making a trade, pm me and make me an offer. Otherwise, the kits that I have listed here will be sold on eBay as 1 big lot.
If you want more pics, let me know. I am happy to take as many pics as you would like.

For more information on the Ambroid kits go to: http://www.trainweb.org/ambroidkits/ambroid.htm

Matt

Matt

These are mostly wood models of steel car prototypes. Prototypes were from the '50s and '60s for the most part. You might want to keep and try one as a different experience. You need extra fine sand paper and sanding sealer to get the effect of metal with wood.

I recommend not selling them on eBay as one lot. You will do a lot better selling them individually, or in logical pairs. This keeps the price within reason, yet you get a much better price per car. These tend to be sought after kits in the niche they served.

If you come across any of these kits for 1900 era prototypes (Ambroid and Central Valley made a few, Labelle still makes plenty), I'm interested.
 

steamhead

Active Member
Hi...I agree with Fred....As a lot, you won't get but a fraction of the price you can get for each individually. These will generally bring $15-$25 each, and there's good demand for them.
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
You are talking about "collector" pieces here, although that does not mean they won't also make nice operating models, but if you put them on E-bay as one lot, some dealer will buy them at a steal price and turn around and make a significant profit selling them individually. I agree with Fred, but I find I almost always agree with Fred. You will do a lot better to sell them as individual pieces.
 

sgtcarl

Member
And when you post them on e-bay, determine what the "going" price is, as determined by other sellers offering the same or very similar products. Then decide the least amount you will take for them, and set that as a "reserved" price. By having a "reserved" amount, you won't have to sell them for 99 cents, or something equally inane. And find out what shipping costs will be by using the USPS Priority Mail service.
(I am a "silver star" e-bay buyer, so I think I know how e-bay works.) And who knows, I may even bid on some of your items!!
Best of luck. :thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:
 

iis612

Member
Matt

These are mostly wood models of steel car prototypes. Prototypes were from the '50s and '60s for the most part. You might want to keep and try one as a different experience. You need extra fine sand paper and sanding sealer to get the effect of metal with wood.

I recommend not selling them on eBay as one lot. You will do a lot better selling them individually, or in logical pairs. This keeps the price within reason, yet you get a much better price per car. These tend to be sought after kits in the niche they served.

If you come across any of these kits for 1900 era prototypes (Ambroid and Central Valley made a few, Labelle still makes plenty), I'm interested.


I am keeping some, and getting more. I do have 1 or 2 from the early 1900's, including the stock car listed here. I will look through the rest of them and see what I have.

Thanks for the eBay advice. I certainly don't want to loose any potential gain.

Matt
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
I've found UPS, Fedex, etc to be about 1/2 the price of using USPS for shipping anything. I don't use Ebay, but every time I want to ship something and I compare pricing, USPS comes out the most expensive way to ship. I should add that I have never shipped anything to or from Canada. USPS looks to be the way to go for cross border shipments from what the Canadian modelers have posted here on the Gauge.
 

pgandw

Active Member
I am keeping some, and getting more. I do have 1 or 2 from the early 1900's, including the stock car listed here. I will look through the rest of them and see what I have.

Thanks for the eBay advice. I certainly don't want to loose any potential gain.

Matt

Matt

I appreciate the link to the Ambroid web site; it helped me learn a lot more about the specific kits. I've been very tempted by the stock car. But it's from a 1922 prototype with a steel underframe, which was almost unheard of in 1900. And my hobby budget got cut to $25/month due to other expenses rising so dramatically in the past 6 months. :cry: I already spent 2 months worth on the new 1880s gondola kits from Amityville Shops. So much as I would love to have that stock car (especially since it is a 1 in 5000 series), I'm going to have to pass.

I may not be able to resist if you turn up with one of the true 1900-era prototype kits. :twisted:

Thanks again for offering these kits here, and the reference site link. Again, congratulations on your magnificent gift.

yours in having fun with trains
 

shaygetz

Active Member
Nice collection there, I'm especially intrigued by the CB&Q dynamometer kit. As the others have pointed out, don't give someone else a mother lode selling them as one lot.
 

iis612

Member
Fred,
I also have a Western Union Material Car. I am not sure of the prototype year, but I do know that it is too early for my era. It, too, is a 1 in 5000 kit.

This tidbit is for everyone, I am not interested in cash per se, but I am willing to make trades. If anyone wants to set up a trade with me, feel free to send me a pm.

Matt
 

iis612

Member
Nice collection there, I'm especially intrigued by the CB&Q dynamometer kit. As the others have pointed out, don't give someone else a mother lode selling them as one lot.

That is only a partial list. I have some that I am keeping for myself that I have not listed here. All told, he has given me around 25 kits and has at least 50 more that he wants me to have. All I have to do is take a trip to Minnesota to pick them up.

That CB&Q dyno car is cool. I wish I had a use for it. I could convert it into some type of shack, but I would rather not do that to a collectable kit. If you like it and have some spare items that fit the late '40's laying around, let me know and we might be able to set up a trade.

Matt
 

iis612

Member
Not to drag this out too much, or get too pushy, but if anyone is tempted by a trade, let me know asap as the items I am not using are getting listed on eBay by this coming Monday at the latest.
If you want to know what other kits I have, or need more pics, let me know. I love taking pics.

I am in need of locos, sound decoders (8 wheel driver steam and 1st generation diesel specifically for bachmann spectrum locos), ground throws, turnouts, roadbed, undecorated box cars, tank cars, covered hoppers, pullman passenger cars, ad infinitum...

Matt
 

Don7

New Member
I've found UPS, Fedex, etc to be about 1/2 the price of using USPS for shipping anything. I don't use Ebay, but every time I want to ship something and I compare pricing, USPS comes out the most expensive way to ship. I should add that I have never shipped anything to or from Canada. USPS looks to be the way to go for cross border shipments from what the Canadian modelers have posted here on the Gauge.

Beware that the FedEx and UPS both charge the Canadian receiver an additional fee. The fee was explained to me as an administrative fee by the courier (FedEx). In reality USPS seems significantly cheaper.
 
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