Growing up Lionel was the big thing for many. every Christmas my uncle would get myself and two cousins one operating accessory for the setup.

As far as I know my two cousins have their setup but their kids are grown well past the age of any interest.

Years later I built a huge setup for my two young nephews. After weeks working on it, only my wife's dog had any interest in it. It went to a family friend's son.

My wife was always pissed her mother gave away her Lionel set her father bought her to a nephew who probably sold it off at some point. So I had the bright idea to go to a great train shop in northern NJ called the Train Station. I figured on getting her a small setup for around the Christmas tree.

Of course she didn't like what I picked out so after Christmas we go back...where she proceeds to pick out what came to about 700 hundred in engines, cars and track plus a transformer. (She really wanted a large ZW like she had back in her younger days...but that wasn't going to happen.

After that every year I'd get her a new car and some more track. But when she passed away it sat packed up as we never unpacked then after the move to NH. Finally sent them to her old boss from many years ago who still follows the hobby with his son. So much better then went to a friend than getting rid of them on Ebay.

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
Oh, I've been working on eBay from the beginning!

First big issue is people selling stuff they don't really know what they have, and they underprice what SHOULD have sold for more. Agree, but, same goes for the buyers. It's only worth what the highest bidder is willing to pay. Assume the bidders know what they are bidding on. If there are enough buyers the buyers ought to bid it up to what it's worth. That sets a precedent for all future sales for that item. Secondly, the second locomotive set that is included doesn't show up on eBay ANYWHERE... sold or unsold, USA or worldwide. No way to set price without finding the little sucker for sale somewhere...

Finally is this being a set, and everything on eBay like mine is being sold as individual units. One would think being part of a complete set would make it worth more, but I could be totally wrong. For certain types of items, a whole complete set of xyz could be worth more, but eBay sellers often sell sets or lots cheaper in order to get rid of the whole thing all at once, versus the hassle of listing, selling, packaging, and shipping piecemeal but getting slightly more $ in the end.

Will see what I can find regarding train shows, but I suspect the only place close to me would be Chattanooga, TN, about 100 miles away.

Someone made a good suggestion to look at model train forums. Model train buffs in Europe might be more interested but then there's the hassle of international shipping.

My family was pretty big into trains growing up as well. My brother got all the Marklin HO stuff and has a good sized layout in his basement. I sent your pics on to him to see if he has interest or can provide you more info.

When I was 9, my grandmother went back to Germany to see family. I asked her to bring me back an engine but she ended bringing me back a whole new set of Marklin Z gauge trains. Sets have come and gone and this small train becomes an obsession every 5 years or so. 45 years later I don't know what is worse: my Signess or this little train habit.





My latest obsession has been with the American Z Line (AZL). These little engines are amazing. I can hook up 3-4 engines and they can pull 50+ cars unlike the Marklin what can only pull 10 and are limited to one per track as they are power hogs. The AZLs are not as temperamental as the Marklins.

I had to break down my layout as we are relocating back to Denver later this year so the withdrawls have begun.....

Gorgeous

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:
My latest obsession has been with the American Z Line (AZL). These little engines are amazing...

Wow! The whole layout is amazing!

I wish that I hadn't seen this, as I'll have to start shopping for AZL for my Z-Scale layout now.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:
My latest obsession has been with the American Z Line (AZL). These little engines are amazing...

Wow! The whole layout is amazing!

I wish that I hadn't seen this, as I'll have to start shopping for AZL for my Z-Scale layout now.

Carefull, AZLs are their own type of Signess Watch eBay as some decent deals show up every once in a while.

Just for fun, the Ushanka Show about life in the USSR. In this episode, toy trains and gum. The comments are informative.

https://youtu.be/o8F-L-pLIdI

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

LOL... Most definitely!!! Just the much smaller scales...

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by bronicabill:<<snip>> Assume the bidders know what they are bidding on. If there are enough buyers the buyers ought to bid it up to what it's worth. <<snip>>

First and foremost, ASSUME nothing! You should know by now what the word ASS-U-Me means! Secondly, what I have come to learn so far is the main locomotive in this set is a first year production, and it has taken a LOT of digging to come up with that info, and the details which determined that are absolutely minute! Only a true Marklin collector would ever know the difference, and being a first year production version, the value is quite a bit more than even a 2nd year, much less anything found on fleaBay so far!!!

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:
<<snip>> For certain types of items, a whole complete set of xyz could be worth more, but eBay sellers often sell sets or lots cheaper in order to get rid of the whole thing all at once, versus the hassle of listing, selling, packaging, and shipping piecemeal but getting slightly more $ in the end.

Agreed. I just don't want to part it out just to find out later that it was worth much more as a complete set! I'm trying to do all of my homework up front before the first piece is sold, and with something like this, it's more like college-level homework!

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza: Someone made a good suggestion to look at model train forums. Model train buffs in Europe might be more interested but then there's the hassle of international shipping.

Yes, I'm already working that angle as I'm a member of the Marklin forum and getting a lot of excellent info there. My biggest bite so far on this equipment has come from a fella in Wellington NZ who is drooling over it... so definitely an international affair.

Maybe your brother might have some interest. In the meantime I'll keep doing research on what I have, hopefully the pace will pick up a bit now that the stent has been removed from my left kidney and I feel somewhat more alive now!

Regarding Z-scale and the American Z Line... I looked into Marklin Z-scale one time many years ago as I thought the size was perfect for the tight quarters I lived in, but the price was more than I could handle, so I stuck with the N-scale that I already had. Have never heard of American Z Line, and based upon your pics and description, I'm more than a little afraid to look!!!

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:
My family was pretty big into trains growing up as well. My brother got all the Marklin HO stuff and has a good sized layout in his basement. I sent your pics on to him to see if he has interest or can provide you more info.

When I was 9, my grandmother went back to Germany to see family. I asked her to bring me back an engine but she ended bringing me back a whole new set of Marklin Z gauge trains. Sets have come and gone and this small train becomes an obsession every 5 years or so. 45 years later I don't know what is worse: my Signess or this little train habit.





My latest obsession has been with the American Z Line (AZL). These little engines are amazing. I can hook up 3-4 engines and they can pull 50+ cars unlike the Marklin what can only pull 10 and are limited to one per track as they are power hogs. The AZLs are not as temperamental as the Marklins.

I had to break down my layout as we are relocating back to Denver later this year so the withdrawls have begun.....

quote:

Maybe your brother might have some interest. In the meantime I'll keep doing research on what I have, hopefully the pace will pick up a bit now that the stent has been removed from my left kidney and I feel somewhat more alive now!

Regarding Z-scale and the American Z Line... I looked into Marklin Z-scale one time many years ago as I thought the size was perfect for the tight quarters I lived in, but the price was more than I could handle, so I stuck with the N-scale that I already had. Have never heard of American Z Line, and based upon your pics and description, I'm more than a little afraid to look!!! Eek Razz Big Grin

Well, I thought he would be interested and he did identify the engine as a 1st run, but he wend silent. He has one of the second run production he said.

Regarding AZL, they are not any less expensive than the Marklins but if you want to model US rail, then they are the way to go. Never cared for KayDee or Micro Trains and I've heard some not so great stories about their engines.

I'll just leave this here if you can't resist the urge any longer