Messages

16

General Discussion / Re: The ebay rant.

« on: January 11, 2023, 04:00:59 AM »

Ebay does need to crack down on buyers with too many bid cancellations and returns. I am not sure if it is a game for them, or the influence of the "walmart" buying policy, where you can change your mind and return anything for any reason or for no reason. Initially bidding on ebay was a commitment, and buyers were expected to respect that, but as we know that ship has sailed. Its all about the buyers and they will not do much to discipline them. I think some bidders bid on several items of interest, think about it then cancel all but the one they think is the best choice. Like Walmart shopping, putting expensive stuff in your cart, then putting the steaks or other perishables back on the cereal shelf before going to the check-out. Who has not seen this? I had a Hudson for sale last year. It received bids right away and more bids that bid it up to a very acceptable price. Just before the auction ended, the high bidder messaged, "cancel my bids". It went back to and sold for the start price. I wonder if Mr cancellation was acting for the initial bidder, getting the price to a ceiling that no one would push, so the initial bidder would get it cheap when he dropped out?  Maybe he bluffs at poker too, seems like the same thing. 

17

General Discussion / Re: need another way to couple a Lionel prewar 226E

« on: January 11, 2023, 03:44:38 AM »

The flying shoe and other sliding shoe trucks can be a problem on switches, especially 072 and on UCS tracks. They can make temporary contact on a switch hot rail and open the coil coupler, or worse jam and cause a derailment. I am sure this is why we often see plungers or other coupler operating parts removed and couplers wired in the closed position.

18

General Discussion / Re: The ebay rant.

« on: January 09, 2023, 05:03:23 AM »

Ebay cares more about their stock holders and large Corp sellers, many of whom are in China. They no longer give a rat's ass about the small sellers that got them off the ground and built them into the large platform that they are today.

19

General Discussion / Re: Prewar 248 box cab.

« on: January 07, 2023, 04:52:15 AM »

I think I may have another 248 body and frame with no motor. I will look and let you know.

20

General Discussion / Re: Interesting Auction Items

« on: January 06, 2023, 03:56:53 AM »

Many years ago a writer said in "Antique Toy World" magazine ....."the fun is in the search". It is what keeps us going.

21

General Discussion / Re: Interesting Auction Items

« on: January 05, 2023, 04:31:40 AM »

Exactly, they were just making toys. As collectors we sometimes loose sight of that and always expect a logical reason for variations. Great example is the variety of trim and plate combinations on American Flyer 1930's wide gauge freight cars. The logical reason for this is that AF hired "day workers" to do assemblies. With little or no training they applied whatever plates or trim that was available.
Making Marx Trains in the 1990's and early 2000's, though we did not employ day workers, we did substitute parts when necessary to fulfill a product run. Ok, as a collector, I did embrace the idea of making variations, but the main reason was to get the product "out the door". 

22

General Discussion / Re: Interesting Auction Items

« on: January 04, 2023, 05:10:05 AM »

I think we can all agree that variations of the 150 series (across the board) resulted from the factory using earlier parts on later locos, and some cases from outright mistakes, such as wrong number stamps. Age, has unfortunately complicated the issue, as previous owners have swapped parts in some cases over the span of 100 years. If you do your due-diligence as Terry has done, you can rule-out post-production modifications and verify a true original variation. Originality is hard to fake, as you can't erase damage from trucks rubbing on the frame, paint-loss when screws are removed and brittle wiring that falls apart when a motor is removed.   

23

General Discussion / Re: Interesting Auction Items

« on: January 02, 2023, 04:06:18 AM »

Interesting 156 set, but already too much $$ for the condition.

24

General Discussion / Re: Interesting Auction Items

« on: January 01, 2023, 04:14:56 AM »

The loco is not terrible, but the cars are beyond poor.  Happy New Year to all!

25

General Discussion / Re: The ebay rant.

« on: December 30, 2022, 04:04:05 AM »

We got an error message the first time we tried to block BZ60-18, but it went through on the second attempt. Ebay system throws a lot of error messages lately. Overloaded system, inexperienced employees pushing the buttons, AI Bots that are confused, who knows the reason???

26

General Discussion / Re: The ebay rant.

« on: December 30, 2022, 04:00:17 AM »

Can't tell from photo, is it Converse floor toy or Lionel 2-7/8"? Either way a nice piece.

27

General Discussion / Re: The ebay rant.

« on: December 28, 2022, 03:04:36 PM »

Thanks for posting the rant. We have added BZ60-18 to our blocked bidder list.

28

General Discussion / Re: need another way to couple a Lionel prewar 226E

« on: December 27, 2022, 03:53:01 AM »

I see that Terry has beat me to the punch on this problem too. Never mind my post on the other thread, sounds like you have the problem solved.

29

General Discussion / Re: Lionel Prewar 226E

« on: December 27, 2022, 03:51:35 AM »

There is a conversion link made to connect prewar box couplers with postwar knuckles. It has been a while since I have seen one. It locks onto the prewar coupler spike and has a knob at the other end that a postwar knuckle will mate with. The only problem, besides finding one, is coupler height. I think the box coupler on the back of your 2226W tender may be too high to mate with the postwar knuckle. A better solution is to make one of your postwar cars a transition car, by mounting a high-step prewar box coupler/truck on one end. This transition car can allow you to run any postwar cars with your 226E / 2226W. I can send you the necessary truck/coupler if you want to try this. It is best that this transition car be one of your heavier cars such as a diecast flatcar, or some weight can be added inside a 6454 type boxcar. You can then pull long trains with your 226E. Let me know. J

30

General Discussion / Re: Lionel Prewar 226E

« on: December 22, 2022, 03:02:53 PM »

Glad that you like it, thought that I mentioned larger 800 / 2800 series freights and 613 /2613 or larger series passenger cars are required for a 226E.