United Scale/A&LM/Fujiyama/Tenshodo Trains

[judyn]

I am trying to help an elderly neighbor to sell some trains that her husband had , but can't find any information for them. I know they are collector's items, as they are all still in their original boxes, and her husband passed away forty years ago. She also has old model train magazines(Railfan), and( Live Steam). Also she has Model Engineer & Amateur Electrician books, dating back to 1898. She is on social security, and we all know that isn't much, so would like to fetch a good price for her. Can anyone help?

 

[jim currie]

sounds like mostly brass i would get a copy of the "brown book of buying and selling brass locomotives" the rest would bring the best price on ebay.

 

[brakie]

judyn,Is there anyway you can post pictures of these engines?
There is a collectors market for brass engines and the price range varies from brand to brand,condition and rarity of the locomotive.

 

[ezdays]

The magazines probably aren't worth a whole lot, maybe you could sell them as a package. Most train swap meets have back issues that they are selling for sometimes as low as twenty-five cents each. I can't comment on the egineering books, but something that old might be better off being donated to some university library, or as Jim suggested, placed on eBay.

If you are concerned about the hassle of selling stuff on eBay, there are stores opening up all over the place that will take your stuff, list it on eBay for you, do the shipping and collecting the money. They do get around 50% of the sales price, but they do all the work. You just take the stuff there and cash the check after it sells. Some might even do some research for you on the value of what you're trying to sell.

Good luck,

 

[judyn]

Thanks for the information. I would like to post the pictures, butwhen I try to insert the image it tells me to put in the ulr of where they are located, and they are on a cd, and not a web. I say they are brass, as that's the color they are, but one of them says nicke on the box. They are all still wrrapped in their original boxes, and in the foam they came in. Can anyone tell me how to get the pictures on here from a cd?

 

[ezdays]

Judy,

The requirements for posting here directly (not linking) is that the pics have to be no larger than 640 x 480 pixels and the file size no larger than 65K. There is a how-to here in the photo section. just click here.

If you are still having problems, let me know and we will try to get them on here for you somehow.

 

[judyn]

hope this works. Don't do very well at this technical stuff.

 

[judyn]

well- I resized them all to the size you said, and they wouldn't upload - said it was too large, so I resized them again, smaller, and it said the same thing.

 

[onceler]

how many images are you trying to upload or show? If it isnt too many, I can host them if you want. PM me if interrested and I can give you an email address to send 'em to.

-Mike

 

[judyn]

There are 12 images of the 12 different trains. I am still trying to get them smaller - they are smaller than the size allowed, but the bytes are too big.

 

[ezdays]

There are 12 images of the 12 different trains. I am still trying to get them smaller - they are smaller than the size allowed, but the bytes are too big.

Judy,

You can reduce the file size using a photo editor. Most of them will allow you to "export" your photo, and "optimize" it by reducing its "quality" by a given percentage. A picture of say, 300KB if reduced to around 90% would give you a file size of maybe 50K. You will not see any real difference between the two on your screen. It just means the compression ratio has changed and there is some degradation in its appearance, but you have to go a lot lower before it shows on your screen.

If you don't have any photo editing software, let me know and I can direct you to one that is free and easy to use.

 

[judyn]

Let's see it this one is visible! The box for this one says United SantaFe, 2-8-0, Consolidation. How do I tell if it's nickle plate or brass? One of the boxes says Nickle - the others don't say anything.The box of the second image says United Scale Models, 2-8-4, Nicle Plate

 

[GeorgeHO]

Hi, good luck with your selling, it looks like you have great stuff there.

As many people are going to point out, the locomotive is made from "brass", but the railroad it was modeled after is the "Nickle Plate Railroad", like B&O, UP, SanteFe, etc.

I am interested in filling my library of old magazines, so I will make you the same offer I make to dealers. I will pay $10.00 (US) for one complete year that I do not have. I do not have much in the way of Railfan, so I could possibly use them all.

P.S. I'll pay shipping

 

[judyn]

I will speak with miss GiGi (Grandma) but I am sure that will be satisfactory. There are also Railfan magazines, and also a lot of various hardbound books. I will try to get you a list asap, but I work rotating shifts, and am stretched to the max helping elderly friends and neighbors.

 

[judyn]

Also, Thanks a million!

 

[ezdays]

We can understand your being stretched trying to help someone. You've come to the right spot to get good advice and honest answers. If you do decide you want to sell direct and not put this stuff on eBay, we have a buy/sell/trade forum here that would be more appropriate and might get you more attention.

Take your time, there's no sense in pushing yourself, the value of these things will not change appreciably so take it easy. You're doing fine so far. Glad to see you could reduce the file size of your pictures.

 

[judyn]

I can see that I've come to the right place. Everyone here is very helpful. I'm glad I came here. I was running out of steam- no pun intended!

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Let's see it this one is visible! The box for this one says United SantaFe, 2-8-0, Consolidation. How do I tell if it's nickle plate or brass? One of the boxes says Nickle - the others don't say anything.The box of the second image says United Scale Models, 2-8-4, Nicle Plate

I think it is all brass, Nicle Plate is actually a nickname for a rail road like Santa Fe is the nick name for Atcheson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. You might also check with your local hobby shop if there is one that specializes in trains. Often they will let you sell items on consignment and I think they only charge 10% or so of the sale price.

 

[shortliner]

Judyn - the green loco in your photo is almost certainly OO gauge made in UK by Triang - later bought out by Hornby - (may be marked as Triang-Hornby) - probably the Flying Scotsman, which has made more than one tour of the USA. I honestly can't suggest a price for it, but it isn't brass - may be die-cast, but probably plastic - all the others in the photo apear to be brass, and may well be collectable.
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands

 

[judyn]

Thanks bunches to everyone. The green one is the tri-ang Hornsby flying scotsman. From what she toldme, the train came through here years ago. We don't have a place that specializes in trains, so I called my sister in Wichita, KS, and a friend of hers has one of those shops, so they are going to try to help me figure out what to ask for the trains. TheModel engineer and Amateur Electician books are another matter! Her's what they are, if anyone has any suggestions
Vol. 1- 1898, Vol.2- 1899, Vol. 3 -1900, Vol. IV- 1901, Vol. V-1901, Vol VI-1902, Vol II-1904, Vol.8-1903, Vol10-1904, Vol.XII-1905, Vol. 84-1941, Vol.68-1933, Vol.100-1949, Vol.9-1903, Vol.7-1902.Also, she has two Live Steam Books -Vol.1, 1967, and Vol.2, 1968, as wll as live steam magazines, and railfan magazines.