Should I sell or keep?

thx712517 Aug 30, 2015

  1. thx712517

    thx712517 TrainBoard Member

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    Looking for some advice from my elders and betters when it comes to thinning the herd. I've got model railroad equipment in various scales. I have a few LGB sets in G which, although I never run them, are being kept for sentimental reasons. I also have a good amount of N scale Kato Unitrack (including a number of turnouts and their new turntable), two N scale engines (one NYC H16-44 and a Great Western Railway pannier 0-6-0), and a handful of N rolling stock (five American freight pieces, three British coaches, eight British freight pieces). Added to this I have my current focus, HO scale American freight. I have a GP9 and SW1500 in Conrail blue, and eight pieces of rolling stock.

    Since this is my current focus, the rolling stock has been weighed and weighted to NMRA standards. Everything has been upgraded with Kadee couplers. I found a guy who does amazing weathering work and I'm slowly getting my whole fleet done as money permits. I also have a number of structures (station, buildings for a small brewery). There's an HO scale modular group near me that I intend to join. I'll be building modules to their standards, which means DCC and flex track versus my current Bachman EZ track. I'm a little nervous but looking forward to it.

    I'm contemplating selling off my N scale stuff, mostly to fund HO scale stuff and to focus myself. There's only enough room in the house for one layout. One of my favorite things to do is switch an industry in HO, which is why I've put time into weight and couplers for my little fleet. I've switched in N but it hasn't been as satisfactory. There wouldn't be room for an N scale roundy-round to watch passenger equipment go by.

    So, do I sell off the N or do I hold onto it to keep myself from kicking my butt sometime down the line?
     
  2. subwayaz

    subwayaz TrainBoard Member

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    Well I myself would never sell it all off, because one of these days you might read something or get that thirst to have a smaller scale layout and just that kick yourself. I would hold onto enough to make that small layout that I might just enjoy and my favorite livery cars and locos.
     
  3. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    I would keep the majority of it and send the GWR 0-6-0 to Arizona
     
  4. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    I can't advise you but I'm 60yo and in 'de-accumulation' mode. I wish I had never bought all of the stuff I have.
     
  5. COverton

    COverton TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yup, exactly. There comes a time when you experience a strong, even urgent, desire to downsize, or just to simplify. That often happens just before a move to a new home. Just happened to me and the missus. If you can believe me, we have made numerous give-aways, had one gigantic and successful garage sale (wife arranged and did it all, including horsing some heavy stuff down to our detached garage), left untold items at the end of our driveway for 'pick-up' (of which every single item disappeared :cool:), and made no less than nine dump runs loaded up. I even tore apart a three-year old layout designed to come apart in sections. Wooden benches won't work in an uninsulated and unheated garage in the wet PNW winters.

    I would concentrate on one scale, personally, but I would hope to have some farsightedness about me and the hobby. I know that as one ages, his eyesight and manual dexterity deteriorate. Generally, that means most of us move up to larger scales that we can handle more easily and appreciate more readily. There are comparatively few modellers in n scale after the age of about 65 or so.
     
  6. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    A lot of us have done the butt kicking. What ever decision you make, don't rush into it.
     
  7. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    I have done it too....and regret half of what I sold
     
  8. thx712517

    thx712517 TrainBoard Member

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    From reading this I feel inclined to sell off my N scale locomotives and track, and consider purchasing a particular locomotive in HO. For example, I really like my GWR pannier tank engine. It's English, it's cool, but shunting with rapido couplers - not my favorite. It does look like I'd have a tough time finding an FM H16-44 in NYC lightning bolt over black paint in HO, but otherwise I could make the switch. For those that regret their sales - was it a particular locomotive or scale that you regret parting with?
     
  9. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    I let a pair of Bachmann 2-8-0's (had three, kept one) a Walthers 2-8-8-2 and a Con-Cor GS4....
     
  10. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    These decisions are hard to work logically because emotional attachment is sometimes strong. Faced with much the same thing, I thinned out the family Lionel several years ago. I kept only the pieces I have a strong attachment to and sold the rest, especially the lineside machines which consume a lot of storage space. I kept a transformer and track too, so if I ever have a penchant to run the Lionel, I can. It's been rather fun buying Lionel replacement parts at train shows as I seek to put the items I kept in running condition. Most haven't run in 45+ years and it's been fun tinkering with them AND unlike my N Scale, I'm able to see what I'm doing. <g>
     
  11. Keith

    Keith TrainBoard Supporter

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    Only major item I ever licked myself over, was buying then selling/trading
    a Kato N Scale TGV 10 car set. Found another a while later, traded it again!!
    Managed to grab a 3rd 10 car set. This one now sits on display, where it can be
    seen and enjoyed!! Not gonna dump this set!!

    Also eventually regretted selling off my first N Scale passenger train.
    A Rapido F9 A/B set, and a set of 6 Con Cor passenger cars, including the Dome Observation!!
    All in Rio Grande paint. Correct or not, it looked good to me way back then!!
    Was able to buy it back several years later, in a thinning out sale!
    On display today as well.

    Have sold/traded off many other things over the years, in order to narrow down
    the range of equipment I had! Still have too much stuff, but maybe not quite as much
    as in years past!!

    I guess one way to look at it, is if in doubt, save it.
     
  12. thx712517

    thx712517 TrainBoard Member

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    I put a bunch of stuff on eBay. None of it sold, and I found myself relieved by that. Back into storage it goes.
     
  13. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    I had a bunch of N scale stuff I wasn't using that needed a home. I had a friend who was stuck with quite a bit of HO who wanted to change scales. Result- we got together, did some one-for-one swaps, and I picked up some more freight cars, DCC decoders, buildings, bridges, two curved turnouts, and a couple of locomotives. All the stuff I swapped for will find use on my layout, as will the N scale stuff he got from me. My wife was impressed with the amount of money I spent (nada).

    I'm a mere 7 years away from retirement, and I foresee the time where I will have to downsize to a more manageable hobby- which is why I'm working on a smaller layout now. 30 years ago I dreamt of a basement-filling empire, but time, two marriages, and moving hither, tither and yon changed all that. The most fun I've had with layouts were those I built that filled a spare room, so that's what I'm focusing on. With a focus on a secondary line, I don't see myself running piggy backs & autoracks, nor six-axle diesels.
     
  14. subwayaz

    subwayaz TrainBoard Member

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    After looking around and seeing the increased prices of the new and old items out there for sale. I would and am keeping them. My HO Scale items that haven't been used. The price of replacement is not worth it. SO keep them for another day.
     

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