Who Buys N Scale Collector Special Run Cars?

I finally got around to opening the latest issue of N Scale Collector. It was full of NSC Special Run offers. Most were pretty expensive. One stood out as being really expensive. A 2009 Portland Cityscape Trailer selling for $42.00 each with $9.00 shipping to USA or $12.00 shipping to Canada.
I was just watching a couple of other Cityscape trailers on E Bay. Nobody bid on them. The asking price was $5.95 or $6.95.

So I ask the question, "Does anybody buy these?" How many do they produce on a run?

$42.00 for a trailer seems excessive, but there are more and more special run cars available, so somebody must be buying these things.

 

I bought the Portland Cityscape trailer because I have all the other Cityscape trailers/containers. I mostly buy Special Runs to operate on our club layout, so most of my purchases have been prototypical rolling stock. Micro-Trains originally produced all the prototype BN Cityscape trailers/containers, and then N-Scale Collector started having them decorate the trailer for each city that hosted the N-Scale Collector Convention. They are expensive, because they have multiple colors that require numerous "hits" by the pad printer.

Buzz Lenander

 

I've never bought any of the City Scape series products from Micro-Trains or N Scale Collector... but I have purchase a few special run N Scale Collector items over the years. The City Scape items are simply out of my preferred modeling era... so I skipped them altogether.

The N Scale Collector prices seem a bit higher than Micro-Trains regular offerings... and are not available at a discounted price from any e-tailer or LHS that I'm aware of. I'm reluctant to pay the high prices unless the item is pretty close to a prototypical car... and unfortunately... a lot of special run cars are NOT prototypical paint schemes or equipment run by the prototype railroads.

 

The minimum order for a special run Micro-Trains N-Scale car is 300 pieces.

The minimum order for a special run Micro-Trains N-Scale multi-pack is 150 of each car contained in the pack. If a multi-pack contains cars from more than one series of body styles, the aforementioned minimum order requirements increase to 200 cars for each series contained in the pack.

 

Not me, too much like the fantasy cars. The "The Way the Should Have Been" are just extensions of the silly Micro trains fantasy stuff at exaggerated prices.

 

Collectors Item...It Says So On The Box

WHY? And what makes them a collectors item?

A collectors item is usually something out of stock, no longer in production, there's very few left and has been around for a long, long time. For example many of the early Lionel, Marx, American Flyer and O27 pieces truly come under the guise of a collectors item or antique toys.

I watched as the ConCor collectors sets came out and scratched my head wondering WHY? Who is pulling the wool over who's eyes? Or is someone just fooling themselves? Besides, they aren't good runners, requiring wheel set replacements. Which then devalues the collectors value. What good is a set of cars if you can't run them? Right?

A fellow model rail and good friend purchased a set of these and he couldn't hardly move them down the track, without them derailing. He asked me what I thought of them and after I finished laughing... in a most rude way. I pointed out that these aren't even close to qualifying as a collectors item. A nice collection but not a collectors set. He took the set back.

I have no interest in them but help yourself...no one is stopping you from getting your own personalized, 100% collectors set because the BOX says so. Hunnhuh?

Instead, I work on my personalized collection of N scale equipment. Should any of these pieces truly become a collectors item...it will be long after I'm gone. I wonder if I can take them with me? Naw, besides my son and grandson might actually enjoy them. Not to forget, a granddaughter that already likes them. Yep, I think I like that idea better.

Collector's item? I don't think so.

Have fun!

Edited add on:

I was just looking back through an earlier thread and found where we talked about some of the first N scale equipment. You could call these "Antique Toy Trains" but not exactly "Collector's" items in the true definition of the word. I think Russell Straw has some of the early N scale toy trains.

I have some early stuff that I've kept and it has "Sentimental Value". No real reason to keep it otherwise. It's stuff my dad or mom bought for me thus "Sentimental Value". No real or intrinsic value. Just stuff that has a special meaning to me. Not a "Collector's" item.

 

I think the terms "collector" and "limited run" have gotten mingled together a little bit. There are plenty of folks out there who flock to buy these things. The very fact the NSC exists is testament to it. However, my impression is that the vast majority aren't what most of us here would probably consider to be modelers in the artistic sense of trying to create a time and place in scale - no offense to anyone intended of course. After all, model railroading is fun, and how someone chooses to enjoy it is totally up to them. I admit I have some HO scale stuff that I have purely for display and to run around the Christmas tree. Nothing prototypical about it, just entertaining for visitors. Plus it gives the kids something they can run without me cringing. Wouldn't want them hurting my "hobby quality" (thanks Walthers for that term) N scale models.

I think the other phrase you could lump in with "collector" is that oft-used term "custom".

 

Why do I think of P.T Barnum when I read this thread?

 

While I will buy a collector's edition of a short line boxcar I will think twice about truck trailers,figures autos and will not even look at president cars,State cars,beer cars,battleship cars etc.

Unknown to many modelers is the collecting side of the hobby which is tricky at most.

I seen a MT 50' boxcar lettered for LNA&C(from the 70s) sell for $85.00-the buyer didn't even bat a eye...I seen MT cars as low as $4.50.Back to the buyer for a second..I spoke to this gentleman later and he told me that car completed his MT 1970-1979 releases and that car usually sells for $125.00-if you can find 'em.


I had one and sold it for $25.00 because it was lightly weathered.Of course that was a few years ago..I found out this car was worth(at that time) $60.00 in mint condition.

 

I'll take a look at any Intermodal stuff, because I have an interest in that area - but my maximum (price I'll pay) for plastic models is usually below what they are asking !!

Some items are neat, such as the Coors locomotive, that 'could' be used on a layout to switch one of your industries. Others are just colorful !

 

Tex, If I may call you that?

You summed up the purpose of the hobby with your illustration about the kids and Christmas. That works for me...the big kid and my "hobby quality" train equipment. Grin!

You make a most interesting point here. Many terms have been lumped together and SHOULDN'T be. Each stands for a specific interest or arena in the hobby. For instance "Collectable" (my spelling) "Collectible" (correct spelling).

Not so long ago Micro-Trains produced a "St. Mary" box car with a sliding door that works. I worked for a St. Mary...hospital and I had to have one. A sentimental value..thing. Other unusual but prototype cars have come along and I purchased them as well. To be correct, it would be inappropriate to attach "Collectors" or even "Collectible" to these cars. "Special Interest" is perhaps a better word. Years from now they may become "Collector's" items but that's years from now.

I just recently purchased a set of ABBA Kato, Black Widow F7"s. These come under the title of "Custom" as they have been custom painted and detailed. Certainly not appropriate to call them a "Collector's Item" or "Collectible".

I guess you could say and get away with, "I collected them" and yes they became apart of my collection. However, they are no where near qualifying as a "Collector's" item. rolleyes:


Here's a head shaker: There is a interesting group of buyers out there who are creating a false, inflated market of "Collector's" pieces and I fail to see the relevance. Gold or silver coins makes more sense. Truth is, you can mark something as a collector's item and there will be a fool who buys it, just because... "It says so on the box". In reality none of the present day stuff can qualify under the rules of an alleged "Collector's" item. True you can collect it but that doesn't make it a "Collector's" item.

Now, I need to get back to adding to my collection of sentimental value, special interest, hobby quality N scale train equipment, I said with a big, toothy, wide mouth frog... grin.

It's all about definitions here and nothing more.

Have fun!

 

I think if these things interest you and you have the money you ought to buy them regardless of what anybody else may think.

I have one fantasy scheme car, and that's the MTL Oregon car. It's where I live, I couldn't help myself.

 

I think I have the Portland trailer that I got in a lot on eBay, which I really bought for something else. I once saw one of these BN containers on the prototype (although I think it was dirty and had graffiti on it.) For that reason, I might run it in a train once in a while. It's just another trailer, IMHO.

My impression is that the bottom fell out of the "collector" market a few years ago. Perhaps this was largely due to eBay. It's much easier to find these collector items on the internet, and people can see now that the required demand to support the supposed worth just isn't there. One might say a few people haven't gotten the memo, though.

 

Rick hit it on the head. Sentimental Value. I bought the Portland trailer because I flew out there & enjoyed the convention. :thumbs_up:

 

As good of a reason as any! :thumbs_up::thumbs_up::thumbs_up:

 

Despite existing dictionary definitions, it appears that the hobby is frequently disserviced by the continued and "subjective" use of the terms "collectible", "collector's item", "rare", and "special-interest".

Is something collectible because it holds historical, intrinsic, and/or sentimental value?

Is something collectible because it is an integral part of a group, or set of related items?

Is something collectible because its monetary worth is likely to increase?

Is something collectible because there is a much higher demand for a product than there is availablity in the marketplace?

Is something rare because it is infrequently or never seen in the limited circles through which an individual or group travels?

While the aforementioned questions may convey some of the common characteristics of collectibles, these attributes are not necessarily all-inclusive.

If your interest(s) and/or needs have changed, and you were unaware of, and/or had no particular interest in, and/or no need for items when they were originally released, does this make these products collectors items? Of course not: Simply lacking the opportunity to purchase vintage 1960s - 1970s N-Scale models upon their initial release, because you were not involved or interested in the hobby during that particular period of time, does not necessarily mean these models are collectible from your point of view.

While availabilty may be factored into the equation, simply being out of production, with little likelyhood of a re-run does not of and by itself make an item collectible. With few exceptions, it is doubtful that there are many individuals interested in running 1960s - 1970s vintage N-Scale models on N-TRAK modules and/or a home or club layouts.

Though many consider short production runs of products to be collectible, assuming rarity is an attribute of collectibility, if an item is mass produced, with an unreported production quantity, how does one determine its scarcity?

Like the terms "collectible", "collector's item", and "rare", "special interest" is equally vague. Most leisure-time pursuits could be considered "special-interests" if one is unaware of and/or not engaged in such activities.

Although I cannot come up with all-encompassing definitions for the terms "collectible", "collector's item", "rare", and "special-interest" within the confines of model railroading, from my perspective, the model railroad industry would cease to exist without the continued support of casual enthusiasts, collectors, modelers, and runners alike.

 

I usually only buy what the prototype had and with NSC that is no exception for the most part. But whom am i to say nobody should buy what they like. If you like the state set---buy it, if you like the presidential set--buy it. It is none of my business to comment on what others buy. Besides if MTL, Atlas or whoever can make more money selling those kinds of cars, more power to them. To me it's all about trains and i buy what i like. I like modern UP, SF and BNSF diesels but that will never stop me from buying the UP turbines when some MFG. decides to make them in N scale. Don't fit my era, so what! I also like super power steam of the UP and SF, heck that has not stopped me from buying the big boy and challenger. There is no one way to enjoy N scale. However you enjoy it have fun doing it, i do.

Dave

 

I wouldn't ever buy something like this, but I sort of compare it to collecting stamps, coins, plates, thimbles, and spoons. Or dolls or Hummels, for that matter. All of these things, if you buy a complete set brand-new and never use them or take them out of their packages, will be worth a lot later on--I guess when you're a little old person. More likely your kids will sell them after you die and hopefully pick up a little cash.

People have been doing this for a long time, so there are nearly mint-condition antiques around. Whether that could ever actually work out for N Scale I'm not so sure: I've never actually seen any N Scale rolling stock that even held its value. But to a lot of collectors, finding and buying the things and lining them up somewhere is what gives them joy.

I on the other hand would just forget I had them if they were in a box, and would have to dust them if they were on a shelf. Bleah.
:tb-tongue: