Stout auction today.

[SWrailroader]

Watching the auction today made me wonder if I were living in an alternate universe. Car Works SN steeple cab for $1.3k. Atlas O RSD 7/15 for $600; it’s plastic. KTM USH UP 2-10-2 for $3.9K. The demand today is encouraging for the viability of the hobby.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

The demand today is encouraging for the viability of the hobby.

Not at those prices, it isn't, unless your hobby is just buying collectables.
Precious few have that kind of disposable discretionary funding lying out.

[86TA355SR]

That TTT had a history and two people wanted it, so the price escalated quickly. Depending what your tax rate is and add the premium fee, the true price was $5,0000 plus shipping. Not worth that to one of the bidders who walked away.

Stout’s is the only place you can get a few hundred dollars worth of model for thousands of dollars. Just my opinion.

[Norton]

Two rail locomotives seemed to go high, lots of rolling stock went dirt cheap. Saw deals on 3 rail engines and passenger cars but just passed. Really don’t need anything.

Pete

[Pacific Limited]

Don’t forget the buyers premium, tax, shipping, fee 1, fee 2, fee 3, fee 4, friendly fee, the “I Love O Scale fee, the wow factor fee, and another, can’t recall fee.

For some it is the best of times, the times they enjoy. Enjoy.

Meanwhile most have been “priced out”… it’s the 1920s again.

[R.K. Maroon]

There is something, it seems, about a live auction that brings out the wallet in many bidders that eBay and YardSale don't have. The $12,000 spent for the eight antique Chicago EL cars is beyond comprehension.

By contrast, from my own and other's reported experience, there are many good models available on eBay, fromYardSale, and at train shows at more reasonable and sometimes bargain prices.

Jim

[Pacific Limited]

https://connect.invaluable.com/stout/au ... 8a571374c9

[Chris Webster]

There is something, it seems, about a live auction that brings out the wallet in many bidders that eBay and YardSale don't have.

IMHO, there were just a handful of 2-rail items that sold for extremely high prices today.

Most of Stout's lots brought prices that were pretty close to what I see on feebay for similar items.... and yes, I'm accounting for Stout's commission.

By contrast, from my own and other's reported experience, there are many good models available on eBay,

FeeBay is a crap shoot when it comes to shipping -- too many sellers do not have a clue about how to pack models to ensure that they'll survive shipping.

[R.K. Maroon]

True, but Stout Auction is guilty of this at times as well. Shall I post the photos of the nice steam locomotives that arrived from them with major damage due to poor packing?

And YardSale has its risks too, in my experience. Shipping is always a bit of crap shoot. It helps to ask the seller to please pad all around, especially the ends, and to make sure the model does not shift in the box when lightly shaken. But it's no guarantee.

[up148]

Boy, do I agree with that comment Jim. I had shipping problems as far back as the 80's when I was doing HO. Due to the weight of O scale poor packing is just exacerbated. I think the worst I dealt with was some KEY models shipped by a well know dealer out of Casco, MA. about 10-12 years ago. Mint Big Boy and FEF were badly damaged and he asked me to lie to UPS about the packing.

Gary Schrader had the best solution in my opinion and it is how I ship locos now. He cocooned the loco and tender in many layers of bubble wrap so they came out looking like big footballs. He would then ship the loco in one box and the empty factory box in another. It costs more to ship, but if it was a "special" model, this was/is the only way to go.

[Pacific Limited]

I remember that Butch, yeah he sent me a locomotive in a oven box! Haha yes in layers of bubble wrap. Nothing was damaged. Guy was a genius

We shall miss these enduring, intelligent, resourceful, and creative folks.