Model Train Journal

This brass set was pretty tops back in the day, when Lionel couldn't produce enough "collector" items to satisfy the 90's hoarding craze. It was a rare venture for the tinplate tubular rail company into scale 2 rail. Seems like a pretty fair price for the brass Smithsonian NYC 20th Century set - varnish, nits, warts, and all. Pretty typical that the diaphragm sponges are crumbly...and I'm not sure the rather light Hudson engine can pull all 13 cars. Other than that, I like it! All aboard!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Lionel-2-Rail-BRASS-NYC-Smithsonian-Engine-w-13-Pass-Car-Set-250-500/292647506916?_trkparms=aid%3D999002%26algo%3DURGENT.LUI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D52687%26meid%3D65b092157bca42ac82e5ac2f1bad7dbd%26pid%3D100043%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26mehot%3Dpp%26so%3Dlastwatched%26sd%3D352350568623%26itm%3D292647506916&_trksid=p5713.c100043.m2062

$4,198.00 & 12 hours to go,

I have the Smithsonian Dreyfus, I just need to start collecting one car at a time as they do show up on EBay. The observation end car I fear will be the most difficult!!

2railjon wrote:I have the Smithsonian Dreyfus, .........

Pulling capabilities?

Rufus, for now it pulls my 6 car MTH 20th Century set just fine which is about all I’ll ever pull.

If it does go for $4,200, that's less than $325/car and the engine is FREE!

And if that's not your cup 'o tea, here are three Adam & Son E-7's to help prop open those pesky doors...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Adams-Son-O-Scale-Brass-E7-Diesel-Locomotive-Castings-3-2-Rail-/292655625215?hash=item4423a273ff

Went for $5300 plus $250 shipping.

13 cars, so if you were able to sell off 8 at $500 each, you could have a nice train for $1500. A bit of a gamble there.

Jon, You are correct, the observation would be a bugger!

Rich

Rich, I just missed buying one that Jack at Allegheny Scale Models had!!

E7 wrote:Went for $5300 plus $250 shipping.

There's a 6% sales tax in Gwinnett County, so add another $318 if the buyer is in Georgia.

13 cars, so if you were able to sell off 8 at $500 each, you could have a nice train for $1500.

Oh darn, I wish I'd bid on it now...

Chris Webster wrote:

E7 wrote:Went for $5300 plus $250 shipping.

There's a 6% sales tax in Gwinnett County, so add another $318 if the buyer is in Georgia.

13 cars, so if you were able to sell off 8 at $500 each, you could have a nice train for $1500.

Oh darn, I wish I'd bid on it now...

I don't! I don't have the $5550 to spare, and it might take a while to sell off those cars!

Here shortly I’ll be able to purchase a car a month. But not for 500. They’re typically selling on eBay for 350.

That was a nice set that sold for a very reasonable price.

Because they all have their original shipping boxes and foam, there is a pretty good chance they will survive their USPS shipping peril.
In addition, seems like the 13 cars consisted of the full Eastbound train run with Even serial numbers - (Set 1 - 4 cars, Set 2 - 4 cars, and the full 5 additional cars), plus they look largely untouched in the boxes, likely with matched production serial #'s, and the two matched diners as run on the original train #'s 680 and 681. IMHO, it would be a shame to part them out, especially since they went for about $325 each (I'm figuring $1,100 for the engine, no taxes and shipping - that's the cost of doing business).

Kinda like finding Tut's dusty tomb - but unopened for only 26 years, and not millennia. I wonder how many more untouched, sealed complete sets are out there of the 500 or so produced (if Lionel got all produced as announced in the 1992-93 run)? I would guess that kinda thing brings some excitement to certain folks, but it just reminds me to take them out of the box and RUN THEM!

In any case, congratulations to the winner, remember to have FUN with them, and let me know when they are up for sale again.