Large Scale Central

I need some advice from the group

General Discussion
#1

Guys,
I am currently in the process of clearing out the remainder of my 1.20.3 equipment and settling in on 1.29th and need some advice.

I currently have a Bachmann 2 truck shay Ely Thomas No.5 with Phoenix 2K2 sound and a crew from various Aristo Locomotives to try to force perspective of the loco down to a smaller scale kinda like WM No.6…which didnt work by the way.

The Shay has the original trucks and runs well, though in the future I was going to convert over to the newer trucks. if I was going to keep it.

I am thinking about listing it on Evil-bay for 295.00 considering its age and all.

Is this a fair price or should I lower my expectations on this one?

I’ve had pretty good success selling off other larger rolling stock on there and the shay is my last piece of “big” equipment. it towers over my Mallet, Challenger and other 1/29th and 1/32nd stuff and just doesnt fit my needs, I thought about using it under the tree this year but imagined the wife might get a little annoyed by the noises it makes while running, phoenix, and all normal sounds the shays make when running.

Any Insight would be great I already have pics of it ready to be listed maybe either tomorrow or later in the week.

Thanks In Advance

#2

Compare the B’mann three truck costs as listed by St. Aubin and Trainworld. Obvious, to me at least, why buy a two truck at X price IF I can get a three truck at X price.

#3

so basically I should drop another hundred off of it and sell it for 195.00 plus shipping?

#4

Two years ago I bought two brand new three-truck Shays [lettered Oregon Lumber Company] for $550 delivered to the lower 48. Non-DCC-equipped, but for that price, who cares? The Bachmann so-called DCC is sh*te anyhow.

Oh, sorry, I should have added ‘IMO’ and changed the wording to read ‘Bachmann so-called DCC is less than desireable’.

Can’t be bothered.

tac

#5
Wendell Hanks said:
Compare the B'mann three truck costs as listed by St. Aubin and Trainworld. Obvious, to me at least, why buy a two truck at X price IF I can get a three truck at X price.
Wendell, for some the 3 truck is just to big of an engine.
#6

Ric has nailed this one. I have a 40X 60 layout, and the 2 truck shay I have is a pretty overbearing sight. Cool to look at and listen to, but I could not imagine dealing with a three truck. As for price, 195 is pretty cheap, but I have a barely used 0-4-0 HLW and can’t get 70 bucks for it. It is an odd time economically. I suspect ebay would bring more than 195.
Hold out for what you think you need to get for it, assuming you just need the space, or take it to a train show with you when you go.

#7

Shawn,

If you list it on eBay, make your starting bid the least you will take for the engine and see where it goes from there. Always keep in mind that in any aftermarket transaction the ‘value’ is entirely up to what the buyer thinks it is worth. If there are two people really interested in having that model, your starting price will most likely be irrelevant to the final bid.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. :slight_smile:

Bob C.

#8

Thanks Guys, great input as always, :smiley:

#9

I’ve always found it better (personally) to start a 99 cent auction with a reserve. That being the case, I always mention the reserve in the listing, or at the very least, mention that the bidders can contact me for it.

If it starts out at a buck, people consider the “I might get close enough that the seller will give it to me.” once the bidding starts, it has a much better chance of getting one or two people who enter the “got to win” mentality.

As a buyer, I know many an auction has doubled or tripled in the sale price at the last minute mark when I throw in my max bid. Even then, if I think I can, I might continue to try to win the auction with minimum increments.

I also have a shay to get rid of… paid 450 from train world in the last millennium (or at least, the first year of this millennium). I had purchased it with the intention of using it to shift intermodal cars on my line. Now I need to try to figure out what to do… I still like the idea of a shay-shifter, but like was mentioned, its just WAY too big to blend in with the other mainline equipment.

If I had a mill, lathe and (metal)casting facilities, I’d go for building the custom-designed 3-axle shay truck I designed for use in a heavy-haul mainline PRR 4-truck shay-helper I’d like to use on my line.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

#10

First of all, if you’re talking about 2001, that would make it a first or second run 2 Truck Shay (Ely Thomas or Pardee Curtin flavor is the usual descriptor.) If the trucks haven’t been replaced (there was a Bachmann offer to do so for free for awhile back then…) or upgraded with washer kits, Hillside Brass inserts, or otherwise re-engineered, you’re already in trouble. Even back then, $450 was the “Walthers” price, and $250 was … well, closer to the going rate. So, you’re already going to have folks trying to low-ball you.

As to E-Bay, I have no idea at all… after my first couple of tries at it I never bid on anything that isn’t about to close … and then do my best with “manual sniping.” Which gives you an idea of how long it’s been, as I think they’ve figured out a way to make that not work anymore…

Maybe you can get someone who’s going the other way in scales to trade you?

Matthew (OV)

#11
Matthew (OV) said:
Maybe you can get someone who's going the other way in scales to trade you?Matthew (OV)
Shawn - If that idea interests you, drop me a note by email. I have plenty of 1:29 diesel gear to unload along with some 1:24 wooden rolling stock. I'd love to have a sparky 1:20 Shay :D
#12
Jon Radder said:
Matthew (OV) said:
Maybe you can get someone who's going the other way in scales to trade you?Matthew (OV)
Shawn - If that idea interests you, drop me a note by email. I have plenty of 1:29 diesel gear to unload along with some 1:24 wooden rolling stock. I'd love to have a sparky 1:20 Shay :D
Jon wooden rolling stock as in real wood? I like wood (shut up Rooster)
#13
Don Pearson said:
Ric has nailed this one. I have a 40X 60 layout, and the 2 truck shay I have is a pretty overbearing sight.
Guess it's what you are used to, living in a BIG country. My 'layout' is a 28' diameter double-track circle in a 30' square backyard, and I run Garratts, Shays of all kinds, even Gauge 1 stuff. I get around the cramped space by just looking at one bit at a time.....kinda like looking out through a small window...

A couple of weeks back we ran FIVE geared locos and a bunch of logging cars, damn near touched the other end, but looked good. :slight_smile:

tac

#14

Guys,
Thanks for the ideas, I even thought about doing trades for someone going the other direction and I’d be open to that too, I was going to take whatever the shay sold for and add to it and get either a Dash-9 or a S-4 or NW-2 or GP-7/9, 38, 40 or SD 40/45 or maybe even a Pacific.

I dont know, whatever catches my eye.

#15

Matthew,
You’re right it is a second run Shay, that has been un-modified, I was going to go ahead and do the metal truck upgrade to it but it is just too big for my needs now, it runs good for its age and with the 2K2 sound in it, it sounds just like the real thing, I live about an hour and twenty away from Cass Scenic Railway and visit there as often as possible.

right now the Shay is sitting here on a shelf collecting dust, but I try to run it every few weeks when time permits.

#16
Shawn said:
Jon Radder said:
Matthew (OV) said:
Maybe you can get someone who's going the other way in scales to trade you?Matthew (OV)
Shawn - If that idea interests you, drop me a note by email. I have plenty of 1:29 diesel gear to unload along with some 1:24 wooden rolling stock. I'd love to have a sparky 1:20 Shay :D
Jon wooden rolling stock as in real wood? I like wood (shut up Rooster)
No, as in plastic models of wooden box cars and reefers (Aristo Classics). I decided a while ago that they were worth more to me for trucks & misc. parts than I could sell them for, but if Shawn F. was looking to barter for 1:20 stuff we might work something out.
#17

Shawn F: If you emailed me I’m not able to get it. Still off-line due to storm. I have a USA Trains Conrail GP-9 that I’d be willing to part with. Best picture I have on-line. Can’t post pictures until we get power back…

(http://photo.cvsry.com/nss-out03-640.jpg)

#18

Just to clarify and expand a bit on the truck thing …

The washer kits were originally the brainchild of our local guru. Beyond that, though, there were observed problems with the original truck plastic breaking down … and combined with issues involving the pickup springs and plastic holders, there were a number of people who used an aftermarket kit from Hillside Brass that provided brass inserts for the trucks that also replaced the pickups. The company then released a new design plastic truck that had (if memory serves) brass sleeves for the pickups, and was made from a different batch of plastic … and the washer kits came standard. Later “second run” Shays came with all this stuff, and there was an offer (that I took advantage of) that let you send your original trucks back for replacements.

The two truck Shay with the metal trucks set up for independant pickup and power wires (mostly for the DCC folks, but the isolated motors worked out well for the battery crowd too) were a later offering, after the 4-4-0, 2-6-0, and 2-8-0 had all made the scene … and the metal trucks, while available seperately, were not available as a replacement for plastic trucks, at least not for free. I’m not sure how long the other truck exchange program lasted.

Asking the right folks around here will get you a more detailed account; this just describes the journey of the two engines I have … one of which has a set of the new metal trucks waiting to go on.

Matthew (OV)

#19

Jon,
Thats a great pic of the GP :smiley:

Here is a short quick vid of the shay on my indoor test track aka powered display shelves :slight_smile:

http://youtu.be/ndyqhiutR4U

sorry about the quality, I was trying to watch the Camera, mess with the TE, and make sure I didnt run the Shay off of the track and onto the Mallet below :stuck_out_tongue:

Thats what I love about this forum is the vast knowledge base that is here :smiley:

#20

there were standard gauge Shays… recab it make new steps and go.