Large Scale Central

Look at this Garratt!

General Discussion
#1

I don’t know if there is a ban on talking about trains spotted on Ebay yet but I saw this today and was blown away by it. With all the talk about Beyer Garratts recently (alot of it by me) and how neat they are and how I want to build one like a few other guys on this forum have I couldn’t help but share this.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aster-Japan-Gauge-One-Brass-Beyer-Garratt-AD-60-6020-Live-Steam-Locomotive-MIB-/171098589413?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item27d64548e5&autorefresh=true

What a beauty! Can you imagine firing that up and watching all those rods and linkages!
Do you think it would make it through a R1 switch ?? Just kidding.

Did I read it was $26,000 brand new??

#2

The point on ebay auctions was about posting silly stuff. Did you notice Bob’s post? “not this thread again”? I was in agreement with him.

Seems some people have not read the post and comprehended what I think is simple English and took it to be all of ebay, and not the stupid “extremely rare” baloney that you can find anywhere… a fool and his money are soon parted, and that goes double on ebay.

Of course this loco looks great and will be interested to see how high it goes.

Greg

#3

Cant wait to see what the winning bid is on that. Very surprised to see it start so low.

#4

Greg, isn’t that a bit of a double standard?

(http://images.sodahead.com/polls/003585157/558556862_scratch_head_answer_101_small.gif)

BTW $500 start no reserve for a $16K extraordinary engine with NO provenance?, Really?, well I got this land in Florida and…

#5

This could get fun.
TOC

#6

Not picking any fights.

I posted my thread because I am frustrated at Ebay being overrun by overpriced listing, that being a particularly egregious example . This is kinda the same thing with me wondering how legit the posting really is.

I’m just wondering how one post is acceptable and another is not.

#7

Well it’s not going to go cheap. Stated that the seller will end the auction early if he looks to be taking a loss. Shipping alone is $650.

Hasn’t been run in 10 years. Hope the last one to run it treated it properly for long-term storage or the hope of getting it running again without major work is pretty slim.

Not for me even if I had $20K to spend.

#8

Vic Smith said:
Not picking any fights. I posted my thread because I am frustrated at Ebay being overrun by overpriced listing, that being a particularly egregious example . This is kinda the same thing with me wondering how legit the posting really is. I’m just wondering how one post is acceptable and another is not.

Apparently, Vic, someone (or plural) on these forums makes their livelihood selling worthless junk for collector prices. I would surmise whenever threads pointing out stupidity on that site show up, those folks complain to Bob hisself, as in directly.
Since Bob has said he doesn’t read all the postings, that has to be integral to the issue.
So…one of the brethren here on LSC doesn’t like it.
Personally, I think it a community service to point out specifics. Newbies get ripped off continually by not knowing what is fair and not fair.
But, if the rule is we cannot help our helpless fellow large scalers, then, we follow the letter of the law.
easy and simple.
TOC

#9

Up to $2,000 right now… remember ebay charges can be affected by the start and reserve prices. (sorry, surely you know this already)

Vic Smith said:

BTW $500 start no reserve for a $16K extraordinary engine with NO provenance?, Really?

#10

What, another discussion on evilbait?
Good Lord, what next!
TOC

#11

An Aster for $5 and $20,000 shipping… actually ebay got smart on those tricks

#12

All I’m saying is the low dollar Aster is also a pretty well oiled Ebay scam. Be nice to know if whoever wins it can report they actually recieve it. The only thing making me think it might be legit is the sellers record, over 2k feedback at 100%, thats a good sign.

#13

The point was, calling it a low dollar auction 9 days before it is over does not make sense.

The seller pays less if it is advertised lower initially.

The only thing that counts is what it sells for.

Wait until the last day and see what really happens.

Greg

#14

I’m gonna say this very carefully. In the old car hobby, we all watch for the lowball opening bid of a special vehicle. Usually the photo shown belongs to one of the folks on the group, and he’s not selling it.
It is dirt easy to snag a photo off the algore and make up a story.
But, we’re not allowed to discuss it.
Even if the opening bid is ridiculously low, which usually on a high ticket item says look further into it.
How would you react to any advertisement, anywhere, of a Ferarri opening bid of a grand?
But, we’re not allowed to discuss it.
So, all we can do is watch, and make phone calls.
I will tell you when there is an obvious scam, getting a certain auction site to pull the listing is like pulling your own teeth.
But, we’re not allowed to discuss it.
Even if it is train related.
But, we’re not allowed to discuss it.
TOC

#15

Two important points that need to be noted.

Firstly, Aster locomotives are well known to be scammed on auction sites. Provenance is a definate requirement. One might as well do a Western Union electronic money transfer to Eastern Europe if they think every Aster locomotive on sale is GENUINE.

Secondly, a seller knowing the true value of an expensive item is hardly likely to list at a low start bid price. Knowing the demand these items attract then a low start bid price would or should heighten one’s self defence mechanisms and suspect fraud. A simple statement such as the seller reserves the right to withdraw the item from sale if the expected reserve is not met is not sufficient to disregard suspicion of any Aster listing.

No doubt this listing is genuine but then I am not the one outlaying any money. From memory these items sold for around $15,000 when new. They were produced in sufficient quantities, but it seems the original owners would rather sell their children than separate themselves from their Garratts, so this might explain their apparent ‘rarity’.

#16

There is a near zero risk to the buyer here…He gets the item as advertised or he gets his money back. Doubly so if he uses a credit-card linked to his PayPal account. PayPal is a fantastic tool for the buyer.

#17

There were two separate ‘issues’ with the Aster NSW AD50 Garratt model, the latest only about four years back. Numbers were VERY limited, as you can see by looking at the roster on Jim’s Southern Steam Trains site.

They were never cheap, but $20,000 is WAAAAAAY over the top. Price here in UK was a tad over $15000, built, and many, including the one belonging to my pal Trevor Goodman, was kit-built. You can see it in action on Youtube - main131 Aster Garratt.

Maybe the rarity has raised these rare items to the point of these ridiculous prices, but one has just sold, from a guy in The Netherlands, for about $14,500.

Mind you, you have to stick it together.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS

#18

tac Foley said:

There were two separate ‘issues’ with the Aster NSW AD50 Garratt model, the latest only about four years back. Numbers were VERY limited, as you can see by looking at the roster on Jim’s Southern Steam Trains site.

They were never cheap, but $20,000 is WAAAAAAY over the top. Price here in UK was a tad over $15000, built, and many, including the one belonging to my pal Trevor Goodman, was kit-built. You can see it in action on Youtube - main131 Aster Garratt.

Maybe the rarity has raised these rare items to the point of these ridiculous prices, but one has just sold, from a guy in The Netherlands, for about $14,500.

Mind you, you have to stick it together.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS

Here’s the video. Pretty sharp!

[youtube]http://youtu.be/7Sb4OPCoKDE[/youtube]

#19

If I’m selling an ebay item that I believe will go high I usually start them at a low start point because it is cheaper to list. Why give ebay more money than you have to? The seller covers himself with the low bid removal statement.
For the garret, I’m not a huge fan. I can appreciate them but really don’t like them all that much.

Terry

#20

I knew you guys would be interested in the Garratt listing.
That is a cool video of one in action thanks for posting it.
I did notice the seller has the right to end the auction. I wonder why he didn’t put a reserve price on it instead?
The auction did start low crazy at $9.99 but the seller must know the Aster will fetch a good price in the end.
Be interesting to see what this goes for in the end.