by B44NYC
One thing I find interesting with eBay is yes, you will eventually find what you might be searching for (Walthers horizon cars, or Jouef Amtrak turboliner cars for example) but I think it does the hobby some damage.
Imagine if your a newbie to the hobby, don't have a LHS in your neighborhood and use eBay as a price guide because it's so well known. The prices will chase you right out of the hobby.
My son wanted a Proto 2000 NYC E7A (no sound, DCC ready) and was about to "buy it now" on eBay for $149 because he wanted it "right now". Luckily, I stopped him and while we out driving and running errands one day, stopped to a hobby store (50 miles from my house, by the way) and found the exact same model on sale for $79.
I remember as a teenager going to Toys R Us, Kabee, Playworld, or Woolworth's and dreaming I had $50 for a Bachmann Metroliner train set and how it would look running on my kitchen floor. I couldn't wait till I got my allowance on Saturday, to ride out on the D train to Trainworld (when it used to be on Ave.M in Brooklyn) and grab some $8.99 AHM passenger cars to add to my fleet.
Now in the age of $50-60 passenger cars, and $250-300 locomotives, I do wonder how the hobby will survive. Thank god for train shows & swap meets.
I do commend Walthers & Atlas for expanding their entry level engines and freight cars for the discretionary buyer who can't afford all the bell & whistles.
Imagine if your a newbie to the hobby, don't have a LHS in your neighborhood and use eBay as a price guide because it's so well known. The prices will chase you right out of the hobby.
My son wanted a Proto 2000 NYC E7A (no sound, DCC ready) and was about to "buy it now" on eBay for $149 because he wanted it "right now". Luckily, I stopped him and while we out driving and running errands one day, stopped to a hobby store (50 miles from my house, by the way) and found the exact same model on sale for $79.
I remember as a teenager going to Toys R Us, Kabee, Playworld, or Woolworth's and dreaming I had $50 for a Bachmann Metroliner train set and how it would look running on my kitchen floor. I couldn't wait till I got my allowance on Saturday, to ride out on the D train to Trainworld (when it used to be on Ave.M in Brooklyn) and grab some $8.99 AHM passenger cars to add to my fleet.
Now in the age of $50-60 passenger cars, and $250-300 locomotives, I do wonder how the hobby will survive. Thank god for train shows & swap meets.
I do commend Walthers & Atlas for expanding their entry level engines and freight cars for the discretionary buyer who can't afford all the bell & whistles.