My Unique Train Item

[early0electric]

Here is the earliest known Lionel magazine ad - 1901.
 

[Terry]

Jim - Everything I sell on eBay is a deal.

I tell myself that it's better than throwing it out, but for some items like the gray 97 coal loader that netted me $12 this week, I'm starting to doubt that.

[starfire700]

I always start items at a low price that I can live with, to prevent a 97 gray loader from going for $12. Often there is just one customer for an item but he needs guidance in placing his bid at a reasonable price. I have a Carette live steam loco up now with a start price of $89. One guy is hot for it and has placed 3 bids. I am hoping at least one other bidder steps up to make him pay his real maximum. Still, I can live with the $89 if no one else steps-up.

[Terry]

I usually do a higher opening bid to prevent trains from selling too low, but I screwed up with the coal loader.

It's better than throwing it out.

[early0electric]

Sorry guys, but what has this to do with Unique Train items? Should be under The eBay rants.

[Terry]

It's called an Aside or Tangent.  I'm not sure which. You can research the difference and let us know.

[early0electric]

Lots of tangents.

[Terry]

Here's something that I've never seen before. I have boxes  of old bulbs I put aside, and pulled out two flats of 14V large globe white frosted.  I am wiring the buildings and use these large bulbs because I like the glow. These are Japanese bulbs probably from the 1950s.

 

The very first bulb I pulled of the tray lit very briefly and then went dark.  I had to look at it twice to figure out what was up with it:

 

The bulb is assembled, then a bit of soldier is used to seal it. This one never got the soldier. It's the only one of these fifty.

I always thought the filament was sealed inside the glass globe. Maybe this one had two faults?

I'll out these on the freight sheds and in the buildings.

[Terry]

Here's a unique train car:

 

American Flyer postwar beer car. I was unable to find this in any of the price guides. Must be really unique. Did you know Scheafer was the offical beer of the New York Dodgers in the mid 1950s? This car might have even belonged to Jackie Robinson!