Well, that Old Tyme set sold for 90 bucks, an I payed 25 for it, my first train sell. Not getting rich again by any means with free shipping an ebay, but I moved it along to someone who will enjoy it....

I did a search for Lionel brass trains on eBay, an found 112 items, an two trains. One was like 350, and the other was a rare 2000 dollar one....

Then I searched Brass trains, and found 4184 items, many company's many great trains, way more expensive. Now then, you guys have me looking in the right spots now, as I see these guys bringing way more money. The first page had buy it now train an coal cars for 350 to 700 or so on buy it nows....

Again, I did get a nice O gauge Union Pacific Berkshire for 175 total. The other 3 or 4 I found on ebay were all listed right at 325 with shipping. This train only has some minor wheel wear, and is a solid C-9, with great chip free paint. Box is real solid as well, and the seller who had many 1000's of solid feed-backs said it ran great. Only year it was made was 1980 I think. I really like the size an detail of this Lionel O scale train, an man it looks great on my display shelf, real happy with that train....

I also checked the Z scale Marklins, and was like wow I like these instantly! This one below here is a 425 dollar set and way over priced I imagine. These Z scale seem smaller, and I like that. Don't get me wrong I like the Berkshire I mentioned above, but nothing I like more than small with great material an detail. Like die-cast, brass etc., on a smaller detailed scale, an this Z scale size may be what I am looking for....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sweet-Marklin-Mini-Club-Z-Scale-8108-Orient-ExpressTrain-Set-Made-Germany-/370553391496?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item5646b40988

I am gonna search all that Mr. Shay suggest as well, an all other suggestions, as there is much research involved here, as is any hobby that literally has millions of items out there on the market for sale, from trees to train sets.....

Yes Doneldon, the more I study auctions ending, the more I see just how true all you stated is.....

Plus, I have mostly bought train sets that are brand new and never ran, short of a great looking old Lionel set that I display....

I take many purchasing gambles. I bought 2 grand worth of Japanese/Chinese old die-cast robots, like Voltron an such from the early 80's. All real nice hand picked by me, 100% complete, as I have OCD and only buy what I consider close to mint items. It tried to sell the robots in one massive lot an failed (many more have 500 to spend, then two grand these days), but it was great advertisement, as I turned around an sold everyone solo. I sold them all for 3200. I did loose about 500 to eBay, paypal, shipping, but I cleared about 700. I have did well on all vintage toys from everything form Star wars, to G.I.Joe, to Disney Black Hole, to transformers. And I have never had an item not sell, even though that did mean taking a lose a couple of times and breaking even as well from time to time. But that was o.k., as your not gonna win them all, and I have been able to stay in bus for two years now.

I don't expect to make anything like that with the trains....

I am sure you guys get sick of the guy that comes along for a few posts, just hoping to make a buck on trains, with no real interest of trains themselves. That is not me, as I am a true hobbyist/collector at heart and am real lucky to make a four or five extra thousand a year on eBay, and most of that from gold or silver sells. I also bartend for my day job, and I am real lucky to scrape out 25 grand a year, with both the ebay an work, so I certainly am at the bottom of the barrel so to speak, and just happy to enjoy all that I do tremendously....

Like a wise fellow once said...."Find a job that you love, and you will never work another day in your life".....

I look for good deals on these Bachmann sets, and I also see the auctions end around 60 total like a Golden spike set with 100 pieces which just ended at 60 bucks. The older vintage set unopened and it went for 40, an 20 more freight. So I figure if that person wanted to put it up with a buy it now, I saw a similar with 125 pieces listed at 150 (15 more for shipping) and it was the only other one I could fine, of the older version anyway. Try an double their money, good luck with that eh....

So I had already confirmed that they were not worth that much but smalls add up. Someone may toss out $150, maybe $200 for something that rare around Christmas perhaps. So just like the guys that bid on those storage lockers, they set limits. If they see $1000 dollars worth of tools, $500 is their top bid....

Same with me, as 75 or so is about my max to spend on the older Bachmann sets in question that I think may bring 125 to 150. Unless it is again really rare and unique, in which case I may go as high as $100 to $125. I figure in most cases I can always at least break even if I set limits an stay under them....

Like one of these rare M.A.S.H. sets I am after. Starting bid $160, and $27.50 more for freight. Too high for me, but if it ends with no bids, I may toss him an offer, less then what his starting bid is. That is how I often get my items, asking after no one else bids, and offer a lower, but fair price....

Well guys, this is gonna be a great place for information, thanks all for chiming in.

DTB sydrome ,that is great you all have a term for it, and I fit right  into that cat for sure, lol. I would have thought for sure that Old Tyme train set would be worth a 100 at least, and I paid 25 bucks for it. Crazy how much I have learned just in a couple weeks since that estate sell. There is another sell on the 4th, as only 20% of this guys collection could be priced an fit upstairs last sale. I will be much more knowledgeable what trains to go after this time....

I did have someone just ask me if I accept CC's and they want to know if I can ship the Old Tyme Bachmann set from 1995 asap. I have it listed at 90 bucks, an free shipping. After eBay, shipping, paypal, I will be lucky to make anything at all, but very happy to have brought it back into circulation, so as someone who wants it can give it a good home....

I love that new Pitt train as well Jerry, nice score, great price! Another fine example, of one mans junk is another man's treasure. Even though that set is far from junk, but you know what I mean, as as you said it is priceless to you, and that is all that matters in the end....

I will also add, that many of those older Bachmann sets I mentioned, like the Royal or Flying Scot, the Orient Express, Royal castle (company Life Like), the M.A.S.H., and old train robbery sets, all seem to be very hard to find on eBay, which made me think the numbers were low. And the print historical inserts on the history of each train sets, makes them appear collectible to me at least.....

Now then, just because there is only one example for sale at any one given time on eBay, certainly is not enough to say that item is ULTRA RARE. But hey, less competition on any item if you are the only one selling it, gives you an advantage IM amatuer O, over the guy selling a train where I can find 35 just like it from other dealers....

More great information, thanks Woody!

I do love the post war Lionel's and I also like the American Flyers. What a great name American Flyer is, reminds me so much of an old America that has long since faded away. I think the red wagons they made, is what makes that name such a great piece of historical Americana. I am a big fan of the Royal blue American flyer train, as one sold the other day on eBay, at just over 400, and it had all the cars, what a gem!

Finally, I like your points about the brass trains an economy. It sure seems like some of these sets are cheaper then what they would be in better times. Heck, I worry so much over the economy, I stash away gold an silver coins as well, but the collector in me keeps me buying items like vintage trains....

No different then buying land right now when it is dirt cheap, hoping for better days. I think one could look at many of these great trains in the same light, obviously on a much smaller scale. Plus, an engine an coal car here, an a train set there, they add up fast....

Finally, in time I think all things have the potential to become collectible, just not when there is 100,000's of that particular item  easily accessed in swap meets or eBay. Time is the great equalizer, I just may be dust again myself before that kicks in, lol. Take care all, an thanks so much for the info....

Thanks Mr. Shay, that is some great info....

I can see major difference in detail, design, etc., when you compare a small plastic HO, beside the O gauge Lionel Union pacific Berkshire. For example, the Berk is made of die-cast, has much detail, rail, working lights, smoke, magnetic traction, etc....

Too address some of your points, I find it odd that the newer items, is worth more, an the older stuff, looses value as it ages, which is opposite as most collectibles. Obviously, being made of plastic, I figure these sets loose value fast, esp once the seal is broken....

I am gonna do some searches on the items you suggest.....

Could someone help me understand scale better, like what does HO stand for, or  N, O, etc.? I am sure that is  areal dumb question, but one has to start somewhere....

Finally, I don't mind if the vintage sets are not worth that much because if I can get them for 50 to 75, an perhaps sell at 100 to 150, or even break even worst case after I have displayed a bit, or slightly ran for a bit of fun, well that is all fine. I make a little extra here an there, but certainly not getting rich, an do it more for the collector in me than anything....

I would really love to find a train swap meet, where I could find these sets for 10 or 20 bucks a set, that would be great. I live about 30 minutes west of University of T.N. campus in a small town called Lenoir city. So if anyone lives in my neck of the woods, and knows of anything like that in my area, much appreciated once again....

Hello all, I am brand new to trains, and I thought this would be a great place to attempt to learn some basic information, esp since I took a particular liking to Bachmann train sets....

I went to an estate sell back on the 21st of October. A Dr. Rueff of 40 years of vintage toy collecting past on a couple of years back, and his wife most recently. Anyhow, the sisters an brothers decided to sell the home and all its contents, and I had the good fortune to get to go in the basement an scope out everything a month before the sell, as one of the sons works with one of my life long friends. This basement is basically two thousand square feet of amazing vintage toys, that took forty years to accumulate, including many trains, and sets....

I normally collect many different vintage toys from my childhood, via mostly stuff like Star wars and G.I.Joe, being born in 1974. I buy it, hold an collect for a while, then pass on to someone else, an try to at least break even while doing so, if not make a little something, mostly on eBay....

Anyhow, to cut too the chase, I grabbed a Lionel 1977 Cargo King trains n truckin set, still mint in box, just missing two buildings. It had been shrink wrapped by the meticulous doctor, and I am going by his note he left on it in upper corner. I also grabbed a Bachmann Old Tyme village express set from 1995, still mint in box, and a 85 piece King of the rail series Santa Fe Tornado set, which I can't find any information on, it appears rare....

I have them all listed on eBay, as they are all sealed, but I opened a can of buying worms, which often happens with me, and I have since added a nice blue Royal Scot complete mint Bachmann set, which seems to have been manufactured between 1985-89. A great price I got it for at 76 bucks seems like, being mint in box and only test run. I have also added what appears to be a rare set from 1976, via the old west Train robbery set. It is very unique, with a trap door and robbers, gold, etc....

These sets are both close to mint according to dealer, and I plan to have a little fun an set them up an run a bit....

I also have a couple more Lionel trains, via a 1980 O gauge Union Pacific Berkshire, real close to mint an nice box. And finally a 1966 Lionel basic set, which turned out real nice dsiplay train, box solid with heavy cover wear, but insert part real solid, with all the track an transformer and wires. Alas, I could not get it to run, even though I could hear the transformer hummmm when I plugged it in....

Any help or suggestions much appreciated.  I had a basic Lionel set as a child, a gift from a late grand father, and this new discovery has been a bit of a trip back in time of sorts, via long lost memories.....

Lastly, I have taken a big interest in these vintage Bachmann sets, many of which I have on the ol wishlist. The Orient Express, The Flying Scot, and the M.A.S.H. train to name a few. Sorry for the rant, hope everyone has a great Halloween!!!!