Friday & Saturday, September 29th & 30th, 2023, ShowMyHobby.com will be participating in the Train Show being held at the Fletcher, WNC AG Center, Expo Building, 1301 Boylston Highway (NC 280), Gate 5. There will be many other vendors present too. This is a NC Train Show SALES EVENT happening in the Asheville, NC Area and is a good opportunity to buy model trains and model railroad related trains, parts, supplies, and accessories. Additionally, there should be some actual model railroads on display.
I will have with me a good selection of locomotives and rolling stock including box cars, passenger cars, gondolas, tank cars, hopper cars, diesel engines, steam engines, and other types of train cars, plus buildings, tracks, controllers, bridges, and other pieces in HO, S, N, and O scale train related items. I will NOT have enough room to display everything, but I will try to have handy a good mix of the items.
Review the latest update to the list of consigned items. You may see something listed that you like and want to make sure you get it. You can actually BUY ITEMS BEFORE THE TRAIN SHOW and then Visit the Train Show and pick them up without paying for shipping. Follow the instructions and use the coupon code mentioned below.
Although I haven’t taken pictures of Most of the items in the Consignment List, I am going to import the majority of the listed items into the website early Tuesday morning the 26th of September. You will easily identify these items on my website because they won’t have a picture that matches the item or there will be a note in the description of a pictured item that the item shouldn’t be ordered for shipping purposes because the packaging information is incorrect.
Instructions for Buying Train Related Items prior to the Train Show and Picking them up:
While viewing items in the SHOP on my ShowMyHobby.com website, add items you want to the shopping cart.
When you have everything you want in the cart, apply the coupon code that corresponds to the Day of the Show that you will be picking up your items: ARTSPKUPFRI1 or ARTSPKUPSAT2. These coupon codes will remove the shipping charges from the total amount due.
Buy the items prior to 8 PM on Wednesday, September 27th.
Print-out or write down your order including the order number.
Arrive at the Train Show Friday or Saturday. (Admission cost to get into this Train Show is $8 per person. Children under 12 and Scouts in Uniform get in free.)
Locate my tables by asking any Show Vendor or Representative (as I do not know exactly where my tables will be located yet).
Tell me your order number or show me your printed order receipt and I will hand you your web-ordered item(s).
Additional information that you should be aware of:
Remember, all sales via ShowMyHobby are final. All items are sold “As Is”. No items are returnable. And No Refunds are provided for any items sold. These policies apply to ALL items and ALL sales whether made online, in person, or at a Train Show.
If you buy items using the Train Show Pickup Coupon Code, you must show-up during the published show hours and pick-up your items directly from me / ShowMyHobby.com. No other vendor is responsible for the items you purchased, nor may any other vendor supply you with the items that you purchased from ShowMyHobby.com. It is a good idea to show up at least 2 hours prior to the published end of show time. I am often not completely set-up during the first 1 to 2 hours of the first show day. Arriving between 12 PM and 2 PM is the best time to pick-up your online orders during a Train Show.
I’m not certain exactly where my tables will be at the Train Show. Ask around and someone should be able to direct you to my area. The coupon code will EXPIRE at midnight on Wednesday the 27th. However, any order placed after 8 PM may not make it into my car so make sure you purchase your order prior to 8 PM. Also, be aware that I leave Thursday morning the 28th for this particular train show, so your order must be placed by 8 pm Wednesday night. Any order placed after 8 PM could get the items sold again without me being aware that they were sold on the website. I will print the items sold inventory pick list at 8 PM. I would end the coupon earlier if I could, but the system doesn’t allow me to change the time of day on which the coupon cancels. Coupons cancel at midnight.
If you fail to show-up and pick up your order, next week I will package your items, weigh the box, and email you an invoice for the actual shipping costs plus payment processing fees. You will need to pay that invoice and then your items will be shipped to you. Be aware: the shipping fees will most likely differ significantly from any shipping charges my website may show you before you enter the coupon code. This will happen because in order for me to import items into my website, I must SPECIFY a PACKAGED WEIGHT and SIZE for every item. Since I haven’t taken a picture of several hundred of the items, it means that I also haven’t yet WEIGHED those same items or measured them to know what size shipping box will be required to ship them. To import the items, I am going to assign the same fictitious weight and box dimensions to all the imported items. This weight may not be anywhere close to the real size and weight of any particular item. My website automatically calculates the shipping box(es) size and total combined weight for multiple items based on whatever these figures are associated with each item. During the days prior to this upcoming Train Show, it is not a good idea to purchase items without pictures online if you do not plan to pick them up at the train show. Shipping charges for those items may be grossly incorrect.
To avoid unpleasant circumstances and inconveniences, try your best to pick-up any online ordered items at the Train Show. If you fail to pick-up items and further fail to promptly pay the invoice to ship items to you, you forfeit any monies you paid for the items or the right to receive the items. No refunds will be issued! Additionally, you subject your yourself to possible collection actions that might also include additional charges such as restocking fees. Please be certain to PICK-UP items at the Show or promptly pay shipping invoices if you are unable to make the train show.
Saturday, September 16th, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, ShowMyHobby.com will be participating in the Train Show being held at the Carowinds exit off I-77 South at the Clarion Hotel, 4695 Foothills Way in Fort Mill, South Carolina. There will be many other vendors present too. This is a NC / SC Train Show SALES EVENT happening in the Charlotte Area and is a good opportunity to buy model trains and model railroad related trains, parts, supplies, and accessories.
I will have with me a good selection of locomotives and rolling stock including box cars, passenger cars, gondolas, tank cars, hopper cars, diesel engines, steam engines, and other types of train cars, plus buildings, tracks, controllers, bridges, and other pieces in HO, S, N, and O scale train related items. I will NOT have enough room to display everything, but I will try to have handy a good mix of the items.
Review the latest update to the list of consigned items. You may see something listed that you like and want to make sure you get it. You can actually BUY ITEMS BEFORE THE TRAIN SHOW and then Visit the Train Show and pick them up without paying for shipping. Follow the instructions and use the coupon code mentioned below.
Although I haven’t taken pictures of Most of the items in the Consignment List, I am going to import the majority of the listed items into the website early Thursday morning the 13th of September. You will easily identify these items on my website because they won’t have a picture that matches the item or there will be a note in the description of a pictured item that the item shouldn’t be ordered for shipping purposes because the packaging information is incorrect.
Instructions for Buying Train Related Items prior to the Train Show and Picking them up:
While viewing items in the SHOP on my ShowMyHobby.com website, add items you want to the shopping cart.
When you have everything you want in the cart, apply the coupon code FMTSPKUP. This coupon code will remove the shipping charges from the total amount due.
Buy the items prior to 8 PM on Friday, September 15th.
Print-out or write down your order including the order number.
Arrive at the Train Show Saturday. (Admission cost to get into this Train Show is via voluntary, monetary donation.)
Locate my tables by asking any Show Vendor or Representative (as I do not know exactly where my tables will be located yet).
Tell me your order number or show me your printed order receipt and I will hand you your web-ordered item(s).
Additional information that you should be aware of:
Remember, all sales via ShowMyHobby are final. All items are sold “As Is”. No items are returnable. And No Refunds are provided for any items sold. These policies apply to ALL items and ALL sales whether made online, in person, or at a Train Show.
If you buy items using the Train Show Pickup Coupon Code, you must show-up during the published show hours and pick-up your items directly from me / ShowMyHobby.com. No other vendor is responsible for the items you purchased, nor may any other vendor supply you with the items that you purchased from ShowMyHobby.com. It is a good idea to show up at least 2 hours prior to the published end of show time. I am often not completely set-up during the first 1 to 2 hours of a show. Arriving between 11 AM and 2 PM is the best time to pick-up your online orders during a Train Show.
I’m not certain exactly where my tables will be at the Train Show. Ask around and someone should be able to direct you to my area. The coupon code will EXPIRE at midnight on Friday the 15th. However, any order placed after 8 PM may not make it into my car so make sure you purchase your order prior to 8 PM. Any order placed after 8 PM could get the items sold again without me being aware that they were sold on the website. I will print the items sold inventory pick list at 8 PM. I would end the coupon earlier if I could, but the system doesn’t allow me to change the time of day on which the coupon cancels. Coupons cancel at midnight.
If you fail to show-up and pick up your order, next week I will package your items, weigh the box, and email you an invoice for the actual shipping costs plus payment processing fees. You will need to pay that invoice and then your items will be shipped to you. Be aware: the shipping fees will most likely differ significantly from any shipping charges my website may show you before you enter the coupon code. This will happen because in order for me to import items into my website, I must SPECIFY a PACKAGED WEIGHT and SIZE for every item. Since I haven’t taken a picture of several hundred of the items, it means that I also haven’t yet WEIGHED those same items or measured them to know what size shipping box will be required to ship them. To import the items, I am going to assign the same fictitious weight and box dimensions to all the imported items. This weight may not be anywhere close to the real size and weight of any particular item. My website automatically calculates the shipping box(es) size and total combined weight for multiple items based on whatever these figures are associated with each item. During the days prior to this upcoming Train Show, it is not a good idea to purchase items without pictures online if you do not plan to pick them up at the train show. Shipping charges for those items may be grossly incorrect.
To avoid unpleasant circumstances and inconveniences, try your best to pick-up any online ordered items at the Train Show. If you fail to pick-up items and further fail to promptly pay the invoice to ship items to you, you forfeit any monies you paid for the items or the right to receive the items. No refunds will be issued! Additionally, you subject your yourself to possible collection actions that might also include additional charges such as restocking fees. Please be certain to PICK-UP items at the Show or promptly pay shipping invoices if you are unable to make the train show.
Athearn Roundhouse Model RND99158, purchased in August 2022 from the White Pass & Yukon Route Train Shop, in Skagway, Alaska. Contains 4 Overton Passenger Cars.
HO Athearn RoundHouse Collector's White Pass & Yukon Route Overton Set
HO Athearn RoundHouse Collector's White Pass & Yukon Route Overton Set
Shows the 4-piece Athearn WP&YR Overton Passenger Cars inside their plastic carton. I cannot remember if I took this photo or if it was acquired from the Internet.
I have here the beginning of what will eventually become my model HO White Pass & Yukon Route train set. I am posting this as yet another HJR Train Project that is in its beginning phases.
The Impetus
I visited Skagway, Alaska in 2022 and will eventually have a Travel article up detailing that adventure. For now, just be aware that before that adventure, I didn’t know the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad was even a thing. Well, it is. And it has some significant implications and importance for and to Alaska, plus it makes for a great tourist attraction. Wait until you read about my experiences on the real passenger train. Believe me, it was awesome.
When I arrived and took my ride on the real railroad, the railroad had just received a new fleet of stunning looking Diesel locomotives (or so I thought), which I got to see from various distances. (View my onboard videos when they get posted to see exactly what I mean.) When I returned home, I was inspired by those locomotives because then and still up to now, a year later, no model manufacturer has made a replica of the new White Pass & Yukon Route Diesel locomotives. Although I contacted the manufacturer, NRE, of the real diesel locomotives many months ago, they failed to respond to me. I inquired with them to see if I could get a peek at the actual schematic diagrams of the locomotives that were delivered to Alaska because I wish to try to reproduce a 3-D printed shell of the design and try to make it fit on a similar and existing HO model diesel chassis, thereby giving me a Sound Equipped HO scale operating model of the real, newly received, WP&YR locomotives. Therefore, that is part of the goal of this project, which is to end up with an HO scale replica of the real train that I road on during my visit to Skagway, AK.
Step 1.
I will start with the 4-passenger car set that I purchased from the White Pass & Yukon Route Train Shoppe at the depot in Skagway. As soon as I stepped off the train and started a video recording, I made a bee line towards the train shoppe. I bought some post cards, which is one of my things to do on trips and vacations, and I bought the HO scale, Athearn Collector’s White Pass & Yukon Route Overton 4-piece Passenger car set, model #: RND99158. They had a steam locomotive for sale there too, but you may have heard me say in many of my videos that I have been trying to reduce my collection of Steam Era Locomotives. So, I didn’t wish to add another one. Upon buying the items, I had the train shoppe ship the items to me (find out why in the travel section when this adventure gets published).
Model RND99158 4-Piece Passenger Car Set Label with UPC #: 7-97534-99158-3
The White Pass & Yukon Route (WP&YR) railroad in Skagway is not the only train that I encountered or road on in Alaska. It is also not the only train I bought in AK. I also road on the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage, AK to Stewart, AK. In fact, I did that first just several hours after arriving in Alaska by airplane. As you might have guessed, I also have and am putting together some Alaska Railroad train sets (plural) to commemorate my ride on that train as well. (More on this in both the travel section and numerous posted videos of the Alaska train sets elsewhere on this site.)
My WP&YR train set will probably only have the 4 passenger cars in it, unless someone produces more cars with different road numbers, or unless I find a stealer deal on the same set again as time marches on. Maybe I will buy one more single car and number it the same number as the car I road in. Additionally, I hope to build at least one locomotive that matches the newly delivered fleet of locomotives that arrived in July of 2022 [this is corrected later in this post] at the WP&YR railroad. Right now, I’m thinking that a Kato HO scale P40 or P42 Diesel Engine would make a good base underneath the shell, but such a locomotive would have to have the sound added separately as Kato typically doesn’t produce sound-equipped models. I could use someone else’s P40 or P42 sound equipped model. I actually already own 1 of each type dressed in the Amtrak phase I or phase III paint scheme (3 thick red, white, & blue lines). However, these are much older Athearn Blue Box models that are as heavy as bricks and may not easily be converted to DCC Sound. Plus, they consume enormous amounts of power. So much so that it is almost impossible to get both locomotives to run in DC mode on my Libraryville layout. These 2 locomotives were acquired in April of 2018 from a vendor at the Hickory Train Show in NC. I have test run them, videoed them, and stored them. They have less than 30 minutes of runtime on them during their life, but I just don’t think they will make a good FIT for underneath the shell of my WPYR locomotive. First, I need to get a look at the blueprints or some similar diagram of the real locomotives with measurement details.
Step 2: Research
I took the liberty while creating this post to invest 2 more hours doing some more research. Apparently, I remembered a few things differently or incorrectly from my previous research and even though some of my notes state that I downloaded some copies of pictures and things during the previous research phase, I couldn’t find those today. Anyway, I made some more copies and some more notes. One thing I remembered differently was that the front of the 6 new NRE locomotives had a deeper slant similar to the P40’s I mentioned. It is not that steep and a lot shorter. Also, the NRE’s have C-C (3 axles per truck) arrangements instead of B-B (2 axles per truck), so the P40’s will not be a good fit for my model version. Additionally, I know I read that the newest locomotives were delivered in July of 2022. However, today’s research shows actual removal of the covering began as early as July of 2020 with the last 2, #3005 and #3006, being unloaded from a barge on October 12, 2020. Also, there are some discrepancies as to which PAINT SCHEME will be the official paint scheme used on the 6 new models. I show that at least 2, #3001 and #3002, are painted two-tone Yellow and Green with Black lettering, but the remaining 4 still appear to be Black with Red and White lines and White lettering, as they were delivered. I actually like the Black paint scheme better and I confirmed that the train I was on was at least pulled by a Black locomotive. However, I didn’t get to see the exact road number on it. I have deduced though, that the road number has to be #3004, because 3001 & 3002 were Yellow & Green, 3003 we passed on route to the summit, and 3005 & 3006, were on track sidings in my photos. I’m not sure if there was a locomotive on both ends of the train that I was on. I confirmed the number of passenger cars in my train by counting them (and apparently, I asked, or it was stated by the on-train tour narrator) in one of my videos to be a total of 14. That video shows that we parked in front of the depot, but a Yellow & Green locomotive was on the other side of a crossing that may have either previously been connected to the train I was on, or it is possible the railroad was about to connect it to the train and taxi the train closer to the onboarding area.
WPYR3006 and WPYR300? NRE E3000CC-DC Diesel Engine Locomotives on parallel tracks on August 11th, 2022.
WP&YR Diesel Engine Locomotive artistic rendering for loco #3007
This is a very cool photo that I think is an artistic rendering of WP&YR #3007 pulling 14 WP&YR Passenger Cars. There is no evidence that a #3007 Loco was ever ordered. This could be a stylized and modified rendering of an actual WP&YR train. Note that it is Slate-Navy-Blueish and not Black.
I correctly remembered that NRE, National Railway Equipment Company, doesn’t have a diagram, specification sheet, or any other information on their website for the EXACT model E3000CC-DC equipped with a 16-645-E3C engine. They do have diagrams for E3000C locomotives with 16-645-E3B engines. The CC-DC models are what all 6 of the new WP&YR locomotives have in them.
Also, for some reason, thedieselshop.com has dropped the “R” from the railroad’s name / reporting mark and refer to them as “WPY”. I am not sure why yet. Of course, the new locomotives simply have “White Pass” lettered on the side of them, including the quote marks.
The NRE diagrams for the E3000C show a boxy locomotive that is not a match for the slick, slanted, front cab locomotives delivered to WPYR. So, I am going to send them another email tonight again requesting a specification sheet, diagram, or possible blueprint, and maybe even some CAD files, especially if they do not intend to manufacture another of those locomotives, to see if they will allow me to try to reproduce one for my model railroad.
An Unexpected Issue
The other reason for posting this page today is that all week I have been gearing up to report my WP&YR passenger car #211 problems to Athearn. It hasn’t worked right since I opened the box in late June 2023. Car #211 keeps sporadically derailing, and the issue has to be the car as the other cars do not derail. See the Model North Carolina Piedmont Service video where I talk about the issues I have with it while pairing it with 2 Athearn RNCX locomotives.
Today, August 17th, 2023, I pulled out the Athearn WPYR Collectors set again this afternoon after lunch because I wanted to take snap shots of the trucks and wheels that are causing car #211 to malfunction. However, I couldn’t really determine which axle was the worst. So, I put the car on the tracks and hand-rolled it to see if it would come off the tracks. It did, but I couldn’t consistently make it happen or determine the real cause. So, I pulled all the cars out and Consisted them. I hand-rolled them all to see what the problem was. If was hard to tell. Sometimes #211 came off the tracks and sometimes it didn’t. So, I connected my Kato UP4301 SD40-2 Diesel Engine to them (because it was sitting on the tracks at the engine service facility and has knuckle couplers on it).
UP4301 pulled the passenger cars around the tracks with #211 right behind the locomotive. Occasionally, the car would derail. I moved the car to the end of the consist. It didn’t derail. I put it right before the end observation car. Again, it only derailed every so often but most of the time it had a good run on the top loop. I sent it downtown to the bottom loop and on the way down it derailed. It had trouble making it around the backend of the bottom loop. I tried that again and the same thing happened after car #211 derailed twice getting back around to the same spot. I took it off the tracks. I put it down on a table and noticed that it almost seems like the bottom frame is slightly warped or something is wrong with the stabilization of the trucks (maybe both trucks).
Car #211 doesn’t sit perfectly level on all 8 wheels. At least 1 and sometimes 2 wheels on 1 truck are off the flat surface when the car rest on its own. I tried forcing the car downward with pressure and rolling it on the table back and forth to see if that would flatten it out. It didn’t take when I lifted my hands off the car. It still had the same issue. I took some pictures of the entire set unopened but no pictures of the individual cars or car #211. I added these pictures to my collection of pictures of a set similar that I downloaded from the Internet whenever I originally cataloged the set into my train collection spreadsheet / workbook. The pictures I acquired from the net were taken by someone else and the packaging of that set is different / older than my set. My set is newer because pricewise, my set is $60 more than the older set (due to inflation no doubt). The older set has the Roundhouse name on it whereas my set has Athearn’s name on it. So I never did get around to taking pictures or making a video of car #211 derailing time and time again.
I estimated the time I spent examining car #211 and trying to figure out the issues again to be about 30 minutes because I forgot to track the exact start and end times. I had to stop and take a mid-day nap after that as I didn’t get much sleep last night. So, I left all but car #211 on the tracks. I will repackage them tonight and return them to their storage place. [I did put them away around 11:30 pm August 17th, 2023.]
As you can read, my project is off to a slow and jagged start. I really need Athearn to offer me some repair options so that I can get car #211 fixed. My goal for today is to submit my request via their online form before I go to bed tonight. So, if I can get the 2 communications done tonight and the set put back up, that is all I can do until I get answers back from Athearn and NRE. Meanwhile, I will have to keep looking around to see if there is a model HO scale sound-equipped 3 axles per truck diesel locomotive that is similar in shape to the real WPYR NRE E3000CC-DC locomotives. [Have to stop here. I must make dinner tonight and its 9 PM on the dot.]
Activity Log
Date / Time
Activity
2023-08-17 11:50 PM
I made it back around 11:50 pm to review and posted this page without the pictures, videos, and links. I did not get to the 2 form submissions. Then I went to bed about 1 AM.
2023-08-18 9:35 AM
I resumed editing and adding the pics and links. Once in place and other references tied in, I will submit forms to Athearn and NRE. All of this was completed successfully today by 7:53 PM.
7:22 PM & 7:52 PM
Received automatic response from Athearn. Then received another response from Athearn at 7:52 PM that suggested I either mail the entire set to them so they can review car #211 or contact the seller and ask them to replace it based on their normal return policies.
Also, around 7:50ish PM I submitted NRE contact form requesting E3005CC-DC specifications, CAD Files, Diagrams, or whatever assistance they could provide.
8:32 PM
I forwarded Athearn’s 2nd response to the White Pass & Yukon Route Train Shoppe along with a message asking them if they still have any of the collector sets available and can they exchange my set.
Published: August 17, 2023: Last Updated: August 18, 2023.
Inspired by a train ride talked about by a previous member of the model railroad club that I am a member of, I decided that I would take a ride myself again on an American Passenger Train. I made this decision within minutes of seeing that member’s post on Facebook around 2020, if I remember correctly. One of my hobbies is traveling. I was spoiled with a ride on the London to Paris High-Speed Eurostar passenger train New Year’s Eve 2016. My previous passenger rides in the late 1990’s were interesting but they paled greatly in comparison to the luxurious ride aboard the super smooth, 186 mph Eurostar. I started giving American Trains another chance. I took a sleeper train via the Amtrak Texas Eagle from Chicago, Illinois to Dallas, TX in May/June of 2021. I rode on the Alaska Railroad and the White Pass & Yukon Rail in August of 2022. And finally, I took day rides from Charlotte to Raleigh and back again onboard the North Carolina Piedmont Service in December of 2022. I plan to put detail information up in a travel section on this site one day about all of these train rides. This article is about the HO scale model trains in my Train Collection that are commemorative of the North Carolina Piedmont Service. This article appears in the Projects section because to create a complete representative model of the Piedmont Service train that I rode on, currently, I will have to make that train set up, as no manufacturer has sold such a set thus far.
Although a consignor previously consigned 1 North Carolina locomotive for me to sell, I did sell it before I rode the Piedmont Service, and I wasn’t interested in having a Piedmont Service passenger set at that time. Since that time, I’ve ridden on the Service and I’m sort of getting into having models of the real trains that I get exposed to. So, the cost of two Athearn Sound Equipped models of the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) locomotives became reasonably affordable at one of the sellers that I like to get trains from. So, I purchased the 2 locomotives with road numbers that show-up on the actual train roster of the NCDOT as locomotives in regular operating service on a daily basis in the real world. Many people have written about the trains and the service. Here is a link over to The Diesel Shop that identifies the Motive Power real trains used in the Piedmont Service.
The 2 Athearn models that I have are in their “Ready To Roll” series. They come with Econami sound decoders. As you can see by the following photo, I obtained road# 1755 “City of Salisbury” and the road# 1797 “City of Asheville” models. The reporting mark for the railroad is RNCX. The part numbers of these 2 models are: ATH64731 and ATH64732 respectively. If you listen to the following video, you will hear me verbalize my comments, observations, and opinions about the models. These 2 locomotives will be used as the motive power for my Piedmont Service train set.
In order to complete the train set, I will need to dedicate 4 85′ Pullman smooth side Lounge/Baggage cars to this project. In order to stay true to what to what occurred in real life, I can use either Kansas City or Union Pacific passenger cars. I have a fleet of HO scale Union Pacific passenger cars already in my collection. I have several that are too large to operate on my current HO scale Libraryville layout. I haven’t made-up my mind yet as to whether or not I am going to keep those cars indefinitely or put them up for sale. Once I have the passenger cars, I will need to repaint them to match the Blue and Silver with Red pin stripe paint scheme that North Carolina passenger cars are using. I have enough photos and videos to get a great idea of where the borders of colors come together. I’ll do my best to match the colors with the colors found on the 2 Athearn locomotives.
I have seen videos of the Piedmont Service train taken by others. NCDOT or Amtrak seem to change up the number of passenger cars in the consist from time to time. In videos I have seen as few as 3 passenger cars per trainset and as many as 9 passenger cars in a set. I wasn’t able to locate any information that indicates how passenger cars are supposed to standard on a set or the methodology used NCDOT or Amtrak to determine how many cars should normally be in a trainset.
In the above video, you will see that there are 3 old time Overton passenger cars between the 2 locomotives. These passenger cars are also made by Athearn and they were purchased minutes after I finished riding on the White Pass & Yukon Railroad in Skagway, Alaska. I purchased them as part of a Collector’s set directly from the White Pass & Yukon Route Train Shoppe. The Athearn Roundhouse series Collector’s set contains 4 Overton Passenger Cars. However, the 4th car in the set does not stay on the tracks. It derails quite often especially in curves. Although I bought the set in August of 2022, I just opened the set for the first time on June 30th. I’ve been on some additional trips and travels since I opened the set, and I am trying my best to get the video posted with this documentation so that I can include it when I contact Athearn to see if there is anything they can do or suggest that I do to try to repair the train car. It appears to me that the hole for one of the axles on one truck is either too deep or not properly aligned. As a result, the wheel keeps slipping out of the hole causing the car to lean which causes a derailment. I hope they can replace the wheelsets or bad truck if not the entire car. The road number of the damaged car is 211 and the model number of the set is: RND99158.
Moving forward with the project of completing a NC Piedmont Service train set, will start by me choosing the passenger cars to dedicate to this set. I recently purchased a new Bachmann Union Pacific smooth side dining car from ModelTrainStuff.com. I actually purchased the last one of those they had at the time. It had a problem very similar to what the 4th passenger car in the WP&YR Collector’s set has. I contacted ModelTrainStuff and they made arrangements with Bachmann to get me a new car. I just received word yesterday that they shipped out the replacement so it should arrive soon. I took pictures and videos of the original order and test run of the trains in that lot. I also documented what happened just as I am doing with this set of locomotives and passenger cars. In that set, were 2 other Bachmann Lighted Amtrak Full Dome passenger cars. I haven’t posted any of those pictures or videos as of this writing. I wasn’t that impressed with the Full Dome passenger cars simply because the lighting is less than optimal or representative of the real trains. It actually doesn’t look realistic at all. The Union Pacific dinner car on the other hand, is absolutely stunning in appearance and with its lighting. The matching series of Bachmann Union Pacific smooth side cars would be great as cars for this NCDOT Piedmont Service trainset. However, those cars are very expensive. So, I’m not sure if I want to put that much money into cars that I am going to have to repaint just to fit the NCDOT paint scheme. You may have noticed just like I did that up-close the actual real cars look 30 to 40 years old, have a lot of dings, scratches and imperfections in them. From a distance and while running 60 to 80 mph hour, they look pretty good. So, time will see what I do. Maybe another special will happen and the prices may be more reasonable. Otherwise, I’m going to have to find some USED passenger cars or use some of the USED passenger cars that I already have which would be the most economical thing to do. The Union Pacific passenger cars that I have that require 24″ radius curves or larger would seem to be the best option, except if I use those, I won’t be able to actually run the completed trainset on my own current layout. That wouldn’t be optimal for me. Additionally, ShowMyHobby.com train sales are down / practically nonexistent thus far in the 3rd quarter of 2023. If you’re viewing this and find some trains you like in the shop area, consider placing some orders to help me out. Or you can always donate via my donation page. Wouldn’t it be cool to see a model replica of the North Carolina Piedmont Service running on a model HO scale layout?
I also recently bought 5 or more used Athearn Bluebox Union Pacific passenger cars (mostly 3-axles per truck Corrugated cars) from eBay. These have turned out to be a huge disappointment. I talk a little about this in the consigned Denver & Rio Grande Diesel 7 car set that is up for sale. I do so because Athearn made that set too, and the offset bolster hole for those cars just doesn’t seem to work reliably on my 18″ and 22″ radius curves. The ones in the DRGW set manage to allow trains to run around my tracks. But the older Bluebox ones consistently derail, especially at the locations where I have “S-curve” like features. The cars are smaller than 85′ at somewhere around 65′ to 72′ long and you would think they would be able to handle 18″ and 22″ radius curves very well, but they just don’t. Also, because they are corrugated, I definitely cannot use them as UP repaints to NCDOT for this project. I’m holding on to them to see how they perform on the MMRR’s club layout next Spring.
Activity Log
Date / Time
Activity
2023-08-18
ModelTrainStuff.com delivered the replacement Bachmann Union Pacific 85′ Diner Passenger Car today. I’m eager to check it out. I may pull out one or both of the RNCX locomotives and test pull that car and maybe 3 other 85′ Union Pacific cars to see how well they look and run on my layout, which would give me a reason to aim at getting 3 more of those Bachmann 85′ smooth side or streamlined passenger cars to be used for this project.
2023-08-19 2:30ish AM
Opened newly received ModelTrainStuff.com RMA replacement Bachmann Union Pacific 85′ Smooth-side Diner Passenger Car #3610 {UP3610}. Quickly examined car and its axles. Saw power pickup swipers against inside of all wheels. I don’t think those were there on the car I sent back. If they were, they should have prevented the skewed axle on the first one. (Tired & sleepy so went to bed without testing with power.)
2023-08-19 7:08 PM-7:30 PM
I unpacked the 2 RNCX NC Locomotives and put them on the Libraryville layout tracks with the newly received replacement UP3610 Diner Passenger Car. I expected to do a test run, however, the coupler heights looked to me like they were going to be a problem. So, I took some photos of them with my coupler height tool, the 2 NCDOT locomotives and UP3401 Diesel engine. Then, I opened a package of Kadee couplers that I previously bought with the knuckle above the shank and installed 2 of them inside the new passenger car. I took more photos.
7:31 PM-7:53 PM
I tested the new UP3610 Passenger Car between my 2 NCDOT F59PHI locomotives. It ran well with the new couplers on it, and it didn’t derail or come a loose. I also looked at it and the LED lighting is as good as the one I had replaced. I’m still not sure if the one I originally received had power swipers on the wheels.
I made a video of the trains running but I paused it in the middle to look for additional cars to match with the diner car. However, I discovered that I don’t have any that will match with this car. I also made the decision that I would buy 3 of the Bachmann 85′ Smooth-side Coach cars and paint all 4 of these cars in the RNCX paint scheme. When I ended the video, I prepared the other UP passenger cars for storage again. I had to stop and take a nap.
Later, while entering updates to the spreadsheet, I did some research to try to get a picture of the interior of the real RNCX Cafe car. I found and read a government report filed in November of 2013 that stated NCDOT converted the Cafe Cars on the Piedmont Service from a full cafe car with a fulltime attendant and hot meal service to being half vending car and half baggage car. There are 2 vending machines and 2 coke machines, plus sink, and trash receptacles, and coffee machines inside what used to be the Cafe cars now. This converted car which is more like a “Vending Machine Car” has been a success for NCDOT, so they plan to leave it that way. I’m not sure if the newly converted car was part of the consist that I rode on, but my guess is that it might have been especially since I CHECKED a bag which had to be stored somewhere. Furthermore, I am not going to replace the interior inside of the diner car that I have to try to match what NCDOT currently has. I didn’t find anyone’s photo(s) of what the Cafe/Vending car now looks like inside, and I personally didn’t try to access it on either trip that I took in December 2022.
2023-08-20 4:01 PM-7:15 PM
Made 2 online train purchases today. I didn’t want to but felt like I needed to or would miss out on some items. One was 6 items to add to the HO Amtrak fleet and the other were the 3 Bachmann Union Pacific 85′ Passenger Cars that I wish to use with this project. I bought 3 of the last 4 that Trainworld had so these are getting scarce which was what I was afraid of. I didn’t want to pay as much as I did for them. I prefer to sell some trains online myself first and then buy what I can with my profits. I had to buy first this time though since online sales have been flat the past 2 months. Then I cataloged today’s purchases. I also verified that the passenger cars on the real Piedmont Service are shorter than the heights of the locomotives, which answers a question that I discussed in yesterday’s video.
Published: August 16th, 2023. Last Updated: August 21st, 2023.
A couple days ago around the 21st of July, 2023, I decided to perform an online search. I knew Rod Stewart has a model train collection. I also knew that Corneilus Vanderbilt made a fortune owning real trains in the mid 1800’s. And, I also knew that Walt Disney was obsessed with model trains — the size people can ride on (7-1/4″ Gauge trains). My search revealed a slew of other celebrities and wealthy people who own, have, collect, or model trains. It was fascinating to discover the myriad of people that LOVE or Appreciate TRAINS.
A lot of other websites have really done a great job of identifying train loving people. I decided to publish a list of people that love model trains and own real trains on my website. And, I have decided to ask viewers of this list to contribute names and links to other websites or sources of information about train lovers and their model trains.
List of Famous People that Love Trains
Person / Business
Train Type, Scale, or Gauge
Relation to Trains or About the Person
Link
Arthur Godfrey
TV Show Host
Billy Butterfield
Swing Band Conductor
Bruce Springsteen
Rock Star
Claude Bolling
Composer, Jazz Pianist
Cornelius Vanderbilt
Real Trains, 1:1 scale
Businessman, Railroad Tycoon, Owned 13 Real Railroads
Danny Sullivan
Race Car Driver
David Hasselhoff
Actor
Donald Sutherland
Actor
Ed Dougherty
Pro Golfer
Elton John
G scale (Garden Railway)
Rock Star
Frank Sinatra
O scale (Tin-plated / Lionel) layouts,
Trains in "All Aboard" room in his house.
Singer, Modeled his home town Hoboken, NJ; Sold 150+ million records, Train Collection worth a million dollars.
Gary Coleman
Actor, "Different Strokes"
Gil Melle
Jazz Saxophonist
Henry [me]
4 N scale Layouts,
1 HO scale Layout
Entrepreneur, Model Railroader, (As of 2023, owner of 5 Model Railroad Layouts)
Jay Leno
TV Talk Show Host, Car Collector
Jim Scancarelli
Cartoonist, "Gasoline Alley"
Joe DiMaggio
Baseball Player
Joe Regalbuto
Actor, "Murphy Brown"
John Entwistle
"The Who"
John Pertwee
Actor, "Doctor Who"
Johnny Cash
Country Music Singer, Songwriter
Kevin Costner
Actor, Producer
Lionel Ritchie
Singer
Mandy Patinkin
Actor
Mel Torme
Singer
Merle Haggard
Country Singer
Michael Gross
Actor, "Family Ties"
Michael Jordan
N scale Layouts,
(Chicago's landscape)
Former Pro Basketball Player, NBA team owner, model train enthusiast
Neil Young
O scale
Rock Star. 320 ft of traveling layout now on display at EnterTRAINment Junction, Investor in Lionel, LLC. Lionel commercial actor.
Patrick Stewart
Actor, "Star Trek's Captain Picard"
Phil Collins
Rock Star
Ricardo Patrese
Formula 1 Race Car Driver
Richard Crenna
Actor
Rick Green
Comedian, "The Red Green Show"
Rick Schroder
Actor, "NYPD Blue"
Ringo Starr
Roger Daltrey
Lead Singer of "The Who"
Roger Miller
Singer
Roseanne Barr
TV Personality
Roy Campanella
Baseball Player
Sally Jesse Raphael
TV Talk Show Host
Sam Posey
Race car Driver
Sebastian Bach
Sir Rod Stewart
Singer, Model Railroader, Has 2 Layouts (replicas of real cities)
Tim Allen
Actor, Comedian
Tom Brokaw
Newscaster
Tom Hanks
Actor, Producer
Tom Snyder
TV Talk Show Host
Tommy Hunter
Country Singer
Vaughn Monroe
Singer, Trumpeteer
Walt Disney
7-1/4" Gauge rideable Trains
Owner, Producer, Rail Enthusiast, honored wife by naming his railroad "Carolwood Pacific Railroad (CPRR)"
Warren Buffet
REAL Trains, 1:1 scale
Famous Businessman, 6th wealthiest man in the world in 2022, BNSF Investor
I will add a few more people to this list a little bit at a time. I have about 40 people to add right now, but doing so takes time. Keep checking back about once a week to see who else has been added to the list. There are lot of great stories about people and their trains. I encourage you to read the articles that the links refer to.
Eventually, you will be able to fill out a form and add names and links to sources. For now, I am going to allow comments on this post. If you would, please try to provide the 4 pieces of information that I have provided when you mention People that are model railroaders, hobbyists, collectors, owners, or enthusiasts. Feel free to mention yourself if you fit one of these categories and currently have a link to articles or postings about your trains. If you do not, don’t fret. I’m getting very close to signing up subscribers so that you can upload your owner train pictures, videos, etc. You can speed this process along by providing monetary donations via my Donations page.
Many thanks in advance for any and all contributions you make.
It is time for the Historic Spencer Shops annual TRAIN SHOW at the North Carolina Transportation Museum. This is a 2-day Train Show that is good for the entire family. It is ESPECIALLY GOOD for Model Railroaders and Train Collectors of all scale trains and of all ages. Why? Because, ShowMyHobby.com and a lot of other vendors will be there offering excellent buys on electric model trains and accessories. So, if you have a model railroad, collect trains, or just want to get started creating your own model train empire, Saturday and/or Sunday, you may want to be at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC. Admission is very reasonable. The selection of trains that you can see, buy, and even ride on is going to be great. And this gives you an opportunity to bring the entire family with you.
Is there a particular locomotive you wish you had, or a model train building, more track, a new-to-you transformer, or a fleet of passenger cars? Well, make sure you stop by my tables at this Train Show. I accept both CASH and PLASTIC (credit and debit cards). All items are taxed at the NC Sales Tax rate. And, if you wish to provide your email address so that I can update you directly on shows that I participate in hereafter, you can register to win a free 2-piece static display train set by participating in the SMH Prize Sweepstakes (Follow this link for the prize available for this show).
This year, I have a lot of great items on consignment for sale. For instance, if you have always wanted to get started with S scale trains, I have enough tracks to make a dual-mainline layout, plus several collections of trains that make great complete sets. I also have a few stand-alone cars and engines left. You can either purchase some of these items right now online on my ShowMyHobby.com website and have them shipped to you, or you can try to take your chances and pick them up at the train show before someone else gets them. Additionally, I have lots of HO scale tracks, building, freight cars, and passenger cars. I have a good selection of kits, models built from kits, and ready-to-run items. And, I have some vintage European HO scale trains and accessories too. I also have some Norfolk Southern N scale trains and Lighted Amtrak Passenger cars, other rolling stock, and tracks. I have some NEW / Old Stock trains that were collected some time ago that have either be kept in good condition or haven’t been used at all. Most items have been opened to inspect them, sometime test them and take pictures of them. This has been done to ensure that I can tell you their true and current condition plus its necessary in order to sell some of them online. There are hundreds of items available covering the following train scales: HO, S, O, and N. I will only have 3 tables in Spencer so not everything will be there. And there are a lot more items available than what you see listed on the website or even in the this list here: https://showmyhobby.com/wp-content/uploads/All-Consigned-Item-List.pdf. One way to search through the items that are on the website a little faster is to use the Shop via List option. There may be many items that do not yet have pictures associated with them, but you still buy the items that interest you the most. If you come to the show and do not see what you are looking for on the tables, feel free to ask because I may have it with me in a box elsewhere.
It is unknown exactly where I will be located except to say that I should be in the Back shop near the Metrolina Model Railroader’s very large HO scale layout of the French, Broad & Catawba Railroad which is positioned almost in the middle of the Back shop. As a member of the MMRR train club that will be operating that layout this weekend, I will be wearing one of our club’s T-Shirts. Make sure to stop by the club’s layout and check it out. It is a fascinating layout to enjoy and watch whatever trains are running on it. Ask a club member about special items to find and they will be happy to show some pretty cool things and/or share some fun facts with you. If you like, follow this link over to the club’s website and print our Find-it List and see how many items you can find on the layout (it can take some time and be a real fun thing to do to spot as many of the items as you can).
Thank you for your interest in ShowMyHobby.com. I look forward to seeing you at the Spencer Historic Shops Train Show.
ShowMyHobby.com will be at the CSD (Carolina Southern Division) RMU (Railroad Modeling University) event on Saturday, April 15th, 2023. This event is open to all people interested in model trains. I encourage you to search for the CarolinaSouthern.org website and click on information about the RMU. Pre-registration for the event takes place online only. You are welcome to bring family members for reduced prices.
The Annual Railroad Modeling University will be held Saturday, April 15, 2023, at West Concord Baptist Church, 225 Warren C Coleman Boulevard, Concord, NC 28027.
They are offering 26 clinics covering topics ranging from beginning to plan a new layout, through various stages of constructing a layout including adding highly meaningful and detailed scenery to enhancing a layout’s enjoyment through the addition of advanced electronics. Experienced master modelers will also share tips and tricks they have learned through their years of modeling. In general, everyone can have a good time learning more about our World’s Greatest Hobby®.
I personally will be attending classes during every time slot during this event. However, I am taking a few really good S scale American Flyer by Lionel and American Models items plus some HO scale goodies that have been consigned here and you can grab them in the White Elephant room set aside for sales during this event. If you receive our division’s BrassPounder Newsletter, you should receive a coupon code for free pick-up of items that you pre-order on my website prior to midnight, Friday, April 14th.
During the Hickory Train Show on March 31st and April 1st of this year, I spoke with a couple of people and let them know that my next event would be the RMU. However, I mistakenly mentioned that this event was for division members only. It isn’t. It is open to the public and anyone wanting to learn fabulous modeling techniques or wishing to get more fun out of their own starter train sets. Visit the website and see the 26 clinics currently being offered. There is something there for just about everyone. Class sizes are limited, and the date is April 15th, 2023, starting at 9 AM.
Hours: Friday, March 31, 2023, Noon to 7 PM Saturday, April 1, 2023, 9 AM to 3 PM
Admission: Adults $5.00 for both days. Attendees under 10 years old get in FREE. Free Parking.
Features: There will be over 300 tables featuring model trains in all scales, railroadiana, railroad artifacts and antiques, and 5 large operating model railroad layouts. Admission is $5 per person and free for all under the age of 10. All proceeds from the event will go to the railroad history preservation efforts at the Southeastern Narrow Gauge & Shortline Museum at 1123 N. Main Ave. in Newton, NC, and the Museum will be open regular hours during the show!
Hickory’s 21st Annual Train Show
ShowMyHobby.com will be occupying 4 of the train tables at the Hickory Train Show. Once you arrive, you will have to find me among the other vendors and attractions. I have lots of NEW and Used trains in very good condition. This year, I currently have a lot of great S scale trains available, almost all of them are in their original boxes in very good condition. The collection includes mostly steam era trains but also includes a couple diesel lines. I have A.C. Gilbert American Flyer by Lionel and many trains by American Models. If you are an S scaler, this will be a great opportunity for you to pick up some additions for your layout or collection. Or, if you are someone interested in starting your own S scale layout, you might be the first lucky person to pick-up the very realistic American Models’ tracks that I have which happen to be enough track to create a double mainline layout. The last time I checked with American Models they were OUT OF STOCK on their large radius curves, and I have enough for a complete circle. But S scale is just the beginning of the fine trains you’ll find at my tables. And if you cannot make this event, it’s okay, you’ll find a few of the items for sale on my website and/or on eBay. Items purchased online will begin shipping on Monday after the show.
I also have lots of great vintage HO scale items, many of them are simply NEW items in their original boxes that are 10, 15, 20 or more years old. Some items are factory-built kits and others are kits that someone put together, but rarely, if ever, ran on a layout. I also have USED trains. The majority of all trains I have for sale are in good to very good condition. I also have BUILDINGS and STRUCTURES. The buildings and structures take up a lot of table space at shows so sometimes it is hard to put those out on the tables. So, if you are interested in HO Scale buildings, please ASK me if I have any if you do not see them out on the tables. I have 1, mostly assembled, AHM 6-stall Roundhouse. If you want this, you have to contact me via my contact us page by 8 pm Friday night as I will have to return home, pick it up and have it at the show on Saturday. If time permits Thursday or Friday evening, I will attempt to post images of this roundhouse on my website. It would be best if you actually purchase it online first which would provide me with enough incentive to drive 2 hours and 15 minutes just to get this one item to the show on Saturday for you to pick it up. I do not have a box large enough to put this mostly assembled item in and you will need at least 3′ x 2′ of flat area in your vehicle to be able to transport this roundhouse. It is made of plastic and almost all of the pieces are present with a small box of pieces that did not get attached or fell off. Although the previous owner built the roundhouse, it was not in place on his layout when I picked it up and it was never installed. It was stored uncovered under the layout when it was consigned. A manual HO scale Atlas turntable is also available separately. This roundhouse is designed for large Steam Engines and actually is supposed to be a scale model of a very large and famous Pennsylvania steam era roundhouse. You may need to research how to incorporate this roundhouse into a layout as the instructions by Heljan (a German manufacturer) does not include how to route track to or through the roundhouse. One of the boxes which contains the spare parts has the original instructions with it. This roundhouse can be yours for $100 cash or plus 3.5% credit/debit. Turntable, steam locomotives, and other accessories are all available and priced separately.
Athearn, Tyco, Bachmann, AHM, Lionel, American Models, S-Helper Service, Life-Like, Atlas, Roundhouse, Model Power, Midwest Products, Shinohara, Campbell, Con-Cor, Faller, MRC, Train-Miniature, and Walthers are just some of the manufacturers that I have from. Road names include everyone from Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe to Western Pacific railroad. So come on out, bring the family, see some model trains, and buy a train or train related item either for yourself, a loved one or as a gift for someone. Incidentally, electronic gift cards are available online on my website so if you need to, buy someone a pre-paid gift card and then send them to the show to pick something out. Obviously, the gift cards only work at my tables or for online purchases on my website.
I am going to have a raffle registration on the table at the show. Fill-out the entry form if you wish to be on my direct emailing list and place your entry in the box. After the show, I will randomly pull one of the entries and email the winner. The prize will be the following display model trains that are currently up for sale on my website as 2 HO-like Classic Trolley Street & Cable Cars. One is the streetcar named Desire and the other is the Powell & Mason streetcar. I will email the winner and ask them to provide their shipping address. Once received, I will ship the prize to them on Monday. Because these are display models, they can easily be used by everyone regardless of whether or not you have an operational HO scale train layout. View the prize items on my website at this link address: https://showmyhobby.com/index.php/product/ho-like-2-classic-trolley-streetcars-cable-car-displays-desire-powell-mason/
The following pictures and videos are from the February 2023 Easley Train Show and represent a walk around of the tables I had there and some of the items I have for sale at the 2023 Hickory Train Show. The S scale Union Pacific Big Boy has been sold and is on its way to a new home in Florida. However, there is currently still another great Union Pacific Northern 4-8-4 Steam Locomotive available ($440) along with 2 different sets of Union Pacific Heavyweight passenger cars (set A 4-pieces [$240] and set B 2-pieces [$120], 6-pieces total [$360]) and a slew of UP freight cars.
ShowMyHobby.com sells trains, train related items, and other collectible items at train shows and online via my website as well as on eBay. Most of the items offered for sale are consigned items. If you a collection of trains you would like to get rid of, you can consign your trains by visiting the following link: https://showmyhobby.com/index.php/consign-your-hobby/. I will be attending other train shows throughout the rest of year which provides a great opportunity for your items to be sold. Many of the items currently available have been consigned by model railroaders getting out of the hobby and by recipients who inherited items from the estates of modelers and collectors. I can help your trains find new homes if you want me to. I prefer HO and N scale trains but can eventually sell most trains. I have a large collection of German and European trains that will be featured at future train shows.
If you are looking for electric model trains and accessories in HO scale, N scale, O scale, S scale and G scale, then attend the train show and stop by tables and check-out the model railroad related items I have for sale. I accept CASH and ALL Plastic Credit or Debit cards. I have Ready-To-Run items and kit items that require assembly. You will find a multitude of great items to choose from at this train show. Whether you are just getting started in model railroading or have been involved in it for a long time, you’ll find something that interest you at the train show and hopefully you’ll find something on my tables that you’ll want to take home and add to your collection or purchase as a gift for someone you know that loves trains.
As you view some the information provided on ShowMyHobby.com, you may encounter certain terms or abbreviations. Many of them may be self-explanatory or overtly obvious. Others, however, may not be and/or they may be the author’s own creation. In some cases, words, phrases, or abbreviations may be linked to site tags or categories. In the descriptions of some products, especially those imported into the site, some of the abbreviations may be expanded for you. In almost all cases where an algorithm was used to expand an abbreviation, you will typically see a term = value pair where the term represents a word or an abbreviation and its meanings is the word or phrase that follows an equal mark. Example: pLFW = Plastic Low-Flange Wheels. The term is “pLFW” and its meaning is “Plastic Low-Flange Wheels”. Below are several sections that identify most of the vernacular used on this website.
Product Conditions
In the shop, many products are listed from time to time. I use the following terms to describe the conditions of the products that are listed on this site. This site uses technology that posts products on this site to eBay and possibly other marketplaces. Those other marketplaces my use different terms for formal conditions. Attempts to match condition between marketplaces may be made, but it all cases, the conditions provided on this site are the most accurate. Conditions have a ranking value as well and many times may be the starting point of the established price or value of an item. For instance, New has a ranking value of 100% which represents that the item is Factory New and believed to be in its best possible condition. The Good condition has a ranking value of 60%. So, you might see a used product listed in the shop that has a starting price of 60% of its original manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Example: A new Bachmann Steam Locomotive that is NEW might have a retail price of $259.99 while that same used locomotive may be in Good shape with a price of $155.99 (60% of the $259.99 retail price of the new one). Be aware, that there is a possibility for an item to be Better Than New.
Conditions
Meaning
Rank Value
Enhanced
This condition is typically a modifier of other conditions wherever 2 conditions can be stated. When it appears where only 1 condition can be stated, then the previous condition was probably not known, and the item was found to have been enhanced or it was enhanced by this website’s owner. An enhance by the owner can very easily make an item worth more than it was originally when it was first manufactured.
125%
Upgraded
This condition is typically a modifier of other conditions wherever 2 conditions can be stated. When it appears where only 1 condition can be stated, then the previous condition was probably not known, and the items was found to have been previously upgraded by someone.
110%
New
Factory New
100%
Old Stock
Older/Vintage Factory New item (Packaging may show signs of age)
95%
Like New
Like New, Opened Factory Seal, May not be in original packaging, Probably examined, photographed, or tested.
90%
Excellent
Excellent condition better than Great but not NEW. May not be in original packaging.
85%
Great
Great (between Excellent and Very Good). May be missing original (or any) packaging.
80%
Opened
Opened item. Unsure about newness. May not have been evaluated or tested.
75%
Works
Tested and Works reasonably well or better.
75%
Very Good
Very Good (between Great and Good). Is Functional.
70%
Good
Good overall condition, useful, works, original packaging not considered, may have marks, scratches, blemishes, and inconsequential errors, damages or missing parts.
60%
?
Questionable as in Not evaluated or not sure what it is. (Condition matches AVERAGE or FAIR)
50%
Fair
Fair, Average, Reasonable, Unremarkable.
50%
Unknown
Unknown – Not examined, Not Evaluated. Until it is, it is assumed Fair or Average.
50%
Used
Used, Assumed Fair or Average, Believed to be functional and working decently.
50%
Untested
Hasn’t been evaluated or tested and probably won’t be. This condition is only applied to items that are believed to be functionally operational. Until tested, it is assumed AVERAGE.
50%
Okay
OK, some issues, (between Fair/Average and Poor), Useable.
40%
Poor
Poor and has consequential issues, noticable errors or ommissions, but can probably be useful to someone albeit not necessarily as intended.
30%
NotWorking
Tested but is Not Working properly
25%
Broke
Broke and disfunctional as intended, may need repairs to be useful, could be missing necessary parts
20%
Bad
Bad, damaged, beyond broken, almost unrecognizable.
10%
Junk
Really Bad, typically unuseful, might can be rebuilt or used with something else or for an alternate purpose than intended.
5%
Free
Free as a condition means this item has no resellable value as is according to me/us, but, I/WE do not with to trash it as someone might be able to make use of it.
0%
Package Types
Below are the abbreviations used for the type of Packaging or Container an item utilizes.
Packages
Meaning
ABB
Athearn Blue Box
Bag
Bag
Bdl
Bundle
Box
Box
Btl
Bottle
Bxd
Boxed
Can
Can
Crd
Card
Crt
Crate
Cse
Case
Csm
Custom Made Package
Ctn
Carton
DpC
Display Case
Dsp
Display
Env
Envelop
Fil
File
n/a
Not Applicable or None
No
None
None
Not Packaged
Slv
Sleeve
Tub
Tube
Wrp
Wrap
Yes
Bxd
Coupler Types
Below are the abbreviations used for the types of couplers on trains.
Couplers
Meaning
1HHC
1 Hornhook Coupler
1KdC
1 Kadee Coupler
1OKC
1 Operating Knuckle Coupler
1Rc+1MLc
1 Rapido Coupler + 1 Micro-Line Coupler
2AKCs
2 Automatic Knuckle Couplers
2HHC
2 Hornhook Couplers
2KCs
2 Knuckle Couplers
2KdC
2 Kadee Couplers
2MLCs
2 Micro-Line Couplers
2OKCs
2 Operating Knuckle Couplers
2RCs
2 Rapido Couplers
HHC
Hornhook Couplers
HHC+KdC
1 Hornhook Coupler + 1 Kadee Coupler
KdC
Kadee Couplers
MC
Missing Couplers
NoC
No Couplers
Wheel Types
Below are terms and abbreviations for the type of wheels used on trains.
Wheels
Meaning
HFW
High Flange Wheels
LFW
Low Flange Wheels
MFW
Medium Flange Wheels
mHFW
Metal High Flange Wheels
mLFW
Metal Low Flange Wheels
mMFW
Metal Medium Flange Wheels
NoTrks
No Trucks
NoWhls
No Wheels
pHFW
Plastic High Flange Wheels
pLFW
Plastic Low Flange Wheels
pMFW
Plastic Medium Flange Wheels
This information is current as of March 30th, 2023.
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