The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is auctioning surplus property. The auction will be held March 6 at Zeigler Auction Company, 1550 Sand Hill Road, Hummelstown, PA. The press release is here:

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1426&PageID=259626&mode=2&publishUrl=http://pubcontent.state.pa.us/publishedcontent/publish/cop_environment/phmc/communities/extranet/phmchome/homenewsreleases/articles/surplus_property_auction_includes_rr.html

They say "Funds raised from the auction will be used only for the purchase or conservation of artifacts that contribute to PHMC’s mission of interpreting Pennsylvania history for the public."

The auction listing is here:

http://www.zieglerauction.com/100306a.html

For some of the items, I can't tell if they are real or models.

-Mark

Maybe they made use of the bong they are touting on line 44. It will probably go to the cherry stoner about 10 lines further down.

Lots of signal lights and lamp hardware here that might be very useful for the full-size guys.

dave

Looks like a lot of items that were donated, but didn't make the accessioning cut. Rather like books donated to a library but didn't fit the needs of the collection. A lot of model trains, but some interesting item (#369--APPROX. 237 PENNSYLVANIA EQUIPMENT PLATES; TO BE SOLD IN LOTS OF 15, or #398--LOCOMOTIVE PARTS TAGS)

Were I in the area, it would be worth looking through. I would suspect that common items will be overbid but there might be some gems in the pile. Happy hunting!

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

Wow, worst auction description listing ever. 'box of bank checks'. 'Keys'......

Some of the stuff is definitely models, but yeah, you really can't tell what might lurk in there. Go in looking for a "engine and tender" and take it home in your suitcase, or call a crane?

I wish, for the life of me, I could find this British cartoon I saved from an enthusiast publication where a British gentleman, long raincoat and bowler of course, is hollering through the mail slot of the front door of his house as an 0-6-0T, fresh from the breaker's yard, sits in the driveway, sans track:

"But, dearest--I got it for you!!"

Or, for that matter, the two railfans watching the back of a station wagon drive by, complete with railroad coupler, air hoses, and MU cables: one says to the other "I'd watch this guy after the train meet if I were you."

Or true story: A friend of mine attended a railroadiana auction and, to my complete surprise, jumped into the bidding on a PRR steam locomotive bell. As the hammer went down, he muttered with a dazed look in his eyes, "I just bought that damn bell, didn't I?" I snorted a laugh and said "Just be glad the locomotive wasn't attached to it."

If I read the announcement correctly one needs a Driver's License or other identification issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in order to register to bid. Unfortunately my daughter still has her New Jersey license and my granddaughter, who has a Pennsylvania license, is on the west coast...

GME

(My collection desperately needs a two hole car sheller.)

Reminds me of a member of our museum who went to an auction and spotted something looking very bedraggled in a box. He had a hunch about it and figured he would put in at least a token bid when the auctioneer got to it. Well, the day dragged on. A lot of stuff was auctioned off, and then....the event was over! My friend went to the auctioneer and asked him "what about the other stuff?" The guy looked at him and asked him what he was interested in. He pointed it out and the guy looked it over and then said, "just take it!". He later showed it to me and it turned out to be a headlight off of a Pennsy steam locomotive. Yes, it looked the worse for wear, but one of the glass plates was still intact and I checked later and found out that the number corresponded to a 2-8-0.

Les

Helps to view the collection with photos...

http://www.zieglerauction.com/100306.html

Many of the scale locomotives seem to be for outside 3rd rail. There is 1 Lionel gateman box, the other non-scale model railroad equipment seems to be American Flyer S gauge. The triple lens marker lights may be from Philadelphia Market St. Subway - Elevated cars, but the manufacturer could have sold the same to others. The 15 frog molds from Bethlehem may be full size!
Now that the dam has broken, will some of the railroad equipment stored outdoors at East Strasburg be in the next auction? Most of the State legislature is up for re-election this November, and needs money to pay for their raises!

The frog molds are full size! If they are the same ones that I'm thinking of (I would be surprised if there are others), then they are also not up for auction. They were donated by RRMPA to NMIH last year:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1 ... 822&ref=mf