Bell on eBay???? Or not....

Chris Salmonson · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:13 pm

So has anyone found the replica bell of different material on alpt of websites? All I can find is how to make a bell out of gas cylinders or fire extinguishers.

scottychaos · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:18 pm

Well, we can all feel better knowing that someone SO very knowledgeable about railroad bells, and someone that is also SO well versed on their value (asking $1,000 for this one) will be able to enjoy their valuable and rare bell, all by themselves, for a LONG time to come!

Scot

PCook · **Joined:** Sat Jul 02, 2005 7:16 am **Posts:** 2127

It is possible that the item might be part of the malleable logarithmic casing of the original Rockwell retro encabulator. If so it might have considerable value to collectors of encabulator technology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXJKdh1KZ0w

PC

Mark Jordan · **Joined:** Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:21 am **Posts:** 490

Are we in the midst of a trend? At least this one looks more familiar!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Locomotive-Bell ... 35bb573709

santafeboy · **Joined:** Tue May 26, 2009 12:42 am **Posts:** 113

tomgears wrote:

Is there something in my 40+ years of looking at trains that I missed?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dl ... _500wt_949

This thing does not look anything like anything I've ever seen on any steam locomotive... I contacted the seller and mentioned it did not resemble a bell in even the most remote way. She assured me that she was a good church going person and was not trying to scam anyone.

Just read the Ebay posting obviously this person is a moron

CanPac2317 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:00 am

Mark Z. Yerkes wrote:

"has a handle to clang it with"

I've never heard someone use the word clang as a verb in relation to a bell

Hey, it's from the 1860s, how would YOU know what verbiage they used back then??!?!?!?!

I kid, of course.

fredstev · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 5:20 am

We have 15 or 20 of these out in our barn. Bought them from Sears, Roebuck about 1970. they are used as cowbells. Their purpose is to keep the cows looking down at the grass so they fatten up quicker. Also, they alert the farmer by clanging if the neighborhood kids go cowtipping at night.

Randy Gustafson · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:30 am

junior wrote:

For your entertainment....their reply to me... unedited.

, my neighbor just like the reply i sent to you on sunday hes been a VERY AVID train collector for over 50 years & he even builds models of trains he makes himself ,i'm not talking about models you buy in a store ,when he sees one he likes but the price is to high he draws it out on a blueprint & builds it himself, hes also an artist with a college degree in art & he also a helicopter operator & machanic

More theories: Revenge by the neighbor for 20 years of being annoyed, likely by all the junk in the yard next door...

...or maybe a Bell Helicopter mechanic?(rim shot/cymbal crash)....

I think it almost looks like some kind of home or dairy pasteurizer hardware.

This is of course, probably the only discussion forum where the majority of people may have actually operated steam locomotives and can challenge that theory, and at least pretend they are still in the 1860's....

wesp · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:13 am

Quote:

We have 15 or 20 of these out in our barn. Bought them from Sears, Roebuck about 1970. they are used as cowbells. Their purpose is to keep the cows looking down at the grass so they fatten up quicker. Also, they alert the farmer by clanging if the neighborhood kids go cowtipping at night.

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

it may ring like a bell when you hit it, that aint no bell. Oxygen tanks will ring like a bell. That looks like some canister for high temperature whatever.

omar · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:33 am

Nobody noticed the nice bead/weld line near the bottom?

Fantastic technology for Victorian/Edwardian times.

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:35 pm

The eBay posting needs more cowbell..... (runs and hides)

whodom · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:38 pm

wilkinsd wrote:

The eBay posting needs more cowbell..... (runs and hides)

ROFL!

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:49 pm

In all seriousness, some early locomotives had smallish "domes" or "towers" where the whitle or safety valves were mounted, like on an Edy Clock locomotive. I could kind of see how the untrained eye would think that it looked a lot like the "bell" on the site, and since all locomotives have beels, and this thing rings like a bell, it must be a locomotive bell.

cjvrr · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:55 pm

Its a potato gun. Hence the bag of taters in the background.

Personally I would have taken my skivies or whatever clothes are hanging out of the photo if I were thinking of posting on eBay for sale.