The problem with the old Railroad Man's Magazine and pre-1960 or thereabouts Railroad magazines is the cheap (one cut above comic books) paper they were printed on. Trying to read and preserve some of them is like dealing with papyrus from the tomb of King Tut. And yes, with Trains and other publications now coming out on DVDs, magazine collections are going to become even more of a "can't even give 'em away" situation.

Update:

They....... were......... SLAUGHTERED.

Hundreds waited in line to get in. HUNDREDS.

Within about 45 minutes, staff were going out telling folks in line, "All models are gone; all lanterns are gone; what's left are mostly books, prints, and non-railroad tools...."

And they kept coming in. Oh, and non-members still had to pay $16 admission.

The tools in question were tons (literally) of inventory "abandoned on their doorstep" when a Pep Boys auto parts outlet in the nearby shopping center moved out a year or three ago--wrench sockets, hacksaws, wrenches....

An associate and I snapped up a scant couple books for the Maryland Rail Heritage Library.

More later......

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1st Prize is a complete set of the works of O.S. Nock.

2nd Prize is 2 complete sets of the works of O. S. Nock.

-Hudson

I'll give 'em $100 for 2101 if somebody can help me get it to Hamburg PA. ;)

I can get it there for you, but you won't be impressed with the price tag.

Would the aluminum replica rods withstand the comparatively small forces just to keep the drivers in sync? Do they move it around now with those rods in place?

Steve

I don't doubt it.

I'll take the 7100, the 4876, and the 11520. =)
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... x?id=85005

The flat cars at the B&O are former NYC and PRR cars. (NYC cars have a straight side sill, PRR cars have the 'fishbelly' design). We have one at the CRHS. It's a PRR F41D that we for from the museum for our collection.

Cash and CARRY. Bring your own bag, please.

I have to wonder how much they'd have gotten if they sold some of this stuff on eBay. I guess I can understand, there's a lot to be said for having an yard sale where folks pay $16 to get in the door, that's pretty good. But if they got wiped out in no time, sounds like prices were too low.

As an example, I fondly remember the model railroad display as a kid. It wasn't super detailed, but the sheer size of it was pretty impressive. I'd definitely have considered buying a car from the layout for say $50, even knowing it wasn't worth that, just as a collectible, and also knowing it's going to support the museum.

Okay, jokes about how you would have bought a locomotive aside, does anyone have an idea on what was actually sold? I'm just curious as a pal of mine went but saw the line and turned around in the parking lot because he knew the good stuff would be long gone before he got in there.

Yes.

A few plastic HO models, a few pieces of B&O china, a few lanterns, and lots of books, magazines, videos, art prints (of the likes of B&O trains, Point of Rocks station in the snow, etc.), mounted display panels from past exhibits, tank car hazmat placards, lantern lenses and globes, and literally TONS of modern non-RR tools--hacksaws, wrench sockets, wrenches, wire brushes, drill attachments, etc.--that were left "on their doorstep" by an auto parts store franchise that closed up shop in the adjacent shopping center a year or three ago. Biggest surprise: a stack of three-foot-long high-quality pipe wrenches for $20 each.

The models, lanterns, and china all disappeared in the first 30-60 minutes.

Next question...

What did folks think they would find at the "yard sale". AMD mentioned they were "slaughtered" which presumably indicates a large crowd rather than an exhibit on butchering cattle.

Now if I recall correctly, the Beano Museum has a pretty nice gift shop. It's been a few years since I was there last, (OK, maybe more than a few, the last time was on the day when 2101 was placed on display...) but the online shop sure seems nice. http://www.borail.org/Store.aspx

It also seems to have much of the same type of stuff. But it doesn't have folks lining up for blocks to get in. What treasures were rumored to be found? Presumably the massive crowds didn't show up based on "Some old plastic HO trains, some books, a couple lanterns and a whole load of crap that the local auto parts store couldn't sell!" As for the books and magazines, the last time I tried to dispose of some magazines, I literally couldn't give them away. Yet they have folks paying to get in and buy them?

Was it like the TV auction shows that are so popular, show up without a clue what's there?

Sounds like 1309 may be next to go.