Model Train Journal

This is the cheapest I've ever seen a KEY Challenger sell for. Great buy for a nice loco is you need one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/391900662682?ul_noapp=true


BH

Do they charge a buyer's premium through eBay?

No buyers premium, just the sale price plus the shipping. I have seen other high end stuff go for low dollars from this seller. I don't know why, perhaps people don't trust them as they are a huge seller of new and used train stuff in all scales. They buy estates when they can. Perhaps they are too honest in their descriptions as they describe a missing bell as well as nicks in the description that I really couln't see in the pictures. I have bought (snipe bids) several brass items and have been surprised at the price that won it.

Peter

herronpeter wrote:I have seen other high end stuff go for low dollars from this seller. I don't know why, perhaps people don't trust them as they are a huge seller of new and used train stuff in all scales.

They have a lingering reputation of poor & inaccurate descriptions, missing existing damages, poor photography, and poor packing & shipping that very frequently resulted in whatever you bought arriving somewhere between damaged and disassembled.

I won a couple of items from them a few years back and decided to go and pick them up in person. the cost of my drive was about half of what there inflated shipping would have been. I did get to see the operation and really did not think much of the photo set-up or the photographer's knowledge. Note that this was just before Trainz changed ownership.

Note that this was just before Trainz changed ownership.

When was that Dave? I didn't know it changed hands.

BH

Rufus,

Years ago I bought some junk from them and you are right, their packing, as well as their photography was abysmal. I don't remember that their shipping was too high. Shortly thereafter I met the entire staff at the Amherst Train show at the Big E. I had a long talk with the head dude (can't remember his name) about their shipping problems as well as the poor representation of the models in pictures and that I would not be bidding on anything of value. He said he had received numerous complaints. While hanging around and buying every Zip Lock bag in a box marked O scale accessories for about 2 bucks each, each and every person who came up to him had the same complaints and got the same answers-they will fix it.

A couple of weeks later I noticed they provided better photos of a bunch of locomotives as we had discussed: front, r +l angle f, r+l side, back r + l angle, back, top, bottom. One of them I decided to bid on and got it for under $500.00. I called the owner and reminded him of his experience in Amherst and complimented him on the photos. I reminded him about the packaging and he said he had worked with his shipping department and made changes. The model arrived well packed and undamaged and is in the video below. I made modifications, re-painted and weathered it. Also added DCC and sound....

BTW those 10- 2 dollar bags? Conservatively worth at least 200 bucks! Best trip to the Big E I ever had.

Peter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuFtif8UL_w

up148 wrote:

Note that this was just before Trainz changed ownership.

When was that Dave? I didn't know it changed hands. BH

I do not remember but it would have been about two years ago or so around the time that I went there.