is this an old Polydrive?

[ScaleCraft]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/O-Scale-Two-Ra ... 3066815275
Descriptions and photos are ridiculous for actual identification...but what I can see, sure looks like old PolyDrive gearboxes.
I have an 0-6-0 started life as a PolyDrive, ended up with something more conventional and reliable.

So, is i?

For simply hysterical...err...historical purposes, worth having, for 1/10 the asking.

Bets are it doesn't run....

[ScaleCraft]

I just noticed the wiper to the tread of the LR driver. Creative.

[rogruth]

Does the smokestake lean a little forward? Could be my eyes.

[ScaleCraft]

Could be. Horrible things. Never saw one that ran with any reliability or quietness.

viewtopic.php?t=17342

Three + year old thread on Polydrives.
Last comment on first page is telling, and follows mine:
"My opinion is limited to this being a historical curiosity item, "

Walthers Polydrives...yes, if you replace all gearboxes and plastic drivers, probably the frame and rods, and a decent motor, you can make them run fine.
Basically what my 0-6-0 is less two gearboxes.

I don't think the question ever was if the concept would work...the question was could Walthers be made to work, reliably......and the answer appears to be "no".

But, if some marketer snags it at auction, marks it up 100%, at what point in the life of the sales is it "worth what it sells for"

[Rufus T. Firefly]

But, if some marketer snags it at auction, marks it up 100%,

Did it actually sell for $40 at Stout's?

at what point in the life of the sales is it "worth what it sells for"

Right now - not selling at all all; just about what it's worth.

[ScaleCraft]

Based upon usually reliable intel, our good friend at 108 S. Poplar's modus operandi seems to be to buy mass quantities at auction, drive them home, mark them up 100%, and list them.
"a perennial volume bidder at the Stout auctions who is quick to relist his haul at 100% mark-up per item."
It also appears no attempt is made to place pieces together that originally went together, nor clean, nor test.

So, until information comes forward that tells me he does not operate this way, then yes, 100% markup, double the cost, so his $100 is Stout's $50.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Based upon usually reliable intel, our good friend at 108 S. Poplar's modus operandi seems to be to buy mass quantities at auction, drive them home, mark them up 100%, and list them.
"a perennial volume bidder at the Stout auctions who is quick to relist his haul at 100% mark-up per item."
It also appears no attempt is made to place pieces together that originally went together, nor clean, nor test.

So, until information comes forward that tells me he does not operate this way, then yes, 100% markup, double the cost, so his $100 is Stout's $50.

Oh, so you actually have no real idea and are just presuming/making stuff up rather than actually going to the Stout auction listing that shows prices realized.

Thanks - just checking,

[Carey Williams]

hello all yes that is definitely a poly Drive Walthers should have stuck to car kits and they made a very nice set of interurbans engines not so much polyDrive just has way too many moving parts. Plus the plastic spoked drivers two wrongs don't make a right.
Not exactly familiar with popular 108 business plan somethings seem to get marked up other things seem to go at the price he paid sometimes less
He does by the bigger Lots and probably does okay trying to sell them individually takes a lot of time and energy.

Cheers Carey

[ScaleCraft]

Oh, so you actually have no real idea and are just presuming/making stuff up rather than actually going to the Stout auction listing that shows prices realized.

Thanks - just checking,

Making stuff up.
Okay.

Best general data currently available, you want me to do the dog work, sort out lots, track each item, show markup.....and you won't believe that, either.

You are just being argumentative, seemingly (based upon best available data) for the sake of argument.

I post evilbait stupidity for the sake of conversation, discussion, and learning....and you argue.

No.

You want to present better data (like I initially said...until better data comes along), be my guest.
Go for it.
Prove it wrong, and we'll all have a better idea of true "value".

If Mrs. Neill sold it for X, is that what it's worth, because that's what it sold for?

Greg Stout sold it for X+1, is that's what it's worth, because that's what it sold for?

If 108 sold it for X+2, is that's what it's worth, because that's what it sold for?

Sure it has a value. But by the time it goes through all the folks wanting to make more PROFIT, where is that value?

This next argument is gonna be good. Can't wait.

[Carey Williams]

There are vastly different audiences and situations determining the value of an item

The initial seller wants to sell the entire collection in one Swoop so out the door it goes to the auctioneer

The auctioneer needs to sell the entire collection broken up into 500 plus or minus Lots within a 5 or six hour auction. Each Auction House has their own following some crossover to eBay but not always some folks don't like the buyer's premium would rather buy on eBay straight purchase others don't like this unknown shipping at auction time . so you're attracting different audiences for the items . Stouts is primarily a tin plate auction house but has recently been breaking into the scale world and creating their own following .

eBay you can list any number of items and let it sit there until hell freezes by putting a ridiculous price on it with a Buy It Now or started out at $0.99 and see how many people are out there and nibbling or anywhere in between. if it's an auction on eBay you have a window of time so you are exposing your item to the world for a 7-Days Plus or minus assuming the highest bidder is watching during that week may or may not be the case.

Buying virtually whether it be from an online auction house or eBay removes all the in person haggling negotiation and buttering up of the seller to obtain a better price by the would-be buyer. so it's all a cut-and-dry your bidding up against someone else with a mouse just as powerful as yours all you have to do is Click. Nowhere near as fun as finding an item on a table picking it up looking it over kicking the tires and negotiating in person with a real life person.
but either way you end up with the same item

Each way of buying or adding another item to one's collection has its advantages and disadvantages grateful that they're all out there . I've been able to find some wonderful pieces from all venues but the most cherished ones are from purchases in person where you can establish a rapport with the seller and perhaps learn a little history of the item.

You may or may not like the idea of large auction Lots being broken up on eBay but it does dump an awful lot of material into the field for others unwilling to step up to buy the whole lot.

Cheers Carey

[ScaleCraft]

Stuff being snagged as a big bunch isn't a problem. Broken up...maybe, maybe not.

If an engine came with a tender, it should have a tender. In Lionel, it a diesel was only offerred as an A-A or A-B, should sell that way.

Care to locate bits to go with other bits should be exhibited.

Like that probably P&S electric. Where is the shell? Just asking..not picking.

The real issue is what it's worth...based upon Debate Club conversations here on MTJ.

Most of that stuff I put up links to I wouldn't want darkening my shop.

Like the E2. What is it? Who knows. Generic E is best guess.

There is more....there is a 10 driver chassis that looks like it's been through a house fire. Built up ashes and such clogging the spokes of the drivers.

I would never sell something like that until I had used a toothbrush to clean some of that off.

Folks who we KNOW have the ability to actually test operation, who state "not tested". Average e-bay user looks at that, knows he's seen that phrase hundreds of times....but from someone you know who has the ability to test it...who has other auctions that state "runs fine", you know the definition from the evilbait lexicon means "I put it on the track, didn't run (or blew the fuse), but we'll just say untested".

It seems, and not at all limited to 0, trains, or anything discussed here, that it's in and out, make the money, let someone else worry about it.

Is there really any honesty involved in any of this?
Big issue really is not holding the item and seeing what you're getting..like a train show would allow you to do.

Photos that appear to minimize damage, Dark to make you have to save and lighten just to see a bit more.

Catchwords.....Lionel...Vintage....Rare...Collectible...when a lot of times it is none of the above.

You get cheap 027 plastic shell steamers, cowcatcher (part of boiler shell) snapped off, cab roof broken, windows broken out, missing lead, trail trucks and drawbar, plastic 9junk) clamshell motor, it takes more effort to pitch it in the trash than it's worth, yet...."Vintage, Rare, Collectible, Lionel"....and sometimes it's MARX.

The whole concept seems to be to play the unsuspecting buyer.

I have put up way too many examples.

What it's worth was probably what the family sold it for. And that was several markups back.

Don't misunderstand. E-bay can be useful, IF the item is properly described, for a price that is reasonable, for the person that needs just that. Most it not described well (think Trainz and their Mint Series GG1) nor photographed well.

Not much can be done about it, other than to post the really stupid ones and maybe someone who was tempted will look twice. Might still be what they want, and that's good, but they are better informed.

[Carey Williams]

You could say unsuspecting buyer ... and you could say unknowing seller ...

merely grabbing a piece from the top of the pile take a few photos and list ...next, repeat , repeat repeat... tis a production line ..photos have to sell the item ... some list as a business others to reduce the piles around the house ...

As a collector I've always felt one must constantly "prune" one's collection to keep it growing in a healthy fashion .... trim the fat or down grades ( duplicates) or items that you have grown beyond ...keep the best ... repeat each time new items are acquired.

There is only so much wall space ... a Varney ten wheeler is wonderful ...till an Icken or Alexander can take it's place .

Each to their own ..but that's what I've been doing since the age of 12 .
Cheers Carey

[Rufus T. Firefly]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/O-SCALE-2-RAIL ... SwhSNf6j7K

[Rufus T. Firefly]

You may or may not like the idea of large auction Lots being broken up on eBay but it does dump an awful lot of material into the field for others unwilling to step up to buy the whole lot.

Don't mind that at all as I rarely would want to buy 30+ kits to get 1-3 that I actually might want.

I may be one of the unwilling, but there's too much work at the other end then that I don't need...particularly after I work the numbers and they don't support the selling price

What I don't like though is when nothing of those large lots never seem to resurface,

So it goes........

[Rufus T. Firefly]

And, it's going to sell!