Sokratesz Posted June 12, 2011 Posted June 12, 2011 Hey everyone, I recently re-started my 12v train hobby, and I'm looking for reasonably priced sets and accessories from that era. Am looking for 7727 and 7740 in particular, but ebay prices make me I live in the Netherlands so closerby = preferred :) - Sok
Mr Benn Posted June 13, 2011 Posted June 13, 2011 That's the plight of the 12V fan I'm afraid - Ebay prices are high, bricklink prices aren't much better - I hope you don't want to get loads of signals as they're the worst offenders! In my experience, the train that's easiest to get hold of is 7745, as it was one of the best in terms of popularity and availability so plenty of people still have them to sell and are doing so, unlike the 7740 which is like gold dust and goes for a premium price every time. Also keep your eyes open for 12V motors and the old push trains/4.5V trains, as those trains tend to be less expensive and are easily converted (and fit in well with many of the 12V ones with a little modification to update designs) 12V points can go for variable prices, but if you're not too fussy you should be able to get the manual points for a good price, the remote control ones can get really expensive. I speak from experience having swelled my 12V collection quite significantly a few months ago, but good luck - keep looking on ebay at train auctions that don't have 12v in the title as they're more likely to be browsed over by most (not me!)
Brickaroo Posted June 14, 2011 Posted June 14, 2011 (edited) In the last two years I have amassed a damned fine collection, although personally I always attempt to "perfect sets" that I collect. This means that I look for good condition boxes, instructions, parts, stickers, etc, etc. I'm rather demanding and I will fork out for the privelege. Ebay can be great, don't just look inside your own country/region's ebay either. There are bargains to be had worldwide so make sure you check the "Worldwide" checkbox under the region. I've perfected most of my sets by scavanging from different sets I've bought. I will buy 2 or 3 of the same set, take the best parts that I want and then rebuild a second "inferior" set and sell it off for usually the same amount that I paid for it. There's only wins to be had doing this! Bricklink is best, if you buy sets with missing parts they're easily found there for a decent price mostly. The best sellers with the most stock usually have premium prices, depending on how much you're into the collectors aspect you'll fork out eventually. I have paid up to $800 AUD for sets to come into Australia. (just today I hit that mark actually) Switch tracks can be purchased second hand on Ebay starting from around $40 AUD, new ones sell from $75 and up depending on how lucky you get. Signal sets can get rather expensive but every now and again someone puts one up for $100 AUD on BUY IT NOW and I tend to jump at those! Anyway, below is what I've come to and I cannot begin to explain how much enjoyment I get out of playing with this collection: Some tips that I can share from my experience: - Cabling: DO NOT (and I cannot stress this enough) bother wasting your money on the Lego 12V grey cabling. It's hiddeously overpriced for what it is. I buy rolls of bell wire from electronic shops for roughly $20 AUD per 100M roll. That's a TON of cable, it costs a fraction of what the same amount in lego branded cable will AND it has positive/negative cables so you know what's hooking up where. Get the connectors/pins from bricklink and you're set. Make sure they're complete though and not missing the screws otherwise....you're screwed. - If you see a set on sale (particularly on ebay) at a price that you think would be around the threshold of what you're willing to pay, check what it's worth on ebay and see what it might get up to. If it's well below, snap it up fast. - Bidding on Ebay: if you want something, don't go off bidding early and inflating the price for yourself further. Others will do this regardless. Wait until the last minute and snipe that item at the death. If you don't win it, you've cranked up to what you were willing to pay and haven't overstepped your mark. If you're really after something, snipe high and make sure you're winning it. - Check the sellers feedback history: this is critical. Both Bricklink and Ebay offer this service and it's crucial to what you're about to get from your seller. If they've got less than 99% with thousands of sales go in and have a look at the reasons. You'll find that the more sales you have the more likely you're going to have an idiot buy something from you and give you idiotic feedback for no reason. If they've sold 10 items and have 2 or three negatives, steer clear. The content of why it was negative is important as some people will moan than they had to pay $2 more for shipping when their item weighed 843kg and needed to be shipped from Antarctica to the Faroe Islands. - Engine Rubbers: don't waste your money on the original Lego rubbers. They're expensive and surprisingly inferior quality and stiffen up much faster than the "home made" replicas. You can get 6 rubbers (enough for a 12V motor) for between $6 - $15 AUD on ebay, just search for "Lego train rubber" and something is usually around. This guy sells replicas and I've bought many from him: http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=mcali17&itemID=18204606 he's the same guy on ebay currently. Buy from Bricklink and you'll dodge some fees and so will he. :-) Anyway, I could go on and on and on. I hope this essay doesn't blind you. Good luck! Edited June 14, 2011 by Brickaroo
Sokratesz Posted June 14, 2011 Author Posted June 14, 2011 Thank you for all that advice :) I'm familiar with Ebay and Marktplaats (the dutch equivalent), and I've acquired quite some stuff over the past month or three at reasonable prices: A 99% complete 7735 at 90E Complete 7722 4.5v train for 25E, and very good working 12v engine for 50 = very neato motorized train set! About 100 straight track and 150 curves - at prices around 1E each for the straight and 75cents for curves. 5 complete electric switchpoints for 35E each 8 manual switchpoints for 10E each A few crossings and minor accessories like a load of original lego rubber loc tires, (3 bucks for 50!), some lights, cables, spare rail parts and other assorted stuff. I'm waiting for my 100% complete 7745 at 160 euro's to arrive in the mail, this included a power supply and at least 50 pieces of rail but don't know exact numbers til I get it :D You're right about the signals, they are stupidly expensive, but I'm waiting on a reply from a seller who was going to give me three of 'em and a train lighting set for 135E :D - Sok.
HenrikLego Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 Hi, I am considering to sell my collection of 12v. The parts are in good condition. Here is the list of my parts: 3 manual swithpoints 1 electric swithpoints 3 crossings (two are discoloured) 10 lights (2x2 brick with light) 3 conducting curved rails with connection wire 63 complete straights tracks 71 complete curved tracks 2 power supplies (one of them a bit discoloured) 2 working engines 1 not working engine A bunch of 12v wiring I live in Norway.
kzv Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 Hi, I am considering to sell my collection of 12v. The parts are in good condition. Here is the list of my parts: 3 manual swithpoints 1 electric swithpoints 3 crossings (two are discoloured) 10 lights (2x2 brick with light) 3 conducting curved rails with connection wire 63 complete straights tracks 71 complete curved tracks 2 power supplies (one of them a bit discoloured) 2 working engines 1 not working engine A bunch of 12v wiring I live in Norway. Hi Henrik, What's your askin price? Where about in Norway do you live (I live in Trondheim :-D) rgds Kjetil
HenrikLego Posted June 22, 2011 Posted June 22, 2011 Hi, a quick check I did against items on Bricklink yesterday made the value of this lot close to 3000 NOK. But to get everything sold right away, I could give a 25% discount, which would give a total of 2250 NOK. What do you think about the that price?
Sokratesz Posted June 24, 2011 Author Posted June 24, 2011 Howmuch are you asking for the white light bricks, some cables and straight track (a piece?) ?
HenrikLego Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 (edited) Here is a list, prices in Euro. I have gone through all of my parts, so the quantity differ a bit from what I wrote above. Available quantity in parantece: Straight good condition 1,8 euro (53) Straight yellowed condition 1 euro (10) Light bricks 3,6 euro (9) Train Light Prism 1 x 6 Holder red with 2 prism 1 euro (4) Train Light Prism 1 x 6 Holder black with 2 prism 1 euro (4) Wire with two 2-prong connectors, 28 Studs Long 1,4 euro (4) Wire with 2 Way male Squared Narrow Short connectors, 28 Studs Long 1,4 euro (4) Wire with two 2-prong connectors without middle pin, 96 Studs Long 10 euro (2) Wire with male Squared Wide Short Connector and male Squared Narrow Long Connector, 96 Studs Long 2,8 euro (1) Wire with two 2-prong connectors without middle pin, 190 Studs Long 4,8 euro (2) 12v train motor 32 euro (2) 12V Conducting Rail Curved with Connection Wire 5,6 euro (2) Curved track 0,75 euro (73) Swith point left 10 euro (2) Swith point right 10 euro (1) Swith point right electric 35 euro (1) Crossing 6 euro (1) Crossing yellowed 4 euro (2) Transformator complete set with box 25 euro (1) Transformator only 20 euro (1) Or everything for 320 euro, which is over 110 euro discount from the above prices that already are lower than Bricklink-prices. Edited June 25, 2011 by HenrikLego
Sokratesz Posted June 25, 2011 Author Posted June 25, 2011 I'm interested in everything except these: Wire with two 2-prong connectors without middle pin, 96 Studs Long 10 euro (2) (or is that a typo?) Transformator only 20 euro (1) Howmuch is shipping to the Netherlands? - Sok.
HenrikLego Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 (edited) Nice to hear that you are interested That wasn't a typo, the prices are high for those on Bricklink, but I'll give them to you for 3 Euro each if you buy the whole lot (exluding that one transformator you not was interested in.) The total will then be 286 euro for everything exluding the "transformator only". Without the 2 x "Wire with two 2-prong connectors without middle pin, 96 Studs Long 10 euro" the total will be 280 euro. Shipping will be approx. 50 euro. I'm going to the post office now to check the different shipping options. Total weight of the package will be 5-6 kg. If you like send me an e-mail (hen.solberg@gmail.com) for further arrangements. Edited June 25, 2011 by HenrikLego
Sokratesz Posted June 25, 2011 Author Posted June 25, 2011 Please let me know when you get the actual shipping cost, because 50 is definitely too much. If I get rid of the second transformer that should deduct another 1.5kgs right? - Sok.
HenrikLego Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 Hi, have been to the postal office now, shipping will be 42 euro. Total weight (exluding that second transformator) is 4,5 kg, packaging adds another 2-300 grams.
Sokratesz Posted June 25, 2011 Author Posted June 25, 2011 Let me think about that for a day or so...
Sokratesz Posted June 26, 2011 Author Posted June 26, 2011 I found a big lot of track closerby for a good price but I'm still interested in some of the smaller parts (lightbricks etc.). I'll be away on training for the entire week so I'll get back to you about that next weekend. - Sok.
HenrikLego Posted June 26, 2011 Posted June 26, 2011 Okay, I have the items listed in sales channels here in Norway as well, so if someone shows interest before next weekend I will sell. Also, my original intention was to sell the whole lot.
Sokratesz Posted June 26, 2011 Author Posted June 26, 2011 (edited) I understand, no worries. I have an opportunity next week to buy a huge lot (around 1k €) worth of 12v trains so I might actually be looking to sell a few things in the future. - Sok. Edited June 26, 2011 by Sokratesz
hoeij Posted June 29, 2011 Posted June 29, 2011 Hi, I am considering to sell my collection of 12v. The parts are in good condition. Here is the list of my parts: 3 manual swithpoints 1 electric swithpoints 3 crossings (two are discoloured) 10 lights (2x2 brick with light) 3 conducting curved rails with connection wire 63 complete straights tracks 71 complete curved tracks 2 power supplies (one of them a bit discoloured) 2 working engines 1 not working engine A bunch of 12v wiring I live in Norway. I have repaired a couple 12V motors, so I'm interested to try if I can fix that 1 not working engine. How much would it cost to send it to the US?
HenrikLego Posted June 29, 2011 Posted June 29, 2011 (edited) Hi, it's about 13,5 USD for shipping to USA from Norway (150 grams). This engine is also missing one of the wheels. Edited June 29, 2011 by HenrikLego
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