Greetings Everyone

Roger

New Member
Feb 17, 2005
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You probably get this question a lot but .. I have a Lionel train set that I was given as a kid in the 50s. How does one go about determining the value of this set?
 
Check your local library for books like Greenberg's Guide to Toy Trains. Also a number of Lionel books. (Section 623). You may have to try a large city library. If you have numbers from the cars and loco, someone here could tell you.
 
Value

Thanks for the reply. Actually I did go to E-bay and all I found was a very few items ..(about half a dozen) and the prices were like $50 for an engine ... which seemed low to me. I would assume a new engine would cost at least that much - let alone a 1950s (I assume collectable) ... I looked under model rail roads and also under Lionel - got the same items ... so what did I do wrong..
 
value

I'll try the library.. I have the original boxes and such - even the box they were shipped in so I'll pull some info off them and hit the books.. thanks
 
It will be difficult to get a value of that set you have Roger. What do you hope to get out of all of this? Do you want to sell it? You wouldn't get much from us model railroaders. Maybe you could get a value from places that sell antiques or if one comes near you the Antique Road show that we see on TV.
 
Roger: the prices for common Lionel items are not very good. If you have a high-end set (with the aluminum passenger cars, say) you may get a lot more. There are a few scarce cars that command high prices, but most don't. Most cars will probably be under $10, but you do have the boxes.
 
No answer to your question I`m afraid, not my scale or my area off expertize,( if I have one), just a warm welcome to the gauge... have a good one ..steve