posted on July 12, 2001 04:11:06 PM new
I moved in a new house where the previous owners left 9 years of accumulated 'junk' in the cellar.
I use the term 'junk' loosley as I have found quite a few good things to sell down there.
But, I did have to rent a 17' dumpster for a week to get rid of most of it.
Anyway, I found this old, very heavy (the thing must go 12 lbs!) Lionel locomotive. It reads "O" gauge locomotive, 224.
I was checking them out on Ebay and they do seem to be worth quite a bit of money.
Mine, however, is not in the best condition. The top portion is in very good condition, but the wheels seem to be stuck and there seems to be some sort of calcium deposits on them. There is also some rust.
Is it worth trying to clean it? And if so how should I go about it?
Or should I just leave it alone, list it's flaws carefully, and list it the way it is?
posted on July 12, 2001 05:26:02 PM new
I first will state that I collect, buy, and sell trains. For the most part I do deal with older Lionel prewar/postwar trains. The engine "224" can be worth anywhere from $125 to about $300 depending which one it is and if it is the prewar or postwar version. Now, that price is the book price for that engine with the tender (coal car) in near mint condition.
My advise, is to clean it to the extent that it has no dust. You can also use petroleum jelly (very little) to shine it. Then list it carefully mentioning any flaws you see. You should also probably list it as-is in case it does not run.
