A Milwaukee Car I Was Looking Was On Trainz But The Shipping

Some famous guy once said, “He who hesitates is lost.”

I’ve been lost several times and not just from buying trains either! 

These days buying trains from any source is just like buying at a train show. If you see it and you like it and you want it and you need it, you better grab it!  With BTO in force we don’t get many leftovers on the shelf in hobby stores anymore. The longer you pass items by the rarer they get and the more expensive they get in the future. 

And don’t fret over a few dollars extra for a membership or tax or especially shipping. Shipping is going to be similar everywhere so forget about it. 

After all, we’re spending thousands of dollars on our collections. Why hesitate over a few dollars when we know it won’t be cheaper or easier to find later on?  

JUST DO IT!!!  Life is too short not to enjoy what we like. 

This is, sadly, all too true. You have to beware of finding you are buying into some extra and recurring cost. It feels like a sting operation to me.

That said, if I tracked down something I really wanted I'd go for it if the price wasn't obviously hiked up into the stratosphere. But I am not looking much any more.

My Dad does stuff like this all the time, "Oh, shipping was too much, cost was too high, etc." Then I just smile at him and say 'Yup, smart move, you should keep that money in the bank for my future inheritance so I can use it." Normally gets him to go ahead and get what he wants...

But on the plus side, I'll inherit trains instead! Bwaaa-Haaaa-Haaaaa.

Here is my recent experience with Trainz.  Shipping to Illinois is not bad - cost wise - and is usually a few days. Shipping from an auction house in PA has been running $50 (similar shipping size) and they charge extra for boxes and packing materials. Kicker for me is the extra 11% tax for used items extorted by Illinois. A couple of internet LHS do not charge tax - so for larger items I'll try to buy through them. I usually order direct from Trainz instead of their eBay store, but either way Mr tax man gets his cut. 

As with all things, we pay what we think is a reasonable price.  I have been watching for a Weaver Brass 3R MR Hiawatha Beaver Tail passenger set to come up. Trainz has one currently but no box. I think $500 is a bit much in that condition. Lost out on an 8 car set at auction a couple of months ago. Going price was not too bad but the 18% buyer fee pushed it over the top for me. 

BTW - ScaleRail is the reason I got hooked into the Milwaukee Road. NOTE:  Things have been sitting at Trainz for longer than usual recently and are getting marked down several times, before someone grabs them. Might pay to wait, otherwise find a couple more items to toss into the box to get the average shipping price down. They have a lot more items than just rail cars. From the invoice below my average shipping per car was $7.00   Don - you have been looking for the car for a while - bite the bullet if you really want it or just wait 6 months for the recession to kick in and sellers will start hacking away at prices. BTW the Weavers were being auctioned off around $300 prior to Covid.  

The Trainz premium membership adds extra points for items purchased. At some point the membership fee is returned by the higher purchase points. The good thing is, if you see a "private item" that you really want, you can join for one month, pay the extra $10 and move on. At least you get the item before it gets to the general public and disappears. Happens to me regularly especially when I decide to wait for the item price to fall another $10. 

Scoutingdad, my biggest hurtle is finding the last Milwaukee cars MTH made. They are the only ones with painted hand rails and black shadow on "THE MILWAUKEE ROAD" above the windows. Having four add on cars, I want them to all match. Also looking for the full dome car that was a add on car. People seem to be really hanging on to these cars. I can wait. Will pay anything within reason. Don

scalerail - saw the Weaver Milwaukee Road 8 car set plus 4-8-4 for $2,995 but nothing else Weaver.