# Most sought after aristo-craft rolling stock?



## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Is there such a thing as "most sought after" aristo-craft rolling stock?
Is there a known database that would give an indication of what collectors are looking for?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Anyone "collecting" Aristo should be doing it for self-gratification, it's not going to be profitable.

The hardest things to find are probably the smooth side passenger cars in general, then there's specific road names that were not produced in large quantities.

So, are you thinking of going into the business buying and selling?

Greg - 809


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Anyone "collecting" Aristo should be doing it for self-gratification, it's not going to be profitable.
> 
> The hardest things to find are probably the smooth side passenger cars in general, then there's specific road names that were not produced in large quantities.
> 
> ...


Oh no,, i learned very soon that this is not a profitable hobby LOL
No, i just i would like to see what is rare, so i can keep an eye out for it. and maybe someday when i sell ,, possibly break even


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

OldNoob said:


> Is there such a thing as "most sought after" aristo-craft rolling stock?
> Is there a known database that would give an indication of what collectors are looking for?


I don't know about any collectors, but some items are scarce. There's a database at http://aristodatabase.x10host.com/


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Dangrous philosophy.... your stuff will be worth much less than what you paid, and that's if your estate is handled well.

I'd concentrate on the quality/reliability, which in the long run, should retain value best. This would be the most reliable locos, so you leave out the steamers.

SD45, Dash8, FA, etc.

I would not go for the RS-3, too many parts that break, the U25B has a bad truck setup.

On rolling stock, which is worth much less, other than the smoothsides which were pretty close to scale, not shorties like the streamliners, it would have to be rare roadnames.

Greg - 806


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Thanks for the info Pete and Greg


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm really not trying to be a downer, but realistic. Buy what you like, what runs good, and chances are others will have the same opinion years later. Save the boxes and store them somewhere safe, don't be using the boxes all the time. 

Keep the locos and cars clean, dusted and don't weather them.

It's also hard to guess what the "collectors" market will be in 10 years.

Best regards, Greg - 803


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

When it comes to value, LGB has a large collector base. People who have and do buy LGB items with no intention of ever running them where as most Aristo Craft items have been purchased to use. With Aristo Craft being out of business, some items may start to command higher cost, but as Greg has pointed out, it will only be for the extremely scare items such as the smooth sided passenger coaches. You can look at Ebay to see what items are worth, but you have to look at the sold items, not the items available for sale as there are always sellers phishing for the un-informed.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I would think that what is neded most now is the wheels and motor blocks (esp prime movers )except for the one Bachmann started making.


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

And even LGB prices are way down compared to a few years ago. Only very early items in mint shape seem to command decent prices. Folks trying to get pre recession prices from LGB are just sitting on thier items as they are not selling or selling very slow. Most better Aristo items sell well for now, till Bachmann brings them back again under thier own brand. But in an estate sale, about 60% of original prices seems to be the norm to get stuff to sell in this market. Less folks out there buying. Look at the average age of folks at G scale meets or small scale live steam. Its a buyers market and will be for awhile to come as so many pass on and thier estates end up on the market. I make sure my wife knows where the boxes are and she has a copy of the spread sheet of what I have and what I paid for it. I also give a copy to our insurance agent. Mike


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Right about parts availability Dan, but not the question asked:

"Is there such a thing as "most sought after" aristo-craft rolling stock?
Is there a known database that would give an indication of what collectors are looking for?"

I suppose there could be people amassing parts, but not what you call a "collector".

Also, clearly in terms of value, parts will be worth less than cars.

Cars will be worth less than locos.

So, it really depends on what your goal is as a "collector"...

It's tough to answer, since I buy what I want with no mind towards value later. If I was amassing just to pass it on as value... I would certainly only collect stuff that was rare and expensive now... like maybe Aster steam locos unfired, or rare LGB, and leave it all in the boxes and never run it.

If I was amassing to run and play as a hobby, then I'd keep the boxes, only run indoors and buy enough that nothing ever had a lot of wear.

Clearly you can see I am personally having issues answering the OP's question, because I want to run my trains without worrying about reducing their value.

Greg - 798


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## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

If anyone needs to know if any railroad model product is desirable, sought after or mostly rare then look no farther than many of the descriptions on Ebay or similar sites. 
Joking aside a good many of Aristo's products would be desirable to me, but, I already have more than enough for my needs - and railroad size - besides when I am no longer around no one in my family will probably want it, so in reality it has little value. Modern technology seems to more favoured now.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Ebay is good to set what the current market is, but I surely would not recommend it as a crystal ball to the future, which is what has been asked.

Also, using ebay's listings of "rare".... as virtually everyone knows, that is the most over-used and just plain BS description found on ebay.

Sorry, I'd say you have not answered the question of what WILL BE collectable and most value in the FUTURE.

Greg - 794


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I would think that if anything AristoCraft is to become "collectible," it would be their live steam offerings and their brass motorcars.


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Go to eBay, search for Aristocraft, sort Price-High to Low.

There's your answer.

Robert


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

BTW, I've seen certain desirable plastic model kits go sky-high on eBay, and just about the time you think they're "valuable" the darn manufacture runs them again...

Robert


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Universal rule of ebay:

An item is priceless when I want to buy it, worthless when I want to sell it. 

Later,

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think I would collect USAT or AML rolling stock, better detailed and more to scale, locos again what is reliable, good puller.

Greg - 795


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## Tom Parkins (Jan 2, 2008)

*Most sought after Aristo rolling stock????

*Remember just because something is often sought, does not make it collectable. Many folks just want to use them. 
A non scientific sampling of my train friends....


1. Passenger Cars....
Heavyweight Undec. Not collectable but my friends seek them.
Heavyweight baggage They were late to the game.
Smooth side

2. Freight Cars
100 ton hoppers specific road names

3. Engines
2-8-0 undec followed closely by mallet
RDC 3 specific roads


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Literally everything can be collectible, but that doesn't mean it's worth anything. An item may have been produced for a very short time, but that may mean the mold was damaged or it can mean nobody wanted it to begin with. As for the original question of what is the most sought after aristo-craft rolling stock, I would say it's most likely the bill board freight cars. Beer , chewing tobacco and 7up type cars. But being the most sought after doesn't always mean the most expensive.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Shows what I know, thought it was things like high nose SD45's, E8's in chrome and others.

Also, was not asked, but there are a number of people collecting those USAT 1:24 box cars/reefers that have hundreds of different printings.

But, they don't seem to be commanding the price like the chrome Santa Fe E8's (also the chrome USAT F3's too ...

Another thing that might affect collectability is spare parts availability. For example, I really like the Aristo RS-3, but no parts. Now, should someone like Gilbert LaCroix (GLX models) make end platforms and all the other bits that break off, then maybe some problematic models would become more collectable. (I think Gilbert makes RS-3 stanchions )

Greg - 793


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## Tom Parkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Upon further review....
*
The most sought after Aristo.... The SD7 

*


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, that is a winner Tom!

I even saw the ad in St. Aubins when a part number had been assigned. 

The series was 23500, advertised for several years.

Greg


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Shouldn't we designate the Aristo Craft SD7 a Ghost Train?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, you could buy that LGB diesel that does not know what it is (the alco, also sold somewhat tweaked as an SD-40).... then advertise it as an Aristo SD7/9 and go to the wayback machine and find an old fuzzy picture of the St. Aubins ad to "prove" it existed..

Oh, be sure to put "RARE" in the ebay posting

Greg


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