Need Railroad Collectors Help

[dw171]

These are items that will be at an upcoming auction. However, I don't know much about railroad stuff. I can't exactly google these items either and get the results I'm looking for. Here's the link to the auction website to save me from downloading and reuploading pictures of the items November 21. Is any of the Nickel Plate Road items worth money? No results on ebay or google have turned up any price indications. Thanks

 

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[Baltimore]

I don't know about the nickel plate road specifically, but vintage padlocks are very collectable and those specimens look pretty good, I'll bet you could get $50 per at least judging on ebay's sold listings.

 

[dw171]

The patent number on one of them puts it around 1936.

 

[Baltimore]

Honestly if the blueprints are cheap I'd definitely get them if I were you, I'm a railroad fan as well as a graphic designer, and some of those would look amazing flattened and framed in my house!

 

[mojjax]

That old fan looks cool , and I like the miniature oval painting , plus just about everything there !

 

[dw171]

I'm not sure what they'll go for. Prices can be kinda random there. I haven't seen any blueprints from this railroad for sale anywhere. What would you pay if you were going to buy them?

 

[Baltimore]

I'm not sure what they'll go for. Prices can be kinda random there. I haven't seen any blueprints from this railroad for sale anywhere. What would you pay if you were going to buy them?

Hmm, as a lot I'd probably pay $50-$100 to then re-sell some and keep others, but if I was just buying for myself I'd probably cherry pick my favorites, probably 2 or 3 for no more than $30 apiece, but preferably $10 or so. I have no idea what they're actually worth, this is just what I'd pay as a collector. If I got them to sell I'd seriously consider ironing them out and getting some nice ikea frames to sell them as home decor. They have a great industrial look that is very in right now. If you get them let me know, I'd buy a few from you if they come cheap.

*Edit: For curiosities sake I looked up framing blueprints, and apparently old blueprints should never be framed, or even kept out in any light for extended periods of time because they are incredibly light sensitive. Changes my plans, but I still think they look cool and I'd still probably buy them! I hope that auction house is storing them in a dark place while they aren't photographing them.

 

[dw171]

Are there any specific blueprints I should be looking for? Like for more popular train items. Or should I just pick out all the cool looking ones.

 

[Tallone]

Railroad related stuff is very popular. TONS of collectors out there. I did a little quickie research on ebay for railroad blueprints. It looks to me like these sell very well. The majority of the individual blueprint sheets look like they sell for around $30. However, it seems to me most of these were blueprints of rolling stock. It looks like blueprints of engines sell for higher prices than other types. I see in that auction there are several blueprints of various types of rolling stock. Do you know if they are selling these blueprints as a lot or as individual pieces? If they are being sold as a lot (and if I were at that auction - which I won't be!), I think I would set my bid limit at around $100 based on what I can see in the pics. I might raise or lower that number somewhat after personal inspection of the item. I'm sure some railroad enthusiast would love to frame those and put them on the wall. Good luck!

 

[dw171]

I will create a new thread tomorrow with pictures and more info. Was able to buy about half of the blueprints, spent around $80. I did not get many cars, and there were no engines. However, I did get many blueprints of the NKP logo and ownership stencils from the 1930s and 1940s. Got 1 listed on ebay to see if theres any interest for them. Even the auctioneer couldn't find any information on them. In one of the folders of blueprints, there was paperwork to go with them from 1940s. It indicated that all blueprints were to be destroyed. So that's why nobody has been able to find any online. Anyway will post more tomorrow.