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What kind of trains do you buy?
We buy it all! Modern Era, Postwar, Prewar, Standard Gauge, MPC, Parts, AF, MTH, G Scale, Brass, Ho, N, and Z scale! We're always looking for great trains to offer our large base of customers. We specialize in O and G gauges but we also deal in all scales and eras, with the exception of low-end HO and N scale trains.
My collection includes trains from different scales and eras, are you still interested?
Yes! No matter how many different eras or scales your collection includes, we can give you a quote. Contact us today!
You are in Georgia and I'm not, how will I get my trains to you?
We strive to make the train buying process as painless as possible. Depending on the size of your collection, we will either travel to your location to pick it up or for smaller and/or more distant collections; we can send you our prepaid FedEx call tags. We buy trains all over the United States and Canada. To see where we've been, take a look at this map of our recent purchases.
These trains were family heirlooms, how do I know you will take care of them?
At Trainz we believe that all collections have stories. We want to do our best to leave your memories intact. Whether it's for personal or financial reasons, selling a collection can be a difficult and emotional experience. We want you to know that your trains will be taken care of as we find new homes for all of them. We make every effort to respond to your requests in a timely fashion and we promise to always offer you a fair price for your collection. Furthermore, your transaction will be kept completely confidential.
I've never done this before. How do I know I'm getting a fair price?
When we make an offer for your collection, we will calculate the current retail value of your trains, based primarily on our knowledge and experience in the current market. We do not generally use a price guide book, as we have found that most MPC, LTI, and MTH items will not bring "book" prices. We also know that many nice prewar and postwar items will bring prices higher than what is listed in a price guide. When you sell your train collection, you are selling it wholesale, since the dealer reselling it incurs all the costs associated with carrying the inventory, advertising it, traveling to train shows, printing lists, cleaning and repairing, paying auction fees, credit card fees, packing costs, etc.
What are my real options for selling my train collection?
There are several options for selling your train collection. The option you choose is based on how the following three factors rank in order of importance.
- Getting the highest price
- The amount of work you are willing to do
- How quickly you want to receive the money
To read more about your options and the pros and cons of each of the above, simply fill out this form and we will email it to you right away. By using the information in this report you will be able to determine your best option.
What information do you need from me in order to get started?
For modern era trains in boxes all we typically need is the manufacturer and model number as well as the overall condition of your collection. For older trains, we will also need the condition of each piece and whether or not you have the original box. For less expensive trains like HO scale, all we will need is a count of the freight cars, passenger cars and an itemized list of your locomotives. If you have Microsoft Excel, we have provided an inventory spreadsheet to aid you with your list. Please click here to download the form. If you do not wish to use our spreadsheet, we will happily accept a typed or handwritten list.
How do I know what the "condition" is?
If you are having difficulty determining the condition of your collection, you may refer to these standards as set forth by the Train Collectors Association.
What if I can't make a list?
If you are unable to make a list, Trainz can help! We can either travel to your location, or in some instances we may have a friend in your area that we can call upon. We work these situations out on a case by case basis depending on the size of your collection, your distance from Atlanta, and whether or not we will be coming near your area in the future. In the event that you have a very large collection and live a great distance away, Trainz is willing to fly to your location, inventory your collection, and make you an offer with the agreement that our time and expenses will be paid if we don't make a deal and you are provided with an inventory list.
What if I just need an appraisal?
For a fee, we can provide you with an appraisal for your collection. All we need is an inventory list of your items to include the manufacturer, model number, condition of the items and whether or not you have the original boxes. We will review your list and then provide you with a quote to create the appraisal. In the event that you decide to sell your collection to Trainz, we will refund the full amount of the appraisal to you.
I have a friend who mentioned something about selling his/her collection.
Let us know! We pay finder's fees! We will pay a 2% finders fee (based upon our purchase price of the collection) to individuals who help us locate a collection for sale as long as we are not already aware of the lead.
Who are you guys anyway?
We are Scott and Milinda Griggs, owners of Trainz.com. We have been buying and selling model trains since the mid 1970's. Over the years, we have owned three train stores, attended hundreds of train shows, and have bought and sold millions of dollars in model trains. We are passionate about model railroading and really know trains and the train market. We are honest, dependable, and professional. We work hard so that your transaction with us will be easy, safe, and confidential. We will be happy to supply you with references upon request.
What is the "consignment" option that you mentioned on your website?
If you would prefer to sell your trains on eBay but don't want to face the daunting task of listing them all individually, Trainz can help! For a fee we can pick up your trains, write up the ads with pictures and descriptions of all your items, store them, and sell them on Trainz.com and eBay for you. This is the best way to maximize your return, other than doing all the work yourself! For more information on this service, click here.
Don't see the answer to your question? Click here and ask away!
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