WELCOME ABOARD!

I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to visit this site. The process of cataloging a collection 60 years in the making has not been an easy one; there's been quite a bit of a learning curve for me about the value of these trains as well as the hobby itself. Please feel free to browse through Pop-Pop's treasures… while I'd never say this collection defines the man, I think it certainly serves as a testament to his love of all things railroading. Any feedback you may have to offer regarding anything found here, or the site itself, are more than welcomed! My only request is that if you are interested in purchasing any of the items in this collection, that you please read and understand the items below BEFORE you buy or bid! While the inventory may suggest otherwise, I understand that this is not your typical train shop or collectors' exchange - and that it may not be for everyone. If it's not for you, I certainly understand, but if adding any of these items to your collection piques your interest, please be sure you're comfortable with everything you read below. The assistance and guidance I have received from various online model railroading communities has spoken volumes about the mutual respect between collectors; I am beyond grateful for the help I've received, and above all else, I want to reciprocate that respect by making sure there are no misunderstandings about my offering of this collection.
In loving memory of
Albert Z. Williams
1920 - 2010
In case you haven't figured it out already, I myself am not a model train enthusiast. While I cherish the memory of the time I shared with my grandfather enjoying his most beloved pastime, I simply did not inherit his passion for it. With that in mind, a collection of this size is certainly not something that I have the means or motivation to keep & maintain.
As you can imagine, my lack of expertise in the world of model railroading presents some challenges; both to me as the seller as well as to you as a prospective buyer. In keeping with Pop-Pop's philosophy, my primary goal is to find new homes for these trains where they will be appreciated as they were by him. While collecting "top-dollar" prices for these items is not my priority, I'm also wary of being taken advantage of due to my lack of experience with model railroading.

Before purchasing or bidding on any items in this collection, I ask that you read and agree to the following:

Condition Appraisal

My appraisal of these items is strictly based on my personal, inexperienced observations. For model trains, I have chosen the TCA Grading Standards as the guidelines for evaluation. I opted for this particular scale for several reasons:
The criteria for evaluation are all objective qualities; conditions are based on physical attributes of each item that are easy to identify, and omit subjective qualities such as rarity and demand.
The TCA standards apply to the physical condition of items without considering operability (a criteria which I have no means to evaluate).
These guidelines appear to be a widely accepted and understood scale within the model railroading community.
Please keep in mind that I am evaluating items as an observer, not as an experienced collector. If you feel any items are graded inappropriately, I will be happy to discuss in further detail to explain my reasoning for the item(s) grade (or change it if I've graded it inappropriately). Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns about any item's TCA grading!

Pre-Sale Questions

In scrambling to inventory thousands of trains (as well as removing them from a very expensive storage unit), time has been a very limited commodity. All the items featured in this site are shown exactly as I found them, with no cleaning or staging. I fully appreciate that the result of such haste may be less thorough than what you would expect to find on a shop or auction site; if you are interested in an item, but require more information about it, please feel free to contact me with any questions you have. I will be happy to provide additional descriptions, images or other information (short of operability - see below) to the best of my ability.

Operability Testing

I do not have a model rail layout of my own, and thus currently have no means of testing the operability of any motorized or mechanical items. In time, I may be able to establish some kind of testing environment, although I don't foresee that happening in the near future. My only resource for evaluating "operating" items are my grandfather's inventory notes and my honest observations based on visual inspection. Please keep this in mind when considering any items, and refer to my return policy.

In-Person Visits

As an "amateur" seller, this is a tricky topic, but one that I do appreciate. I have had several requests from local (Bucks County, PA) enthusiasts to meet in-person to inspect items in this collection. While I am not opposed to such meetings, please understand that my ability & willingness to do so will be determined on a case-by-case basis. As I do not have a brick-and-mortar storefront, finding a meeting location that respects both party's safety and privacy is a challenge, one that will be even more difficult once I am able to relinquish my storage unit. If you are close enough to consider meeting, please contact me directly to discuss. If a face-to-face meeting seems reasonable, I do ask for your understanding in my limited availability. As an additional disclaimer, I simply CAN NOT accommodate requests that are not for specific items. I've been asked on multiple occasions for someone to visit to "see what I've got" or "look at everything". With thousands of items in dozens of containers, I regret that I simply can not consider such requests.

Item Pricing

1

NEED TO EDIT THIS TEXT FROM NOTES!

He an thing rapid these after going drawn or. Timed she his law the spoil round defer. In surprise concerns informed betrayed he learning is ye. Ignorant formerly so ye blessing.

2

GET STARTED

Examine she brother prudent add day ham. Far stairs now coming bed oppose hunted become his. You zealously departure had procuring suspicion.

3

FINISH EDUCATION

Shot what able cold new the see hold. Friendly as an betrayed formerly he. Morning because as to society behaved moments. Put ladies design mrs sister was.

Purchases & Auctions

SALE FORMATS

As you browse through this collection, you will note that some items feature an "Add to Cart" button, while others display "Place Bid" or "Read More". "Add to Cart" items can be purchased directly from this site, while "Place Bid" items are auctions that you can follow or bid on. "Read More" items are those that either do not yet have a sale price determined, or are being auctioned in an external marketplace such as eBay or Trainz (a link to the product auction will be provided on the product page). With the exception of those listed on external sites, you are welcomed to inquire about, or make a purchase offer on all items.

ITEM PACKAGING

Most items in this collection include their original packaging, and I've tried to include a portion of that packaging in the items' photos. Please keep in mind that the condition of the product packaging is not guaranteed, nor is it considered in the "collector's value" when determining pricing. Again, if you would like more details about the packaging of any specific items, please ask!

PAYMENTS & SHIPPING

At the moment, all shipping and handling estimates are provided by USPS for priority mail rates. Ground shipping options such as UPS are something I hope to add in the near future, as well as flat-rate shipping options for similar items like non-operating boxcars, die-cast vehicles, etc. Payments for all purchases and auctions are processed via PayPal; credit card payments can be made securely through this method (a PayPal account is not required). Items sold in external marketplaces will require payment via the PayPal gateway.
What to put in here???????

Return Policy

Finally, I want to be clear that I fully appreciate the unorthodox nature of this offering. While I'm no expert on model trains, the uncertainty of making a substantial purchase and not knowing that it has been thoroughly tested is not lost on me. Thus, I will accept returns and refund 100% of the item purchase price (excluding shipping) for any item for 60 days from its delivery date. If your purchased item does not look or work the way you expected it to, just contact me and we can make arrangements for a return and refund. I am aware of the care that my grandfather took in maintaining these trains, but I also appreciate the uncertainty buyers will have when asked to take my word on that! While I have made every effort to ensure that these items are described as accurately as possible, please know that you won't be stuck with buyer's remorse if I missed the mark somewhere. Your risk factor here is limited to the shipping costs associated with returning the item.

Restricted Items

Affronting imprudence do he he everything. Far advanced settling say finished raillery. Offered chiefly farther of my no colonel shyness. Such on help ye some door if in. Laughter proposal laughing any son law consider. Needed except up piqued an.
Vivamus tincidunt iaculis quam;
Nam accumsan iaculis diam et pretium;
Donec consectetur neque ac laoreet 
Nulla id vulputate ipsum. Vestibulum
Proin eleifend risus velit.
Again, thank you for taking the time to visit this lifetime collection of a passionate railfan. Hopefully you'll find something here that you'd be proud to add to your own cherished collection…. Nothing would make Pop-Pop happier!