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 Posted - August 28 2012 : 9:07:41 PM
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Hi everyone,
I've been gone about 2 years. Brand new baby boy - well he turns 15 months next week. TIME FLIES! I'll post pics later. =)
We bought the house next door for several reasons - 1) no neighbor. 2) Garage. 3) Man cave. 4) Office. 5) My train layout is going to take up the back half, plus go around the top of the whole house, plus go between the two houses and around the inside of the formal library in the big house and back out. (My wife's dad and grandfather worked on the railroad so she likes trains.)
So about 2 weeks ago the little house got broken into. ALL of my train stuff got stolen - including my first train I got for Christmas in 1977. I DID get to keep one car from it that they missed. Over 400 (maybe more) I have to inventory for the insurance. Tyco stuff mostly - I apparently had over 2/3 of all Tyco brown box ever issued, but some Disneyland railroad cars, several engines, the whole lot. They stole almost all my tools - thankfully the Craftsman stuff from my Dad from the 60s was in the big house. Even emptied the chest freezer - no kidding. The worst part is they also stole my wife's dad's 12-string Gibson guitar that she was going to give to my son when he turned 16.
Once the insurance check gets here I'll be looking for deals everywhere. I especially need to replace my Rock Island set from KMart from '77, plus the Santa Fe switcher, the Jell-o car, tc. All my favorites, plus all the DCC stuff I had piled up waiting for that day when I can start working the railroad with my boy. Thankfully I also had 2 boxes of scenery, figurines, bridges, buildings, etc. my wife got me for Christmas (MASSIVE clearance too) in the big house.
Anyway - I'll be on more again. Miss everyone!
Rus
Starting my Tyco and other favorites collection over again after 37 years.
My still in progress list of inventory and wantlist: tyconut.com
Edited by - Tyco Nut on August 29 2012 05:16:45 AM
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 9:28:35 PM
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Wow Rus! I'm very sorry to hear that!! if my collection was ever stolen i'd be lost!! There are so many engines I have that took me years to find and ones that are so rare i've never seen ones on ebay! I hope you replace most of what you lost! Best wishes.....Hyde.
I buy, repair, and collect
http://scvr.weebly.com/
http://seyboldlocomotiveworks.weebly.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDeputation?feature=watch
Hyde.
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 9:28:58 PM
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Ahh man, sorry to hear about that. I tried to imagine that happening to me and my gut sank. Keep an eye on craigslist, not sure they'd be dumb enough to ebay them.
When you're ready to rebuild let us know, I for one and many others would be glad to replenish your stock a bit.
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 9:33:30 PM
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Well Rus, I'm new and to say Welcome back!!!!!  the more the merrier!
I'm sorry to hear of THAT loss! DAMN!
I'd like to take people like that and let 'em meet my 2 brothers, Smith & Wesson!
Like the sign by my front door says, "Is there life AFTER death? Trespass here and find out, those found guilty will be shot, survivors....WILL be shot AGAIN!
Hope that makes ya feel better, I hate to hear of crap like that!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 10:03:07 PM
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Geez, Rus... it sounds like you got hit by the Grinch. They didn't even leave a crumb too small for a mouse, did they?
That hurts, but at least you have insurance coverage. Hopefully you'll be able to rebuild that collection.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 10:21:12 PM
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darn man that uber sucks 
Well if you needs a few cars I has a few extras Let me know
Stealing your trains super doesn't make sense tho
This made me nervous
Edited by - microbusss on August 28 2012 10:26:37 PM
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 10:25:54 PM
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bummer
as suggested do a weekly search on E Bay and Craigs. to see if you stuff is being sold Do you have a near by flea market or up coming train shows, check them out for your stuff.
People who steal this aren't collectors, they have to unload
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 10:39:10 PM
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| Sorry to hear of your loss - that sucks - Make a list of items you are looking for to replace and post - I may be able to help you also - Brian - BriansTyco
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 11:20:04 PM
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Man! That really sucks Rus!
Congrats on the ~new kid though!
Sean
"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!" - Mario Andretti!
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 11:27:13 PM
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People suck sometimes. I am so sorry to hear your story. Let us know what you need and we will help you get back on track.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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Posted - August 28 2012 : 11:57:45 PM
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| I'm sorry to hear that...
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 05:39:44 AM
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Thanks for the words of encouragement. I've been checking the flea markets nearby, but nothing has turned up. I really wish I could get the guitar back though.
These thieves are not bright enough for ANYTHING. They took all the trains but left some track. They took all the food out of one chest freezer but opened the other one and left it to spoil. They took most of the tools but left some. They took tools but left most of the toolboxes, although they did take all of the best toolboxes. They must have heard "old trains are worth a lot of money" and thought they were ALL worth a LOT. Most of the Tyco Brown Box stuff is cheaper, although not inexpensive.
The insurance company wants to depreciate everything, although they are going to apparently not depreciate the "collectibles" - which the trains fall into, so I can replace them. They give you 2 years from payout to buy it all back and pay the difference. Took me 35 years to accumulate all my stuff, and that was WITHOUT a family. Now that I have a wife AND a son - not much time to buy things, so it will for sure take me longer than that, so I will likely not be able to replace that stuff.
I'm just thankful no one was hurt, but watching my wife cry because she can't give a piece of her departed dad to our son was the worst part. She DID get hurt inside because of that. I don't have much hope of ever getting that guitar back. And my very first tool (I LOVE tools and trains!) - a red handle Stanley 4 inch flatblade screwdriver I got in 1975 - they will likely depreciate it to zero because of age - just can't be replaced, you know?
It's going to be tens of thousands of dollars, and I only have 30 days to catalog it all. I am EXTREMELY THANKFUL for things like the Tony Cook's Tyco Brown Box resource page so I can at least see what I had there. I have to go through Bachmann, Life-Like and Athearn for much of the rest, although I keep remembering more of what was gone.
ALL OF MY SUGAR CARS - and all of my track cleaning consist are GONE too. About 10-15 track cleaners and over a dozen and counting sugar cars. Some of these I can't find records for and some I can't even remember, or where I got them. Thankfully I have documentation for about 25% and climbing.
Thanks for being great friends and listening to everything. At least when I start over, I'll acquire all of it in my son's lifetime.
Starting my Tyco and other favorites collection over again after 37 years.
My still in progress list of inventory and wantlist: tyconut.com
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 08:38:48 AM
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Aside checking Ebay, Craigslist, & flea markets
You could check local pawn shops, 2nd hand stores & antique stores too
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 08:42:29 AM
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Thats rather suprising! Sorry to hear of this! Hope ya have good insurance. Who knows, maybe you'll find the trains.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 09:59:07 AM
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Hi Tyco Nut,
Welcome back! Sorry to hear your trains got stolen. You still have your Family though and that is The most important thing.
I like reason 1 for buying the house next door, LOL.
Good luck getting things back.
Mytyco
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 10:07:39 AM
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| sorry to hear about the theft,only to add look in those places you would not expect them to be,in some cases it can be closer than you think,hope all turns out well for you and family ken
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 10:52:21 AM
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Wow. First off, welcome back Rus! I'd wondered what happened to you after I sent you all that stuff... glad to hear you're alive and kicking. And congratulations on the little one, too! Amazing how something so small can change so much, isn't it? My two are still turning me topsy-turvy in all sorts of good ways, lol. I hope right now during this stressful time you can take comfort in your family... they're what matter. But you seem to realize that, so I'll quit preachin' :)
As for the train stuff and other lost items: ouch. The thieves seem to have followed the same M.O. as the ones who broke into my cars a few years back: idiots who didn't really know what they were doing but still made off with plenty, while leaving baffling amounts behind.
The market for HO trains is going to be limited though, so I would troll Craigslist and maybe even ebay to see if any of your stuff turns up... in addition to the local swap meets, flea markets, pawn shops, etc....
If you need help acquiring stuff again, I'll check my dupes... I've pared them down a bit but if I can help, I'll be happy to...
...and welcome back again!
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 11:54:23 AM
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Thanks everyone,
I definitely will be looking for stuff - especially the Disneyland Railroad and the Rock Island Line sets that I had before. Just got to get the list done - probably close to 1000 items plus "miscellaneous HO scale vehicles" and "Assorted Matchbox and Hot Wheels Cars" I have yet to figure out how to inventory. Probably $1000 of each of those categories. Stupid thieves.
I troll Craigslist & eBay but no luck so far. Most of the Tyco stuff they could sell in lots and I'd have no way to prove, you know?
The sugar cars hurt too - I'm guessing it's closer to 2-3 dozen of them. I have receipts for a FEW but not all, unfortunately. Thankfully it's pretty obvious I only have a few Lionel, but Athearn stuff can be VERY expensive now, and all the DCC stuff costs a lot even if it's lower end.
Rus
Starting my Tyco and other favorites collection over again after 37 years.
My still in progress list of inventory and wantlist: tyconut.com
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 12:18:11 PM
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Rus,
People can be selfish. They want what they want and don't care if they hurt others. That guitar and your '77 train set are priceless. Too bad the insurance company doesn't see it that way.
What city do you live in or near? I can use an internet search engine to look by location for your train stuff.
That guitar is likely going to be sold to a "friend" or traded for drugs. I can't imagine why thieves would steal model trains without prior knowledge of their existence and value. Not only would it take time to load up all of them; they would take a lot of time and effort to research their value and unload individually. My guess is they went to a pawn shop as a lot.
I've had some camera equipment stolen and was just seconds from having my car stolen before the thieves ran.
Paul
P.S. I really like reason #5. Maybe that dream will still come true, soon enough for your son to enjoy.
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 12:50:29 PM
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No pawn shop around here takes model trains. The guitar is likely long gone. The tools or any of it I haven't seen at a flea market. The food from the freezer - very odd, but gone. There were some other things (some quite valuable) that disappeared too - but nothing has shown up. I'll PM you my location.
Rus
Starting my Tyco and other favorites collection over again after 37 years.
My still in progress list of inventory and wantlist: tyconut.com
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 1:21:33 PM
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| like I said as you walk around,look for the bits that you think no one would want,you might strike it lucky,the nicest bits have as you say long gone ken ken
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 4:27:03 PM
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My German Shepherd has been trained to Guard my trains stuff. Very aggressive against intruders but a sweetheart with folks she knows.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 5:00:57 PM
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quote:Rus,
People can be selfish. They want what they want and don't care if they hurt others. That guitar and your '77 train set are priceless. Too bad the insurance company doesn't see it that way.
What city do you live in or near? I can use an internet search engine to look by location for your train stuff.
That guitar is likely going to be sold to a "friend" or traded for drugs. I can't imagine why thieves would steal model trains without prior knowledge of their existence and value. Not only would it take time to load up all of them; they would take a lot of time and effort to research their value and unload individually. My guess is they went to a pawn shop as a lot.
I've had some camera equipment stolen and was just seconds from having my car stolen before the thieves ran.
damn...giutar too? What kind of guitar?
Paul
P.S. I really like reason #5. Maybe that dream will still come true, soon enough for your son to enjoy.
Originally posted by NC shortlines - August 29 2012 : 12:18:11 PM
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caboose 1
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 5:59:07 PM
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i was wondering what ever happened to you. sorry about your loss. i hate a damn thief.
jerry
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 7:04:13 PM
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I had converted a LOT of stock and some locos to Kadee couplers. I did all of it before my son was born, and much of it before I was married. My eyes are NOT what they used to be. I'm going to ask the insurance company if I can pay someone to do the conversion when I get more rolling stock. We'll see what the answer is.
Rus
Starting my Tyco and other favorites collection over again after 37 years.
My still in progress list of inventory and wantlist: tyconut.com
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 7:31:13 PM
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Sorry to hear about your trains and the theft in general. Good to hear you were covered by insurance.
Alco Fan
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 9:06:57 PM
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I'm very sorry to hear about your trains and Gibson :(. I think next time I'm back home I'm going to take a knife and scratch my initials into all my trains and guitars. Wouldn't hurt right? Keep trolling those sales/websites. Trains don't just dissappear. Maybe you'll get lucky 
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Posted - August 29 2012 : 10:20:15 PM
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Hi.
I own a local hobby shop in Victoria,B.C.
I have recently acquired a collection of Tyco,Model Power,Life Like and Cox mostly mint in the box. It includes rolling stock,building kits,accessories and a few locomotives.
Let me know if you are interested and I can send you a run down on some of the items I have.
Or if there is anything in particular you are interested in send me a message and I will see if I have it.
Cheers David@The Railhead.
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Posted - August 30 2012 : 8:00:21 PM
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Wow, huge loss, Rus. Sorry you got hit. I also have been house-robbed before ,so I know what it feels like. You MIGHT want to place an ad on Craigslist like Model trains, stolen, looking for info. Maybe someone else will run across them,or those pukes, and turn them in. Wish ya luck with that.
Jerry in Virginia
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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