Why Didn't Those MT 45' BN Intermodal "Cities" Trailers Make a Bigger Splash?

[tehachapifan]

If there's one thing you can still get for a song on eBay, it's these. And there's always a bunch available. What gives? They have very nicely done graphics, are based on actual trailers and they seem like they'd be great collector's fodder. Is it that the roof and side rails aren't painted silver? Always wondered what the deal was. Did MT simply make too many?

[Rivet Miscounter]

That's a good question.

I do think that some of them had pretty high production numbers, so that's likely part of it.   I know that Chicago was shorted and fetched a high price for awhile, but the rest were all pretty available at normal prices.

I think a lot of it also has to do with a lot of modelers like modeling the mundane, and they weren't so common in real life that you would be guaranteed to see them on every train.  So buying a score of them wouldn't really be something the majority of modelers would do.  And keep in mind they were BN trailers so they were mostly going to be on BN trains (some did make it to BNSF but for all intents-and-purposes they had about a ten-year life span) or bought by BN fans.  They did wander to other roads of course but then they would be even more scarce for any given train.

Modeling BN in 1989, I really only want one, and maaayybe would stretch to two.   I recall having Dallas and Fort Worth when I was modeling 1997 BNSF in N about a 20 years ago, but mostly because I live in the D/FW area and I was buying anything and everything in N then.   I'm hoping to find "Denver" this go round but it hasn't been a priority.  I also still like the Fort Worth one too, so that would be my second if I did buy 2.

I agree they are really nice looking trailers, and I don't think the silver parts made much difference.   That's pretty standard fare for N trailers anyway.   At least back then it was.

[tehachapifan]

Thanks, for the reply, Doug. I tend to agree with you on every point. I also have only a few for the same reasons. Still, these just seem like the would've been a hit with the collector crowd.

[pmpexpress]

Still, these just seem like the would've been a hit with the collector crowd.

They were.

So much so that bearing similar appearances to the legitimate BN Cityscape paint schemes, the NSC/NSE commissioned Micro-Trains Line to produce quite a few special-run foobie trailers with convention location graphics.

Unfortunately, with the passage of a great number of long-time collectors who never ran the models in their huge collections, the sheer number of estate sale products that are currently available has far exceeded the demands of the non-collecting market.

As investment fodder, many ardent collectors tended to acquire numerous quantities of potentially desirable models.

In the old days (circa 1980s to the mid-1990s), a few auctioneers doled out the most desirable N-Scale products, which kept the pricing high and stable.

With the advent of sales venues, everything changed.

Models were no longer parceled out to a select group of potential buyers and individual sellers determined the base pricing.

For the most part, with the N-Scale collecting frenzy having ended some twenty or so years ago, a general lack of interest in investing in models trains and a huge surplus of unsold previously owned models has resulted in substantially reduced market prices.

Huge estate collection liquidators who are auctioning or selling heavily discounted model trains have greatly contributed to the substantial price drops that are currently seen in various market places.

Professional sellers rather than individuals appear to be determining the present-day valuations of all kinds of previously owned model products.

[basementcalling]

These were also one off models of a distinctive scheme,  so buying multiples to run in a "unit train" didn't happen a it did with the reefers and coal hoppers.

[tehachapifan]

They were.

So much so that bearing similar appearances to the legitimate BN Cityscape paint schemes, the NSC/NSE commissioned Micro-Trains Line to produce quite a few special-run foobie trailers with convention location graphics.

Unfortunately, with the passage of a great number of long-time collectors who never ran the models in their huge collections, the sheer number of estate sale products that are currently available has far exceeded the demands of the non-collecting market.

As investment fodder, many ardent collectors tended to acquire numerous quantities of potentially desirable models.

In the old days (circa 1980s to the mid-1990s), a few auctioneers doled out the most desirable N-Scale products, which kept the pricing high and stable.

With the advent of sales venues, everything changed.

Models were no longer parceled out to a select group of potential buyers and individual sellers determined the base pricing.

For the most part, with the N-Scale collecting frenzy having ended some twenty or so years ago, a general lack of interest in investing in models trains and a huge surplus of unsold previously owned models has resulted in substantially reduced market prices.

Huge estate collection liquidators who are auctioning or selling heavily discounted model trains have greatly contributed to the substantial price drops that are currently seen in various market places.

Professional sellers rather than individuals appear to be determining the present-day valuations of all kinds of previously owned model products.

Excellent insights, thanks!

These were also one off models of a distinctive scheme,  so buying multiples to run in a "unit train" didn't happen a it did with the reefers and coal hoppers.

I guess that is a big reason and is why I only have a few as well, but I thought I was a prototype stickler more than most. That said, a lot or loading area full of these or a string of TOFC's or spines carrying the whole set would be pretty cool!

Regarding these being one-offs, the info linked below seems to indicate there were 10 of each city view scheme done. Still not very many...

http://www.qstation.org/City_Trailers/

[Wutter]

If you want a little bit more variety and your time period works for it, a lot of the trailers made it into the REDON fleet, so you can slap a patch on there and change the road number to REDZ
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http://www.qstation.org/bn/cityvans.html

[James Costello]

If you want a little bit more variety and your time period works for it, a lot of the trailers made it into the REDON fleet, so you can slap a patch on there and change the road number to REDZ

Which is also a great opportunity to kitbash a more accurate nose onto MTL's typically awesome print jobs:







It's very hard to believe that was done over 15 years ago!

[Ike the BN Freak]

These were also one off models of a distinctive scheme,  so buying multiples to run in a "unit train" didn't happen a it did with the reefers and coal hoppers.

My understanding/research was there was at least 3 of each city on the trailers. The containers were only single numbers.

I can only recall ever seeing one cityview trailer in person, and seen the Omaha container many times, but it sat on a chassis at the entrance to Gibson Yard in Omaha.

I got all of the containers, and a handful of the trailers. But as others said, they were pretty rare in the overall scheme of trailers.

[tehachapifan]

Good info, thanks!

Yes, the REDON rebranding is a good option as well and those models look great!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

These were also one off models of a distinctive scheme,  so buying multiples to run in a "unit train" didn't happen a it did with the reefers and coal hoppers.

I wouldn't be so sure. People do a lot of weird stuff.

[tehachapifan]

I wouldn't be so sure. People do a lot of weird stuff.

Here's a little Ed's Law in effect.....

http://www.qstation.org/City_Trailers/jpeg/CV_Seattle_St_Louis_FT.jpg

That looks pretty damn sharp!

[OldEastRR]

You also have to realize that MTL caters to the collector crowd, too,  but not as much as to model rails. We may make fun of foobie doobie fantasy cars for RRs that never had them, but those kind of things must sell. Seeing as those Micro Mouse, Halloween, and Xmas trains are still produced again and again, obviously MTL makes money on them or they wouldn't do that.

[tehachapifan]

You also have to realize that MTL caters to the collector crowd, too,  but not as much as to model rails. We may make fun of foobie doobie fantasy cars for RRs that never had them, but those kind of things must sell. Seeing as those Micro Mouse, Halloween, and Xmas trains are still produced again and again, obviously MTL makes money on them or they wouldn't do that.

That's kind of the crux of my inquiry and led to the question of why there always seems to be a bunch on eBay and so cheap. They seem to be one of the only (decent) things that still goes for old school eBay pricing. There were/are some on there for like $11 (shipped) and you can make an offer! Meanwhile, just try to find a TWX 53' Xtra Lease trailer on there in the next month or two and then one for under $50. Did MT just produce a boatload of these?