Model Railroading > 50 year old Con Cor UP boxcar/Harper's Hobby Riverside price tag

Most all of my surviving N guage rolling stock was purchased at Harper's Hobby Shop in Riverside, Calif. Back in the late 1960's and Early 1970's, of course now long gone.
I remember the owner Jim Harper was a very knowledgeable, personable, straight shooter kind of person.
I always trusted any answers to any questions I had there.

Here's a UP N guage boxcar I still have. I think I put some kind of oxidation paint or something on it to look aged?
It still has the $1.98 price tag on bottom of Styrofoam insert of original Con Cor box.

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

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I remember when Athearn blue boxes were either $1.99 or $2.49 for freight cars and $4.99 for passengers, and you could assemble then in ten minutes or so. I look at $50 HO freight cars now and just shake my head.

> I remember when Athearn blue boxes were either
> $1.99 or $2.49 for freight cars and $4.99 for
> passengers and you could assemble then in ten
> minutes or so. I look at $50 HO freight cars now
> and just shake my head.

Yeah, but - that was when 12 grand bought a good house and 6 grand a year was a very good salary.

That $50 boxcar is still more than double the 60 years inflation. A better comparison is to less detailed Accurail which prices out to be slightly less than inflation. I don't know what a 1960 RTR modeler buyer would pay an expert to have his Varney boxcar upgraded to the same prototype fidelity as a Kadee PS1. $5 bucks on top of Varney's charge, maybe? That would make that Super-Varney boxcar cost at about $50 allowing for inflation. For that five dollars, the expert builder would also have to invent new technologies in plastics and molding as well as new concepts for trucks and couplers to match today's Kadee.

Today I pass on most $50 and up cars because I don't have that sort of throw-away money. Back then I also had to pass on most of the $2.49 boxcars because I didn't have that kind of throw-away money. Yes, I'm still in the hobby 60 years later and I've enjoyed every minute. I found ways to make the hobby work for me rather than jump onto the hamster wheel of fortune.

wpamtk Wrote:
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I look at $50 HO freight cars now
> and just shake my head.

We've been down this road many times and it's been explained many time!.  It's like saying I paid 25 cents to see 2001 A Space Odyssey when it came out in the 1960's and what are people paying now in cinimas?.  Cost of cars then vs. now etc. etc.  .It goes on and on.

Jim, you've started my Monday morning off right!
Grew up in Sunnymead (now Moreno Valley) and remember many trips to Harper's Hobby.
 

wpamtk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I remember when Athearn blue boxes were either
> $1.99 or $2.49 for freight cars and $4.99 for
> passengers, and you could assemble then in ten
> minutes or so. I look at $50 HO freight cars now
> and just shake my head.

I look at the passenger cars pushing over $100.00, wondering how to get small enough so I can get inside.<G>

Ed

P.S. I like the Intermountain refer kits from years ago, nice way to take up an evening, and worth every cent.

I made many trips to the shop in Riverside......from Sunnymead as well.
Mr. Harper also had a shop in San Bernardino.
Correct me here, but I think he moved to Reno, NV., had a shop there for several years, and finally got out of the business.
If Mr. Harper couldn't answer your question, he knew where to find it.
A most excellent mentor for the hobby. 

wpamtk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I remember when Athearn blue boxes were either
> $1.99 or $2.49 for freight cars and $4.99 for
> passengers, and you could assemble then in ten
> minutes or so. I look at $50 HO freight cars now
> and just shake my head.

Believe it or not, if a bit of time is spent shopping online and one is willing to buy lots of ten or more cars, unbuilt, blue box, Athearn freight car kits can still be had for not a whole lot more than the original prices.  

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/20 09:39 by Streamliner.

Used to visit my Grandparents and Aunt in Riverside during the summers.. Best trip was to Harpers to see all the new train stuff with my brother. Sadly he's passed. But great memories. Thanks for sharing.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wpamtk Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> I look at $50 HO freight cars now
> > and just shake my head.
>
> We've been down this road many times and it's been
> explained many time!.  It's like saying I paid 25
> cents to see 2001 A Space Odyssey when it came out
> in the 1960's and what are people paying now in
> cinimas?.  Cost of cars then vs. now etc. etc. 
> .It goes on and on.

I remember my Great Aunt during the 50's saying something to the effect of "Here's a nickel for the trolley! Now don't go out and spend it all on Penny-whistles and Moon Pies!" I think she was into her late 80's by this time.

Probably everyone of us older folks has a "Harper's" type memory.  For me, it was Karl's Toys & Hobbies in the Westchester community of Los Angeles, near LAX.  I hung out there constantly as a kid and a young teen, as I was so into model railroading, plastic model kits, gas powered planes, etc.  Other great memories for me include Colonel Bob's on Pico Blvd. near Crenshaw Blvd. and Hollywood Hobby.  All these great, old stores now long gone.  You folks who still have great hobby stores where you live, support them and cherish them, as they are a dying breed.

Hope you are all doing well,

Allen Drucker

Hobby House in Reseda, CA.

The owner (at the time) Jay was always helpful, happy to do special orders and kept a very good selection of N Scale for that time (late 1970's) when N Scale did not having the following that is has today.

Northridge Switcher.

miniempire Wrote:
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> Jim, you've started my Monday morning off right!
> Grew up in Sunnymead (now Moreno Valley) and
> remember many trips to Harper's Hobby.
>  

Glad to hear that!
And I remember when Sunnymead was just a small town off the 60 !

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

RailRat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> miniempire Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Jim, you've started my Monday morning off
> right!
> > Grew up in Sunnymead (now Moreno Valley) and
> > remember many trips to Harper's Hobby.
> >  
>
> Glad to hear that!
> And I remember when Sunnymead was just a small
> town off the 60 !

Yep, Sunnymead and Edgemont. And Moreno was just a four way intersection with a gas station and a post office way out in the sticks.
March AFB was out in the country back then.