Honestly, it’s tough to pick just one!
For me, the crown jewel of my collection is a brass HO scale Santa Fe 4-8-4 Northern I stumbled upon at a local swap meet. It was tucked under a table in a plain box, no label, no fanfare. The seller didn’t even realize it was brass. I snagged it for a fraction of its value, and after a bit of cleaning and careful tuning, it runs like a dream.
But beyond value, it’s the story behind how I found it that makes it special—one of those “right place, right time” moments we all hope for in this hobby.
How about you?
The rare find, the once-in-a-lifetime score, or the sentimental favorite that stands out from the rest.
So let’s hear it:
What’s the most prized locomotive, car, or set in your collection?
Was it a lucky discovery at a swap meet? An online auction win?
Or maybe something passed down from a family member?
