About 10 years ago when I was in Phoenix, AZ, I found a Santa Fe box car that was weathered and only maybe $8.00. I purchased the car and the fellow I brought the car from said that the modeler who made and weathered the car lived in the desert in a small trailer and built over 3,000 cars and then sold the cars on EBay and to hobby shops. He never had a layout. This car was one of the last ones to be on sale for whatever reason it survived the sell off. Maybe it survived and was the last because it was missing its original box.
I think of that trip when I run that car and my love of the desert and my visits.
Thanks.
Greg