Automobila Auctions at Rail & Road Auctions

A Passion For Automotive History

Rail & Road Auctions specializes in the collectibles and artifacts that tell the story of transportation. From scale automobiles and dealership memorabilia to advertising, racing material, historic hardware, and automotive archives, we bring the same specialized approach to automotive history that has shaped our company from the beginning.

Our auctions have developed a strong following among collectors of quality scale and die-cast automobiles, including premium and limited-production models. Building on that foundation, our automotive auctions continue to grow to include a broader range of automobilia, historic artifacts, advertising, dealership material, and collections.

Whether you’ve assembled a collection over decades, are helping settle an estate, or represent a dealership, business, or organization seeking the right home for historic automotive material, we’d welcome the opportunity to learn more about your collection.

What We’re Seeking

We welcome inquiries about established automotive collections, significant individual artifacts, archives, and estates, including:

Quality scale and die-cast automobile collections, including Motor City, Brooklin, MiniMarque, Western Models, and other premium and limited-production manufacturers
Vintage dealer promotional models and automotive toys
Dealership signs, displays, promotional material, and showroom artifacts
Gas and oil advertising, porcelain signs, globes, cans, and service-station material
Automotive advertising, posters, calendars, and signage
Hood ornaments, mascots, emblems, badges, and identification pieces
Racing memorabilia, including drag racing, open-wheel, and other motorsports material
Pressed-steel toys, pedal cars, model kits, and related automotive toys
Dealer literature, catalogs, brochures, and showroom material
Original automotive artwork and photography
Manufacturer, dealership, racing, and automotive company archives
Vintage NOS parts, accessories, tools, and dealership inventories

Selected Aviation Items Sold by Rail & Road

Bringing an Automotive Collection to Market

A collection assembled over decades isn’t always easy to sort through, value, transport, or sell. You don’t need to have a complete inventory, know the value of every piece, or determine how everything should be divided before contacting us.

Whether you’re a lifelong collector beginning to downsize, a family handling an estate, or simply exploring your options, we believe the best place to start is with a conversation.

We meet consignors where they are. Start with a phone call, send us an email and a few photographs, schedule a video call and walk us through the collection, or arrange an in-person visit when appropriate. Our first job is to listen, learn what you have, understand what you’re hoping to accomplish, and answer your questions.

Personal Service From Start to Finish

Rail & Road has grown by serving collecting communities where specialized knowledge and personal attention matter. We take the time to understand the material entrusted to us and the people behind it.

For larger collections and estates, our team can coordinate transportation from virtually anywhere in the United States. We can professionally pack and transport a collection to our Lafayette, Indiana facility, where we handle the entire process—from sorting and research through cataloging, photography, auction, payment, and shipping to the successful bidders.

Our goal is straightforward: thoughtfully represent the collection, make the process manageable for the consignor, and connect pieces of automotive history with the collectors who will appreciate them next.

Every Collection Has a Story. We’d Like to Hear Yours.

Whether you’re ready to sell, beginning to plan for the future, or simply trying to understand your options, we’re happy to have the conversation.

Call us, email us, send a few photographs, or schedule a phone or video conversation. You don’t need a complete inventory to get started.

To say my experience with Rail & Road Auctions was expectational is an understatement. The level of genuine interest and concern for the sale of my items far and away exceeded my expectations. Derek took great pride in finding my pieces a good home while also maximizing their sale price. Derek operators with honestly and integrity and I look forward to future business with Derek and his team at Rail & Road Auctions.

Bill Bader Jr., President of Summit Motorsports Park