Yep, if we ever factored in those long hrs of search time even free might still be considered expensive.
I've looked at multiple hundreds of Ebay pictures over many years of those Troyke R/T's with the top mounted X,Y table. Still lots out there, almost all in really unknown condition and so far higher priced than I really want to pay. And most of them North & East of where you are, so that long distance shipping also comes at a price. A bit frustrating, but it's I want one, not I need it right now tool. When cnc hit the tool & die industry hard that was when all this was much lower priced, I'm now well past the start of the prices going back up.