Any Vintage HO Collectors Here?

Bob:

As long as it's quickly accessible when you have the time once home. Thanks.

Your latest set: Wow... for the mid-50s HO, that is a nice looking FM switcher!

Andre

Bob:  That’s a neat little set. I’ve known of that little Fairbanks- Morse locomotive but doubt I’ve ever seen one. That’s a rare item.

Polks  had their own line of HO? 
I know back in the day in NYC they had a floor dedicated to model trains. 
I was into racing cars upstairs on their track. 
What HO did they produce? Any pictures of items or artwork?

Here are some of my “loosies”...

Tyco bobber collection (still missing a lot of them )

Bad picture of a really nice MIB Varney switcher 

More loose red box TYCO stuff in a display case .

Now that’s a TYCO collection. Do you collect Mantua too?

@Varneynut posted:

Do you collect Mantua too?

Not as a rule unless you consider these later Mantua kits ...these were purchased just yesterday at Don Carvers train shop in Gettysburg.

I have very little pre 1955 Mantua...just some early kits .

Like most of us (I suppose), my introduction to scale model trains was in HO scale: I gave that up a long time ago, but still pick up a few odds and ends as the opportunity or mood strikes. Here are a few of my "vintage" HO items.

First is a Mantua Pacific, along with the paperwork and what's left of the poor box:

This model has the enclosed gearbox and runs really well; instructions are dated "5/52".

Here are a couple of newer versions, with direct gearing; plastic cab, pilot and tender body:

The older kit is dated "12/67": the newer is "12/71"...

I have some other stuff I can show, but I'll have to dig it out.

Mark in Oregon

Mantua’s earlier diecast Mikado and Pacific’s had the enclosed gear called power drive. They really did run nice and Mantua even brought it back later for higher priced locos. Early versions had swinging bell on top front of smoke box, metal pilot and cab and the tender was eight wheel with no coal load. All came as kits in the early days with no paint. Nice items to have in a earlier HO collection.

The TYCO car I liked the best was the Derrick car which as far at I know was never a Mantua item. I have three different roads but they are hard to find and usually broken.

@Varneynut posted:

I’ve read that HO started in Europe way back in the 1920’s but I’ve never even seen pictures of any of it.

The first HO set has been often credited to the European tin-plate manufacturer Bing.  In 1922 they introduced the "Table Top" railway where the track gauge was 4mm.   However, it was later classified as OO Here is a link:  https://www.brightontoymuseum....y:Bing_Table_Railway  

Technology improved and later 3.5 mm to foot was established as the official HO standard.

In the United States, George Stock was one of the first to produce HO scale starting in 1930 and he produced kits of mainly PRR prototype locomotives until the early 50's.  These are extremely rare to find.  As shown in one on my previous posts I have been lucky to find 3 of his GG1s over a period of about 12 years and I know of at least 6 in existence.  The steam locomotives are hard to identify.  

Thanks so much Jonathan, for the history and the link to the museum.  I’ve been googling for quite a while and not finding much. It’s nice to know the early history and how it all started. Martin

Atlantis Model company of NY announced they have bought a large lot of tooling (molds) that includes Varney and Adams, both of which did HO plastic kits. No details but might be interesting. 

Here is a early Mantua brass and diecast 4-4-0 Belle of the Eighties, which came unpainted in kit form. Design started prewar but production was only post war. It runs quite well.

And here is a Varney lead boiler (not die cast) 0-8-0 heavy switcher and rare Varney wood and paper slope back tender. This locomotive kit came as a 2-8-0 Consolidated but one could use a Varney step pilot, not use the pilot truck, and build the special tender. This one was modified by the original builder by removing original sand dome and replacing with two after market domes. Note the front one is missing but I have found another. The prewar version of this boiler is cast brass, not lead and being a Reading RR locomotive had the flared out wide Wooten firebox for burning anthracite coal. Varney learned most modelers around the country did not like that firebox so post war was changed to vertical side version. This one runs very good and will pull anything.

Two of the same above. Here’s another and better one of the Mantua

I still enjoy thumbing through some of the classic publications of that era:

@Don Winslow posted:

I still enjoy thumbing through some of the classic publications of that era:

"Of such things dreams are made of."

Rusty

Andre ...your probably gonna hate me but do you remember the Lindberg service station dealer floor plan I told you about 5 or 6 years ago ....the one for 200 dollars ? Well I found another one today and it’s perfectly mint ! and it was only 75.00 dollars...I guess I’m a Lindberg collector now.

I like HO's but I'm not a HO collector. Because I'm partial to GG1's,  I did collect all the GG1's AHM came out with in the yellow and blue boxes w/papers, including the limited edition ones. Total in all is 12.

Wow Bob! You did GREAT!

Mad? Nope... but certainly in awe at the condition of that service center set!

I've seen one similar on eBay for something like $400... but never would I spend such on a set.

Did you find that on eBay? If so, shame on me for not checking for Lindberg stuff for a few days!

Andre

Hello all ..nice thread of old HO ....Vintage HO is a fun place to play ...$$$ go a long way   here area a few link to action packed videos of Vintage HO in action 

lets start at the beginning .

Bing made for American market ..1924-28   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv-G73UJnQQ

George Stock  PRR B6  switcher  1936 ...running past the Stock E6 of 1935 ( first commercially made HO engine ...in America 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXBBqtyUkV8

Mantua's first engine the Reading Consolidation  1938-40  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ShOisaVNw

1938 Gilbert set ..given as a gift Christmas 1938 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igNA8rGyZZI

Post war Varney Pacific 1947 /8 pulling a string of pre war Varney streamliners 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFepZh4MTcE

Penn Line T1  pulling a string of American Beauty cars 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GuUgDXszxU

Cheers Carey 

I don't collect HO at all but when I was in high school I had a large collection of Tenshodo trains. I did lawns and other garden stuff around the area to raise a little money. The guy across the street from our house had a HO layout in an extra bedroom. He was in the Air Force and had been stationed in Japan for a couple of years. I spent a lot of time watching his layout run though I still loved my Lionel. Instead of money he offered me Tenshodo trains. All were still in their boxes and I don't think ever run. He said he had way too much to ever run. I had no idea what they were worth but I loved the paint jobs on these trains. I ended up with a passenger set, many f-3s and a great looking huge electric Great Northern. I didn't have a transformer but an old car battery worked well with snap track on the floor for a layout. When it was time to go to college I sold everything, a box full of Tenshodo for $20. Wish I would have kept them just to display. Don

Great videos of fantastic old HO. Love the Mantua Consolidation. I have one but is painted by previous owner. Took a long time to find a decent one. They just do not show up very often.  The footage of the Stock locos is priceless. I’ve never seen one. Thanks for sharing.

This topic is a time machine! Lol.

While reading this topic I added that years  ago (era 1968) I bought  a couple of transformers for HO. I was most interested in the item as pictured by member GG-1 4877 .it is the MRC hand throttle. Does any one know if that can be used with a current (no pun intended) DC modern power transformer  such as a Tech 2?
Also, might anyone have a good condition operating one for sale? I am still sorry I didn’t buy them on canal street!  I remember that the MRC copper transformer I bought  was used for HO and may have had a slide switch for O as well. Anyone remember that or know.

thanks.

Leroof.

Some vintage vehicles made as accessories for  HO trains.

"Hudson Miniatures , Scranton,PA

H.O. Gauge Sedan, 50 cents

Painted"

Dyna Model Products...

Penn Line semi, the trailers are usually seen as piggyback loads, I think the cabs were usually red. This one was really beat up so I painted it to match the  trailer and added an interior and windows.

-Mark

Andre.

Andre ...

Here is the dealer listing for Missouri from that set you asked about. 

Looks like about 5 places !

Hope this helps...Also to answer another question...that Lindberg parts set came out of Tommy Gilbert’s Hobby Shop in Gettysburg.

I stopped in there this weekend in my travels and got lucky !

These are, and in some cases, were, my collection of the most vintage HO. The 4 40's era Varney Streamliners were mostly rebuilt from basket cases. The Frisco Firefly however was acquired as an almost completed model needing only paint and lettering. Who ever did the mods, my hats off. All 4 of these have found new homes. Yeah, I know, should have kept them. However, the much more rare 50's era Penn Line Crusader I did and it still sits in a case. 

Beautiful streamliners. I’ve two Varneys both unpainted one a Pacific and one a Hudson. With that one the tender kit is more scarce than the locomotive. That’s the best picture I’ve ever seen of the Crusader. Yes rare indeed. Thanks for sharing.

Yeah, I collect HO trains.  I have about 25 or so brass HO locomotives made by PFM, Olympia and various others.  My cars are Mantua OP coach and combine sets (two of them) I have a few Red Ball lead cars and a few Milwaukee Road and C&NW plastic cars.  I guess I am a true collector because most of my brass HO engines have never been run or even painted.  I do belong to an HO modular club but I run new and recent engines.  Does anybody collect On30?   Odd-D

Those who might have read my posts in other sections of the forum will know I collect mainly O gauge, and pretty much clockwork , but occasionally I come across stuff I just cant resist in other scales

So in my rather eclectic "collection" I do have a few weird and wonderful HO ( or OO ) items

Newest to me is a Karl Bub Sonderklasse locomotive ... this is a marvellous little loco that has a FIVE speed clockwork mechanism !

A trio of Distler TD5000 Triebwagons ( Germany)

Trix TTR Loco and tender ( UK )

another Trix TTR combo

A Bandai 414 BC HO train set (Japan)

And its lovely battery box/controller

A Johann Hoefler set ( Germany )

A Bing Tabletop loco and tender ( first 00 loco , the pioneer of the breed ) Some will dispute this citing Mignon ( France ) etc but in my opinion this was the first "worldwide" set ...

It ran on pressed tin track ...

Another clockwork Bing Tabletop loco , truly an amazing bit of miniaturisation at the time ... they also did produce an electric version as well

And the Loco which forced me into HO collecting LOL!

An example of a LIVE STEAM HO hand built loco from the UK ... truly a unique bit of kit

The string out the back is a wire and fibre wick which is fed into a tender containing spirit ( there is a brass tube to stop it flashing back lol )

( Continued )

a 1937 Rico ( Spain) clockwork Renfe loco and carriage

A Mettoy loco and tender from the 50's (UK)

And another ...

Triang Saddletank ...

And the Mech

And another ... ( Tri-ang )

And a clockwork diesel ( rare factory over painted export loco)

Here a Hornby , there a Hornby, everywhere a bloody Hornby !

And a Playcraft ...

Jouef ( France ) and yes .. clockwork...

Mettoy with tin track

Mettoy Spitfire with turn around track .

Jouef bakelite streamliner and track

A Bandai Aerotrain ( japan)

Rare 1949 Pyramid Trackmaster loco in box ... they sold out to Tri-ang/Rovex and the well known Jinty and N2 versions were based on it

The #748 loco was a Tri-Ang product, it came long before they bought out Hornby. The body shell had a “second life” as an electric loco, finally being dropped about 1963. They were a common item, one of the first 2-rail electric locos and still appear on eBay, from time to time. 

I had one that I inherited from my father’s layout, well into the 1970s.

It had an unusual chassis, using some parts (wheels, axles and motors) from the Jinty type chassis but with the motor “in reverse”, under the tank and smokebox for some reason. 

That photo is interesting because it shows the control rods, the reason for the unusual rear spectacle plate. 

@Rockershovel .... Ahhh so you spotted my "deliberate"  mistake LOL!

Of course you are correct ...!

amended! ( I had Hornby on the brain obviously )

Trackmaster were bought by Rovex and became Tri-Ang, not Hornby (they were separate companies at that time). 

The 0-6-2T never appeared in the Tri-Ang range, Hornby Dublo already had such a Model and Tri-Ang wanted something different. 

@sncf231e posted:

I have this Gilbert train set which I think might be called vintage h0? I found and bought this in Belgium; I wonder how it ever arrived there.

Regards

Fred

Probably in the effects of a US serviceman on a “married status” posting. There were large US military presences in U.K. and most European countries after WW2, and long afterwards, and the sheer quantity of stuff they brought with them caused general amazement. 

Here is a trolley from about 1961, maker unknown, which is the only piece I kept when selling all my collection in 2016.  It was bought at Woolworth's 5&10 and still runs perfectly.

Also from the same era a Rivarossi Consolidation with the motor in the tender, which is a replacement due to disastrous zinc pest in the original.  Lastly, an assortment of industrial diesels and a custom painted Rivarossi caboose.

An assortment of old Athearn, Tyco, Marx, Revell, AHM, and a couple I can't remember.

Hi again. Here is a cast brass or bronze prewar Varney boiler to the 2-8-0 Consolidation. Note the early flared Wooten firebox. This loco along with Varney’s 4-6-2 Pacific were the first locomotives they put out . It first came out in February 1938  and according to the Greenberg book was changed to vertical sided firebox in 1939 and also changed to lead for economic reasons.  So that is not a very long production run. It’s based on a Reading RR class I-10 loco. I’m still looking for the prewar chassis etc. to complete this one. I have several complete later versions. It has diecast smoke box front and added details, power reverse, tanks, etc. 

Wow...that's a real piece of history there...

Mark in Oregon

1958 T5805 “The Mighty Mikado Freight Set”

This blue box set was the most expensive set available in the TYCO line up for 1958... $49.95