Buy/Make Anything Cool Lately (Tinplate Version)

What Gargraves eliminated was the STD Gauge sectional track.

Steve

Hello to Steve PaPa Eastman! It was your video that got me interested in dual gauge track in a more serious manner and I had everything ready to do it the way you did. Then I read another post where a member discussed the Gargraves track so I called them. The rest is history now and I  think I saved myself a lot of work that is better for me in winter. I keep about 4 acres here on the farm mowed and it just keeps raining. You know "Just add water".

BudE. posted:

Hello to Steve PaPa Eastman! It was your video that got me interested in dual gauge track in a more serious manner and I had everything ready to do it the way you did. Then I read another post where a member discussed the Gargraves track so I called them. The rest is history now and I  think I saved myself a lot of work that is better for me in winter. I keep about 4 acres here on the farm mowed and it just keeps raining. You know "Just add water".

I had the Gargraves 5 rail, but did not have the room for 72" curves which is the minimum they recommended. I just could not get smooth bends down to the 57-60" range I needed so I went with the tubular method.

Steve

I read that Papa Steve, likes aren't taking for me; I thought those endend up at rmt after, but could , as it apears, easily be wrong. Thanks.

Got this funny little custom searchlight car with some other stuff. The guy mounted a Marx searchlight base onto a Flyer 3/16ths tank car frame.  Funny tvat the tabs line right up!

that is pretty slick!

Ok one pick, my huge buy included three 1666 locos, an 1130, a few other shells and motors and Beardogs Kusan Alco. The gang car might clean up too, it's just dirty. The guy put all the plastic stuff on the bottom but be bubblewrapped it so much it didn't seem to matter.  Box was 30 pounds. I almost feel guilty except I have done the same thing in the past.

beardog posted:

save the alco and gang car for me if you can

John

Hey John, You can send me a text or email, 76five  four uno tres- 68I9.  Got the stuff, looks pretty good actually.

After years of hunting I FINALLY acquired the USTTC Green Boxcab for the Stephen Girard set.

It has been a slow process to put this set together.  I first found the Coral Isle #522 observation car in an auction several years ago.  The other two cars were auctioned off separately and I only won this one.

In April 2016 a friend I met through this forum had a friend who had the remaining 2 cars I needed for sale and he was able to set up the deal for me to acquire the #520 Liberty Bell and #521 Stephen Girard.

The only catch in acquiring the engine was that I had to buy it as a set with the 3 cars so now I have an extra 3 car set.

And I just found out that there is a fourth car, the # 519 Dining Car.

The hunt continues!

John Smatlak posted:

Several recent interesting small items have appeared on the layout:

1) 1939 Wyandotte Roi-Tan Cigars promo piece- advertising Sophie Tucker's CBS radio show.

2) Two different Flyer crossing signals. The Flyer crossing signals are "S" gauge but I must say I think they look great with O scale tinplate. Not that I don't like the "Big" Lionel crossing gates and signals, but they really are "big".

3) Also new is the brick roadway under the viaduct, found a short roll of the brick material at a recent TTOS meet; I'm wondering what others have used to create brick streets on their layouts?

4) And lastly, visible in the background is an interesting scratch-built transformer array that makes a perfect complement to the Lionel power station. It's stamped on the underside of the wooden base- it appears to say "Dube's Railroad Miniatures" in Marrietta PA. Very "old school" O gauge model railroading I thought.

Ejoy!

 

John Could you please tell us a little about the silver streamliner train on what looks like wind up track ? As well as the over head cattery line,  Thanking you in advance  Gary NQDY

Gary- the streamliner is one of several Joustra Autorails that I have in my collection. Joustra (French) made them in both clockwork and battery versions, in several different colors and configurations. The battery version used an old type of European battery, so this one I converted to run on a trio of AA batteries (which just fit inside the original battery compartment along with their holder). Some additional photos are attached.

The overhead trolley wire and poles are a mystery- I found it several years ago on Ebay along with some flat tin track, see photos below, perhaps someone here knows?

It has no name on it. I've actually submitted photos of it to the Who Done It? column in the TCA Quarterly mag in hopes of finding an answer.

Dennis Holler posted:

beardog posted:

save the alco and gang car for me if you can

John

Hey John, You can send me a text or email, 76five  four uno tres- 68I9.  Got the stuff, looks pretty good actually.

did you get my text or email, I sent the email to the address you have on the forum

John Smatlak posted:

Gary- the streamliner is one of several Joustra Autorails that I have in my collection. Joustra (French) made them in both clockwork and battery versions, in several different colors and configurations. The battery version used an old type of European battery, so this one I converted to run on a trio of AA batteries (which just fit inside the original battery compartment along with their holder). Some additional photos are attached.

The overhead trolley wire and poles are a mystery- I found it several years ago on Ebay along with some flat tin track, see photos below, perhaps someone here knows?

 

 

It has no name on it. I've actually submitted photos of it to the Who Done It? column in the TCA Quarterly mag in hopes of finding an answer.

Very cool John

Nice John, I have the silver joustra in the three and the two unit. I believe Joustra

called it the Flesche de Argent, or Silver Arrow. 

Also have a red and cream and green and cream two unit

Joe Lyons posted:

After years of hunting I FINALLY acquired the USTTC Green Boxcab for the Stephen Girard set.

It has been a slow process to put this set together.  I first found the Coral Isle #522 observation car in an auction several years ago.  The other two cars were auctioned off separately and I only won this one.

In April 2016 a friend I met through this forum had a friend who had the remaining 2 cars I needed for sale and he was able to set up the deal for me to acquire the #520 Liberty Bell and #521 Stephen Girard.

The only catch in acquiring the engine was that I had to buy it as a set with the 3 cars so now I have an extra 3 car set.

And I just found out that there is a fourth car, the # 519 Dining Car.

The hunt continues!

 

Congrats Joe, very cool.

Hafner set 102 from the 1930 catalog.

Steve

Hi: in the one picture of the layout there is a brick roadway.I think it is a dept. 56 piece I have a few feet I use every year on my christmas display.I do not think they make it anymore but i've seen some on Ebay.Have to watch out though Dept 56 has a few different versions of brick roadway.

Thanks for asking about that streamliner again. I thought it was going to be a new build till I saw the catenary   

I found a roll of rubber brick road at a dollar tree store identical size and color to some I've had for 40+ years, except for a thin fleece backing on the new. I think it was Lifelike back then, all the other old packages from that old hobby store were Lifelike. The old is brittle and bricks chip off easy now; it was nice to get more.

What are the notable differences in the Dept 56 versions.

Recently arrived Flyer O gauge Columbia Passenger set in brown with 3020 4-4-4 boxcab electric locomotive, #3000 baggage car and a pair of #3001 Pullmans (one with rear marker lights). Ran great right out of the box! They're all in very nice condition, except for the roof on one of the Pullman cars, however they are a substantial upgrade from my previous set of brown Columbia cars (seen in the photos on the track behind the Flyer train, led by a Marklin loco), which were heavy on the "play wear".

lol, John, just let me know if you want to "junk" that beater set with the old Marklin loco....

more details in the Weekend Tinplate thread

Four lumber cars from a recent large auction lot.

A very nice, complete AF 3006 car, an orange AF 3216 missing its load, a green AF 406 car with curly cue couplers, and an Ives 123 snuck into this lot. I had to buy couplers, chains and journals for the Ives car and still need to stain some of the lumber, but it's a nice find!

Lots of other cars, tankers and cranes to still unpack.

George

Made my own transition car.  Nothing fancy but does the job nicely .

Finally found a Hornby lever frame / signal cabin combo in good condition. I previously had one of the signal cabins on the layout, and now this new arrangement has taken its place. Next I'll have to add some simulated throw rods to the linkages. This would have been a neat accessory to have all hooked up to your clockwork set back in the day! Here are some photos along with a pdf found on the internet of a 1926 Hornby publication on the lever frame and the signal system (with thanks to the individual who scanned it). You'll find the pdf below the photos in the "Files" area of the post.

Love to see the old tin plate stuff !!  Hafner !  Marklin !  Hornby !  Bring it on.

George S posted:

Four lumber cars from a recent large auction lot.

A very nice, complete AF 3006 car, an orange AF 3216 missing its load, a green AF 406 car with curly cue couplers, and an Ives 123 snuck into this lot. I had to buy couplers, chains and journals for the Ives car and still need to stain some of the lumber, but it's a nice find!

Lots of other cars, tankers and cranes to still unpack.

George

Oops! Missed one.

This was described as C-2 on eBay. The post said it was missing both doors and the roof needed repainting. 

I could tell one door was there. I had a replacement brake wheel from Port Lines. The roof had some paint specs that cleaned off and then I polished it. The Litho is very good and there is no rust for a 90 year old car. It is missing one door and door handles, but this is the car I was missing. Thanks to Robert for telling me to pass. With patience, I saved $300 as the price dropped over subsequent weeks of not selling!

I will add a fake litho door to the other side with a card stock photo, and I will enjoy this car in my AF large litho box car collection.

George

George S posted:

This was described as C-2 on eBay. The post said it was missing both doors and the roof needed repainting. 

 

I could tell one door was there. I had a replacement brake wheel from Port Lines. The roof had some paint specs that cleaned off and then I polished it. The Litho is very good and there is no rust for a 90 year old car. It is missing one door and door handles, but this is the car I was missing. Thanks to Robert for telling me to pass. With patience, I saved $300 as the price dropped over subsequent weeks of not selling!

I will add a fake litho door to the other side with a card stock photo, and I will enjoy this car in my AF large litho box car collection.

George

By the way, this is my problem with TCA grading standards. C-2 is "restoration required". It's one step higher than "poor". The problem is that the standards are not MICE "mutually exclusive collectively exhaustive" and they are too subjective given the large variation in manufacturing techniques used in making toy trains. This seller was way too conservative in grading this piece. With only a little surface rust on a small part of one side and very minor scratches, this should grade much higher, but it is missing a door and a handle. Does that mean restoration is required? The roof did not need reprinting, so he was wrong there, and I have seen roofs in much worse condition. My non-expert opinion is that the grading is almost useless. Two grades would be sufficient, collector grade and not collector grade. You could add one more, mint or new. Just an observation from a not so experienced "collector"...

George

I appreciate your point George but hey, the up side is you got a nice car!

  The grading curve has dropped because the number available has dropped as well. Folks are more willing to accept a lot more wear on them.

    That one wasn't "perfect" in operation nor appearance. It was definitely in need of restoration. Tin plate collectors were always the toughest train graders imo. I wouldn't have given it a four and it needed cleaning to have a chance get to three. 

   It is also a collectors guide, not an operators. Think of shelf queens being your only goal. 

  On the other end of the spectrum you have C10, you'll likely never see any of in any make, year, model.

I see the rest as C-9 are "exceptional", C8 scuff(s), C-7 scratch, c6 2 flaws, c5 wear, c4 heavy wear, c3 significant wear/damage, c2 poor to junk(savable) c1 parts junker(non savable) 

As an operator if it rolls I'm quiet happy

Adriatic posted:

  The grading curve has dropped because the number available has dropped as well. Folks are more willing to accept a lot more wear on them.

    That one wasn't "perfect" in operation nor appearance. It was definitely in need of restoration. Tin plate collectors were always the toughest train graders imo. I wouldn't have given it a four and it needed cleaning to have a chance get to three. 

   It is also a collectors guide, not an operators. Think of shelf queens being your only goal. 

  On the other end of the spectrum you have C10, you'll likely never see any of in any make, year, model.

I see the rest as C-9 are "exceptional", C8 scuff(s), C-7 scratch, c6 2 flaws, c5 wear, c4 heavy wear, c3 significant wear/damage, c2 poor to junk(savable) c1 parts junker(non savable) 

As an operator if it rolls I'm quiet happy

I guess I didn't quite finish my point. The grading was supposed to guide price and valuation. However, this C-2 is worth more to me and many others than a C-3 or C-4 that needs painting, has a lot of rust or has litho beyond repair. It just needed a door and brake wheel. Sometimes a piece of junk is worth more than something C-4 because it has one perfect condition part and some other hard to find parts...

You bring up a good point that this issue is much more of a prewar tinplate issue due to rarity. Maybe the grades and pricing work better in postwar and modern eras...

George

Honestly, its the main reason let my membership lapse years ago. I honestly felt it was insane to argue over perception of grading and witnessed such discussions many times. They get very heated on occasion, just crazyness to me I guess. If a guy is that into defining his definition of condition, that’s great.  Me, I’m going to run some trains. I pay what I feel comfy with based on similar recent sales. I like what George has done and frankly I think its the same approach I use. Works for me. That said I will and do watch from afar to learn and document details etc. I may not want to argue with the condition guys, but they offer a lot of valuable insight and information that is useful in my decision making.  It all works out in the end.

Of coarse personal worth trumps any guide.

Parts value is a separate issue, but obviously should be a consideration in price value of an item. The speed of markets today can easily leave you wondering what to believe a value to be. E.g. on auction sites it isnt hard to need 3 or 4 parts but find a whole example cheaper than than a few parts. Marx motors w/plastic shells are an example of how strange it gets. You can often find them cheaper with shell intact and running than bare and needing attention. 

I have always found that if the TCA guy is trying to sell it to you its c7, if he is trying to 

buy it from you its c2. Got real tired of hearing "I'm TCA" like that was something special.

Some one else made a good point on parts. I recently  needed a lead truck and one marker

light for my 1668. About $20 plus shipping. I ended up buying a 1688 for $29 plus

shipping. Took the parts I needed and sold the rest of the 1688 for $40. 

beardog posted:

I have always found that if the TCA guy is trying to sell it to you its c7, if he is trying to 

buy it from you its c2. Got real tired of hearing "I'm TCA" like that was something special.

Some one else made a good point on parts. I recently  needed a lead truck and one marker

light for my 1668. About $20 plus shipping. I ended up buying a 1688 for $29 plus

shipping. Took the parts I needed and sold the rest of the 1688 for $40. 

 

That is exactly my experience!

there are some old car guys like that around here...if they have it, it's worth gold...if I have it...they want it cheep. I've got a couple buddies that I've been trading parts with for years. Never a dollar exchanged between us. 

George S posted:

This was described as C-2 on eBay. The post said it was missing both doors and the roof needed repainting. 

I could tell one door was there. I had a replacement brake wheel from Port Lines. The roof had some paint specs that cleaned off and then I polished it. The Litho is very good and there is no rust for a 90 year old car. It is missing one door and door handles, but this is the car I was missing. 

I will add a fake litho door to the other side with a card stock photo, and I will enjoy this car in my AF large litho box car collection.

George

I spent some time today making a door for the other side of my AF 3008 GN car.

I cut a piece of tin the size of the door and bent the bottom edge to fit in the door glide. I then printed a digital photo of the door on HP photo paper and sealed it with Krylon Digital Preserve-It.

I then used super glue to glue the photo to the front of the door.

I used a magic marker to make the back of the door black to match the other side.

Here is the new door installed.

Here it is with the roof.

I'm pretty happy how this car cleaned up.

George

Nice work George!

that looks great George!

Nice to see your work George, very well done !

I have repainted my Lionel 763e, not a perfect match but it will work for me.  Still have to find a matching tender, 2263w.

Daniel