Buy/Make Anything Cool Lately (Tinplate Version)

My recent Bing finds,  just arrived today.

The 2 on the left I bought previously, metal litho with rivets. The 3 on the right are new

New New York Central Lines 253 Coach, this one has the wood style litho. BW Germany underneath

New York Central Lines 501 Baggage/Mail Car(Orange lettering?). "Bing Miniature Railroad System" on top of both ends. Embossed logo is a "GBN" diamond and "Bavaria"  underneath the diamond

New York Central Lines 259. Came with wheels unlike the other 2 new guys. "Bing Miniature Railroad System" on top of Observation End. Embossed logo underneath is "GBN" diamond with "Bavaria" below the diamond

501 Baggage car Litho detail "The bing Miniature Railroad System" at the top

Bottom of the NYC Lines 259 Observation car

And, can't forget, picked up this Marx Girard station. Whistle doesn't work but price was right and it was in good shape. Like the look much better than my previous station I had here

StevefromPA posted:

And, can't forget, picked up this Marx Girard station. Whistle doesn't work but price was right and it was in good shape. Like the look much better than my previous station I had here

Does the whistle even try to turn? If so maybe just some oil.

Steve

John Smatlak posted:

A question about Flyer brushes- when I got this locomotive it didn't run. Applying a little pressure on one of the brushes got things to start turning, so I took off the wires and removed the tiny little outer cap (that rests in the end of the spring) and then the spring inside each brush tube. I then turned the engine on its side and gave it a few taps expecting some carbon brushes (or remains thereof) to fall out. Nothing came out. I tried a little lifting from the commutator side using a flat rule, but nothing comes out. So I re-tensioned the one spring that was obviously weak, put it back together and it started running fine. Since it started running I didn't want to explore further and take off the brush plate. Question- what's in those brush tubes? A conventional carbon brush? a brass one?

Thanks!

 

Conventional carbon/copper brush... sometimes they get stuck with all the grunge in the tube, a good cleaning will solve that.

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

StevefromPA posted:

And, can't forget, picked up this Marx Girard station. Whistle doesn't work but price was right and it was in good shape. Like the look much better than my previous station I had here

Does the whistle even try to turn? If so maybe just some oil.

Steve

 

@Steve “Papa” Eastman unfortunarely I bought it w/o the whistle and there are no binding posts to boot. The condition is really good, and like I said price was nice too, but I’m kind of kicking myself for not shelling out a little more because the whistle would be cool. Might try to sell this one to a few people I know locally and then buy one with a whistle OR buy one on the cheap that’s not in good shape with a whistle that works. Thanks for the help and advice though, much appreciated my friend.

StevefromPA posted:

 

 

@Steve “Papa” Eastman unfortunarely I bought it w/o the whistle and there are no binding posts to boot. The condition is really good, and like I said price was nice too, but I’m kind of kicking myself for not shelling out a little more because the whistle would be cool. Might try to sell this one to a few people I know locally and then buy one with a whistle OR buy one on the cheap that’s not in good shape with a whistle that works. Thanks for the help and advice though, much appreciated my friend.

It will be a good space filler until you find one with a whistle. Now to find the nicer looking Oak Park station.

Steve

FRENCHTRAINS posted:

Just bought a nice little 060 steam engine made by ETS in Czechoslovakia. Those ETS trains are very neat models and quite running engines.

Daniel

 

@FRENCHTRAINS agree with Dennis. ETS has always caught my eye. The quality of the materials and designs are just really neat. Enjoy your loco!

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

StevefromPA posted:

 

 

@Steve “Papa” Eastman unfortunarely I bought it w/o the whistle and there are no binding posts to boot. The condition is really good, and like I said price was nice too, but I’m kind of kicking myself for not shelling out a little more because the whistle would be cool. Might try to sell this one to a few people I know locally and then buy one with a whistle OR buy one on the cheap that’s not in good shape with a whistle that works. Thanks for the help and advice though, much appreciated my friend.

It will be a good space filler until you find one with a whistle. Now to find the nicer looking Oak Park station.

Steve

The Oak Park Station is certainly an eye catcher, and I also just like the name a lot more- feels like "Oak Park" could fit just about anywhere whereas to the unknowing "Girard" just doesn't fit as well. Sorry for being over analytical, just finished a long day of work and my brain is still in that analytical mode.

That said, I'd love to get a Marx Grand Central. Obviously different than Girard, Oak Park & the larger Glendale station- but that one is just really neat.

That said, I'm expecting 2 smaller prewar tin litho stations/depots coming in the mail by Saturday. One is the Flyer Town depot that says in a litho'd crate on the front " from American Flyer Mfg. Co. Chicago Ill." the other is a Hafner Glen Ellyn Station. Both were on the cheap and in decent condition so I'll be adding some Illinois flavor to my layout.

Lionel 831 from the local jumble sale:

Nice example, early version.

I had the opportunity to visit ETS trains in Prague two years ago. Great people, warm and welcoming, nice showroon. They gave myself and my family a tour and naturally I walked out with quite a few items. Great quality and a wide variety of models to choose from.

Miket 

This arrived in the mail today. It is an American Flyer 3115, with holes punched on both sides. Would anyone know when American Flyer started punching these holes in the sides of the 3115?

Lionel2056 posted:

This arrived in the mail today. It is an American Flyer 3115, with holes punched on both sides. Would anyone know when American Flyer started punching these holes in the sides of the 3115?

I think the oval holes in the sides were done sometime after 1928 (as I have some engines without the oval holes), but don't know the exact date.  The hole is for oiling the armature axis / gears.

Rob English posted:

John Smatlak posted:

A question about Flyer brushes- when I got this locomotive it didn't run. Applying a little pressure on one of the brushes got things to start turning, so I took off the wires and removed the tiny little outer cap (that rests in the end of the spring) and then the spring inside each brush tube. I then turned the engine on its side and gave it a few taps expecting some carbon brushes (or remains thereof) to fall out. Nothing came out. I tried a little lifting from the commutator side using a flat rule, but nothing comes out. So I re-tensioned the one spring that was obviously weak, put it back together and it started running fine. Since it started running I didn't want to explore further and take off the brush plate. Question- what's in those brush tubes? A conventional carbon brush? a brass one?

Thanks!

 

Conventional carbon/copper brush... sometimes they get stuck with all the grunge in the tube, a good cleaning will solve that.

Thanks-  it's what I had assumed but I appreciate the confirmation. I've encountered many a stuck brush, if it stops running I'll go in there and flush it out or pull out the brush plate as required. Thanks again.

Picked this gray set 352E Sunday at our TTOS meet. Extremely nice and straight but needs polish. Runs well. Note the black drivers.

Steve

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Picked this gray set 352E Sunday at our TTOS meet. Extremely nice and straight but needs polish. Runs well. Note the black drivers.

Steve

That's a beaut, Steve!

Picked these up over the last week:

Flyer Town Depot & Hafner Glen Ellyn Station. Feel like the bases have been modified but they look nice on the layout. For the price, it was right and they look nice:

Flyer Town Depot off the spur

Hafner Glen Ellyn & Flyer Town Depot(rear view)

Glen Ellyn on the layout, upgrade over my previous structure.

Side view of the Hafner Glen Ellyn Station

Picked these 3 up about a week ago, just arrived today. My first 8 wheel Bing, a Bing crossing in need or "some" cleaning up(suggestions appreciated!), and an older Ives 51 Pennsylvania Lines Newark- just liked the way it looked:

Bing American Mkt 425 Express Service Baggage NYC Lines 8 wheel

Embossed logo on bottom of 425 baggage

Roof of Bing 425- something tells me its not the original. Compared it to the top of my 4 wheel Bings(American & German Market), Marklin, Ives, Lionel and Flyer prewar- none have, I'm sorry I can't remember the word(I think it's vents?), but "bumps" that big

Bing Level Crossing, paint is flaking but I liked it and that's what counts

Finally this little Ives Pennsylvania Lines No 51 Newark. Came w/o roof but it's a neat little car. Couplers riveted in. Everything matches up well. Don't know if I'll be running it much but being from PA and considering it's age, happy to add this guy

Think I was watching that crossing, nice finds!

StevefromPA posted:

Picked these 3 up about a week ago, just arrived today. My first 8 wheel Bing, a Bing crossing in need or "some" cleaning up(suggestions appreciated!), and an older Ives 51 Pennsylvania Lines Newark- just liked the way it looked:

 

Bing American Mkt 425 Express Service Baggage NYC Lines 8 wheel

Embossed logo on bottom of 425 baggage

 

 

 

I couldn't make out the wording on the Bing baggage car...Made in ???

Nice purchases. I like the Glen Ellyn station, too. 

Tom 

Thanks, Dennis! It's 2 rail so I'm trying to find a way to integrate it into a 3 rail layout, although I'd like to give clock-work a try and I'll have time with my summer break about to hit. Open to any suggestions! Tried running modern locos(distance between contact rollers) and they went over it but there was a bit of a bump as it rises up in the middle. 

Finally, picture of current tinplate consist. Don't judge the kayout to harshly, work has caused a bit of clutter

@PRR8976 thank you. Glen Ellyn is smaller but fits nicely... To answer your question, the Bing 425 Baggage says Made in Bavaria, although it also has "The Bing Miniature Railroad System" litho'd on the top of each end.

Another telltale.

A few weeks ago I was inspired by another forum member making a telltale from a broken street light, so I made one. ( by the way I've changed that hideous finial).

I needed/ wanted more than one and since broken street likes aren't that easy to come by I looked for other items to make more from. Below is what I found.

This one is made using the metal base from a Marx searchlight ( that I cannibalized for another project) A square dowel ( 12 inch) , a wooden craft stick, A piece of brass rod, some craft chain and split rings and a small brass finial from Home Depot. The parts used are shown below.

This took almost no time to build, the longest thing was waiting for the paint to dry. While it is not as authentic as the first one it does look good and is easy to duplicate.  Now I'll have to think of a use for the girder part of the cannibalized Marx searchlight tower that is left especially since I'll soon have a few more in my junk box.

The telltale looks good, maybe you can use the tower section as a flat car load?

Rusty

StevefromPA posted:

Thanks, Dennis! It's 2 rail so I'm trying to find a way to integrate it into a 3 rail layout, although I'd like to give clock-work a try and I'll have time with my summer break about to hit. Open to any suggestions! Tried running modern locos(distance between contact rollers) and they went over it but there was a bit of a bump as it rises up in the middle. 

Finally, picture of current tinplate consist. Don't judge the kayout to harshly, work has caused a bit of clutter

Not aure this will work but maybe try using a section of piano wire the same diameter as a track pin and install that between the adjacent three rail sections with some tape under the wire so it does not short out.

@Dennis Holler hmm sounds interesting- worth a shot. Suggestion much appreciated- when I get some piano wire I'll let you know how it goes. The rise in the middle is rather high but it's possible that the underside of the engine I was using was hitting that portion because it was going from a realtrax tubular adapter directly to the crossing whereas if it was tubular and then the crossing the transition would've been smoother. My Williams GP-9 didn't make it because of contact roller placement but my RMT buddys did. Again, thanks!

I painted this Tootsietoy kerosene truck. Next time I'll use primer. I think the color might have come out more even had I bothered to try to find where I left it. Never painted a die cast car before. It's probably small for O scale, but doesn't seem too out of place next to my Marx train.

SteveFromPa  The base on your Hafner station looks like it is an American Flyer base.  The Hafner base has rolled edges and is a little lower.

Hafner Station

Philipp posted:

I painted this Tootsietoy kerosene truck. Next time I'll use primer. I think the color might have come out more even had I bothered to try to find where I left it. Never painted a die cast car before. It's probably small for O scale, but doesn't seem too out of place next to my Marx train.

Now take a picture of shell on side of tank car and using decal paper make decals for the truck with your computer and inkjet printer 

Philipp posted:

I painted this Tootsietoy kerosene truck. Next time I'll use primer. I think the color might have come out more even had I bothered to try to find where I left it. Never painted a die cast car before. It's probably small for O scale, but doesn't seem too out of place next to my Marx train.

Nice!  I have been buying the 5.5 to 6 inch Tootsietoy cars lately and they are a bit larger and seem to go better with the O gauge trains.

I am planning on painting several of the Tootsietoy items this summer, as I am primarily buying junkers or already repainted inexpensive items.  

NWL

Nation Wide Lines posted:

Philipp posted:

I painted this Tootsietoy kerosene truck. Next time I'll use primer. I think the color might have come out more even had I bothered to try to find where I left it. Never painted a die cast car before. It's probably small for O scale, but doesn't seem too out of place next to my Marx train.

Nice!  I have been buying the 5.5 to 6 inch Tootsietoy cars lately and they are a bit larger and seem to go better with the O gauge trains.

I am planning on painting several of the Tootsietoy items this summer, as I am primarily buying junkers or already repainted inexpensive items.  

NWL

I’d be interested to see how they look with your trains. I just stripped a 5.5in 55 Packard Tootsietoy that might look good with O scale. Junkers and repaints are also my choice.

Philipp posted:

Nation Wide Lines posted:

Philipp posted:

I painted this Tootsietoy kerosene truck. Next time I'll use primer. I think the color might have come out more even had I bothered to try to find where I left it. Never painted a die cast car before. It's probably small for O scale, but doesn't seem too out of place next to my Marx train.

Nice!  I have been buying the 5.5 to 6 inch Tootsietoy cars lately and they are a bit larger and seem to go better with the O gauge trains.

I am planning on painting several of the Tootsietoy items this summer, as I am primarily buying junkers or already repainted inexpensive items.  

NWL

I’d be interested to see how they look with your trains. I just stripped a 5.5in 55 Packard Tootsietoy that might look good with O scale. Junkers and repaints are also my choice.

Here are some of the cars and trucks that I have bought so far.  Just kind of grouped in one area.

Some of the Tootsietoy repaints 3 Jaguars, 2 Mercedes, Austin-Healy, and MG

Tootsietoy Caddy and Hubley Rambler wagon.

Couple of Oldsmobile convertibles and Ford Wagon

Some of the items needing repainting in the front row from right to left, Tootsietoy Lincoln Capri, Porsche Spyder, Buick Wagon.  In the back row from left to right a Hubley Lincoln Continental, Hubley Ranchero, and Tootsietoy Ford Wagon.

They look relatively good and should be easy to paint.  Can also have multiple items, just paint them differing colors.  

NWL

Got this 255E project in the mail the other day. Now waiting its turn. Nice straight frame worth the price of admission.

very nice find Dennis!

Dennis, I know this may sound like sacrilege but have you ever considered restoring one of those engines to running condition and replacing the brass and copper with either new parts or polishing the original but leaving all of the rust and  discoloration on the drive rods, wheels, chassis, and superstructure alone?  If you did, you could claim your stable of locomotives has a true-to-prototype weathered engine only instead of you having to take the time to do the weathering you let father time do it for you. 

Dennis Holler posted:

Got this 255E project in the mail the other day. Now waiting its turn. Nice straight frame worth the price of admission.

 

Looks like the start of some fun. Interesting cross shaped fastener holding the drive rod to the rear drive wheel - what is that called? And what tool is needed to tighten/loosen without damage?

George

Wow Dennis, you are "all over the map", so to speak! 

Is there any form/style/scale of model train you don't work on?  

Mark in Oregon

Dennis Holler posted:

Got this 255E project in the mail the other day. Now waiting its turn. Nice straight frame worth the price of admission.

 

Dennis,

Does she run?

Either way, good luck.

Tom 

Robert S. Butler posted:

Dennis, I know this may sound like sacrilege but have you ever considered restoring one of those engines to running condition and replacing the brass and copper with either new parts or polishing the original but leaving all of the rust and  discoloration on the drive rods, wheels, chassis, and superstructure alone?  If you did, you could claim your stable of locomotives has a true-to-prototype weathered engine only instead of you having to take the time to do the weathering you let father time do it for you. 

It is very tempting to say the least!

Strummer posted:

Wow Dennis, you are "all over the map", so to speak! 

Is there any form/style/scale of model train you don't work on?  

Mark in Oregon

Well its a curse but I seen to get drawn all over the place...

I'd be tempted to get that one running and leave as is.