Buy/Make Anything Cool Lately (Tinplate Version)

Robert,

  They all came out very well. Maybe the engineer needs a little more soot, though? 

Tom 

Picked up a couple Blue Comet cars wrapped in 1964 newspaper!

A rusty cast mailbox cleaned and painted. A bit oversized, just perfect for a toy layout.

Steve

Great work

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

A rusty cast mailbox cleaned and painted. A bit oversized, just perfect for a toy layout.

Steve

Great work Steve! I love the way it looks now. Great work 👍

Another roundtuit from the junk pile out of the way.

Steve

Oh Boy Oh boy Oh Boy....

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Another roundtuit from the junk pile out of the way.

Steve

121499 Dorfan?

jhz563 posted:

Oh Boy Oh boy Oh Boy....

As Brad Pitt once said... “What’s in the box?”

The answer is an early Christmas train..literally 

The main point of this purchase was to continue my foolish quest of acquiring one of every mth made 2816 ever manufactured.  A few of those are only available in sets, including this one.

 The engine needs a little tlc, but overall is gorgeous.  It does have some interesting idiosyncrasies.  It is labeled as a 263e, but comes up programmed as a 260e.  I only have a ps3 version for comparison, but this ps2 version has skinny traction tires that I wasn’t expecting at all.

It has a pretty neat set of sounds. In fact the jolly old elf in a red suit himself makes an audible appearance.

I haven’t checked out box car yet, and the caboose is very nice, although the wiring is a mess, which I knew before I purchased. It also came with the power supply and the tracks.  Overall very happy with this purchase from a fellow forum member.

jhz563 posted:

jhz563 posted:

 

Oh Boy Oh boy Oh Boy....

As Brad Pitt once said... “What’s in the box?”

The answer is an early Christmas train..literally 

The main point of this purchase was to continue my foolish quest of acquiring one of every mth made 2816 ever manufactured.  A few of those are only available in sets, including this one.

 The engine needs a little tlc, but overall is gorgeous.  It does have some interesting idiosyncrasies.  It is labeled as a 263e, but comes up programmed as a 260e.  I only have a ps3 version for comparison, but this ps2 version has skinny traction tires that I wasn’t expecting at all.

It has a pretty neat set of sounds. In fact the jolly old elf in a red suit himself makes an audible appearance.

I haven’t checked out box car yet, and the caboose is very nice, although the wiring is a mess, which I knew before I purchased. It also came with the power supply and the tracks.  Overall very happy with this purchase from a fellow forum member.

 

That’s an awesome set! It’s a 263e because it has the 12 wheel tender. The engine looks like my 260e, which is an awesome puller. Your engine sounds are cool.

George

I found these Standard gauge lights, O gauge taxi and S gauge bumpers at a yard sale today.

$15 for all. I'm happy

Rich Wiemann posted:

I’m in the process of planning my track layout for a Lionel Standard and Prewar Tinplate O vintage table which will be 5x9.... Looking for any other suggestions or inspiration.

Thanks in advance.

 

Can you get wider radius track and eliminate the single straight sections at the ends? Everything will run and look better on a wider curve.

Roy I just finished the construction of the bench work and table top, which expanded to 7 x 10 which received its second coat of paint. I added an outside 072 loop to accommodate my Hiawatha set and stretched the size of the standard track. The inside O loop will be able to be reconfigured from a figure 8 to two independent circles or one larger loop.  

. 

@Rich Wiemann looks good so far! Happy to see you're taking the time to plan- wish I would've done that/know what I know now with my current layout! Regardless, looks like it'll be very impressive when it's finished! I like the look with the expanded outer loop. Also, personally, I like the idea of having 2 independent circles on the inner loop since you're doing O-gauge there but I think that having even the 3 car passenger consist in your picture might make such a loop feel small-especially if those are 610 Pullmans. Depends on how big those o-gauge consists will be in terms of car size and consist length. I'm sure it'll look great when it's all said and done!

Robert S. Butler posted:

Welllll....  a few weeks ago I managed to find another addition to the dual marked KB/BW freight car line - this one a tank car.

 

Very nice, @Robert S. Butler ! I, for some reason, like the dual marked KB/BW trains, ever since I bought one over the summer. Have always tried to keep my eye out for more. That said, again, nice find! Are you pursuing these types of cars?

Arne posted:

The rarest Bing 9 1/2 "coach, „SR" Southern Railroad, was never in a catalog.

Found with slight damage

Model was cleaned and polished. The rust was removed. A missing door handle has been replaced the bogies re-attached and a buffer changed.

Marked with Bing

 

Arne

Wow @Arne , nice Bing score!!!! Awesome find, congrats. Beautiful coach as well, I must add- great work cleaning it up.

Haven't been posting much due mainly to work but with "the season" coming back along, here are some recent pick-ups:

1st up-Bing(540/10) American style station from the outside edge of the layout. Bit of a hodge podge in this area, CURRENTLY. Just waiting for some things to come together. Station looks the same on the other side, in prettynice shape IMO. Like it better than most of my pre-war American stations of this size.

Next, technically not tinplate, I guess, so don't throw stones- but it's Marx and I've always wanted at least something from their plastic E7's- even if it's just an unpowered B-unit!

Finally, bought this Kraus-Fandor freight wagon rather cheap. Couplers aren't original, there's a hole in the bottom as if someone tried to put a light inside.

Considering Kraus-Fandor was supposedly done producing by 1936, I don't understand why this freight wagon or others I have seen of a similar ilk have the " MADE IN GERMANYU.S. ZONE" message surrounding the Fandor "JKCO" logo. I did buy it despite seeing this, however. Anyone have any answers?

Also of note, body is noticeably taller and wider than 1910s-1930s 4 wheel Bing, Ives, Bub, Distler, Marx, some Lionel, etc... Even when it comes to some 8 wheel cars from those makers, still looks "odd"-even when accounting for a European look vs American Look. Below it sits between an Ives Gondola and a 1950s Marklin Baggage car, which, IMO, is the car which is looks best next to.

StevefromPA posted:

Finally, bought this Kraus-Fandor freight wagon rather cheap. Couplers aren't original, there's a hole in the bottom as if someone tried to put a light inside.

Considering Kraus-Fandor was supposedly done producing by 1936, I don't understand why this freight wagon or others I have seen of a similar ilk have the " MADE IN GERMANYU.S. ZONE" message surrounding the Fandor "JKCO" logo. I did buy it despite seeing this, however. Anyone have any answers?

Also of note, body is noticeably taller and wider than 1910s-1930s 4 wheel Bing, Ives, Bub, Distler, Marx, some Lionel, etc... Even when it comes to some 8 wheel cars from those makers, still looks "odd"-even when accounting for a European look vs American Look. Below it sits between an Ives Gondola and a 1950s Marklin Baggage car, which, IMO, is the car which is looks best next to.

For political reasons Kraus was closed in 1938. Some tools was used by the manufacturer Keim later. The US Zone logo was used after 1945.

Arne

I found this mess on FB marketplace.  Car roofs look a bit questionable but overall it is the whole set.  It is the American Flyer #322 1939 Large Hudson freight set.

And the Catalog page from 1939.  The only bummer is I have to wait till I get back from China later next week to unpack it as it won't arrive till after I depart for the trip

The good bit is I had been trying to run into a good deal on the crane in this set for a while and now I get the whole set for $90 plus shipping

Another project on the way including the 432 or 4322 Atlantic Steamer ad a bunch of cars.

While at one of the bandit meets at York, I picked up a boxed American Flyer Champion set.  The set number is 977 TW, which is a number that I don't have information about. 

The set of cars that came with the set are the same cars that are shown with Set 982, which shows a lithographed Hiawatha engine, tender, and 7 freight cars, including: Texaco tank, container car, log car, box car, Pennsylvania hopper, gondola, and caboose.  This is the largest (counting number of cars only) set that American Flyer ever sold.  

In examining the engine, I noted that it features extra weights, as compared to other similar engines.  I then compared it to another set I have with 6 cars, and noted that the engine in that set also featured extra weights, but not as many as the engine in the set I just bought.  

So here are some pictures showing the extra weight locations.

First note the screw in the middle of the back panel on the engine on the left.  The engine on the right does not even feature the hole for this weight.

Second, note the screw in front of the forward sand dome on the engine at the rear of the photo.  This slot is normally for the engine brake on windup versions.  This screw holds a second weight in place.

Lastly, the screw in the front of the engine on the left, in the AF lettering.  The hole is also present on the other engine, but no weight installed.  

These weights combine to add 3 weights to the engine, which also has a weight mounted on the front of the motor itself.

Here is the set (pictured at the front)

Oddly, I noted that the engine in the set at the rear of the photo, also has extra weights.  It has a weight riveted to the rear of the engine shell and a weight at the front of the engine shell.  However, it did not have the weight at the top of the shell

Both sets run great and will be the layout runner for a while.

NWL

Pick up this 229 yesterday at a small train show that was put on by a local hobby shop. Just need a tender for it and clean up some rust. It does run. Plus this tank car.

Bing "set" found at York:

Nice Flyer gear, NW, and loving the carpeted table-top for the layout.

PD

Sometimes one finds something that is just too cool!

Baggage 

Coach 1

Coach 2

Coach 3

NWL

Came back from my China trip to find six boxes on the living room floor.  

Nice haul Dennis. There's many hours of rewarding work there.

Dennis Holler posted:

Came back from my China trip to find six boxes on the living room floor.  

so.........i'm gonna go out onna limb and say the wife knows about those?

nice haul Dennis

Steamer posted:

Dennis Holler posted:

Came back from my China trip to find six boxes on the living room floor.  

so.........i'm gonna go out onna limb and say the wife knows about those?

 

nice haul Dennis

Well, they made it inside so yes.  Usually she just leaves them out on the porch no matter the weather. My son sometimes brings them in as well. The 447 Hudson set with the crane is the one I lucked into on FB for $90 plus some shipping. Got real lucky on that one. I got the 432 and cars for $75 but one have of the boiler shell is warped a bit so it is like a banana. It’s fairly minor so I am hopeful it won’t keep growing as it is 80 years old already!!

Honesty is (usually/sometimes/maybe) the best policy! 

Tom 

Hey Y'all,

Is "Tinplate"  everything prewar?  I'm still working on my RR vocabulary.  I bought a #1680 tank car.  I like it so much, I have a complete 1135W set coming soon. 

Bill

Odenville Bill posted:

Hey Y'all,

Is "Tinplate"  everything prewar?  I'm still working on my RR vocabulary.  . 

Bill

 

Bill,

Technically it means trains made from tin. They started prewar, but there is a bunch of modern tin trains that are mostly reproductions of old stuff, sometimes with fantasy colors or graphics. Marx made tin trains postwar too, and there is also modern Marx.

We take all comers on the Tinplate forum. I’ve been lobbying to call it the “old toy train” forum. Here tinplate can be trains made from tin, cast metal or even lithographed or painted wood, and sometimes 3D printed plastic with an enamel painted finish. You’ll see tinplate in all gauges, but one you won’t find anywhere else is wide gauge or standard gauge. These toy trains are played with (or displayed) on carpeted floors, carpeted layouts, wood floors, high-rail layouts, shelves, tables and many other places too.

Thanks for sharing your toys! Looking forward to seeing the rest of your set.

George

Welcome back Dennis! Nice haul. Where are you going to put those? Last I saw, your layout, closet and workbench were full.

George

MNCW posted:

Honesty is (usually/sometimes/maybe) the best policy! 

Tom 

As George Carlin said, if honesty is the best policy, then by definition dishonesty is the second-best policy.

George S posted:

Welcome back Dennis! Nice haul. Where are you going to put those? Last I saw, your layout, closet and workbench were full.

George

Thanks George, yes the where is a problem lol!! Such a nice 447 though!

Odenville Bill posted:

Hey Y'all,

Is "Tinplate"  everything prewar?  I'm still working on my RR vocabulary.  I bought a #1680 tank car.  I like it so much, I have a complete 1135W set coming soon. 

Bill

Hi Bill,

  Not to confuse things further, here is a nice article the TCA put out that I like...anytime Louis Hertz is mentioned, I listen up. http://www.tcaetrain.org/artic.../tinplate/index.html

Anyway, this is what the author of this article, Joseph Lechner said:

 "The tubular track used for O gauge, S gauge and standard gauge trains is still made of tinplate today. Postwar trains that run on those tracks are called tinplate too, although nearly all of them are made of die-cast metal and plastic."

 Mr. Lechner goes on to quote Mr. Hertz, who said:

"There is no onus associated with operating a system with tinplate equipment rather than… scale models... Tinplate and tinplaters, far from being terms of disparagement... are honored words in model railroad phraseology."

Others may disagree, but I like that definition and way of thinking...and take it a step further, if I am using tinplate track or even prewar T-Rail track, I am a Tinplater.

  Tom 

Dennis,

The oval transformer is amazing.  You new/old finds have so much character.  The details found on the old equipment will be cause for my wallet to open more often.

Bill

MNCW,

That is a great article.  Thank you.  I feel I would benefit from joining a club, preferable with a periodical publication.  Are you a"TCA" member?

Bill

Hi Bill,

 I myself am not a member, but have belonged to the NMRA for years and several historical societies. I still belong to the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society and have written several articles for them. Do some research and see...TCA, LOTS and/or historical societies, or whatever. There are many worthwhile organizations to choose from. You can learn a lot from this Forum, too. 

Tom 

Odenville Bill posted:

MNCW,

That is a great article.  Thank you.  I feel I would benefit from joining a club, preferable with a periodical publication.  Are you a"TCA" member?

Bill

Hi Bill,

I joined TCA in 2009 and have maintained my membership since. The quarterly publication is very nice and some of our forum members contribute articles and photos. Membership allows you to attend the semi-annual York train show in York, PA. There are many local chapters too, if you would like to attend local meetings. As Tom wrote, there are other clubs as well. Another one of note is LCCA. When you look at the various clubs, check out which ones have meetings that are local to you and how frequently they meet. Good luck!

George

I have a project that’s been on hold for quite a while because I needed a bunch of 500 series trucks. Problem solved at today’s TTOS meet.

Steve

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

I have a project that’s been on hold for quite a while because I needed a bunch of 500 series trucks. Problem solved at today’s TTOS meet.

Steve

Yikes - bunchatrucks. What are  you up to now, Steve?

Jim