Front End Friday

Well here is an old warrior for you.  Introduced in 1928 as a "new" steeple cab locomotive to the American Flyer Line.  It stayed in the line for 1928 and 1929 and although it stayed until 1930, the color changed to red and the number to 3103.   You can see that this example, is a long way from the pristine "Like New" so many collectors like to brag about.  To me...this one, in a well used state (patina?), tells of a life story of enjoyment by model railroaders and young people who took this locomotive to endless places in their imaginations.   I kind of like that.

Yes its missing one handrail...trip to the maintenance shop is possible in the near future if I can find a part.

OBTW just in case you are wondering, this gal still works and runs fine including lighting the headlight.  I don't run it much as I am wary of burning up some part I cannot get after all the running gear is 96 years old!

Regards and Happy F.E.F. to all.

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

Well here is an old warrior for you.  Introduced in 1928 as a "new" steeple cab locomotive to the American Flyer Line.  It stayed in the line for 1928 and 1929 and although it stayed until 1930, the color changed to red.   You can see that this example, is a long way from the pristine "Like New" so many collectors like to brag about.  To me...this one, in a well used state (patina?), tells of a life story of enjoyment by model railroaders and young people who took this locomotive to endless places in their imaginations.   I kind of like that.

Regards and Happy F.E.F. to all.

Don

@Don McErlean,

Don,

The wear and tear on your loco brings it instant respect and makes its senior status immediately apparent. It's got more class than one that is "pristine." It was built a year or two after Lindbergh flew the Atlantic.

MELGAR

@MELGAR - Thank you for your comment.  You are right, here I am an aero engineer and the Lindbergh flight didn't come to mind.  It was completed May 21, 1927 just a few months perhaps before this loco appeared in the "new" 1928 American Flyer catalog.  Well, this senior gal certainly has a new respect from me.  Thanks again for your comment.

Don

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

I’m all in!

Call........

Happy FEF

I Took my 783 Hudson over to the clubhouse for a shakedown with the Christmas train.
Here's the video.

@Don McErlean posted:

Well here is an old warrior for you.  Introduced in 1928 as a "new" steeple cab locomotive to the American Flyer Line.  It stayed in the line for 1928 and 1929 and although it stayed until 1930, the color changed to red.   You can see that this example, is a long way from the pristine "Like New" so many collectors like to brag about.  To me...this one, in a well used state (patina?), tells of a life story of enjoyment by model railroaders and young people who took this locomotive to endless places in their imaginations.   I kind of like that.

Yes its missing one handrail...trip to the maintenance shop is possible in the near future if I can find a part.

OBTW just in case you are wondering, this gal still works and runs fine including lighting the headlight.  I don't run it much as I am wary of burning up some part I cannot get after all the running gear is 96 years old!

Regards and Happy F.E.F. to all.

Don

Wow Don, what a history. I bet you could say the same for some of your other locomotives.

Gene

@RSJB18 posted:

Call........

I fold!

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

I fold!

Fold? Did someone mention "fold"?

How about the "front end" of some cardstock houses, decorated by some of my grandkids/great-grandkids?

That's what it’s all about, Steve!

@Don McErlean

I forget the number of my engine. I’ll have to go back through all the posts when I was looking for a headlight reflector and someone told me that is like the 3110. As you I can see mine doesn’t have number plates.

My front end Friday is from last Saturday.   Met the Lake Superior Museum Christmas Tree Special in Knife River, MN.   Number 332 had the honors leading the train up from Duluth to Knife River, MN.  

Cheers, Dave

@pennsyfan- I looked through my reference on American Flyer pre-war 0 gauge and could not find an exact an match to your loco. I did find that the 3110 in 1930 did have American Flyer Lines plates on each side of the door and the number 3110 stamped underneath (some not all) but the given color was red not green.  Flyer made a lot of variants of this model beginning in 1920 and extending to 1931 so there are a lot of opportunities for changes.  Thanks for posting, now I have to try and do some more research.  I do have another steeple cab, a 1211, but it was uncatalogued and is rubber stamped with AFL and the number on the side of the cab and it has a sheet metal working headlight on top of the hood.  Lots of variations.

Best Wishes

Don

@PRRronbh posted:

Hi Ron, I have the same Lionel "E7's" where did you find the correct pilots?

Ron

I picked up a couple of Lionel F3/F7 pilots from last year's Lionel Warehouse sale.  The holes don't match so I plan to JB Weld them on.  The current "E6" pilot is on the left.  The lighting makes it look like it is a lighter color, but it is not.

@Don McErlean posted:

@pennsyfan- I looked through my reference on American Flyer pre-war 0 gauge and could not find an exact an match to your loco. I did find that the 3110 in 1930 did have American Flyer Lines plates on each side of the door and the number 3110 stamped underneath (some not all) but the given color was red not green.  Flyer made a lot of variants of this model beginning in 1920 and extending to 1931 so there are a lot of opportunities for changes.  Thanks for posting, now I have to try and do some more research.  I do have another steeple cab, a 1211, but it was uncatalogued and is rubber stamped with AFL and the number on the side of the cab and it has a sheet metal working headlight on top of the hood.  Lots of variations.

Best Wishes

Don

Don,

I think that mine is a 3103. That’s what was identified to me to find a headlight reflector. Then someone else posted that the 3110 had the same parts.

@CAPPilot posted:

Good morning FEFers,

I am posting this picture for one reason - to remind me that I need to get rid of that E6 pilot and replace it with a correct E7 pilot.  Will do that next weekend.

Lionel E7

Hi Ron,  Another question about these Lionel Pennsy E7's.  Did you also get the B-unit of the set?  If so does you set A-B-A all have the same height?

Here is what my set looked like in that respect!

The B-unit very noticeably "High-water."  That is until Mike R. got involved!

Edit at 0957 HRS found this sharper image.

Ron

Happy Front End Friday everyone! This week I'm running some 1920s styled boxcabs on the layout. On the outer mainline, my only model of the NYC T1 class, a MTH Tinplate Traditions 1694e.

On the inner mainline I'm running my PRR DD1 set, an MTH Premier that runs quite well. (Mixing tinplate and scale on the layout, GASP!)

..

On the conventional track, I'm running my newly built Pennsy Street Tractor. (You can read about how I built this from a Lionel handcar in the post I wrote!)

And of course, here's the video so you can hear the awesome whistles these boxcab models have!

Marx UP Articulated

Recently received from a fellow forumite, Railking PS3, in truly like new condition.

Have a great FeF keep those rails shinning

Prewar Lionel 253 along with PW Lionel 2046 and a 2055 burning up some coal!

Happy FEF!

The latest addition to the fleet. Lionel FM H-16-44 w/ TMCC

Bob

Here is a photo I took at Illinois Railway Museum. If your ever in the Midwest it's worth the entry fee.

My front end views for today show  Boston & Maine GP7 #1562 made by Sunset Models/3rd Rail in 2021 running conventionally on the 5-foot back straight of my 10'-by-5' model railroad and also emerging from the tunnel under North Hill at Signal Station SS71.

MELGAR

Happy FeF! -

@PRRronbh posted:

The B-unit very noticeably "High-water."  That is until Mike R. got involved!

Edit at 0957 HRS found this sharper image.

Ron

Ron

My B unit is powered.  Is yours?

It is also packed up to send to someone to add the Legacy sound components I have.  Have not found anyone yet.

I do not remember there being a height issue, and I could not find any photos of it that shows that.

Maybe someone else can help.

FEF Christmas train edition.  Tree us up & the Snoopy train is running!

NYC Passenger Trains approaching GRAND CENTRAL STATION on THE SOUTH FORK RAILROAD

Here's coming at ya!

A little 1970s Midwest FeF

@PRRronbh posted:

The B-unit very noticeably "High-water."  That is until Mike R. got involved!

Edit at 0957 HRS found this sharper image.

Ron

Ron,

Here is a blowup of an old photo I have and it shows a slight difference between the A (on right) and the B.  So they all probably had this issue.

Here is my front end E7 AB motive power.  I just realized I never took a photo of the whole ABA consist.  They are all powered, and once I get the sound upgrade in the B, they will all have sound. 

@CAPPilot posted:

Ron

My B unit is powered.  Is yours?

It is also packed up to send to someone to add the Legacy sound components I have.  Have not found anyone yet.

I do not remember there being a height issue, and I could not find any photos of it that shows that.

Maybe someone else can help.

Hi Ron,

Actually I have both the powered and unpowered.   Right after these Pennsy E7's were released a dealer had some for sale on the "bay."  I jumped on them the set being the two powered "A"-units different numbers and the unpowered "B" unit.  Four motors were fine for me unless I had the room to pull all 39 Premier PRR passengers cars!

But if you recall the NYC E8's were the first Lionel Legacy E8 units built and released!And if you recall buyer were complaining that they were"HI-Water."  Now the thing was/is Lionel also produced the PRR unpowered "B"-units at the same time as the all the NYC E7 units.  So the PRR E7 B-unit was also Hi-Water!

Now seeing this I quickly found a powered Lionel PRR Powered E7 B-unit.  It was fun running the lonely powered B-unit with and without a consist!

Anyway I contacted Lionel @ ask Lionel.   They replied forwarding on the tech department.  A couple days later received an email from "Mike R."  He had just started his new job with Lionel.  He replied he would get the related parts and get back to me.  As I recall it was only a day or two later he emailed me "your are right" and he had the parts in his possession to correct problem.  He gave me three choices  which included sending me the correct parts and instruction to replace.  A few days later I ha the parts in hand and made the correction!

That was real customer service!!!!!!!!!

Ron

I had.to reach into the archives today. Here is an ABA set of PRR E8s

And the MR Bipolar

Here is a Lionel red type 248 locomotive with its 629 Pullman and 630 observation also in red.  This consist comprised Outfit 292 from 1932

Happy F.E.F.  best wishes

Don

Happy Front End Friday!
Merry Christmas!  Happy Holidays!
Here’s a Western Pacific SW9 at the engine house.

Twin sons of different mothers…

@pennsyfan posted:

I had.to reach into the archives today. Here is an ABA set of PRR E8s

And the MR Bipolar

My Green set of PRR E8's with B&O E6's.

Ron

@Apples55 posted:

Twin sons of different mothers…

Very nice Paul. I see someone else's credit card has been busy too.

@PRRronbh posted:

Hi Ron,

Actually I have both the powered and unpowered.   Right after these Pennsy E7's were released a dealer had some for sale on the "bay."  I jumped on them the set being the two powered "A"-units different numbers and the unpowered "B" unit.  Four motors were fine for me unless I had the room to pull all 39 Premier PRR passengers cars!

But if you recall the NYC E8's were the first Lionel Legacy E8 units built and released!And if you recall buyer were complaining that they were"HI-Water."  Now the thing was/is Lionel also produced the PRR unpowered "B"-units at the same time as the all the NYC E7 units.  So the PRR E7 B-unit was also Hi-Water!

Now seeing this I quickly found a powered Lionel PRR Powered E7 B-unit.  It was fun running the lonely powered B-unit with and without a consist!

Anyway I contacted Lionel @ ask Lionel.   They replied forwarding on the tech department.  A couple days later received an email from "Mike R."  He had just started his new job with Lionel.  He replied he would get the related parts and get back to me.  As I recall it was only a day or two later he emailed me "your are right" and he had the parts in his possession to correct problem.  He gave me three choices  which included sending me the correct parts and instruction to replace.  A few days later I ha the parts in hand and made the correction!

That was real customer service!!!!!!!!!

Ron

The set on the table.

Ron

Happy Front End Friday all! Here's what's on the layout today, starting with some tinplate. This is my MTH 263e "Crescent Limited". A very sharp looking and smooth running locomotive ever since I fixed the issue with the "wireless" drawbar (which I did write a post about).

I'm also running my Railking Pennsy Torpedo.

On the elevated section I am running another of my famous customs, a Whitcomb 65-tonner representing the NYCTA Number 9. This model is TMCC equipped and built on a K-Line S2 chassis.

Here's the front end of the REAL #9 for comparison, from an excursion that I attended back in 2021.

Last but not least, here's the video of everything running.

My front end engine for today, December 15, 2023, is Long Island Rail Road H-10s 2-8-0 Consolidation #111. The model is MTH Premier 20-3230-2 delivered in 2006 with PS2 and scale wheels at MSRP $699.95.

Between 1913 and 1916, the Pennsylvania Railroad sent its subsidiary, the Long Island Rail Road, 19 H-10S 2-8-0 locomotives that hauled freight throughout Long Island, including hundred-car trains during potato harvest season. Formerly PRR #8239, #111 was built by Brooks in 1916 and was retired in October 1955.

H-10s engines weighed 254,000 pounds (excluding tender) and developed more than 53,000 pounds of tractive effort.

The video shows #111 pulling two MTH LIRR wood passenger coaches on my 12'-by-8' layout running at 37.5 scale miles-per-hour.

.

MELGAR

Marx ride on train.  Note holes on side forward (both sides).  What are they for?  Am I missing some part?  Most of the pictures I have seen show it as plain in this area.

Bill