I needed another addiction, mini ETS

Mini-tin? I know your trying to infect us with exotic variations of tin, and now I want to know more...I wonder if thats the smallest tin made. Really interesting with great graphics. A great find. Looking for an engine? If you find one, I hope you post a picture of it.

HO tinplate, that's different. Like those exotic names! Now you'll have to shop for a suitable loco. And build a suitable layout to run it on. Where will it end?!

HO tinplate, not that uncommon on the European theatre. I think some were made till the seventies, and usually in starter sets like your Esso tanker. They are still easy to find, and they are nice looking but I think HO scale modellers neglected them.

Together with tinplate there were many die cast varieties, perfect rollers as they had that weight, and they were less vulnerable than the later plastics.

The Seefische is a classic, it means sea fish. The beer cars like this Reichelbrau are in an almost endless variety, from Heineken till you name it.

The green passenger is a Donnerbuchse, as they called them, because they were rather noisy. A Donnerbuchse is a blunderbuss.

Kieffer

Then I already have this neat looking one, but will need to modify the tender coupler to accept the hook.

Steve

I have some old Marklin HO, most is either tin or diecast.  And....it's 3 rail AC.  

I've put together a bier (beer) train and continue to look for more beer cars.  Fleischmann cars will couple with Marklin.  Just don't put a Marklin car on Fleischmann tracks without changing to insulated wheel sets.  Remember, 3 rail.

I'm not certain but there may be tin TT trains.  TT was popular in Eastern Germany.

I have half a mind to get some of that half-O. But I've been half-hearted about it.

I think there's not much of a problem with Fleischman to Marklin wheel conversions. I remember doing that, but that's some time ago now.

Don't know about modern Trix Express, but the old Trix wheels were not compatible at all with any other make.

There are/were Marklin DC wheels on the market, I think they were called Hamo.

another Fleischman beercar, tin plate but I think the base is already plastic.

and a Trix tinplate, only the wheels are plastic. Note the coupler, made of sintered iron I think. They work well but are not compatible with other makes.

This tanker is relatively easy to find, some others more difficult as the BP or Aral, coming in nice green or blue colors.

It's HO, I know. I gave up on that more or a less, one gets spoiled a bit after having the bigger scales in hands I think, they're just more train. The volume does the trick I presume.

Steve, I'm afraid you found your new addiction! This is a dangerous hobby. I've been looking around a bit...there's a Heineken, an Amstel Bier, a Karamalz (which isn't a real beer but malt) and there is a white Esso and a Shell tanker too, all tinnies.

A new addiction...lately I couldn't resist. Bought a Jouef French crocodile. It's plastic.

But old plastic, thick and with a patine, like the postwar Lionel boxcars. And now, a few cars behind that lonely engine would be nice.

My best friend thinks a whole bunch of tankers would be perfect, my wife stands for diversity...

Happy collecting, Kieffer

PS it's plastic but that little Fleischman crane car...

Congratulations Steve with your purchase, I think the price was fair too!

Kieffer

In one of the small lots I picked up was a plastic tank car. It was silver and the logo, probably Esso, had been scratched off. I sanded the tank a little, repainted it silver, then added some decals from Microscale.

Steve

Nice work Steve!

Would have done the same, on an item that's beyond repair, or to much loss of paint and decals. Sunkist: I remember these pyramidal cartons with a straw, standard item on school trips...luke warm after some hours being carried in that rubber sealed rucksack.

Jammy!

Kieffer