I'm wondering if you might have some photos and information to share about this brand. I know Kemtron was a player in the HO world and they offered some O scale diesel kits as well, correct?
I bet there would be some interest in seeing and reading about this company's O scale offerings.
Thanks!
Mark in Oregon
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Kemtron made brass kits for the RS3 and GP7-9 diesels. And others I’m not familiar with.
We did an article on Kemtron which you can read here
Here are some lousy photos of my Kemtron GP7. The first one is a repost from the Sunset post. I bought it this way at a swap meet around 2011 at a swap meet. It has the All Nation drive as described in the excellent article Dan posted about the company.
I had always planned on modifying the long hood to make it into a GP7P and paint it into CNJ. Procrastination paid off for once as instead I got to work on the Sunset version instead. I'll still do something with this locomotive though. It is a decent runner, just not sure what road to paint it in. Likely PRR.
More and better photos to come. Hope to see more in this thread. I have been familiar with the Kemtron name since childhood in HO, but this was my first and only O find.
Kemtron also made a kit for the "Wabash Mogul" I think. It made up to a beautiful piece but was a real craftsman kit. I have seen a few built up at shows. The prototype lasted quite late because the axle loadings allowed it to run on a branch somewhere on the line that had some light weight bridges.
@railroad-guy posted:We did an article on Kemtron which you can read here
Fantastic article... thanks for the link!
Mark in Oregon
Dan,
I wish we could have talked before you wrote the article. There's a lot more to it. Things like Levon's partner in USH. Max Gray looking for a partner and Levon's partner moving near Santa Clara to work with Max. I met the family and saw lots of documentation. Levon even wrote a letter to all his dealers explaining that he was selling Kemtron but keeping USH. In the same letter he mentions his partner. Said partner drowned in a swimming pool in 1966. This was in Palo Alto. Levon mentions that too in his letter.
Jay
@Jay C posted:Dan,
I wish we could have talked before you wrote the article. There's a lot more to it. Things like Levon's partner in USH. Max Gray looking for a partner and Levon's partner moving near Santa Clara to work with Max. I met the family and saw lots of documentation. Levon even wrote a letter to all his dealers explaining that he was selling Kemtron but keeping USH. In the same letter he mentions his partner. Said partner drowned in a swimming pool in 1966. This was in Palo Alto. Levon mentions that too in his letter.
Jay
Too late to go in Dan's article, so why don't you fill us in! I recall hearing that Levon's wife was Japanese which was a real asset for communication with the builders. I have a USH Niagara which I got from a dear friend who is now deceased. Will keep that one until we meet for coffee!
Simon
Simon,
I did do a little write up on one of these forums, might have been this one, years ago...but after Dan's write up. I say it was little but it took me a while to do and these days I just don't have the time. Maybe some day. Easier for me to tell it to someone that can document what I say.
I don't know about Levon's wife but I recall being told Max Gray's spouse was from Japan.
I will say, Levon's partner in USH was a man by the name of Robert Spiedel. He, and his family, lived in Fresno. I spent quite a few days with the family and cleaned up his rather vast collection of early O Scale brass.
Jay
@Jay C posted:Simon,
I will say, Levon's partner in USH was a man by the name of Robert Spiedel. He, and his family, lived in Fresno. I spent quite a few days with the family and cleaned up his rather vast collection of early O Scale brass.
Jay
Good stuff, this. I don't suppose you have any pictures of "his rather vast collection"...?
So what type of drive train did these units typically have? I suspect they would have been "pre-can" motor (?)
Mark in Oregon
I don't recall if I took any photos, or not. I did create a spreadsheet so we could track what I picked up, worked on, semi-appraised, and returned. I guess vast is rather subjective. Maybe 40 to 50 early brass locomotive models. Mostly MG but some early PFM too. Apparently Robert liked narrow gauge. Before his layout was removed by his family, sometime say around 2010, all I remember was the NG. Robert passed sometime around 1966 so nothing newer than that. Most appeared to be mid '50s to, obviously, mid '60s. Somewhere, in the lower strata of all my junk, I have a copy of the spread sheet.
Yes, the drives were early design so open frame motors.
Many photos, including Cliff Grandt's layout in Oakland. None were mine to keep but the family did allow me to give Dave Grandt all the photos of his dad's stuff.
Jay
Oh I dunno Jay..."40 or 50" sounds pretty "vast"...😁
Mark in Oregon
Mark,
Yeah, did to me also.
A couple of the models really got my attention. One was a Silverstreak/Kemtron CP Huntington that had been made into a 0-4-4, or something like that. Cool little loco and very well done. When you think about it though, Robert may have done it or Cliff, Bruce, any one of those really talented modelers.
In the end all the models were split up between Robert's children. If memory serves, there were four of them. One daughter and three sons. They took turns picking the models until they were all taken.
There were 5 models that were the last of the MG line. All were packed in boxes labeled USH but most, if not all, had logos that didn't look like the standard USH we're used to seeing. Transition, I suppose. At least a couple were set up for display. Something you might see at a train show. Wrapped in, not so, clear plastic (remember these were from the mid '60s so the plastic was old) and labeled using one of the old Dymo labels. I suspect Robert took these models to trade shows and dealers so his role may have been sales. Backing up, the boxes said USH but all had the fabricated KTM/MG brass gearboxes with their soldered on tag. I can't remember exactly what the five were but I recall, an D&RG L-131, a UP Consol, maybe an Erie Pacific, a PRR 4-4-2 or 4-4-0, and I don't remember the fifth one. It's shown on the mythological spreadsheet.
Jay
Jay, I'll definitely give you a VAST on 40-50. As for my "memory", there are 3 signs of old age: the first one is loss of memory, and I forget the other two! LOL. Suspect you are correct about it being Max's wife, but then I just read in one place where he passed in '65 and another '66. He must have really lingered on! The way it's going these days, I'm happy I can remember that one of them had a Japanese wife!
Simon
Here is my Kemtron collection:
I should note that I have two like the GP - one is Tuscan N&W, and I do not seem to have a photo. I also have three RS models as well, but not at all sure I have decent photos.
The lower model is what I call an SD6 1/2 - it is two GP7s spliced together over CLW trucks, and it runs. Since the photo I extended the tiger stripes up over the black area under the cab, and it looks a whole lot better. Coach is modified Kasiner.
48” radius; that Mogul needed a lot of running room.
I acquired a Kemtron RS3 a couple months ago. it was a recent kit build with a sagami motor. I didn't build it! But whoever did, did a great job!
I'll post pics as soon as I can. It's beautiful.
Here are the pics I promised.
Very nice! I just brought mine home from the airport and loaded photos in the big computer - but mine are not as nice as these. My Tuscan GP was so covered in dust and fly specks that it still needs more cleanup.
Good handrails are rare on these things. I am afraid to show you my Max Gray GP - handrails are almost in the next county.
I happen to have one of these Kemtron GP7 kits. Someone chopped the nose on it and tried to make something else out of it but I don't know what. GP18s and 20s had sloped noses and this doesn't. Wonder if anyone has parts for these so I can change it back to what it was supposed to be.
I may have some nose parts. Let me look.
Here are my remaining Kemtron Diesels. Two of them actually ran a couple decades ago - third is a dummy.
@Strummer posted:Very nice. What layout is that?
Mark in Oregon
Our family layout. http://oscale.homestead.com/
Ed
Fabulous.
Bob2
You have an extraordinary collection; I for one never tire of seeing your stuff. You should put up a website with photos of... everything! 😁
Mark in Oregon
Here's my entry. This is a GP20. I have another being done in Conrail.
Dave
@Ed Jakl posted:Our family layout. http://oscale.homestead.com/
Awesome!
@Ed Jakl posted:Our family layout. http://oscale.homestead.com/
I was just watching a YouTube video of your layout yesterday.
Dave
Hello all ..nice Kemtron engines ..
Here is my GP 7 ...with outside 3rd rail sweeps ..runs very well ..but sweeps need to be a bit longer ( on my layout) ...also photo of the O gauge next to the OO guage GP 7 also sold by Kemtron ..1955-7 era.
Cheers Carey 
Notice how perfect Carey's handrails and gears are. That is unusual on Kemtrons. Also - very creative SP paint scheme. Carey wins the fantasy paint scheme contest started by me with the SD6 1/2.
@Carey Williams posted:Hello all ..nice Kemtron engines ..
Here is my GP 7 ...with outside 3rd rail sweeps ..runs very well ..
Always nice to see your models.
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