Kenner Girder and Panel Hydrodynamic sets

I have to admit being a Gilbert Erector / Chemistry set admirer from way back - I never heard of this product. I did some internet search but only found photos of the box covers so I have no idea what a finished piece looks like.

I had one of those. Loved it. Like so many other items, I lost it in the usual "gone away to college" purge.

Guess I should be grateful that the trains survived.

You may have to replace the little water pump, but other than that, there wasn't much that is likely to have worn out.

Try bridgestreettoys.com. They have pretty comprehensive info on the site. These were complex sets with a lot of separate sale tanks, pipes, valves and pumps available. While the buildings are 1/87th scale many of the piping system components are not to scale.

I have used Kenner building sets back in the 60's. They were a lot of fun. I don't have experience with the Hydro-dynamics sets but they looked cool and would actually pump colored water through the hoses and containers.

Here's an example of one....

I do know the tablets used to color the water would most definitely permanently stain carpeting permanently. Whether Kenner fixed that problem; I don't know.

The nice thing is all sets were compatible. I have Kenner's Sky Rail monorail set and it's pretty cool.

Check out Ebay for sets. Just like every thing else; prices have gone up.

Boy, does that bring back memories. I loved the hydro set. As  I recall all the girders were red, this looks like a later version given the black girders.  Can't imagine anything being really wrong with an old set, except the tubing could be brittle after all that time and the pump seals are probably dried out. Both should be easy to replace with new materials. The plastic roads weren't worth a darn, regularly ripped and  cracked on me. Come to think about, the girders and columns were not very robust either - a baseball smacking into a structure would damage the fittings - of course the resulting exploding building was quite impressive.

I remember the girders and panels. It was on of my favorite toys, but I never saw the chemical plant components.

The Kenner building sets were pretty neat. I had a turnpike set, a bridge set, a building set, and the hydrodynamic set with the pumps. I remember the hydrodynamic set had to be built in a plastic tub that came with the kit. This was so all that colored water could be stored in the tub. Yes, it will stain carpet. Just ask my Mom, if she was still with us. I sold all of mine years ago. I don't think any of the sets they had would look very good with model trains. The structure building kit might be ok, but as mentioned, those beams and panels were very fragile, and that was 50 years ago, or more.

Jeff

Like the others, I had a couple of the girder and panel sets and one very large hydrodynamic building set I got in thrift stores in the early 70s. Loved the hydrodynamic set. The cool thing about the hydro set was that it had some neat valves, mixers, and tanks. One of the tanks had a float valve in it for example.  I don’t think the hydro set would work with O gauge trains, but the girder and panel sets might make nice background modern office buildings.

@ScoutingDad

Like @Joe Fauty....I was WAY into building sets. You mentioned that the girders and columns weren't "robust". That was definitely true for what I considered the "1st Generation" sets. The columns and girders were made of hard plastic. The column tops along with girder ends would snap off pretty easily.

The next year or so Kenner came out with a "2nd Generation" set that included a small electric motor, an elevator, wheels, pulleys and other items. This brought a whole new level to building bridges and buildings that now had "action" to them.

But more importantly, Kenner no longer used hard plastic for the columns and beams. These were now made of a durable semi-flexible plastic; almost like it had nylon in the mix. Those little column crowns and girder nib-tips weren't breaking off any more!

But you're right. The road segments weren't worth a darn. They would crack and tear fairly easily.

But man....those sets were fun!

There was a mention made these sets were geared towards HO scale and that was pretty much true. But I seem to recall seeing an article about a beautiful O gauge layout that featured an amazing skyscraper city. And in the midst of those custom buildings was a skyscraper under construction and a completed skyscraper.....both made from Kenner's Girder and Panel set! Just amazing.

@Junior  I agree with the comment being more directed toward HO, but with a forced perspective might be OK as a high rise under construction with the exposed girders.

Have any photos of the South Shore Line on your layout or otherwise?  IC and ICG are very familiar to me growing up in Chicago. Never was much for the Rock though.

One of my more prized ICG photos taken in Pesotum IL years ago. Have both of these MTH babys on my layout.

• Hey @ScoutingDad....

Here's pics of Lionel's IC commuter, K-Line's SS&SB commuter and William's Amtrak Metroliner commuter. My Mom worked for and retired from the Rock. She worked at the LaSalle Street station in downtown Chicago.

The IC came with TMCC. I converted the SS&SB to MTH PS3 and the Amtrak I had someone convert to PS3.

These pics are from 2019. You can see in the pics the upper level is made of wood. I've been working on my layout and have the upper level torn apart. I'm painting the upper level supports to look like concrete. I'm almost done with the basic painting and want to do some weathering to it. Then it all goes back together.

Your pics of the IC diesels are awesome! I've not see those in the MTH catalogs....I will definitely check them out.

@Junior  Thanks for the pics.  I have a K-Line Pacific Inter-Urban, never have seen the IC one. Although mine has a single overhead pole on each side of the car and interiors. One of these days a working catenary is going up to run all my electrics. (I guess its an engineering and construction challenge.)  Here is a link to an earlier post featuring the MTH engines.   ICG engines running  I've posted photos here somewhere before - found them  IC & ICG

Keep going on that layout build.  Jeff

Boy, does the Kenner sets bring back memories!!  Had a Bridge, Turnpike, and Building set and then the smallest Hydro set.  All had the red girders and yes the colorizing pills would stain things, including fingers.  If I recall eventually the plastic tubing and other components would become stained permanently similar to the Lionel operating  water tower.  I used the Building set on my 4 x 8 Lionel layout in one corner with the track going underneath part of the building.  My parents would not let me use the hydro set with the train as they reasoned that if there was a water leak, which usually there was a small one if not a large leak when a tube would come undone, I might get electrocuted even though the transformer was not even on the table. Sorry no pictures of it but colors were bright orange, red, and yellow with dark gray square roof panels and even though it was HO scale it fit in.  Thanks for the memories!!  Dave

At one point, I was going to use them as city scenery (circa 1994-95).......but then, more realistic buildings from Walther's and Buildings Unlimited caught my eye......I abandoned the Kenner kits  because of the size issue. However, if you use them as background buildings, they will work...

A picture from a layout long ago.....

Peter

@Putnam Division

I do like the nostalgic look of the Kenner buildings though. In fact, the buildings look like they're part of a demolition in progress!

They could also make 3D flats . . . .