Labor Day Weekend Photo Fun 9/4/15 HONGZ

Feel the difference time makes...

 

FM C-Liner, Rivarrossi based on late 1950's tooling (modified)

 

FM C-Liner, Life Like Proto 1000 early 2000's

Rusty

Two weeks ago tomorrow, I had the opportunity to operate on Bill Messecar's Santa Fe HO railroad in the Seattle area as part of the NMRA OPSIG pre-convention operating session.  I had a wonderful time, and was the yardmaster during the session. 

 

Bill's layout is housed in a 24x28 out building (not a lot of houses in the Seattle area have basements), and modeled the Santa Fe citrus operations in southern California. 

 

Most of Bill's structures were either scratchbuilt, or craftsman type kits (mostly Fine Scale Models).  It was wonderful to see these kits built instead of getting hoarded and sold like Bit-Coins on E-Bay. 

 

Enjoy the photos, I sure enjoyed the experience.

 

Regards,

Jerry

 

 

 

Making progress

An interesting story regarded the pulling power of Baldwin diesel locomotives can be told regarding the Ironton Railroad 751, a DS4-4-1000. The Ironton Railroad was a shortline railroad in the Allentown, PA area which, because of its joint Lehigh Valley/Reading ownership, was absorbed along with its parent roads into Conrail in 1976. 

 

Many of the yard and local jobs in the Allentown area were known for their heavy loads. As a result of its impressive pulling ability, the 751 immediately became the power of choice for local crews and arguments over who would get the unit for the day were said to have ensued. The 751 was the last operating Baldwin on the Conrail roster until its retirement in 1977 and subsequent scrapping. It's a shame the locomotive wasn't preserved. 

  

 

Bowser released an HO model of the 751 and I was thankfully able to purchase one. At least the 751 can live on in this form:

 

 

Bob

1963 Tyco Red Bird West

Cool set, Bob!

 

I've started watching eBay for an in-the-(red)box Santa Fe GP20.  The boxes above are the ones I remember. There is also a red box that has the "TYCO" emblem centered above the view window.  Know the date on that change?

 

I've been able to add a few goodies to my Lindberg collection. Just this week an absolutely pristine products brochure arrived that I won off eBay earlier in the week. Also on the way is a needed SFRD Santa Fe orange reefer in the box w/window pane to supply he missing item in my trainset that replicates the Lindberg trainset of my childhood.

 

I'm still enjoying collecting select HO pieces.  Thanks for enabling me into the hobby! ("Thanks"... I think? Maybe it's more of "it's your fault!"   )

 

 

Tyco/Mantua made some nice tank cars in there early years.

 

Here is a example of a early loop and hook coupler version.

 

 

 

 

Bob:

 

Thanks for more information!  I'm going to be picky as I wait for a red box Tyco Santa Fe GP20 to pass through the Bay.  I want the lower right "TYCO" on the box, and the engine and box will need to be at least "very good" condition.

 

Other things:

 

Aided by my just-received Lindberg Lines sales brochure, I've learned that I was right about Lindberg Lines stuff:

 

1. They only had a handful of cars/rolling stock, and only lettered for one* road.

 

2. They only offered their SW600 switcher in three* road names.

 

Their caboose was lettered to match their engines, so there was a B&O, a C&NW, and an ATSF caboose.

 

* The only known aberration was the small production run "Illinois Central" set that included their SW600, rolling stock (a boxcar, gondola), and caboose lettered for the IC.

 

One of the elements that made me really like my little Lindberg Lines set back when I was a kid, is that the cars and engine LOOKED like the trains I saw around KC. (In paint, and in the case of the SW, in shape if not road name.) So, it is neat to find that in their advertisement blurb that they tout the fact that their rolling stock was realistically painted/lettered. I quote:

 

"These exacting detailed cars are painted in flat railroad colors with correct road names and heralds."

 

Still unconfirmed is my suspicion that some of the advertised rolling stock was never released, or released in such small quantities that the items never show up on eBay.

 

The items I suspect were never released include:

 

* The tank car, illustrated in Mobil Gas livery.

* The coal hopper car, illustrated in Wabash livery.

* The flat car w/stakes, illustrated in Milwaukee Road livery.

 

Collecting select old HO is a fun "side-hobby".  Glad you turned me on to it!!

 

EDIT:

 

Meant to say that the Mantua tank IS a nice looking car... with a price to match for the 1950s!  Comparison: Here's a look the prices of Lindberg Lines cars of 1963:

 

* Box car: RTR $1.98 Kit $1.49

* 40 ton flat car w/load: RTR $2.49 Kit $1.79

* Tank car (possibly not released): RTR $2.49 Kit $1.79

 

Bear in mind the above Lindberg Lines cars came with Delrin sprung trucks w/needlepoint axles, NMRA RP25 wheel contours, body mounted couplers, etc.

 

Andre
Your Lindberg research is quite thourough and impressive...you seem to have gathered a lot of info and Lindberg items over the last year... I should have talked you into buying that repair station floor plan that was available at the York meet in October of 2014...for the Lindberg collector that would have been the ultimate find.
Bob T

I hope you find it Andre !!!

 

My Tyco GP20 collection is sparse...

 

 

 

 

only two boxed items and there doubles (UP)

 

The SF is unboxed

 

and the Burlington came in a nice set but it was unboxed too !!!

 

This set came with a extra unique hopper and was only 45.00 dollars !

Hi Again Bob!

 

Re: Lindberg Lines...

 

I have an advantage: It doesn't take much research when the product line was only:

 

* 1 engine in 3 common paint schemes (and 1 small run of IC livery).

 

* A boxcar, stock car, flat w/load, gondola w/coal load, and a reefer, all in only one paint scheme (except as noted in my above post).

 

* A caboose in three matching road names (except as noted above)!

 

Yup, that pretty much covers it!

 

Sure liked their box art. I "might" scan the brochure I just received and use the box art as my desktop screen!

 

 

Tyco:

 

All your GP20's look to be an excellent condition. I don't know if I realized that the GP20 also came in UP livery. May have noticed that in the past, but forgot it.  Your UP GP20's are in the type of box I remember and desire.  Nice set, by the way!

 

Now, I DID have a Tyco F7 in the blue and yellow Santa Fe "Cigar Band" freight scheme... it MIGHT be tempting to find one of those too!

 

It's a sickness, I tell 'ya, a sickness!

 

Might as well post another pic!!

 

Here's a pic of the cover of the recently-received Lindberg Lines brochure.  Like I said... love that artwork!

 

 

Don't meet by accident! Stay safe everyone.

Newly released Athearn Genesis SD45-2. I had shot the real one on 10-19-1986 at Stockton Ca on the #169 train doing a set out.

About the model: Radiator grilles bottom not painted red as the earlier release was to match the prototype. No eyebolts and no windshield wipers. Athearn does have the "58" part of the 5818 on the cab blocked out with a slightly different color yellow to represent the prototype renumbering from 7200 class.

 

 

A first release Proto 2000 GP60

 

Athearn RTR SD40T-2. I added windshield wipers. I like to paint the handrails to get rid of the transparency (which I haven't done on this model).

 

Great photos everyone!! I been busy all weekend running trains at the club for the Italian Heritage Festival this weekend.  

Here's a couple shots of G gauge running this weekend on the outdoor railroad. Just got these three locos back from repair.

 

 

 

 

Bachman's East Broad Top - the only American style G gauge on my roster. My wife is from Southern Huntington County here in PA, home of the real EBT. 

 

 

 

 

European trains on the outdoor railroad - except for that EBT hopper! Gotta get knuckle couplers on that one so I can run it on the right train.