Lobaugh early , middle , and late ..and really late .

@j2morris posted:

Are you talking about the outside 3rd rail pick-ups?  IF so you can clearly see them in a pre-war Scale-Craft catalog.

Yes that's it. I had never seen that before. I found an old post by Carey that contained an illustration of that style pick up:

I also found some online photos of O-scale outer 3rd rail layouts. That takes a bit of dedication.  Very cool, thanks.

Blind drivers (no flanges) were commonplace on the PRR, and far less in favor on other roads after about 1910.  Most models get blind drivers to navigate sharp corners, and since our flanges usually are quite large, they stand out like sore thumbs.

So on my railroad there are no blind drivers.  Early Scale Craft models come in with blind center drivers and they quickly get new iron tires pressed on the old driver centers.  Even my PRR H10 fleet has no blind drivers, except for one ancient Saginaw, which I have yet to address.

Back to the 1941 catalog: Next item of interest is the SP/MoPac Mountain.  I mentioned that I have never seen a Lobaugh MoPac Mountain, and suspect that what few were made were pretty much inaccurate.  Not so the SP Mountain - it appears to be a fairly faithful reproduction, considering it showed up in 1939 or so.  Here, in bits and pieces, are my Mountains:

This one is the way they look while under construction - I think it is further along now, but I am taking my time.  It is a pristine kit I got a decade or so ago.  It needs piping, a motor, etc - but note the tender!  Genuine Lobaugh!  The sides are a one piece wrap, just like the real thing.  There are few castings - the ends and underframe.  The rest is sheet brass.

This one is more or less finished.  Note that the cab is slightly further aft, and is slanted.  This was an SP modification, allowing staybolt access without removing the cab.  Paint is more or less authentic - we have a few color photos of SP locomotives in green right in to the 1950s.  Oh - that is a USH tender.  I should tell you how many 160C tenders there are around here, but then you would know I am certifiable.  Most are Adams castings with my own sides - I press rivets while I watch the news.

Stay tuned for a couple more - I don't have a digital photo of the first one I did, so may rectify that.  And I have one in Daylight colors, with a skyline casing.  Somebody shoot me before I ever attempt another skyline casing!

Photo size - if there is a way to make these larger, let me know.  The pixels are there - the camera is set for maximum resolution.  I think the forum cuts that down a bit.  I do have a Shutterfly account, and could try that?

Cross rod...,is the outside 3rd rail,pick up ...engine dates to 1940 /41 when outside 3rd rail,was still a thing

@bob2 posted:

Blind drivers (no flanges) were commonplace on the PRR, and far less in favor on other roads after about 1910.  Most models get blind drivers to navigate sharp corners, and since our flanges usually are quite large, they stand out like sore thumbs.

So on my railroad there are no blind drivers.  Early Scale Craft models come in with blind center drivers and they quickly get new iron tires pressed on the old driver centers.  Even my PRR H10 fleet has no blind drivers, except for one ancient Saginaw, which I have yet to address.

@Carey Williams posted:

Cross rod...,is the outside 3rd rail,pick up ...engine dates to 1940 /41 when outside 3rd rail,was still a thing

Thanks for the info. Beautiful models thanks for posting.

I found a photo of my very first Lobaugh SP Mountain.  What a rare find, back then.  I am going to attempt to move a high resolution photo in here:

Okay, that worked.  This came to me as a partially completed kit, and I elected to "keep it stock."  Note no rivets on cab, no boiler bands, no washout plugs, no lagging clamps.  The tender in the kit was half Lobaugh and half Adams.  being a neophyte, I could not figure it out, and cut that beautiful wrapper into two pieces to sort of fit.  The Adams is closer to 17/64 scale, so one can see a bit of the back end bell from the side.  I believe this photo shows it with a genuine 100% Lobaugh tender, of which I now have plenty.

More Mountains to come - click on the photo if you need larger . . .

And please - skip that "reply with quote" button.

This thread is what O Gauge Brass is all about! Loving it.

Well, doorstop O Scale brass.  There are a lot of other ways to approach O Scale in brass - say, Key or Car & Locomotive Shops?  But for me, this is where I want to be.

Here's another Lobaugh - Skyline casing, fancy paint, but underneath the 1939 Mountain:

There is a Locomotive Workshop BRASS 4-6-4 Milwaukee Road Hiawatha KIT O-Scale 2-Rail on the bay. Don

I purchased this with two tenders.  Does anyone know which one goes with this loco?  Thank you

@MARKFROMMN posted:

I purchased this with two tenders.  Does anyone know which one goes with this loco?  Thank you

Being it's a model of a D&H Challenger, this one:

Rusty

Thank you, Rusty!

Nice to see this thread resurrected; could be one of my all time favorites. Hopefully "bob2" has something new to share...?

Mark in Oregon

Having just read this complete thread, I realize that the only Lobaugh stuff that I have is a large pile of trucks.

Rusty covered it.  The only thing I have to add is, these particular Challenger versions are quite rare.  The only one harder to find, other than the Cab Forward, is the NP Challenger.  Neither the D&H nor the NP are 100% accurate in overall dimensions.

@bob2 posted:

I found a photo of my very first Lobaugh SP Mountain.  What a rare find, back then.  I am going to attempt to move a high resolution photo in here:

That's a handsome Mountain !

It's for sale if anyone is interested.  All reasonable offers to mark@vectorservices.com

The Northern Pacific looks like another Rollin J. Lobaugh, and is absolutely beautiful but how can you tell w/o opening it up?  This set came with a wooden box and brass screws

And is a pretty nice attempt at a W-5 Mikado.

The way you tell is a bottom shot.  They are generally like the D&H, except postwar uses tew piece pedestal binders, and only the early Challengers had that upside down pedestal for the gearbox.

NP looks scratchbuilt.

Thanks

What is interesting about the early Lobaugh Challengers is that, even though rare, they have all floated around at the $600 mark for the last four decades.  Part of that is probably the competition of better detailed and more accurate imports.  Sunset did the UP and D&H early Challengers, and they are quite accurate.

Hello Lobaugh fans ..1941 Rollin tries to expand market share by selling a low priced ready to run engine ...introducing the New Haven American ... for a mere $91.00

This could explain why you find so many more Lionel 700E's retailing, complete with display track for $75.00.

The American was an easier build with a cast boiler ...for the beginning novice if purchased as a kit . WW2 ended the American's short availability not to reappear during the postwar years .

This example is going to need a bit of love .

Also had fun adding a few shelves hoping to get all the Lobaugh together ..well modern shelving is just not as long as the old stuff,...

Also note Lobaugh used various rulers for the Scale of thier engines ...prewar 060 a big 17/64ths ..postwar 1/4" , UP Northern 17/64ths ...Greenbrair 1/4"

Cheers Carey,

Wow, what an awesome collection!  I wonder if you'd be willing to identify each of those... please? 🙂

Mark in Oregon

Second the motion.  Whose Daylight?  Can we have a shot of that in inverted flight?

Hello all

top to bottom left to right

fun to collect !!!   

Greenbrair  1950's , post war Pacific

UP Challenger Northern 1940-42  , switcher 1937-39   both 17 64ths

post war switcher   1/4" ,UP Challenger  1940-2

Daylight made with Lobaugh drive wheels etc   post war ..Smith out of Long Beach car  early 50"s

Northern prewar made with Lobaugh bits 1940-42 ,   Mike  1937-9

American  1941-2 , postwar Challenger mid 50's

Bob which piece did you wish to see photos of ?

Cheers Carey

Daylight.  You post yours, I will post mine.  Same deal; Lobaugh drivers, scratchbuilt model.

But those are neat - a portrait of each would be nice to have here.

@bob2 posted:

But those are neat - a portrait of each would be nice to have here.

I'll second that! 

Mark in Oregon

Here is mine - seen here many times.  Frame is a 1"x1" brass bar, machined to look like Lobaugh.  Drivers are Lobaugh.  Tender trucks were cast by my Dad in the Tucson city foundry - nickel silver.  I have not found it in me to paint them.  Vince Waterman later used my master for 1/4" scale bronze sideframes.  Boiler is 1/16' thick copper, silver soldered with the 1100 degree stuff.  Striping is by Pilot pen.

This model is a 17/64 scale GS-2.  I should mention that the tender underframe mimics the ones used by Lobaugh for the Berkshire, Pacific, and Cab Forward.  I did not cast it; rather, it is soldered together bar stock.  But still, it looks like a smoothed-up Berkshire frame.

... awesome Bob, simply awesome.

Mark in Oregon

Lobaugh did not offer the pre-WWII O scale C&O Mikado?  Who did, and photos?

Hello all

Bob your Daylight is stunning ..enjoyed seeing it ..in person

Ok please see photos ..this one has Lobaugh drive and drivers ...heavy brass tube for boiler , cast frame , ...guessing late 40's early 50's. A Bob Smith from LA built a very similar one in 1948 ..

At a later date " someone" up dated it with can motor and added sound ..carving a hole in the bottom of the tender for a speaker ..poor misguided soul.

Runs well !

Cheers Carey

Beautiful...👍

Mark in Oregon

Thanks, Carey.  Nice photos.  I will get some inverted shots of mine, maybe today.

I believe Ed Alexander made a C&O Mike kit.  The only Mikado Lobaugh ever made was SP.  Two versions - pre-war, and "lost wax."

Here is the left side and the underframe of mine:

These photos were taken yesterday - note that the nickel silver tender trucks have turned to a brown rust color.  Nickel plate does not seem to do that, so it has to be some copper in the mix.  Also note the 1x1 brass slug frame.    That is Lobaugh-style machining, but obviously a heavier frame than the nice Lobaugh castings.  NWSL Mod 0.5 gears, 9000-series motor.

My initial goal was to mimic the elusive 1941 catalog GS class offering.  I don't think a single one left the factory - not even a sample.

Awesome...

Mark in Oregon

Hi all.  I'm happy to have found this forum.  I have a story to tell that is relevant to this discussion.

I've had a box in my closet for 20+ years that has a locomotive and tender in it that came with a story.  I've only now begun to investigate it.  The story goes something like this ... my grandfather purchased a loco/tender in the 50's from a dealer in Baltimore and was told that this loco was in a layout in the 1939 World's Fair in San Francisco.  The train wound up with me and has literally been out of the box less than 5 times in 50 yrs.  It appears to be a Lobaugh UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger Loco & Tender.

At this point, I'm looking for some validation that this is what I stated.  Once I have that, selling it isn't out of the question.

Thanks for your help.

Dave