Mystery (Nonpareil) Tinplate Gondola, at least a mystery to me.

American Flyer ??

It is a converted floor toy made by Nonpareil.

Thanks Nighthawk. I was assuming a conversion of something, I just did not know what. I figured it was worth the $25.00 as a conversation piece.

Steve

That gondola is on the 3rd page of the article featured in this thread:

https://ogrforum.com/t.../1917-model-railroad

Here is a Nonpareil gondola pic from the Binnsroad website. It's printed on the inside, factory error! Same digits in different order. Are those early Lionel trucks on the one that Steve showed in the first pic?

http://www.binnsroad.co.uk/rai...nonpareil/index.html

Nonpareil Toy & Novelty Company, Newark New Jersey USA, 1914 - 1933.

The Nonpareil items shown in the Binnsroad website are described as floor toys, but they all have flanged wheels and some appear to have rotating trucks. Perhaps they were all converted to run on tracks by early hobbyists?

Ace, it looks like Lionel trucks in the e-bay picture. I'll post better pictures when it gets here.

Steve

Nonpareil made a 53264 and a 26453 of the same gondola. I have one 26453 bodies without trucks that I picked up a few years ago with the correct stampings on the outside. Long suckers with the hollow "balloon" wheels for floor use. Nonpareil also had a 53264 boxcar with a body that was acquired from Bing but it was not as long as the gondola. Steve, I saw one similar to yours offered in 2011 with AF or Lionel trucks, perhaps Nonpariel sold un-trucked gondolas for standard gauge collectors to complete themselves? Rudimentary tab and slot connectors could easily be changed as necessary.

Never heard of the Penn Sylvan Ia RR before.

With all your help, I know what it is, then came the "What to do with it" problem. It had been converted to Lionel trucks and latch couplers. The trucks actually came off in shipping.  It's size does not lend real well to Lionel, and the litho would really stand out. It's too small for Flyer or Dorfan. Ives ends up being near perfect. Changed the couplers to Std Gauge Ives, cleaned and remounted the trucks and it's ready to go. A serious hybrid.

Steve

would Ives trucks make it sit lower to the rails.

Looks awesome. Most would not know it is custom.

F&G RY posted:

would Ives trucks make it sit lower to the rails.

Makes a unique gondola but yeah, I also think it should ride lower if it's going to keep company with that boxcar.  

Went with the trucks I had to get it running. I'll have to look around for some Ives trucks.

Steve

Steve, that's great, it goes really well with Ives Standard Gauge.  Now you're set up to add the other Nonpareil cars if you come across them.  

I'm doing something similar with Edobaud cars - made in France prewar, they have O Gauge trucks but the cars are huge - big Standard Gauge sized.  So far I have 3 of the 9 different freight cars that were made - I put them on Standard Gauge trucks.  

Something different, and fun to look for at train shows.

Ives standard gauge trucks are hard to find and expensive when you find them.  I"m always on the lookout for them because I put them on the Bing and Marklin Gauge 1 cars so I can run them on the layout, and the Ives trucks are the only ones that really work on the Bing and Marklin cars.

I'm putting Lionel 500 series trucks under the Edobaud cars, they are cheaper and easier to come by, and they look fine.

I usually look for Standard gauge trucks and they are expensive. Bought a Lionel gondola in decent shape, price was right, and I used the trucks on a cattle car I had.  I have considered trying to repro  some of the trucks out of heavy tin but would have to find the wheels. I have an old beat up 36 Observation car with bad paint that just sits there and I keep looking at the trucks !!  Hate to do it though.

hojack posted:

Steve, that's great, it goes really well with Ives Standard Gauge.  Now you're set up to add the other Nonpareil cars if you come across them.  

I'm doing something similar with Edobaud cars - made in France prewar, they have O Gauge trucks but the cars are huge - big Standard Gauge sized.  So far I have 3 of the 9 different freight cars that were made - I put them on Standard Gauge trucks.  

Something different, and fun to look for at train shows.

Ives standard gauge trucks are hard to find and expensive when you find them.  I"m always on the lookout for them because I put them on the Bing and Marklin Gauge 1 cars so I can run them on the layout, and the Ives trucks are the only ones that really work on the Bing and Marklin cars.

I'm putting Lionel 500 series trucks under the Edobaud cars, they are cheaper and easier to come by, and they look fine.

 

 

I have a few early Lionel trucks in the junk bin, but no Ives. I'll keep my eye out for a beater on the bay and at meets.  I've added Nonpareil to my search list, but that may be somewhat useless being as sellers don't know what they are. Like Jim, I have an old Ives passenger car all by itself, just hate to part it out.

Steve

Some of those early trucks are such basic construction, I've considered fabricating custom versions to fit on certain incomplete 'junk' cars. Some of the prewar AF O-gauge trucks were just a rectangular plate with a couple folds and holes for the axles etc. They could be enhanced with some additional holes and punch work.

I Have seen a few repro  Lionel  Std. gauge trucks at shows  but they were expensive. I don't know about parts dealers, haven't looked there. I might take another look at some early trucks to see how much work making one would be.