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On the tin-plate forum someone mentioned that they don't recall seeing much NEW tin-plate sets at York. 

 

I am devoid of trains at the moment and was REALLY counting on buying 2 NEW Lionel Corporation (or whatever they are called - the ones that MTH makes for them with PS2 or PS3) sets at York.

 

Gosh, if I can't get 2 sets I'll have a Christmas layout with NO TRAINS!!!!!

 

Does anyone know if tin-plate SETS are readily available at York?  Again, I will NOT BUY old stuff.  I want the new stuff so I can run them under DCS control.

 

thanks - walt

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We (wife & I) agree...Al & Libby run a first class operation at Sidetrack.  Our experience is that they have the largest concentration of new tinplate at York (Orange Hall) in the last few meets.  But the above advice is solid...if you have a set or two in mind, have checked their website for availability, let them know NOW and I'm sure they'd make arrangement with you for P/U at York.

 

KD

Thanks for the comments giving me confidence that I'll find a lot to choose from.

 

I don't have specific sets in mind yet.

 

I run with O27 track (27, 42, 54, and 72 curves) and K-Line O27 switches (27 and 42).  As I mentioned once before a fellow forumite brought some of his pieces to my house and we tried running them thru a temp layout.  Some made it thru the switches OK and others didn't.

 

I'm going to take a printout of the email with comments that he made to me to see if the dealer is willing to agree to comment on what I am buying.  I am a bit concerned in that regard.

 

I'll check with Sidetrack ahead of time.

Originally Posted by walt rapp:

I'm going to take a printout of the email with comments that he made to me to see if the dealer is willing to agree to comment on what I am buying.  I am a bit concerned in that regard.

 

Not quite sure I understand what you might be looking for in this regard, Walt.

 

Chances are good that most dealers are not going to be able to provide specifics regarding what type of switches their O gauge tinplate items will or will not perform well on (most all of the smaller O gauge tinplate will do just fine on any brand of switch).  You likely received more useful/reliable info right here in this thread.

 

 

 

Originally Posted by Allan Miller:
Originally Posted by walt rapp:

I'm going to take a printout of the email with comments that he made to me to see if the dealer is willing to agree to comment on what I am buying.  I am a bit concerned in that regard.

 

Not quite sure I understand what you might be looking for in this regard, Walt.

 

Chances are good that most dealers are not going to be able to provide specifics regarding what type of switches their O gauge tinplate items will or will not perform well on (most all of the smaller O gauge tinplate will do just fine on any brand of switch).  You likely received more useful/reliable info right here in this thread.

 

 

 

Allan: my friend said things like (and I'll have the exact numbering wrong here since I don't have the email right now): "Any of the 600 series cars will be comparable to the one we just ran.".

 

So I'm hoping that a KNOWLEDGABLE dealer can take comments like that to help me pick the right sets.  he made comments like that about engines too.

 

Bill: yeah, one thing I'm starting to notice, and it might be just bad luck based on the little that I've browsed around, that standard gauge tin-plate seems to be more popular that 'O' tin.

 

I know exactly which booth you guys are describing.  Walked thru it many times but with no interest - that WILL change this time!!!!!!

 

- walt

Walt,

 

I would strongly advise looking through the last couple of Lionel Corp. tinplate catalogs online to see what is available and to perhaps select a few possibilities before York week. There's lots of other info online about recent tinplate.

 

If you educate yourself first, there will be less reliance on a dealer's advice.

 

You also will want to decide if you want proto2 engines or traditional open frame motors. Watch out also for those earlier proto1 tinplate offerings under the MTH brand. They can be as troublesome as all the other premier/Railking proto1s out there with 10 year old batteries.

 

An old dealer at a train show ages ago noticed my indecision about an item on his table. He just said, "If you don't know @#$%^& about what you are looking at, don't buy it!" Best train show advice I ever got. 

 

Jim

 

Originally Posted by Jim Policastro:

Walt,

 

I would strongly advise looking through the last couple of Lionel Corp. tinplate catalogs online to see what is available and to perhaps select a few possibilities before York week. There's lots of other info online about recent tinplate.

 

 

 

I would definitely recommend following Jim's advice!  All of the catalogs are available online at the MTH website, so take the time to explore the options before you go to the meet.

 

As others have noted, the Christmas set, Baby Blue Comet, and Red Comet are all fine sets, and there are a number of others as well.  I have yet to buy one that I didn't really like (all of mine are PS2/3), and the collection keeps growing.

Originally Posted by F&G RY:

One caveat, when buying tinplate be it O or STG watch the size. The 2 sets posted above are both very nice sets. However, those white passengers cars in reality are smaller than the freight cars in the other set.

 

When buying look at the cars next to each other.

Yes, the 249 locomotives and cars are smaller than the 263 locomotives and cars.  That is one thing you may want to watch out for when buying tinplate O gauge, particularly if you eventually want to buy several sets and/or have all rolling stock match in terms of size.

 

The original tinplate had no particular scale, and neither do the repros.  Sizes range from relatively small (264 and 249) to large (260, 263) and very large (256).  I have some of all these sizes, but tend to keep trains of just one relative size on the layout at any one time.

 

But these are toys, and so long as you can couple things together properly, it makes little difference how you mix-and-match.

Originally Posted by Farmer_Bill:

Right, they are just toys.  I doubt Walt dumped everything he had to go into tinplate expecting Proto-48 products.  I'm guessing he just want to have some fun. 

Captured my attitude perfectly Bill !!!

 

Yes, the engines MUST be PS2 or PS3.  I already have DCS components.

 

Smaller is OK with me as long as I like the look of the set.  I kinda am hoping to find sets without track, trannie, etc, since I don't need any of those components.  I want at least one passenger set for sure and the other one is up for grabs.  Definitely, no doubt about it, stopping at two sets.  May add a car or 2 down the line but no more engines.

 

BTW: I have looked on-line but I can't really tell much about whether I think they will handle my switches.  I also have a printed catalogue that my forum buddy gave to me and will take it, with his comments included, to York with me.

 

I do appreciate all of the helpful comments that you guys have made.

 

thanks again - walt

Here is an email that he sent to me.  I'm hoping that the information is transferable to current day sets.

 

 

The 254E was the orange and blue baby brute.  Here is the MTH link http://www.mthtrains.com/content/11-5508-1 This set included the smalled 600 series passenger cars.  This engine would also work with the larger 2800 series freight cars (Islay's car).  Here is the MTH link for the islays carhttp://www.mthtrains.com/content/11-70065.  A couple dealers have it.
 
The 255E was the large gray steamer with 3 axle tender trucks.  Here is the MTH link  http://www.mthtrains.com/content/11-6013-1  This engine will work the larger 2800 freight cars or the 2600 or 710 series passenger cars.  The 255E, 260E, and 263E are all similar engines.  A 260E is the same locomotive but has 2 axle trucks on the tender.  A 263E has extra driverods on the locomotive and marker lights on the front instead of flags.  Otherwise these are all the same engine.
 
The 262E was the smaller black steamer.  Here is the MTH link http://www.mthtrains.com/content/11-6022-1 This engine is also part of set 269E http://www.mthtrains.com/content/11-5507-1.  The 262E, 261E and 249E are similar engines.  Just slightly different locomotive details and different 2 axle truck tenders.  This engine will work with 600 and 2600 series freight cars or 600 or the 1685 passenger cars.  I brought over the 1685 passenger car with 3 axle trucks. 
 
As a side note.  Do not confuse 2600 series freight cars and 2600 series passenger cars.  2600 series freight cars are for smaller engines like the 262E.  2600 series passenger cars are for larger engines like the 255E. 
 
Ryan

Without a doubt... take some time and do some research PRIOR to your trip to York.  Then call SideTrack Hobbies and/or visit them in the Orange Hall at York. 

 

While most other dealers are battling for everyday O-Gauge train dollars, SideTrack Hobbies leaves most of their O-Gauge stuff back at the ranch (except for perhaps a stack of MTH Z-4000 transformers) and loads their York truck to the hilt with Standard Gauge tinplate trains and accessories.    They're pretty much the "mother lode" when it comes to NEW Standard Gauge tinplate trains at York!!!    Great prices too.

 

David

Originally Posted by SWANKO:

If SideTrack does not bring any 'O' stuff to York, how does this help out Walt?  Does he need to call SideTrack and ask them to bring sets to York?  Just confused with the mention of Standard Gauge.

I was thinking the exact same thing when I read David's comments.  I'm not expecting that everyone will read thru an entire post so he probably just missed where I said I wanted NEW 'O', not standard gauge.

 

I will look at what's available on-line ahead of time to try to make some sort of sense of it all.  I over-plan everything I do so why not this, right?  Like I said tho' I tried already and got discouraged because I couldn't tell what might, no, make that 'will', work

 

- walt

Just to clarify,

 

Sidetrack brings lots of O Gauge TINPLATE, but not O Gauge regular trains.  So Walt, there will be plenty of O Gauge Tinplate at Sidetrack at York!  I've gotten most of my tinplate at Sidetrack at York.

 

Ed

 

ps. as you shop for Tinplate, be very careful to look for the O Gauge part... I've almost picked a few items that looked great, only to find (runs on STD-42 track) at the bottom of the listing.

 

For the purposes of this discussion, forget about Standard Gauge. 

 

Walt is not looking for Standard Gauge tin; he's looking for O gauge tinplate and wants NEW tinplate with PS2/3.

 

Since he plans to buy this at York, he definitely needs to consider Sidetrack Hobbies.  They are the folks who have what is likely the largest assortment of new tinplate at York.  I have bought a number of items from them in the past, both online and at York, and I can assure you they are fine folks to deal with.

Walt,

 

Sorry if I threw you a curve ball mentioning Standard Gauge...  I missed your comment about the O track you plan to use.  

 

Have no fear though... Sidetrack Hobbies is still your best ticket at York!  They have a very large space at York filled with just about everything in "new tinplate" you might conjure up.  And if you need something special, give them a call ahead of time so they can bring it along.

 

David

 

Thanks David for clarifying.  Like I said, I don't expect that everyone will read every posting in a thread, especially when it starts to grow like this one, so it made sense that you didn't know my "requirements".

 

I will get serious looking on-line at different vendors and also the tin-plate Lionel catalogue (or will it come from MTH? I have to check it out) starting this week.  I do want to take advice as mentioned by many above about getting edumacated ahead of time.

 

thank s- walt

Sidetrack Hobbies is one of the very few dealers with brand new tinplate at the show.  If there is something specific you are looking for I would definitly call them up and have them set it aside for you at the show.  They do not bring everything they have available. Last Spring there were several items I would have bought from them but they were "back at the store".

I put up a 'thank you for helping' me thread on this sub-forum Friday but the OGR brass moved it to the tin-plate forum.  I wanted it on both but especially this one since more people have offered advice on this forum than the tin-plate one.

 

I did pre-order the Baby Blue Comet engine and tender (PS2 or PS3) and the matching 4-car set of passenger cars from Sidetrack Hobbies.  I will pick it up and pay for it at York on Thursday.

 

I still want one more train. 

 

BTW: I have a hard-copy of the 2013 tin-plate catalogue.

 

- walt

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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