S Foto Fun: July 2018

Rusty, The groundcover is very nicely done.

FrankM

An SHS consist of ABA Union Pacific F3s passes under the urban train station. More modern UP power from American Models is on its right.

A CD hopper arrives at the grain silos.

An SHS ABBA Super Chief passes through the suburbs on its way to the next destination, pulling AM Budd cars.

Rusty Traque posted:

Picture time for no apparent reason.

Rusty

The pre BN CB&Q is really growing on me, especially as CB&Q power seemed to show up a lot in Detroit as run through power on the Central when I was a little guy.

Jeff C

TOKELLY, Excellent vistas. Every inch!

FrankM

Moonson posted:

TOKELLY, Excellent vistas. Every inch!

FrankM

I completely agree--although it's irritating to have these guys remind me again how great S scale layouts can look...

I'm starting to think they are doing this on purpose!

Jeff C

I can add some PRR action on a sunny afternoon. 

Glad to see other contributions.  I'm always impressed by the work of other S folks.

Rusty

I picked these two sets up a while ago,  Here are the lots they came in and then both somewhat cleaned up. They are a 4621 and a 4914A.

Some S gauge in the garden pics:

Regards

Fred

A nice S scale Central J1 Hudson would look great in the garden!

Jeff C

leikec posted:

A nice S scale Central J1 Hudson would look great in the garden!

Jeff C

Agree, but an American Flyer Hudson also looks great in the garden :

Regards

Fred

I do like the classic AF Hudson, and it certainly looks wonderful running on your layout!

Jeff C

Rusty Traque posted:

Picture time for no apparent reason.

Rusty

Rusty, you've probably mentioned this before, but what is the overall size of your layout? 

Jeff C

leikec posted:

Rusty, you've probably mentioned this before, but what is the overall size of your layout? 

Jeff C

12'x18', more or less.  This was the first and only draft of the track plan (it's off by a foot and a half on length.)  Drawn somewhere in the 1988-89 time frame I should have been working instead of goofing off in the office.   It loosely resembles the final product:

Rusty

Oh, no!  The dreaded "race track"!  Never mind, I like it.  Constant running while enough sidings to permit operations. 

poniaj posted:

Oh, no!  The dreaded "race track"!  Never mind, I like it.  Constant running while enough sidings to permit operations. 

This was the inspiration:

Rusty

Thanks! I like how you haven't overcrowded the layout with track. That's a big reason it photographs well.

Jeff C

     wow, just ram across these two awesome "S" gauge layout videos...

          https://youtu.be/JXztFjCuatU

          https://youtu.be/n-ViUKYgwmA

Fred, your Royal Blue is fabulous!

I have a couple of more postwar sets on the way to me.  I think it's a great haul for $50 plus shipping.  Two almost complete sets, a huge pile of track on rubber roadbed, switches, transformers, etc.  Looks like a 1946 or 47 Hudson set 4611 and a 1950 AF GP-7 set 5012T.  I think I am missing a caboose, the manoil car and the bottom of the searchlight car.  I think the rubber roadbed would sell for $50 or so by itself.  I love picking up these lots and these should fix up nicely.  These will fit in nicely with the other early postwar sets I have.  I know these are not collector quality, but man  These last couple of big Ebay lots prove you can still get some nice trains for decent money.  Would be even better  if I could find stuff like this local and not have to pay shipping!

Dennis, the Hudson set appears to be a 1947 set based on the tender lettering and the couplers. The two action cars look like they have outside pickup shoes rather than the pickup shoes between the wheels.

Some of the track appears to be 1946 production but it is hard to be certain from the pictures. Three of the 4 curve pieces in the picture to the right of the track switches look like they have blackened webs under the rail head. this was done in 1946 only. It is possible some leftover inventory could have been included in early 1947 sets.

The track switches look like 1947 production. I base this on the controller box. The levers are centered between the two throw positions, in 1946 the levers stayed at the last used throw position with no return to center. The 1946 turnouts were wired differently to work with these control boxes. Also 1946 turnouts would have blackened rail webs.

Nice find, enjoy the set.

Hey, Thanks Tom.  That all certainly fits what I was thinking. Also do not see brass buttons on the loco.  Also, no coupler weights on the Hudson set which I think is either 46 or 47 so it could probably be a carry over or combo of both.  It seems like Flyer kept the same set numbers in some cases for a few years.  4611 in in both the 46 and 47 catalogs.  I've got some other Black track, like you say, very early Postwar and I also have some late Prewar the same.  Neat stuff. That said, I agree, there are some characteristics from both years.  For reference, correctly, but brass weights are 48 and black weights started in 49, is that correct?

A 1946 Hudson would have New York Central on the tender without the oval logo. It would also have a 1946 thin shank coupler. Also the engine is a SIT design. Gilbert changed to a smoke/choo choo unit in the boiler in 1948.

Couplers progressed as follows. 1946, thin shank, no weight. 1947, thick shank, no weight. 1948, thick shank, brass weights. 1949 to end of link coupler production, thick shank, black weights.

Many set numbers continued unchanged from 1946 through 1949. An "A" was added to the carry over set numbers in 1948.

I got the trains mentioned a above yesterday.  So far just cleaned up the 5012 set with the 370. It's not to bad. The shell has a huge split on the nose where it was dropped but otherwise looksgood for my use. The handcar cleaned up pretty well too. The Hudson set needs some work. It must have been the first set the kid got and by the time he got the 5012, he learned to take care of things better. I also need to find a Manoil car for the unloader.

Just for fun here are a couple of shots of the 1957 20330 set the arrived with the 4914A Hudson passenger set I posted earlier. I need canisters for the 916 gondola and the kid put a few model airplane decals on some cars but the 293 cleaned up nicely and smokes like a dragon after a bit of gentle work on the smoke unit.  It'll out me out of the train room after about 6-8 loops. It's insane!

Sorry for all the pics, I spend most of me time on the tinplate forum but I do like S as well.  I have a few sets, and really mostly like early steam sets but I'm not to picky.

my layout is pretty small, just about 4x10 under one section of my O gauge layout. Sorry for the mess.  I must certainly be a member of the old Crappy Basement Layout Society!

Btw Tom, the track was a mic of black rail and shiney as from  two seperate sets and the 716 dump had the early center trip on the truck. The 322 has no buttons on the chassis, no pins in the rims, I don't see a date stamp in the cab yet. The cab number is not block and you can see the couplers for comparison below.  I am not sure if it is thivk or thin shank. I'm curious as to your thoughts on 46 or 47 on this one.  I don't really care, just curious.

Hi Dennis

  Looks like a thin shank 1947 on the Hudson plus it has the oval(not 46)

   Pinning the rims was a 1946 issue with the new white wall plastic material   

Awesome Chooch! Enjoy

Al

Dennis, somehow I missed the close up pictures in your last post. Al has already replied, the 322 is a 1947 with the oval NYC on the tender and the thick shank coupler with no weight.

 1946 production also is known for silver rubber stamped graphics on locos (and 630 cabooses with warped red plastic frames lol)

Al