Tell Me About Standard Gauge...

@Carey TeaRose posted:

And for heavens sake, DON'T buy the TM Books and Video DVD of Celebrity Layouts- Tom Snyder, or their Tinplate Legends 2 DVD- featuring Dave Corbett, or Tinplate Legends 3 DVD with Ron De Santis' collection...

Your warning comes almost exactly 24 hours too late--not that I would have heeded it.  My 5 DVD set is on the way.  I can't wait!

@palallin posted:

Your warning comes almost exactly 24 hours too late--not that I would have heeded it.  My 5 DVD set is on the way.  I can't wait!

You can always enjoy the trains vicariously without buying them.  Yeah, right.

It looks like TM has given up on producing Tinplate #6 - Fritz VonTagen - it's no longer listed on their website. Per discussion at York, they were having difficulty getting video of acceptable quality.  Really a shame. 

@Mallard4468 posted:

You can always enjoy the trains vicariously without buying them.  Yeah, right.

It looks like TM has given up on producing Tinplate #6 - Fritz VonTagen - it's no longer listed on their website. Per discussion at York, they were having difficulty getting video of acceptable quality.  Really a shame.

I had ordered #6. Got a few letters apologizing for the delay, then a letter a few weeks ago saying it was not going to happen.

Steve

John Desantis. Not Ron

@Rich Wiemann posted:

Mark my prewar table is powered by my 250 Watt ZW, which runs my four independent loops. It easily handles the dual motor 408E, along with three other engines and search light cars. Two small transformers supply the lighting circuits.

Lookin' great RichW!

@Strummer posted:

William 1:

I completely get that; if this mania continues (😜) , I will probably stick to Lionel as well. I do find it interesting to learn about the other brands; some of the American Flyer items are pretty nice!

Different subject: what type of power supply do you SG guys typically use? I just picked up this Type S for a dollar, since the cord was cut:

Have replaced the cord and it works "as advertised". Like probably most of you, I have lots of power packs/transformers, but this is at least kind of an older item... what do you use? 🙂

Mark in Oregon

Strummer,

*ahem* I am most certainly "not a SG guy", I like to think of myself as The (SG/WG and O-scale) Toy Train RailRoad Baroness . My Wide Gauge/Standard Gauge trains, modern and original are run by MTH Z4000s. The lights, buildings, and various accessories are run by older original Lionel KW, LW, RW, and ZW transformers. I have and use original Marx, American Flyer, and Lionel transformers getting the jobs done in the O-scale Layout room.  

@Mallard4468 posted:

You can always enjoy the trains vicariously without buying them.  Yeah, right.

It looks like TM has given up on producing Tinplate #6 - Fritz VonTagen - it's no longer listed on their website. Per discussion at York, they were having difficulty getting video of acceptable quality.  Really a shame.

As Fritz has moved and dismantled the layout, it could be a while before he is ready to start shooting videos again, as he currently has no layout and the trains are all boxed.

I really hope to see his trains in action.  The AF WG Set book makes me salivate!   I cannot hope to have trains of that quality.

@Mallard4468 posted:

You can always enjoy the trains vicariously without buying them.  Yeah, right.

Yeah, right.  Not even my wife would expect that of me.  She lets me put my SG/WG trains on shelve in the living room and throw down an oval every now and again (plus every two or three years, i get to put them under the Christmas tree).  I love the books and videos, but they lack presence

If I understand things correctly, the tinplate used on IVES trains was, ironically, better tin plate than either Lionel or Flyer used, and the result was poor paint adhesion.

Interesting question.  Was it a difference in the metallurgical properties of the surface of the tinplate or differences in the paint application process.

Also note that there was a lot of hand work in painting the IVes passenger cars, none that I recall on the Lionel cars.