A short update to the Bub elevated railway. Seven of the eight posts are ready. Hope the last Bub baseplate arive this week.

Arne

Hello again everyone.  I decided that to make up for my posting of a WOODEN Holland train station, I better post some tinplate !  But before that, let me say thanks to Daniel for posting the Darstaed passenger cars from Switzerland ! COVID permitting, wife and I are traveling to Bern this May so maybe I might encounter these trains.  Rich Wiemann, beautiful City of Denver train, great find.  Arne your work on the Bub elevated is really progressing beautifully.  I hope you post some pictures of it operating when you are done.  NWL, George S,  and Greg I am now as confused as ever about the infamous "Ives Transition Cars " of about 1932 or so.  I have several that ultimately transitioned into the Lionel line, but had not seen those that used Flyer bodies...Oh well at $3500 for one caboose I expect I will never have to worry about them (LOL)!!

From me today, much more modest fare.  I pulled out some Chad Valley rolling stock this week.  These tankers were new to their line in 1949 (ref  Michael Foster's book, "British Toy Trains", Book 1).  I will admit to being a "tanker fan" because of the many different liveries that were used by the various manufacturers.

Anyway here are my Chad Valley tanker wagons:

This is the 10074 Model C.V. Dairies tanker. A single dome with lithographed ladder, note two color lithography on ladder to give a "3D" appearance .

This is the 10075 Model Motor C.V. Spirit Tanker.  A two dome but with no ladder

IAW Foster's book, both tankers were new to the Chad Valley line in 1949.  They had simple bent hook and eye couplings.  He mentions that later versions of these cars had black or nickel long link couplings.  They are obviously 4 wheel with no journal boxes, have metal wheels, and are both about 4-5" long.  I have several CV freight wagons, but am still on the lookout for a CV locomotive...oh well that is what makes us collectors...its all about the search!

Have a safe and happy week

Don

Hello Don, I hope you will find something for your collection in Switzerland.  Manufacturers from that country have realized many nice models, just be prepare to "Swiss prices" sometime they are extremely high...  Sorry about your wooden train station, I have never seen one and do not know who made it, nice piece and rare find, congrats. 

All my best wishes, Daniel

The PRR Congressional rolling past the Hellgate bridge.

Steve

Daniel :  Thank you for the advice, I will keep my "franc's" handy!!!  Thank you for the compliment on my train station, its just one of those things that wonderful memories of the area its from made it too hard to resist.

Don

@Nation Wide Lines posted:

Several years ago Bertoia auctioned a Flyer bodied 121 caboose that was yellow & brown.  Here is an image from that auction.

I recall the item selling for big money, but don't recall the details.

I just bought an overpainted AF 3211 that I plan to restore. I got a good price, and it's already been messed up pretty good. So, I will try to match this color scheme. I plan to keep the AF trucks and couplers on it. It has all the trim except for the circle windows on the ends. Maybe I can find some brass eyelets that will fit those. I don't know how the plates will clean up or if they are even there. There is a heavy coat of red on them. The journal boxes and other trim all has paint on it too. Hopefully, it will clean up nice and I can share with everyone.

I am having the most trouble matching that yellow/tan/white paint color. Rustoleum has an Antique White and an Almond that seem closest. I read that this color was used on other American Flyer cars, or maybe they meant Ives cars. Anyone have any ideas? The picture on the Ives Society website makes the color look darker and more tan in color.

The roof looks like a good match to Krylon Fusion Matte Ink Blue. I used Rustoleum Colonial Red to match the red on my Ives 121. I am happy with that match.

George

@George S posted:

I just bought an overpainted AF 3211 that I plan to restore. I got a good price, and it's already been messed up pretty good. So, I will try to match this color scheme. I plan to keep the AF trucks and couplers on it. It has all the trim except for the circle windows on the ends. Maybe I can find some brass eyelets that will fit those. I don't know how the plates will clean up or if they are even there. There is a heavy coat of red on them. The journal boxes and other trim all has paint on it too. Hopefully, it will clean up nice and I can share with everyone.

I am having the most trouble matching that yellow/tan/white paint color. Rustoleum has an Antique White and an Almond that seem closest. I read that this color was used on other American Flyer cars, or maybe they meant Ives cars. Anyone have any ideas? The picture on the Ives Society website makes the color look darker and more tan in color.

The roof looks like a good match to Krylon Fusion Matte Ink Blue. I used Rustoleum Colonial Red to match the red on my Ives 121. I am happy with that match.

George

I think your color will be off, if you paint the roof blue, as the Bertoia catalog calls it a gray colored roof.  I know that gray will be a difficult color to match, as there are many variations of gray colors.

I recall the color looking more yellow/tan in person, when I viewed it at the auction and I would suspect the roof is a darker gray color.

@Nation Wide Lines posted:

I think your color will be off, if you paint the roof blue, as the Bertoia catalog calls it a gray colored roof.  I know that gray will be a difficult color to match, as there are many variations of gray colors.

I recall the color looking more yellow/tan in person, when I viewed it at the auction and I would suspect the roof is a darker gray color.

The roof is the same color as the regular Ives 121. It does look gray, with a blue tint. This Ink Blue is very gray. If it doesn’t match, I’ll keep trying.

I’ll keep your observation of the yellow in mind as I try to match to body. Lighting in these different photographs tends to change the color.

George

Hi guys, just catching up on posts since mid-August. So many goodies to drool over. I think I like the box for that Ives caboose almost as much as the car. Great example of art deco packaging!

Contemporary tinplate--especially new-in-box--is quickly becoming as scarce as hen's teeth, so I have pretty much jumped on anything I find that suits my needs, interests, and desires. I am still in the process of unpacking and setting up things following my move to a new home last month, but did manage to place a small part of my contemporary O gauge tinplate motive power collection in a couple of the recently mounted display cases down in my new OGR office/lounge/train layout room. I was too lazy to remove the Plexiglas fronts, so please forgive the reflections.

@Allan Miller posted:

Contemporary tinplate--especially new-in-box--is quickly becoming as scarce as hen's teeth, so I have pretty much jumped on anything I find that suits my needs, interests, and desires. I am still in the process of unpacking and setting up things following my move to a new home last month, but did manage to place a small part of my contemporary O gauge tinplate motive power collection in a couple of the recently mounted display cases down in my new OGR office/lounge/train layout room. I was too lazy to remove the Plexiglas fronts, so please forgive the reflections.

Those are some nice ones! It feels like the contemporary tinplate era went by so fast!

George

Here is a video of a run tonight....there is a little plastic involved but oh well..

Added a few shelves to display up to show some of my bigger STD Gauge locos.

Steve

WOW Steve!

@Nation Wide Lines posted:

OK, trying something new.  I created a youtube channel so I could upload video content.  The test video is about 30 seconds long, but my aim is to create longer videos in the future.  So here are a couple of prewar American Flyer items running around the track.

NWL

I must gush a little and say that I love this video!!! Watching it over and over, like on a loop. Found myself actually straining/tilting my neck to see what is coming around a corner! Well done. Looks like there is more original AF O I definitely need to get!

@Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Added a few shelves to display up to show some of my bigger STD Gauge locos.

Steve

Hope you have a stop to prevent the door from hitting the pilot on the 4-6-6-4!

@Mallard4468 posted:

Hope you have a stop to prevent the door from hitting the pilot on the 4-6-6-4!

The layout curves out so the door hits the edge of the layout first.

Steve

@Jim Kelly-Evans posted:

A hundred years ago kids and their parents set up their tinplate toy trains on the floor to have fun running them. This Lionel Interurban and trailer dates from about 1913. and maybe it ran on the floor a century ago. It's still running today!

I like your tag line quote from Hertz.

@Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Added a few shelves to display up to show some of my bigger STD Gauge locos.

Steve glad you added new shelves, can never have enough display space. However, I’m not sure about your display selection choice. Maybe the “Sorta Standard Gauge” RTR units would have been a better choice....LOL. Not really, those are some handsome units and rightfully should be admired on a daily basis. ENJOY....  

When I got antsy to get going on the Upstairs O Gauge Layout room and Layout table- and set up a Fastrack loop and a few accessories on the foyer Floor around and under the coffee table! I ran my original AF 1928 uncataloged set and a little 600 series freight set.

@George S posted:

The roof is the same color as the regular Ives 121. It does look gray, with a blue tint. This Ink Blue is very gray. If it doesn’t match, I’ll keep trying.

I’ll keep your observation of the yellow in mind as I try to match to body. Lighting in these different photographs tends to change the color.

George

I received my beat up caboose. Here are the before pictures.

Good news is that it has all the trim except the plates. I agree with NWL that the roof is going to be the problem color to match. It’s much closer to charcoal gray than any blue. I am going to experiment in blending spray colors on some scrap.

I have two shades of cream for the body that I will test and share.

This shouldn’t take too long. It’s mostly a strip and repaint.

George

@Carey TeaRose posted:

When I got antsy to get going on the Upstairs O Gauge Layout room and Layout table- and set up a Fastrack loop and a few accessories on the foyer Floor around and under the coffee table! I ran my original AF 1928 uncataloged set and a little 600 series freight set.

Beautiful room!

A favorite car, the Maerklin Transportwagen fur Flugzeuge No. 1881/1, produced 1919-1935. My example is post 1926 when buffers were added making the car a little longer. The car is all original except for the reproduction pilot.

@Jim Kelly-Evans posted:

A favorite car, the Maerklin Transportwagen fur Flugzeuge No. 1881/1, produced 1919-1935. My example is post 1926 when buffers were added making the car a little longer. The car is all original except for the reproduction pilot.

That car is incredibly cool. That's why I love this thread - seeing so many things that I never even knew existed.

Amazing that the car survived in that condition with almost all of the parts intact.  Of course, it's sad in a way, because it means the lucky kid who got it never really played with it.

@George S posted:

Good news is that it has all the trim except the plates. I agree with NWL that the roof is going to be the problem color to match. It’s much closer to charcoal gray than any blue. I am going to experiment in blending spray colors on some scrap.

I have two shades of cream for the body that I will test and share.

This shouldn’t take too long. It’s mostly a strip and repaint.

George

I have had one of these apart for about a year waiting for me to get back to it.  I intended to fabricate a replacement cupula to make look more lie a northeast wide cupula design.  the first couple tries came out poor and just never had time to get it done.  maybe next year.

A streamlined HORNBY set, reference AD for "Aero Dynamique"? It is a set from the M series which is smaller than the usual models and represent a train from the Paris Lyon to Mediterranean coast railway company. it dates from circa 1935 and hard to find in near new condition.

Have a nice weekend,  Daniel

Daniel: That stunning Swiss made original Darstead Prussian car made my day! The price on that beauty was probably not for the cardiac stressed! Congrats!

@George S posted:

I received my beat up caboose. Here are the before pictures.

Good news is that it has all the trim except the plates. I agree with NWL that the roof is going to be the problem color to match. It’s much closer to charcoal gray than any blue. I am going to experiment in blending spray colors on some scrap.

I have two shades of cream for the body that I will test and share.

This shouldn’t take too long. It’s mostly a strip and repaint.

George

I think I came up with the blue gray roof. I started with Ink Blue and lightly oversprayed it with Charcoal Gray.

Here are the color options for the cream. Antique White and Ivory White. which is closest? The Antique is a little runny.

George

Daniel :  What a great find, thanks for posting.  You are right, the MO class of Hornby was O - gauge but a smaller scale than the rest of the line.  I have one of the first passenger series of this line from about 1930-31. It is pictured below.  Not nearly as sophisticated as yours but the MO line did get better as the years went on.

Daniel, as always, thank you for posting.  I had never seen the "AD" set your pictured before.

Don

Ohhh Frenchy ! What a marvellous PLM Aerodynamique ! Thats one of my Bucket List locomotives .. C'est Magnifique Mon Frere !

Same with the Marklin Marvel from MR JKE ! glorious condition and some rocking horse poo right there !

Well this week for me has been more about "Bits and Pieces" than stunning rarity or amazingness

Starting with a simple Post War Hornby British Rail tender

Then a nice Canadian Pacific Marx found here in Aus .. ( excuse sellers photography lol )

Apparently its a "Perfect runner"

And sourced from the same fine fellow .. a lovely little double reduction Marx motor ( again perfect runner) which is quite possibly going to replace the motor in my British Marx Silverlink which has some issues !

But the absolute BARGAIN of the week was finding a lot of Vintage wheels on the Netherlands epay, and with the kind assistance of my Dutchy mate it was secured for an astounding opening bid of ......

0.99 Euro's !  with 7 euros local postage !

Thats some MAJOR treasure right there ! A lot of early pressed cut tin spoked wheels as well as some later cast versions ( and some HWN or similar plastics lol )

But the funniest thing I mentioned to Dutchy after winning it ... the Charles Gervais Cheese box the dude sent it in .... is worth 50 times the winning bid according to asking prices on epay !!!

So we started out pretty meekly but ended with a bang !

( it doesnt take much to keep me happy lol )

Here's my contribution.  I picked it up at York from a guy who specializes in European trains and frequently travels to the Czech Republic.  He threw it in when I purchased some other items.  It appears to be handmade.  I think the body is aluminum.  It has an O-gauge mechanism, but the overall size is more like standard or 1 gauge.  I have not yet dared to power it up.  Any ideas about it?

@Fatman posted:

But the absolute BARGAIN of the week was finding a lot of Vintage wheels on .......

( it doesnt take much to keep me happy lol )

Fatman I believe your last statement on the post sums it up for most of us!

It’s the thrill of the hunt and seeing value in something that doesn’t mean much to someone else. Keep up the hunt across the globe and enjoy. i know your collecting has broaden my toy train knowledge.

Fatman...you are now defiantly the "BIG WHEEL" among our group!!  Great Marx CP loco as well.  Do you know if its pre or post war?  Is it an 0-4-0 or a 2-4-2 ? Marx made both arrangements.  Based on some details,  it could date as early as '39 but was then reissued '46-52. Marx made these as 494,495,and 3000 series engines.  The key feature separating it from the 391,396,397 series is that it only has one dome and the 39X series had two.  In addition the 39X series had a round smokestack while the 3000 and 49X series had the tear drop shaped stack like yours. This would put your engine in the 49X or 3000 series.   One key is if there is lettering on the side boards, it would typically be "Marlines" but sometimes said "Canadian Pacific" or sometimes just the number "3000" other variants have just the blank sideboard with the colored trim and no lettering at all.   Marx, unfortunately for us collectors today, made a bewildering number of variants on this great loco.  In fact he made more variants of this type loco than any other.  However, I would agree with your seller..."if its Marx, it will RUN!"

Speaking of Marx, I posted this picture on Front End Friday, but thought you all might like it.  Its kind of "pre" Marx.  It is a Joy Line loco, CW, from about 1932-35.  This followed the Joy Line, cast iron loco made from about 1927.  The manufacturer was  the Girard Model Works of Girard Pa. which had been founded in 1906 as a manufacturer of springs and was engaged in the toy business from about the 1920's.  Louis Marx & Co. became their sole toy distributor under a 5 year contract in 1929.  Subsequent financial difficulties resulted in the Girard Model Works filing for bankruptcy in 1934 and Marx (who was a major stockholder and was serving as one of the Directors of the Model Works)  acquired the assets of the company from the receivers in January 1935.   It was reorganized as the Girard Manufacturing Co and began to produce Marx toys in 1936.

Here is the "mighty" Joy Line steam locomotive pulling her Joy Line heavyweight passenger consist about 1932-1935.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Don

I want to see one of my favorite post strings continue so here's my newest tinplate car. This started as a beat up 4018 and now is an REA express boxcar for my AF passenger train. Later I'll have some more pictures of my AF passenger train with this car in it and double headed with a 4000 and 46XX locomotives.   

Pete in Kansas:  Beautiful restoration / customizing job.  Did you have any rust?  If so what did you do to remove it and did you then have to prepare the surface for new paint.  I have several Lionel cars that could use a restoration but they have various amounts of rust and I am not sure of a good mechanism to remove it.  Thanks

Don

@Pete in Kansas posted:

I want to see one of my favorite post strings continue so here's my newest tinplate car. This started as a beat up 4018 and now is an REA express boxcar for my AF passenger train. Later I'll have some more pictures of my AF passenger train with this car in it and double headed with a 4000 and 46XX locomotives.   

I love it!!! More AF Wide Gauge please!!!

@Don McErlean posted:

Pete in Kansas:  Beautiful restoration / customizing job.  Did you have any rust?  If so what did you do to remove it and did you then have to prepare the surface for new paint.  I have several Lionel cars that could use a restoration but they have various amounts of rust and I am not sure of a good mechanism to remove it.  Thanks

Don

Yes it had a lot of rust on the roof which was cleaned with a brass wheel on my bench grinder and then the pitting was filled with red lead. I bought a tube of red lead at walmart a few years ago and at the rate I'm using it this will probably last me for the next 10 years! After these areas are sanded and primed you'd never know the pitting was there.

My first original American Flyer Wide Gauge set in action!

Pete in Kansas:  THANK YOU! for the data.  Very helpful

Don

@Pete in Kansas posted:

I want to see one of my favorite post strings continue so here's my newest tinplate car. This started as a beat up 4018 and now is an REA express boxcar for my AF passenger train. Later I'll have some more pictures of my AF passenger train with this car in it and double headed with a 4000 and 46XX locomotives.   

Beautiful Pete! Is this one for sale?

George

A few news in the collection.

Brimtoy train 124, made 1916

Bub indicators from the 30s, all the same with different names.

Germany

Netherland

France

Danmark

And a unknown indicator for Australia

With Adelaide, Mildura, Albury, Bendigo, Frankston, Geelong, Flinders St

Arne

My double headed Flyer wide gauge passenger train.

It is always nice to add a couple of Marklin pieces to the collection and bring them back to life. The switch track in the first picture shows how dirty everthing was on average throughout the lot. After a day's worth of cleaning, I was able to bring the switches and crossing back to life. Just finishing up two more freight cars today. Miketg

Hi @Arne that wonderful platform indicator was manufactured here in Australia by Strong ... they are pretty thin on the ground here so you did great in snapping that one up ...

Its really hard to google info on as you no doubt have found , because "Strong" simply is used soooooo many ways ... but I found an Auction listing showing one

https://www.antiquesreporter.c...on-board-with-clock/

The ones I have seen ( not in person , but on web) usually have a faint "Strong" punched into the underside of the base , but its usually very faint and in some models probably is not there at all ?

They did different versions , I have seen one for Victoria ( your model) and one for New South Wales , of course they have different names on the paper but are identical otherwise made in the late 40's to early 50's I believe , but I think @Jamie Thompson might know more?

@Don McErlean Like you , currently I have only the crappy auction pics to go on LOL!

But I did hold back the underneath shot ... its def 0-4-0 oh and auto-reversing motor

Lovely little Joyline consist too Don ... best I can come up with is my rusty old boy ...

@Arne posted:

A few news in the collection.

Brimtoy train 124, made 1916

Bub indicators from the 30s, all the same with different names.

Germany

Netherland

France

Danmark

And a unknown indicator for Australia

With Adelaide, Mildura, Albury, Bendigo, Frankston, Geelong, Flinders St

Arne

All very nice Arne- I love that that you got the same  indicator from the same company with the variance being the country/region they represent and were therefore primarily marketed in- really cool. I also like the indicators themselves, I have the German one.

Also like the strong Australian pick-up, I studied there a few years back during undergrad- centered in Brizzy, traveled up the east coast, so beautiful. Love the actually train system there, as well. Asked a guy for directions when getting off the subway when Saturday night, he turned around, said “oh a sepo” and just roundhouse kicked me in the middle of a busy subway exit corridor. Luckily my arm was at my side already, his wife was horrified. Regardless, Great mass transit and cool trains; I utilized their trains quite often. Traveled up the east coast. My 5:45ish Friday train ride from Brisbane to Bondi beach is possibly my favorite, most serene and peaceful trainride ive ever taken.(sure beats philly to St. Augustine!)

MTH JC passing through on the S&Y RR

Just started a project today.  Making a c. 1910 American Flyer tank car.

Started with a c. 1910 3 step Chicago car frame

Measured the hole size and spacing from another freight car and drilled the holes.  Filed and sanded the rough edges of the holes.

Need to strip the paint next and find someone to make me a 1/2 dozen wooden tanks.  Not sure what color I will make the tank, but I will most likely try and match the orange tank shown on page 164 of the Greenberg's Guide to American Flyer Prewar O Gauge.

It is interesting to note that the tank shown in the Greenberg's Guide has an orange painted frame and the other 2 cars have black painted frames.  My guess is the cars with the black painted frames are slightly later cars, as my other two c. 1910 freight cars have bodies painted to match the frame and the 1912 cars (with butterfly couplers) have black painted frames.

Here is my c. 1910 gondola, note the remnants of red paint on the frame and gold painted rim at the top of the body.

Here is my c. 1910 log car.

Here is my model for the wooden tank, a c. 1914 tank on the later frame.

I am having extra wooden tanks made, because I have an extra c. 1914 frame that is already drilled for the tank, and it is good to have parts.

NWL

@Nation Wide Lines posted:

Just started a project today.  Making a c. 1910 American Flyer tank car.

Started with a c. 1910 3 step Chicago car frame

Measured the hole size and spacing from another freight car and drilled the holes.  Filed and sanded the rough edges of the holes.

Need to strip the paint next and find someone to make me a 1/2 dozen wooden tanks.  Not sure what color I will make the tank, but I will most likely try and match the orange tank shown on page 164 of the Greenberg's Guide to American Flyer Prewar O Gauge.

It is interesting to note that the tank shown in the Greenberg's Guide has an orange painted frame and the other 2 cars have black painted frames.  My guess is the cars with the black painted frames are slightly later cars, as my other two c. 1910 freight cars have bodies painted to match the frame and the 1912 cars (with butterfly couplers) have black painted frames.

Here is my c. 1910 gondola, note the remnants of red paint on the frame and gold painted rim at the top of the body.

Here is my c. 1910 log car.

Here is my model for the wooden tank, a c. 1914 tank on the later frame.

I am having extra wooden tanks made, because I have an extra c. 1914 frame that is already drilled for the tank, and it is good to have parts.

NWL

Nice project. Were the original car tanks wooden?

George

@George S posted:

Nice project. Were the original car tanks wooden?

George

Yes, the original c. 1910 to 1914 tanks are wooden.  They appear to be two piece construction, with a larger piece for the body and then the dome being a smaller piece that is inserted into a hole drilled in the larger body.

It is my understanding that the roof on the early boxcars are also wooden, but I have never seen one in person.

NWL

Got some new tin at a train show yesterday! But The first 4 pics are of two things I’ve wanted to share but haven’t gotten  around to doing so:

I was very surprised to come across this Ives transition era Lionel 610 series Observation. Further, I like it quite a bit, besides the one rear number maker being rusty, it’s in great shape and looks great.

The sticker that was on the bottom of these

With a Lionel 610

the second one I forgot- American Model Toys Santa Fe Baggage car. I’m close to completing what I call the “AMT Santa Fe set lite”. I have the baggage, combine. 3160 coach, Burma Vista dome, Indian Areow Obs, just need the diner.

Now, from yesterday’s show. Lead off with a car from another set I’m trying to complete- 1600 series Ives cars. Finally got the caboose. I know it’s not hard to find but I feel it’s usually unreasonably priced, yesterday it wasn’t!

Karl Bub PRR 167, 4 wheel coach, smooth roof. Odd couplers.

last, certainly not least, Bassett-Lowke LMS 91375 goods wagon. GREAT condition. Silver wheels are interesting

clearly legible logo with “Northampton make”

The extent of my UK roadnames Prewar

Lionel 1942 catalog. Just thought it was cool

it was a good day. Keep the tin coming!

@StevefromPA posted:

Got some new tin at a train show yesterday! But The first 4 pics are of two things I’ve wanted to share but haven’t gotten  around to doing so:

I was very surprised to come across this Ives transition era Lionel 610 series Observation. Further, I like it quite a bit, besides the one rear number maker being rusty, it’s in great shape and looks great.

The sticker that was on the bottom of these

With a Lionel 610

the second one I forgot- American Model Toys Santa Fe Baggage car. I’m close to completing what I call the “AMT Santa Fe set lite”. I have the baggage, combine. 3160 coach, Burma Vista dome, Indian Areow Obs, just need the diner.

Now, from yesterday’s show. Lead off with a car from another set I’m trying to complete- 1600 series Ives cars. Finally got the caboose. I know it’s not hard to find but I feel it’s usually unreasonably priced, yesterday it wasn’t!

Karl Bub PRR 167, 4 wheel coach, smooth roof. Odd couplers.

last, certainly not least, Bassett-Lowke LMS 91375 goods wagon. GREAT condition. Silver wheels are interesting

clearly legible logo with “Northampton make”

The extent of my UK roadnames Prewar

Lionel 1942 catalog. Just thought it was cool

it was a good day. Keep the tin coming!

Let me check my extras. I may have a SF Diner.

Steve

StevefromPA...just want to register INSANE Jealousy...a TRAIN SHOW!  We have not had one in our entire TCA Division or in even in our area since January...all have been cancelled including those scheduled for November.  Lucky Guy!!  Nice work finding the "Ives" 610/612 from 1931-32.  My Ives reference labels them as "Irvington Production" referencing the Lionel manufacturing plant in Irvington N.J. (believe it or not, in the late 40's I lived with my parents very close to this plant).  You might like to know that IAW the same reference, the price of the 610 was $2.95 in '31 and $2.15 in '32. The 612 was slightly more expensive at $3.00 in '31 and $2.95 in '32.  Actually while this sounds incredibly cheap by today's prices, we need to remember that '32 was the depths of the Great Depression.  Anyway Great Cars and thanks for sharing.

Fatman thanks for the update...the 0-4-0 wheel designation plus 1 dome and a teardrop shaped stack sets the loco in the 3000 /494/495 series.  However variants of this loco were still made both pre and post war, starting in 1939.   When you get the loco, post some pictures of the design/colors/lettering on the side boards and I can help you date it more precisely if you desire.

By the way your cast iron, black, Joy Line loco would date from about 1930.  My data says that the CW loco with a black cast iron boiler, unpainted steel motor side frames,  8-spoke flanged wheels, no side rods, strap spring motor with fly ball governor, and ringing bell was made between 1930-31.  As best I can see in the picture, if the key is a "slip on" over a square shaft, then its 1930.  A screw - on key would be slightly later into '31.  Joy Line listed this as a type "102" loco and it predates the sheet metal boiler loco I posted which dates from about 1932-1935.

Happy Weekend

Don

@Don McErlean  Marx CP arrived today here's better pics

Well Fatman, I can tell you that this locomotive is one of the hardest to date as Marx made many overlapping configurations.  Here is what I got from your pictures and I believe its a good match.

1949-1952, catalogue no. 495, black cab, black boiler, silver and black sideboards with red trim and crest and no lettering, silver pilot, dotted glass headlight, black headlight rim (this is the one detail I can't quite confirm from the pictures), tinned smokestack, tinned sheet metal boiler front, tinned dome, tinned marker lights, 0-4-0 wheel arrangement with Baldwin drivers.  In addition the one piece sliding shoe electrical pick up for the motor dates from 1946.

Hope this helps

Don

Here are some of my tinplate/prewar O that is NOT American Flyer:

Baby Ruth, Sunoco, Texaco

two 1690 Pullmans, 1691 Observation

\

600 series freight

My two tinplate/prewar O Gauge engines and tenders that pull all my tinplate freight and passenger cars:

the 1688 and It’s matching tender

The repainted 249e and it’s matching tender

Hi lovers of the Hornby ADE trains.  I share with you two photos showing the Hornby and Hachette locos with the Hachette cars.  Note the differences in striping between the locos.

The Hornby loco is alone and the Hachette is coupled to its train.  Note the Hornby ADE box for loco and tender.

Lew Schneider

Trying out a different idea for lighting the ceramic Dept 56 buildings for my new O Layout. This is a clear 18v large globe bulb set in a socket with 2 green 6 inch wires soldered to it. This is the Seasons Bay Springlake Station.  

Help required from our fine American comrades

Pretty much whenever I see a US vintage clockwork loco here in Australia, I am gonna try and snatch it, limited budget permitting, so this fellow has to come live with me .

Much like a young Charles Darwin however, I am left to contemplate "The Origin of Species " and as you fine folk here are the Galapagos to my Darwin when it comes to early USA locos I present for your delectation, perusal, and knowledge emanation... the following ...

My mind wants to say Hafner ... but the mech having a normal shaft and key confuses me?

Mind you it is not in hand yet so its hard for me to say if its a swapped mech , but I would find that unlikely , because ..Australia... and just how many mechs are laying around in the 10-30's? not many I would guess ...

So turning it over to you wonderful gaggle of brethren with better knowledge than I !

@Fatman posted:

Help required from our fine American comrades

Pretty much whenever I see a US vintage clockwork loco here in Australia, I am gonna try and snatch it, limited budget permitting, so this fellow has to come live with me .

Much like a young Charles Darwin however, I am left to contemplate "The Origin of Species " and as you fine folk here are the Galapagos to my Darwin when it comes to early USA locos I present for your delectation, perusal, and knowledge emanation... the following ...

My mind wants to say Hafner ... but the mech having a normal shaft and key confuses me?

Mind you it is not in hand yet so its hard for me to say if its a swapped mech , but I would find that unlikely , because ..Australia... and just how many mechs are laying around in the 10-30's? not many I would guess ...

So turning it over to you wonderful gaggle of brethren with better knowledge than I !

It's an American Flyer Metzel type casting with rivet detail and 10-spoke cast iron wheels, so it dates to about 1916, possibly 1917.  It would be the tail end of the production of this motor.

NWL

Oh Wow thank you for the excellent news @Nation Wide Lines I looked at Edmonds-Metzel and while the body was good , the mech didnt look the same on the examples I could google up ... and the 10 spoke wheels were nowhere to be seen ... only on other AF versions .

So possibly the last of the Metzels cast bodies fitted with 1916-17 type wheels makes sense? 

Kinda Stoked at that and as always wonder how the heck it got here ... Loco was from a non-train seller and was part of a deceased estate they have had for years .. in fact it was advertised as "Antique 1930's Iron toy clockwork steam engine working OK " I made a cheeky offer and a price was sorted

Thank you for taking a chunk out of out my huge weak spot of early USA locos !

Found a Bing 10/6114 ticket locker (is this the correct name ?) made 1925 - 1932, but in a uncommon french labeling.

Arne

@Fatman posted:

Oh Wow thank you for the excellent news @Nation Wide Lines I looked at Edmonds-Metzel and while the body was good , the mech didnt look the same on the examples I could google up ... and the 10 spoke wheels were nowhere to be seen ... only on other AF versions .

So possibly the last of the Metzels cast bodies fitted with 1916-17 type wheels makes sense? 

Kinda Stoked at that and as always wonder how the heck it got here ... Loco was from a non-train seller and was part of a deceased estate they have had for years .. in fact it was advertised as "Antique 1930's Iron toy clockwork steam engine working OK " I made a cheeky offer and a price was sorted

Thank you for taking a chunk out of out my huge weak spot of early USA locos !

Fatman,

I actually purchased some early Flyer cars c. 1915/1916 out of Australia several years ago and wondered how they got there as well!

Here are photos of what I purchased from down-under

A c. 1915 baggage car

and a c. 1916 coach

I was most surprised by the fact that the two cars were mixed between an early wood wall pattern litho baggage and a later steel wall pattern coach.

NWL

@Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Let me check my extras. I may have a SF Diner.

Steve

This is an extra diner. Roof has scratches and it has plastic couplers.

Steve

@Nation Wide Lines Wouldnt it be a hoot if your hodge podge of carriages came from the same house as my hodge podge Metzel!!! Only to be virtually reunited on the forum after 100 years !

The Metzel is obviously the shining pinnacle this week , but it is overshadowing some cool finds this week as well ...

I snapped up a fully working Davis-Electra transformer/controller manufactured for ROBILT ...max 20Vac Big Beefy Bugga ! Thanks Nick for parting with it !

And a smattering of wagons/coaches from the Dutch Connection ( cue quirky theme music !)

only marked "Made in US Zone" Beckh? although the bases look Schuhmann? perhaps from the pre-war tooling when Beckh acquired AS and produced directly after the war ?

I particularly like this one tho ... a Gas car

A little Bub tender ...

Unmarked but fairly sure its a Bub Crane car

And a little blue Issmayer

And in "Non-trainyville" I also scored a neat little Hess Dynamobil ... fascinating stored energy flywheel motor power unit that can be attached to pretty much any steam tool accessory to power it safely without handing your kids a bottle of fuel and matches !!! LOL!

Turning the handle imparts huge RPM into a large flywheel inside it and then the stored power can be transfered to the output pully with a simple on/off dog clutch.. I love it !

I acquired one locally a few years ago but it didnt have the litho top cover ...

@Arne posted:

A few news in the collection.

Brimtoy train 124, made 1916

Bub indicators from the 30s, all the same with different names.

Germany

Netherland

France

Danmark

And a unknown indicator for Australia

With Adelaide, Mildura, Albury, Bendigo, Frankston, Geelong, Flinders St

Arne

Hello @Arne and thanks @Fatman for notifying me of the post.

Great work finding the Bonnie Toys (F W Strong) station indicator.

As Fatman noted they are thin on the ground here in Australia. There have been a few more than usual over the last three years or so due to two large Australian collections being sold off. Once the disposal of these collections has been finalised I’m guessing that it will go back to only one or two popping up a year.

Your destination/station indicator is a good example. It is a later version with round die cast base and post. Early ones had a rectangular wooden base and a repurposed 4” timber nail as a post (rare). The Victorian/SA station names are not as common as the Victorian/NSW station names. The rarest ones are those with Queensland station names (have only seen 2 offered for sale)

These date from between 1949 - 1958ish. And follow the post war austerity era tradition of repurposing surplus army stocks into toys, hence the top of the indicator being made from a tin wax match box.

The maker of these signs, a Mr Fredrick W Strauss fled Germany in 1939 but made good use of toolmaking skills he learnt as a toolmaker in the Mercedes Benz factory to make cast hand bag fittings etc... under his new name of Fredrick W Strong.  Post war brought a shortage of imported goods , in particular toy trains were scarce on the ground in the late 40’s (as noted in the newspapers of the time) and ones like Mr Strong stepped in to help fill the toy store shelves. Your sign would have been originally packaged in a red and black cardboard box as a Bonnie Toy Product by F W Strong with a terrier logo (the family’s pet).

Bonnie Toys/F W Strong made several railway accessories including a battery powered signal (rare), crossing gates (common), road signs, power poles (rare) and a mini Sydney harbour bridge (rarer than a live Dodo). The decline of the product can be dated by the introduction of cast metal HO/00 accessories for a short period of time. This seems to indicate the late 1950’s early 1960’s when O gauge died with the importation of 00/H0 models as import restrictions eased. Either way it was all sadly wrapped up by 1966 with the passing of Mr Strong.  (Information thanks to Bruce MacDonald’s book Spring, Spark and Steam and his many articles in the HRCAA journals)

All in all a nice rare period piece to add to your collection. Enjoy!

Kind Regards

Jamie

@Fatman posted:

And a smattering of wagons/coaches from the Dutch Connection ( cue quirky theme music !)

only marked "Made in US Zone" Beckh? although the bases look Schuhmann? perhaps from the pre-war tooling when Beckh acquired AS and produced directly after the war ?

I particularly like this one tho ... a Gas car

Hello Fatman,

your right, all made by Beckh, the white and the brown car was sold under the same number 140/3. made between 1950 and 1960.

The gas car was made by Schuhmann 1935 first and later by Beckh till 1960, number is 140/8.

Arne

A great add to the collection, Kraus Fandor train 1001/4F, made 1937 only.

The engine has a friction wheel with a flint and throws sparks through the chimney when it drives.

The Hornby crew is struggling with how they are going to make up the train for the long distance freight.  Hmmm...

Fantastic find @Arne rare and in excellent condition! beautiful!

While not tinplate I did come across some cast teeny trains as well ..

Made by Crescent and Gaeity Toys in the UK

( just too cute to ignore lol )

The three larger A4 loco's and carriage are Crescent , the bottom left Maroon one is Gaeity, both from the 50's the other two bottom right are Benbros No16a locomotives C1953/4

* Interesting factoid .. two of the young fellows 'Smith & Odell' who made these Crescent trains were taught their diecast trade there ... and went on to create ... Matchbox !!! So there is a fair bet they cast at least one of those trains in their youth  lol

The layout is finally uncovered now that the Leipzig Station platform extension, new LED lighting and additional 20 amp circuits projects have been completed. Many extension cords and ganged outlets have been eliminated adding a measure of safety to the train room. The Grand Station is now prominently featured on its own sub-platform.

WOW JIM!  That looks great!

@jhz563 posted:

WOW JIM!  That looks great!

A second WOW! from me.

George

Jim:  The station is FANTASTIC !!  I love the way you have brought it to life with the people, tables, and other additions.  Thanks for posting1

Don

@jhz563 posted:

The Hornby crew is struggling with how they are going to make up the train for the long distance freight.  Hmmm...

Rubber bands? Zip ties? Twisty ties? Paper clips?

George

@George S posted:

Rubber bands? Zip ties? Twisty ties? Paper clips?

George

Paper clip work for most cases.  Marx twist couplers present a unique challenge for sure!

Mr JKE your Leipzig made my heart Leap-Zig ! ... wonderful !

Coming South to Casa Fatmanos is a nice pair of Heinrich Wimmer 8-wheel carriages carrying both the Made in US Zone AND HWN logos Missing one pair of wheels , but luckily I got that big 99c box full last week LOL!

The Standard Gauge track got finished (two straight pieces had to be cut to fit the table size) and screwed down to the table, and then wired for the MTH Z400 transformer yesterday. A little test run video made. Loving the purple, orange & blue, and apple green cars for Halloween! The O-31 tubular track circle is expected today! Showing the 'finished' Standard Gauge area, before the track got sorted.

@Arne posted:

Found a Bing 10/6114 ticket locker (is this the correct name ?) made 1925 - 1932, but in a uncommon french labeling.

Arne

Love these. Would be so cool to find one with the tickets.

I have the British locker with tickets. It says "Booking office" instead of Billets and looks very similar to this one. 

Here’s a SpookyHalloween pic you won’t see everyday- smoke hovering in the Foyer that drifted over towards the windows. (MTH Proto) Smoke from my MTH Ives 1134 engine on my Halloween Layout.

Not anything exotic..... just the clickety clack of vintage Tinplate traveling the never ending loop.

Marx - KCS Diesel - production (on the left) and factory hand painted prototype (on the right)

Adding a construction scene to the layout.  Found these cute Linemar construction toys to go with the orange barrels I picked up at York a couple of years ago.

The digger is cute and has a lithographed operator inside.

Still need to figure out how and where to place the items.

NWL

@Nation Wide Lines posted:

Adding a construction scene to the layout.  Found these cute Linemar construction toys to go with the orange barrels I picked up at York a couple of years ago.

The digger is cute and has a lithographed operator inside.

Still need to figure out how and where to place the items.

NWL

NWL, Love these!

Proud recipient of this very nice station.  I don't know much about the manufacturer,  Heinrich Wimmer Nurnberg, although apparently they collaborate with Karl Bub on at least one occasion.  My found this online and had it shipped from the Netherlands.

I have to tell,  the litho for the flower boxes is so good I had to check to see if they were embossed.   They are not,  just amazing graphics.

Happy Halloween! Ghosts and ghouls inhabit this early Marklin No. 1940 hand-painted station from 1898-1903.

I had some success with the Cabin Fever Auction of MTH stuff last week.

Hamilton Flyer car samples ($91.00 each)

3 300 Series passenger cars ($40.00). These will be painted for the Polar Express.

A set of 4 400 series cars for $200.00

Scott Smith

JKE: I add to the above chorus impressed by your customized display of that MASTERPIECE original Marklin Leipzig station! VERY nice, indeed!

The beast has arrived. Waterman Train Shops STD Gauge GG1 congressional set. Glad I ordered the 30” passenger cars.

Steve

@Tinplate Art posted:

JKE: I add to the above chorus impressed by your customized display of that MTH MASTERPIECE station! VERY nice, indeed!

Art, I think that's an original Marklin Leipzig.

@MikeH posted:

Art, I think that's an original Marklin Leipzig.

good thing you have a garage to put it in,,,,zowie

FEF

Steve

OOPS, my bad! SORRY about that, JKE! THANKS for the correction, MikeH. (Still, MTH did a fine  job with their repro.)

@Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

The beast has arrived. Waterman Train Shops STD Gauge GG1 congressional set. Glad I ordered the 30” passenger cars.

Steve

Where did you get that miniature version of the Hellgate bridge? 

This was my second major goof on the forum in two days! Maybe I am either not paying enough attention or I am not able to participate in a lucid manner! On my real trains thread, I mis-identified a well know CSX radio frequency as 137.000 instead of the correct 161.370! Time to hang it up? :-( :-(

I started on this forum in 2001, and I am now 78, so maybe I should just follow and not post incorrectly?

@Tinplate Art posted:

I started on this forum in 2001, and I am now 78, so maybe I should just follow and not post incorrectly?

Art, I wouldn't worry about it.  Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes.  Keep posting!