Tinplate Rules!

We just like to play with our toys and have fun.

And here I thought I'd find "rules" for Tinplate! In fact Joe has it right, the only rule here is to have FUN! Indeed, Tinplate Rules!



James

Rules? We don' need no stinkin' rules.

In all seriousness, this is one of the most friendly forums of several that I belong to. I especially appreciate the willingness of the participants here to answer questions and help anyone out who shows up with a tinplate question. What is also amazing is the amount of expertise on here, and even if folks disagree on a particular answer to a question, it is done respectfully. This forum definitely sets the standard.

Hope y'all have a healthy and happy New Year, filled with sparks and ozone.

Hank

While I'm still rather new here, I agree that the spirit of this forum best captures the simple joy and excitement of running a train that brought us all into the hobby in the first place. I have a ton of respect for the feats of engineering and historical research done by many of the smaller scale modelers, but sometimes I wonder if those folks (especially the most vocal ones online) are actually still having fun with their trains. There's never any doubt about that here.

The REAL toy train folks hang out here, and we are vastly less "uptight" than the hi-railers and scale folk.

One detail out of place, and they go berserk!

Tinplate trains were the starting point of todays model train hobby. Tinplate trains were made to play with then just as they are today. Mike Wolf of MTH once said that there would not be any of the other without tinplate trains. Mr. Wolf runs tinplate trains in his basement. Granted they are reproductions made by his company but they are still tinplate trains.

I've been into prewar tinplate (1910-1932) since 1959. I'm new to this forum. There is a special bond between all here. It's the joy of running tinplate trains as they were intended over 100 years ago. TOYS and nothing else but that. We don't count rivets or care about fixed pilots. Our trains never had "scale" couplers. Enough said...... Let's play with our tinplate trains.
God Bless,

I have been giving serious thought to scrapping my current layout and going all tinplate/toy train layout. Joe, every time I see pics of your layout, I am convinced that this is the kind of layout I really want. Which issue was your layout in?

Jeff Davis

The only rule is it has to be shiny!

quote:

Originally posted by trainman713:
I have been giving serious thought to scrapping my current layout and going all tinplate/toy train layout. Joe, every time I see pics of your layout, I am convinced that this is the kind of layout I really want. Which issue was your layout in?

Jeff Davis

It was in the Dec. 2010, Run 246.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Lonero:
The only rule is it has to be shiny!

And bright!



James

I scrapped my 1/32 g scale layout over the summer! Got tired and bored of scale this and prototype that. Wasnt having any fun, now I have all this tinplate and I am like a little kid again! I love my toy trains!

quote:

Originally posted by trainman713:
After spending a bit of time on the 3 Rail forum recently, I am reminded why this is the fist place I come when I visit the forums...It's like the inmates are running the asylum over there. This is a much friendlier, more laid back group.

Jeff Davis

Well said, Jeff.

I'll add a plug for the "Real Trains" forum. Probably my next "go-to" forum after Tinplate. I love the stuff that gets posted there and I never fail to learn something from the knowledgeable posters there.

I think you will all agree, we tinplaters are a bunch of kind, intelligent, fun loving Adonises. And some of us are plenty humble too.

Gentlemen,
Got to admit Tin Plate runners are my favorite train people, we are just a lot less up tight,
might have something to due with most of us living in a different era. Joe your Tin Plate layout is still incredible!
PCRR

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everybody.

nice layout

Just have to throw in my 2 cents here.

I think that limiting the term "tinplate" to only lithographed tin trains is a bit restrictive. Really, the only part that could be called "tinplate" is the tubular track because it is tinplated.

Toy trains are a much larger definition than just the lithographed tin, beautiful as it is, but we must include any plastic toy trains that only try to imitate trains such as the Marx 4 wheel plastic trains. You can throw in some Durham stuff too as it is kind of neat in its own way. As long as it is powered by electricity and runs on metal track, it is fully qualified as "tinplate".

Myself, I was starting to get into the Marx 6" tin cars and locos but soon discovered the Marx 4 wheel plastic rolling stock. Have started collecting and will customize some common pieces and am having a ball. I've really fallen in love with the Marx 4 wheel plastic.

So, lets not be too restrictive of the terms "Tinplate Trains" Its a big world.

quote:

As long as it is powered by electricity and runs on metal track, it is fully qualified as "tinplate".

By the broadest possible definition (used often enough, and especially by those outside the O gauge segment of the hobby) that is how it is seen.

By my own definition of "tinplate," that extremely broad definition simply won't cut it, and you'll not see plastic production, nice as it is, described as tinplate in the magazine. I would, however, love to see more O gauge tinplate coverage in our pages, and am always on the lookout for more candidates.

Given how well the contemporary repros appear to be selling, no to mention the continued interest in the originals, I'm confident there must be some pretty darn fine O tinplate pikes out there.

Allan,

what about 1941 Madison cars?

Roland

G-Man
Glad to see someone else that enjoys the 4 wheel plastic Marx, there are only a few that I know of that actually collect them. Walt Hiteshew is probably the 4 wheel plastic guru. Here is a video of a small part of mine rolling,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkG8hkqQQAI
Even including the Mexican Marx production, there are not a lot of road names, but the color variations a prolific. Some are just hue changes from one die lot to another, some are intentional variations.

Steve

Myself, I was starting to get into the Marx 6" tin cars and locos but soon discovered the Marx 4 wheel plastic rolling stock. Have started collecting and will customize some common pieces and am having a ball. I've really fallen in love with the Marx 4 wheel plastic.

Yeah Steve, the 4 Wheel plastic is very enjoyable. IMHO, nothing in the model train world screams "TOY TRAIN" like the Marx 4 wheel plastic.:-) I am collecting but I also run. There are no "shelf Queens" for me. When I get some sad shape rolling stock, its being ear marked for customizing. Looking at 2 cabooses (common) and seeing an old time baggage car. What I would like is a list from some where as to what is scarce in this line. Wouldn't want to trash a scarce piece in sad shape just because I didn't know it was scarce. Love your video. Have seen it several times. Great. Get a lot of stuff in great shape from junk boxes at shows. Just got a 4 wheel plastic flatcar for a buck at the last show. Also got 2 manual Marx switches in great shape for $2.00 each. Got a Marx Meteor Train Set in really almost near mint condition, the controller had been converted to a voltage reducer, for $35.00. That is what I especially like about the Marx 4 wheel plastic, its still affordable enough to be fun.