train show "junk"

Err, . . . I'm with your wife on this one!

Mannyrock

Jim,

I normally have two tables at this show, but did not yesterday, Good people run it, the Central Operating Lines (COL) club.

As respects to buying "junk", it is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to pre-war tinplate. Below are pics of a Standard gauge set I made a couple years ago - average price paid for these cars was $15. Seven junkers yielded these five cars and a roadside diner.

I also made this Standard gauge Diner (In honor of my baby brother, Buddy, who passed two years ago at the young age of 56) from a left over junker :

Don't let 'em laugh at you for buying "junk" - but please save some for me!

The junk boxes under the tables were always my favorite attraction at York.          j

I wouldn't be involved with O-gauge and tinplate if it wasn't for the affordable "junk" that I can repair to build fun operable vintage trains. Sunday afternoons are bargain time. Occasionally, vendors just leave their unsold stuff behind with a "FREE" sign. Don't knock it !

But I haven't been to a train show since 2019 because of  Covid, and am wary of the future. I honestly don't need any more train stuff at this point, anyhow. I have a backlog of parts and projects.

I think it highly depends on whether you have an airbrush setup or not.

I'm with John.  Please save some for me !!

Depending on my mood at the time, I'd have paid at least $20, maybe 40.

I see bodies for a Lionel 150 series and another that I think is not Ives or Lionel - wrong shape cooling grids at corners of the hoods.  Problem with those is that it's easier to get bodies than motors.  In my awaiting restoration collection now are 13 bodies and only 10 motors of that vintage of Lionel engines.

But the piece de resistance is the three 604 observations..  If all six insets are there then all you need are trucks, couplers, window material, paint and observation platforms to do a  good restoration - the hard part is finding observation platforms.  Hennings has repros for the 612 - just checked my 612 and 604 and find those railings to have same dimensions and slight difference in the tabs, so they could be used.

Right now I'm restoring the 603-603-604 Red Comet.  Dry transfers are available for those cars from J&A and each set can do two observations.

Very timely topic for me Jim.  I did the same thing yesterday with a local guy whose cleaning out his collection.  Here's a sampling of what I got.

Did someone mention Junk especially train junk?!!!

I love the stuff, I really enjoy restoring these broken down old cars and engines.

For me it is the most enjoyable aspect of the hobby.

@illinoiscentral posted:

I think it highly depends on whether you have an airbrush setup or not.

Michaet T,

All of my custom cars (including the samples shown in my post earlier today, above), engines and buildings are rattle can painted.

No need for an airbrush.

I have some junkers awaiting fresh paint myself:  a previous owner repainted them using metallic paint, so everything has been stripped, primed and ready.  Bought rubber stamps and new window material as well.  At this point, though, I’m not sure I want to restore them to their original colors or try something different... just nothing metallic!

There is "junk" and then there is "junque"! :-)

I do have a new airbrush I guess I'll get plenty of practice now and like I said have the motors for the 261 and the 150 body.I have enough stuff now to keep me busy for a while.I like making a diner out of one of them sounds like a good idea.

"Junque" is reportably more redeemable than "junk"!

Among other items, I have a #345 Culvert Unloader that I made from parts gleaned from under the tables at York, along with much of my wife's Standard Gauge rolling stock. We've saved a lot of money that way.

@Tinplate Art posted:

"Junque" is reportably more redeemable than "junk"!

French is a useful language.

Instead of talking about being able to turn a sow's ear to a silk purse  (aka restoration), you can refer to "une oreille du cochon"

@Lionelski posted:

Jim,

I normally have two tables at this show, but did not yesterday, Good people run it, the Central Operating Lines (COL) club.

As respects to buying "junk", it is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to pre-war tinplate. Below are pics of a Standard gauge set I made a couple years ago - average price paid for these cars was $15. Seven junkers yielded these five cars and a roadside diner.

I also made this Standard gauge Diner (In honor of my baby brother, Buddy, who passed two years ago at the young age of 56) from a left over junker :

Don't let 'em laugh at you for buying "junk" - but please save some for me!

@Lionelski posted:

Michaet T,

All of my custom cars (including the samples shown in my post earlier today, above), engines and buildings are rattle can painted.

No need for an airbrush.

John .......really nice work.

I use the airbrush for my work .......you are an artist with those rattle cans. 🤓

There is a humorous sign available that states:

"we buy junk & sell antiques"

Like beauty, it is all in the eye of the beholder.

Thanks for the kind comments Dallas Joseph

I loves me some junk, and my workshop shows it! 

Mitch

My wife calls ALL my trains my junk. She once said to me, "What am I supposed to do with all your junk if you go before me? I replied, "Just buy three or four extra burial plots and put the trains in beside me!" At which point she asked, "Where will I be?" I responded, "You'll be WAY OVER on the other side of the trains!" I never knew that being hit by a flying locomotive would hurt so much! Ha!

As a 2 rail guy I love to take junk and rework it.

It's another addiction. Can't tell you how many boxes I have of junk that may some day become something unique and interesting. And some that are just plain sad and need love. Each one had a vision behind it, motivation to accumulate most of the requisite parts, then close the box and stow away.

Jim

I love Junk...Here is a Diner from a Lionel 610 car and my favorite Train a Lionel 259E and all the cars came from junk boxes...the milk car was a tender and the baggage cars roof was extended with wire and Bondex to fit the car

Beautiful, bright, tinplate saved from "junk" boxes.

Love it, great job, thanks for sharing

@gene maag posted:

I love Junk...Here is a Diner from a Lionel 610 car and my favorite Train a Lionel 259E and all the cars came from junk boxes...the milk car was a tender and the baggage cars roof was extended with wire and Bondex to fit the car

Sometimes ( very rare ) I  think this hobby might just be a little too much like just toys ............but when I see something like this it takes on a different life.............people from different walks of life who don't make a huge financial  living from creative art.....are delving into the creative art world in a very special way. 😉

NICE work! :-)

@gene maag posted:

I love Junk...Here is a Diner from a Lionel 610 car and my favorite Train a Lionel 259E and all the cars came from junk boxes...the milk car was a tender and the baggage cars roof was extended with wire and Bondex to fit the car

Gene, Very well done. 

You turned "junk" into gold.

For me, rescuing and restoring a junker is one of the most satisfying parts of the hobby.  I model 3R Scale, but the beauty of tinplate has its own appeal.  Here is a 259E that I restored in Milwaukee colors.  The steps are pretty basic and no airbrush required:  Strip the old paint, steel wool, prime, bake, paint, bake.  Polish the copper and brass with a Dremel, assemble, clear coat, bake.  Paints are Train Enamel rattle cans from Charles Wood and Krylon.  The "oven" is a cardboard box (safety note -  I never set it to bake and walk away.  It does not get too hot, but you never know . . .)

Bob

@RRDOC posted:

For me, rescuing and restoring a junker is one of the most satisfying parts of the hobby.  I model 3R Scale, but the beauty of tinplate has its own appeal.  Here is a 259E that I restored in Milwaukee colors.  The steps are pretty basic and no airbrush required:  Strip the old paint, steel wool, prime, bake, paint, bake.  Polish the copper and brass with a Dremel, assemble, clear coat, bake.  Paints are Train Enamel rattle cans from Charles Wood and Krylon.  The "oven" is a cardboard box (safety note -  I never set it to bake and walk away.  It does not get too hot, but you never know . . .)

Bob

Hello Bob,

Very nicely done as the finished project looks great.

For your baking process, what wattage bulbs are you using and typically how long do you bake the painted items?

Thanks!

I believe they are 100 watt (I am on vacation, so I will verify when I get home).  I baked the parts for 30 minutes, then turned off the bulbs and let them sit until cool.

Bob

A very interesting and creative "oven"!

Did someone say Junk?

All purchased as unwanted, previously painted, rusted out, etc.

One of my past projects using a 249E and 600/601/602 cars to make a Lionel Corp Orange and Blue train before MTH came out with their 261E in those colors.  I think Gene and I did these Orange sets about the same time, I did mine about 2012 I think.  I was dumb and sold this one though.  I may paint up another.

You can also  take junk and sort of keep it junk lol or make a rat rod out of it.....  Service the motor, polish the wheel treads but leave the rust on the sides of the flange and wheel and the siderods.  It runs like a champ too surprisingly.  Ifound a similar condition 2263W so I may cobble that together as well....  And if at some point in the future, I want to go ahead and actually restore it, I can do that no issues.  Nothing was damaged or changed, it is all original still.

@Dennis Holler posted:

You can also  take junk and sort of keep it junk lol or make a rat rod out of it.....  Service the motor, polish the wheel treads but leave the rust on the sides of the flange and wheel and the siderods.  It runs like a champ too surprisingly.  Ifound a similar condition 2263W so I may cobble that together as well....  And if at some point in the future, I want to go ahead and actually restore it, I can do that no issues.  Nothing was damaged or changed, it is all original still.

Talk about an incredible weathering job !!! 😨😉

Incredible and beautiful work by you guys.

But, poor me, sanding and polishing rusted metal, especially small parts, is just not something I could enjoy.

More stuff for you though!

Mannyrock