Under The Hood: Budget Tinplate From Trainz

Well spent indeed and a ton of fun too.

Thanks for the pictures.

Good work!  The Marx NYC tender sitting/riding on the Erie flatcar is inspiring.

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

After a bit of bashing, it's gone from "hopeless" to merely "somewhat distressed"...

That's a professional-looking weathering job that many people either spend a lot of money for or invest a lot of effort to achieve.

@Mallard4468 posted:

That's a professional-looking weathering job that many people either spend a lot of money for or invest a lot of effort to achieve.

You too can get the same results! All you need is a damp basement and half a century! 

Mitch

Mitch any plans for a re-paint of that tender or is that all the love it's gonna get?

@coach joe posted:

Mitch any plans for a re-paint of that tender or is that all the love it's gonna get?

No way I could outdo Marx's lithography department, and it has character as-is.   However, I'm open to suggestions...

Mitch

If you have a tunnel on your layout you could use that tender to have some fun with visitors.  Before they arrive, take your best looking engine, cars etc. and assemble them in a consist with the tender hidden in the tunnel.  After everyone has gathered around to watch the trains , turn on the one set and as the tender emerges from the tunnel exclaim, "Oh good grief - I thought I fixed that water leak behind the tunnel!"

@Robert S. Butler posted:

If you have a tunnel on your layout you could use that tender to have some fun with visitors.  Before they arrive, take your best looking engine, cars etc. and assemble them in a consist with the tender hidden in the tunnel.  After everyone has gathered around to watch the trains , turn on the one set and as the tender emerges from the tunnel exclaim, "Oh good grief - I thought I fixed that water leak behind the tunnel!"

Hah!  Worth it to put a tunnel in just for that gag... 

Many years ago I did something similar with a mousetrap.  My layouts have always been floor setups.  I took a mousetrap - carefully soldered it shut so it wouldn't snap shut unexpectedly - added a fake piece of cheese and put the assembly near one of the tunnels.  When my guests came over I would start the trains running and in fairly short order someone would notice the mousetrap and ask about it. I would sigh and say,"I've been having some trouble with mice lately so I'm hoping that will put an end to it."  As I was saying this I would apply power to the track going through the tunnel and out of the tunnel would come a Pride Lines Mickey Mouse handcar. Before anyone could say anything I'd say "See, what did it tell you, there's two of them right now!"  It never failed to get a good laugh.

@Robert S. Butler posted:

As I was saying this I would apply power to the track going through the tunnel and out of the tunnel would come a Pride Lines Mickey Mouse handcar. Before anyone could say anything I'd say "See, what did it tell you, there's two of them right now!"  It never failed to get a good laugh.

I'm minded of an HO trolley modeler who took a tin toy mouse, mounted a single truck motor, replaced the tail with a trolley pole and sent the little thing scurrying around the layout at trolley meets... 

Mitch

Razorback Traction could use a head end power car or boiler car for heat. Then again the litho would be gone. What to do , what to do?

@coach joe posted:

Razorback Traction could use a head end power car or boiler car for heat. Then again the litho would be gone. What to do , what to do?

Leave it be for now. 

Although this DOES raise an interesting question...

https://ogrforum.com/...s-or-other-electrics

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

You too can get the same results! All you need is a damp basement and half a century! 

Mitch

Spent a lot of time and effort preventing the damp basement, and the only half century I'll get is in the rearview mirror. 

Hope you keep the tender the way it is.  IMO, it's worth more as a conversation piece in the gags that others have suggested.  If you want a nice one, it shouldn't be too hard to find at a reasonable price.

@Mallard4468 posted:

Spent a lot of time and effort preventing the damp basement, and the only half century I'll get is in the rearview mirror. 

Hope you keep the tender the way it is.  IMO, it's worth more as a conversation piece in the gags that others have suggested.  If you want a nice one, it shouldn't be too hard to find at a reasonable price.

Yeah, I think it's gonna be kept as-is.  I like the patina. 

Mitch

But the seeds have been sown!

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

I took delivery of a dozen pre- and postwar tinplate cars from Trainz.com.  All told, less than $4 each, and well worth it:

A somewhat down-on-its luck Marx tender:

After a bit of bashing, it's gone from "hopeless" to merely "somewhat distressed"...

One way to get that old tender moving... One appreciates the artistry of Marx lithographers.

You've done the old girl proud Mitch. Maybe a light spray with some clear to seal it and prevent further deterioration?

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

You've done the old girl proud Mitch. Maybe a light spray with some clear to seal it and prevent further deterioration?

Bob

Not a bad idea.  I have some clear spray in the garage... 

Mitch