Unique Arts Trains: Missing Pieces?

You can go to www.tcamembers.org and check the back issues of the Quarterly on Unique.

The Q had articles on the subject in the following issues: V2-1 p6; V17-3 p8; V29-2 p 4; and mention in the following "Who Done It?" columns: V31-2; V31-4; V31-5; V32-5; V33-1; V35-2; V35-5; V37-1.

TCA's The Train Collectors Quarterly is a fount of useful information pertaining to toy trains.

Ron M

Thanks Ron

Bruce

This is a Hornby oriented site, but it does have information and lots and I do means ots of other manufacturers.  It has maybe 20 pictures of items including some hard to find items

http://www.binnsroad.co.uk/index.html

Thanks Gary..those passenger cars must be the rarest of the rare, even more so than the circus cars, or, at least, that's my impression. It should not have come as a surprise they all share a similar undercarriage that almost looks European. Their unusual ( larger size) size makes it difficult to come up with a matching consist that does not look ridiculous, although I am very liberal about mixing and matching makes, and I guess that says a lot about their size..I took a comparative set of pictures of the UA placed against other makes, and they nearly look G scale..

Here's one question that's related..is UA the maker of the largest equipment made for O gauge? I know that in the U.K running G gauge on O gauge track as a two foot industrial rr representation is common but it is not O scale but sort of a hybrid.

Bruce

Gary

I had completely forgotten about the Marx Santa Fe and 994 (which I have ) and that could be a sign of pending senility but I never heard of the Hoge. The 994 is certainly larger than your average Marx, but to my eyes, it still seems dwarfed by the UA which might be why it slipped from my brain cells ( or at least it's a good excuse for a faulty memory)  I have Marx freight cars with what I  believe are what are called "D" trucks (?) that give them a significant taller appearance that I run with the Santa Fe, which may work with the UA Rock Island ( once it's done).  I do like this larger O gauge equipment even if it is a comparatively small range of choices. Found this and it gets interesting when the Hoge stuff runs..

Bruce

Here is a pic of the Unique Art high sided gondola mentioned above.

Ok train fans here is exactly what people are talking about when they say unique art used dorfan dyes.  Notice the window/door openings and also notice the roof they are one in the same.  See this pic!!  ENJOY!!

All

I have the impression ( probably mistaken) that the Dorfan passenger cars are then comparable in size to the UA cars. Is this correct? Also, are the Dorfan freight cars sized similarly to the UA freight cars? The reason for asking is the other thread on the resurrection / replication of the Dorfan freight cars. I am thinking ( if similarly sized) they could be added to a consist of UA cars without a large discrepancy in size. BTW...The UA gondola was a surprise to me.

Bruce

Hey Bruce, yes the UA passenger cars were made from those dorfan passenger car molds so yes the bodies and the roofs are exactly the same size.  UA never made an observation car though so that would be a cool custom to try to pull off if one had the means to do so.  As far as the freight cars go they are very very close in size but the UA cars are a little longer but the same basic height.  Not sure if that's because the UA car frames are longer but all the same construction.  Just checked all my Dorfan freight cars and the UA cars are all stretched a tad longer but the basic same thing size/looks wise.  Hope this helps you guys out and im just glad to see UA make some ink somewhere!!     

I recently purchased the Rock Island diesel, and it is a basket case.  I really need a wiring diagram or an explanation on how the motors wire.  I am new to the model train hobby.  My dad just drug his 50's lionel out and we made a display, so I wanted to get a Rock Island train going.  We lived along the tracks in illinois, and wanted to pay tribute.  thanks scrappy

I forgot to mention  it is the unique art Rock Island diesel

thank you for your concern and input, unfortunately I left the motor with my dad, and cannot photo it right now but I will tomorrow.  i have another set of RI engines comming so I will have 2 power and one dummy, I am missing one set of non power rear wheels to make all serviceable.  The wires are in good shape but the motor is removed.  Two wires the same color go to each of the brushes, one red wire comes off the top front of the motor to the copper windings but goes to the front light then to the middle pick-up off track.  another wire comes off the back copper windings. so 2 off the windings and 2 off the brushes, I will post a photo tomorrow.  I fear i will not be able to locate the missing rear wheels, I did not know how lucky i was to find the 3 unique engines listed on ebay at the same time- i have not found anything since. When I get both power trucks in hand I would gladly send them and would gladly compensate for your time.  If you are able to assist from the photo I will send you a t shirt from our museum for your collection.  thanks again jeff- chris 

jeff, looking at the power truck you have photo's of on your july 5, 7:06 reply- it is the same exact power truck- the brushes are on the top side of that photo (the brass nubs sticking out side by side on the top) and the blue wire comming off the back of the center track pick up, is the same color of the wire that goes to the top of the rear copper windings on top back side of motor....   hope i didn't confuse with the wrong description/label-  you know the thing-a-majig that goes on the doo-hicky... 

sorry there is a brake on the back track with 3 wire connections on it, and a blue wire

just send me an email at chevyballs3@yahoo.com and show me pics of everything that's wrong with this and all the breaks in the wires and all the parts that you have.  We can see what the best way to go about this would be.  There should be a way to fix it but getting parts is almost impossible unless you can find a junker.

JEFF

i have 3 total so i do have a junker, let me get photos of the better power truck, this is the only brake i have and two dummys (with just a light wire) for the non -power engine.  both of these power trucks rotate by hand really easy and smooth, one has more surface rust but it should work.  

i e-mailed photo's jeff- hope they made it.. 520-304-3691 if not thanks chris

Hi All,

  After a long time lurking around I decided to join this group and start posting. Of all things I never thought it would be about wind up trains!

  I recently picked up a set of the Unique Lines trains for 2 reasons, first I study the history of my hometown Newark, NJ, and second I'm a bonified train nut. 

  This thread has been incredibally valuable on this line of trains. So much that I'm looking to add to this stupid, crude looking, but beautiful part of the hobby...REAL tinplate trains. 

  Back to my set. It came in a plastic tub with the 742 engine, tender, hopper and caboose, and the City Of Joplin car. All the cars have what's left of their boxes, and what's left of the set box. It is original but red, like none other I can find on the Internet. 

  By reading this post I have to say I learned a whole lot more about what I have and now you guys have unknowingly set me on a mission to find the rest of the Unique Art lines, and, well...I guess I have to start adding Marx tinplates too.

  Thanks for the info, after being away for 20 years I do hope to hit the train hobby hot and heavy again.

Nick

One thing I really like about UA is that the motors seem to be very robust. I am used to Marx motors and Schilling motors, but UA motors pack a lot more punch, it seems.

That extra power can translate to longer operation times without overheating.

Also, it looks like it would be easy to put twin motors in the Rock Island diesel set. That would be cool. It's been on my to do list for years.

Thanks for the info guys I appreciate anything I can learn. Hopefully I can make York this year, I now have a new quest train manufacturer to look for. 

I guess it's sad I never looked at Marx until that recent article in The Quartly, and with Unique, I can see where people can get hung up with tinplate/wind up trains.

It's a long way from the Bob Gale's I usually look for, but hey, it's still trains.

Nick

Since posting this thread, the UA RI diesel has been refurbished and Ive added two gondolas , a boxcar and a caboose as well as a second wind up. I wish they had made more as to be more affordable. What I like about them is their larger size that seems to be lodged somewhere between my G gauge equipment and O..perhaps close to Standard Gauge. The only issue I have had is the freight cars light weight that makes them really bang around so I have discretely added some weight to them. The clockworks version of the steamer really has a robust mechanism. The Hornby stuff pales in comparison as it seems to  avoid getting out of square one at a start, at least not without a gentle push. Once going, they are fine. At Christmas I used a Lionel Standard gauge station in conjunction with the UA for running around the tree, and it seemed to be a perfect match..learning about Dorfan made initiating this thread worthwhile.

I'm also starting to look into Dorfan. It's odd that a few weeks ago we rode past the old Dorfan factory in Newark. The building looks like it probably has for 75 or so years...I fantasized just what may be hidden in the basement, or loft....

Nick

That whole bit about Fandor \ Dorfan threw me a loop until I found the answer here. I recall a search I did for Unique Arts on Ebay and ended up wit ashtrays, coat racks and some really awful paintings. LOL.

I did a similar search for Unique and found a whole other line of wind up non train toys. I guess you really can go nuts with this stuff.

What actually put Dorfan out of business was their guarantee to replace any defective parts free. They had a crude die casting system that allowed the zinc to deteriorate over short time. It was replacement parts. coupled with the depression, that nailed the coffin shut.

Nick

here is the only photo I have of the City of Jordan Pullman that was offered as part of a set back in April.

Is it just my eyes or do the letters "rda" in Jordan look like different fonts, or that they have been changed from Joplin somehow?

Wow, I can barey see the cars with these eyes, I could never see the font! Very good.

The set I picked up is the freight set with the Joplin car just tossed in, but I have no idea why. Every car has it's own box, but why just one passenger car with the rest of the set?

Nick

Jeff, It was a Stout Auction, March 6th, 2013

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/7146345

I agree completely. Even in that small picture, the "rda" looks suspicious.

Saw a passenger set with the two UA passenger cars and electric #1950 engine and blue UA tender sell on ebay for 1400.00 last year.  Thats a load of cash for that set my friends.  However the two open topped circus cars have evaded me forever and I will find them, they are the only two UA items I need from their whole O scale train lineup.  One of my favorites of all time is the UA cattle car.

JEFF 

Okay guys here is one of my all time favorite tin litho train cars.  Its the Unique Art cattle car!!  Enjoy, if there is any other UA pics you need let me know I can try to get some more.

JEFF

Thanks again Jim for posting that link for the auction from Stout!!

JEFF

I wonder how the cows got their heads through the slats of the car side - and even more, how they will get their heads back in.

My PVC version of the cattle car.

I like Bennie the Brakeman too.