It's getting to be that time of year again so here is my rendition of the Polar Express and owel eye interurban. Let's see your tinplate!
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A lucky find at York several years ago was an example of Dorfan's most impressive accessory: the wide gauge 414L illuminated "Victory" bridge. Catalogued with illumination in wide gauge for just two years, 1929 and 1930, it was the top of the line bridge of the six models, both single and double span offered by Dorfan in both 0 gauge and wide gauge. The bridge is 56" long and takes the space of four sections of wide gauge tinplate track, so you need a lot of available real estate to put this on your layout. It has ramps on either side of the double section middle span that would take the track up about an inch and a half from ground level. Since the accessory is made of all tinplate, there are no diecast components and no worry about disintegration. Electrically, the four lamps on posts at the corners of the bridge proper were all wired to the center rail underneath. Therefore, the lamps were illuminated only when power was applied to the track. I re-wired it so that the lamps are powered independently of the track. I decided to install the bridge over a culvert so that the ramps and bridge surface would all be level with the rest of the layout. In order to accommodate this accessory I had to expand my layout somewhat and design the sub-level footing for the bridge. It's a work in progress, but Santa has already enjoyed a ride over the newly installed bridge.
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The previous weekend my brother and I went to Stuttgart to visit the Alte-spieleisenbahnen in Betrieb (Old toy railways in operation) exhibition. The description of this exhibition reads:
We present you on three floors and over an area of more than 900 m² toy trains and tinplate accessories from the years 1895 to 1955 in high quality and rarity. "Märklin, Bing, Schoenner, Bub, Trix, Fleischmann, Biller-Bahn", the English manufacturer Basset-Lowke and Hornby, run on more than 20 tracks of the standard gauge tracks, as well as 1, 0, and S. Also modern US trains of the companies Lionel and MTH. The locomotives are operated with clockwork, steam and electricity. On more than 900 meters of track with 140 points, approximately 130 historical locomotives and about 70 passenger and freight trains run. These include the legendary Swiss crocodile, the railway zeppelin or the elegant fast-train locomotive E18 / 19 of the German Reichsbahn from the 1930s.
The exhibition was very interesting. Lots and lots of tinplate trains in 1, 0, S and 00 gauge running at large layouts, many on the floor, with a large number of tinplate accessories. Museum pieces that you will not see running often. This exhibition runs every year at the first Advent weekend and I can recommend a visit. My brother took pictures and I uploaded a couple of them.
BUB S gauge from the collection of the German TV personality Hagen von Ortloff:
Carett gauge 1 tramway running on overhead wire:
Märklin 1 gauge Stuttgart station:
0 gauge live steam and electric:
A short video also shows the Standard gauge trains:
I hope you do not mind this very large post.
Regards
Fred
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A Flyer 3012 cleaned up and ready for the holidays:
I've been using an old bottle of Mequiars cleaning wax for these projects over the years. Does a nice job removing the grime without damaging the finish.
PD
sncf231e posted:
Fred:
"I hope you do not mind this very large post."
On the contrary, I (and I'm sure others) appreciate your post and fantastic pictures. The picture above labeled "Gauge 0 on the floor" is one of those images that grabs me by the lapels and drags me right in. When I see a picture like that, I'm instantly six years old and I want to dive on the floor and put my face right next to the tracks to watch the trains go by.
I love the triple passing sidings on the right.
Thanks again for sharing. Fun.
Steven J. Serenska
Ives/ Lionel 1504 Pullman. According to Greenburg's "This car had the distinction of being the least expensive Lionel passenger car ever produced". 40 cents in 1931 and 30 cents in 1932, easily out lowballing the Winner 1811 Pullman at 55 cents in 1931 and 45 cents in 1932.
These replaced the 1908-1930 50 series Chair cars and passenger coaches.
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Really great pictures this week, Jim your bridge is really great and it is a beauty, i have never seen one before. And Fred there is never enough pictures of a show of so great quality, very enjoyable to look at, it is too bad that this show is far from my home.
My offer of the week is HORNBY passenger trains from around 1935. The french version of the Golden Arrow with a fake pacific and two variations of the paint roof of the two pullman cars which doesn't look really french and are inspired by the british models but with french markings of the CIWL.
The RIVIERA Blue Train which travels from Paris to the Mediteranean coast. That time the cars are specifically french models restaurant and sleeping cars.
And a British model of the Flying Scotsmann, London to Edimburg with the very british coaches.
Have a great tinplate weekend, Daniel
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Daniel thanks for sharing those are great!
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What great photos Fred and Daniel. I was going to show my Hornby "Nord" 3.1290 pulling Hornby French Wagons Lits cars but Daniel beat me to it. So I'll show some different French Hornby. We are at a typical French junction perhaps in the Massif Central district. The Biller passenger train is on the narrow gauge. On one of the standard gauge lines are two Hornby Bugattis-- an SNCF electric and a PLM clockwork. The main line train from gay Paree is pulled by a prewar ADE 20V streamlined PLM locomotive. It is pulling the replica Hachette coaches for that train. I'm quite happy to have acquired a virtually mint box with the locomotive.
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sncf231e posted:The previous weekend my brother and I went to Stuttgart to visit the Alte-spieleisenbahnen in Betrieb (Old toy railways in operation) exhibition. The description of this exhibition reads:
We present you on three floors and over an area of more than 900 m² toy trains and tinplate accessories from the years 1895 to 1955 in high quality and rarity. "Märklin, Bing, Schoenner, Bub, Trix, Fleischmann, Biller-Bahn", the English manufacturer Basset-Lowke and Hornby, run on more than 20 tracks of the standard gauge tracks, as well as 1, 0, and S. Also modern US trains of the companies Lionel and MTH. The locomotives are operated with clockwork, steam and electricity. On more than 900 meters of track with 140 points, approximately 130 historical locomotives and about 70 passenger and freight trains run. These include the legendary Swiss crocodile, the railway zeppelin or the elegant fast-train locomotive E18 / 19 of the German Reichsbahn from the 1930s.
The exhibition was very interesting. Lots and lots of tinplate trains in 1, 0, S and 00 gauge running at large layouts, many on the floor, with a large number of tinplate accessories. Museum pieces that you will not see running often. This exhibition runs every year at the first Advent weekend and I can recommend a visit. My brother took pictures and I uploaded a couple of them.
BUB S gauge from the collection of the German TV personality Hagen von Ortloff:
Regards
Fred
The green passenger set inside the Bub S gauge set looks to be a Weimar or Stadtilm passenger set, I picked up a couple of the Dopplestockzug double decker passenger cars several years ago. They are S- gauge.
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Jim O'C posted:
Jim,
You are fully right; the S gauge layout showed not only BUB but also Stadtilm and JEP S gauge. And the green DR double-decker is indeed Stadtilm.
Regards
Fred
NB: I should know I run Stadtilm in the garden:
lewrail posted:I was going to show my Hornby "Nord" 3.1290 pulling Hornby French Wagons Lits cars but Daniel beat me to it.
Lew, Daniel,
I would also have thought to have the Hornby Nord loco with the Riviera Blue coaches, but Daniel shows them with the PLM loco. Both are right I think?
Regards
Fred
Fred,
Both engines Nord and PLM are right for the Riviera blue coaches. They were sold at the same time.
Very best, Daniel
Thanks everyone for your contributions again this week. I come back to each thread numerous times. It is great to see tinplate trains that I didn't even know existed. I feel like I get an education each time I visit.
My offering this week is an Ives train. This is The Greyhound from 1926 -1927
The engine is a #3257
The set has 2 #141 PULLMAN Parlor Cars
and a #142 PULLMAN Observation Car
I have come to have an appreciation for Ives equipment.
Have a great tinplate weekend!
Greg Northwoods Flyer
Jim Kelly-Evans posted:A lucky find at York several years ago was an example of Dorfan's most impressive accessory: the wide gauge 414L illuminated "Victory" bridge. Catalogued with illumination in wide gauge for just two years, 1929 and 1930, it was the top of the line bridge of the six models, both single and double span offered by Dorfan in both 0 gauge and wide gauge. The bridge is 56" long and takes the space of four sections of wide gauge tinplate track, so you need a lot of available real estate to put this on your layout. It has ramps on either side of the double section middle span that would take the track up about an inch and a half from ground level. Since the accessory is made of all tinplate, there are no diecast components and no worry about disintegration. Electrically, the four lamps on posts at the corners of the bridge proper were all wired to the center rail underneath. Therefore, the lamps were illuminated only when power was applied to the track. I re-wired it so that the lamps are powered independently of the track. I decided to install the bridge over a culvert so that the ramps and bridge surface would all be level with the rest of the layout. In order to accommodate this accessory I had to expand my layout somewhat and design the sub-level footing for the bridge. It's a work in progress, but Santa has already enjoyed a ride over the newly installed bridge.
Nice job Jim .... if you can not raise the bridge ..lower the water . Hope Santa enjoys the ride .
Cheers Carey
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Jim O'C posted:sncf231e posted:The green passenger set inside the Bub S gauge set looks to be a Weimar or Stadtilm passenger set, I picked up a couple of the Dopplestockzug double decker passenger cars several years ago. They are S- gauge.
Great gathering and photos. I have a box of the East German Stadtilm track and a few switches - it works very well for being tinplate and cardboard. Gilbert American Flyer will run on it, even though the gauge is a little wider. I refer to them as my Capitalist trains on Communist track....
TCA show this weekend in Raleigh. I, er, Santa made quite a haul for me today!
First thing found today was this neat little American Flyer caboose...
It works pretty well with my Flyer based home brew boxcar and gondola...
FYI - Boxcar is a roached baggage car with custom wrapper and roof. Gondola is a coach frame with custom bodywork.
Also picked up this toasty Flyer tender that I modified to couple to a customized Marx 898 that I already had. The tender will be worked on some more after the holidays...
Also picked up this Marx CP loco. It actually has the running gear from a Marx 999 I also nabbed for next to nothing today. It will have more work done on it after the first of the year.
nice finds Andy.That reminds me I need to add pilot and trailing trucks to my CP.