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Seeing Atlas reefers mentioned reminded me of some scarce reefers in my collection:
Frank Fehr Brewery (I have been told this is the rarest of all the Atlas reefers but I don't know that for a fact)
Gluek Brewery (both the red and blue logos)
Feuerbach Beer (I've never seen one of these on eBay)
Natty Boh
Land O'Lakes (black billboard sides)
 
I don't really know which Atlas reefers other than the ones mentioned are considered rare. I have most of the beer cars, basically I have the ones from Wisconsin and other areas served by the Milwaukee Road.
 
I have all of the K-Line Miller and Blatz beer cars from just before the company went under. Of those, I think the Miller "First Shipment to Alaska" car is considered the rarest.
 
Both versions of the "Buy War Bonds" Milwaukee Road 21" passenger coach from K-Line 
 
Originally Posted by Southwest Hiawatha:

Not too many, but here's what I can think of offhand.

 

Standard Gauge McKeen Windsplitter

3rd Rail AC-4 Cab Forward with grey boiler

Lionel Milwaukee Road log car made for LOTS in 1988. 500 were made; I have at least 10 to make a logging train with my K-Line Shay (redecorated as Milwaukee Road). 

 

 

Retired Reading Company conductor George Ether had a table under the grandstand at York. He rebuilt K-Line cabooses as Reading cabooses and as other "Northeastern" cabooses. He wore his uniform. I always enjoyed talking with him. Nos. 92830 (steel) and 92936 (wooden-built during WW II) run on the Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern

GrgEtherRdgCab

 

Thanks to the Forum, I have a one-of-a-kind Lionel Reading T-1 (No. 2100; 6-18006; 1989). Reading Steam Guru painted and detailed her as 2124 in her Iron Horse Rambles scheme. Wowak added full working valve gear, a scale pilot coupler, a scale whistle, a pair of white "extra" flags, and other details. Jeffrey D. Steinbacher of J. D. S. Limited Productions installed a fan-driven smoke unit and (as long as he was in there) an LED headlight.

 

I'll also express my gratitude to UPS employees for safe transport of this locomotive and tender to Wowak and back.

WowakT-1 001

 

 

WowakT-1 003

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  • GrgEtherRdgCab
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Dad's Lionel 623

 

 

My Dad's Lionel 623 Switcher. He bought it with a set in '52 when he was 12.  We have a habit of holding on to things in my family so he kept it in pretty good storage and it is still in great shape.  I had it cleaned up and serviced a few years ago when I got back into the hobby. He got a kick out of running it with my son.   I run it once in a while.

 

I remember it well as a kid, how much fun, laying next to the Christmas tree in a dark room with only the tree lights on and being totally fascinated by it.  The awe, curiosity, and a little bit of fear.  Excited just to make it go...the hum of his old ZW...feeling like I just got away with something by running it.   

 

That makes it One-of-a-kind....and therefore pretty rare in my estimation.

 

 

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  • Dad's Lionel 623
Last edited by WITZ 41

Late last night, I could not remember which of the Falls City or Oertel's '92 beer cars

had been made by Atlas, and which one for which I had found no evidence of a car

for Oertel's'92, or the several other breweries that once existed in Louisville,

but Falls City Beer has an Atlas car that I have.  It is Oertel's"92 that does not have

an Atlas car.  I would think that the Falls City car is uncommon, as well as the Fehrs.  I  remember hearing commercials for these breweries on the radio, as a kid.  Over time

there were several other breweries in Louisville, Ky.  Remnants of the cooling caves

for another still exist just off Broadway near the entrance to Cave Hill Cemetery.

I have a Western Coil  Zephyr. Complete with original track with wooden ties. Also has the original tools for maintaining it and the tracks. The tracks are actually bolted together with baby nuts and bolts and fish plates.  Cool old train. Got it many years ago when I ran a wanted  ad in our local paper. I bought it  and a Lionel 1930's engine for $150.00 from a guy who was at least 80 at the time. I can still feel the excitement in my chest when I went to his house after he called me. It was a cold winter night and I was a logger at the time and was dead tired after work, but quickly woke up!

 

I would post pics but it is buried awaiting my "train room".

Late last night realized I have two other items that should qualify.

 

First one of Malcolm's crafted cabs, a wooden Southern 4-window.  I have no idea how many he has produced.

Picture by Malcolm.

 

The other was made by another forum members(David) from 1 of 100-kits he had produced.

The Southern radio control car.

 

 

Ron

This is a great thread! Being the only one of this type, even this thread is rare!

 

Scott, Love the Russian engine. My son in law grew up in Moscow and has the Russian HO version, made in East Germany of course but it has the Red Star on the front! 

 

Notice how everyone's idea of rare is a totally different item?  Never knew there were so many 'rare' pieces.  

Last edited by pennsydave
Originally Posted by laz1957:

My MTH NS Business train.  Since this photo was taken, purchased the other B unit now all I need is the Pennsylvania and Alabama cars then it will be complete all 14 cars.

Although not truly 'rare' it certainly is beautiful and can be difficult to find most of the time!

 

With TWO of these caught in the same photo,  who 'belongs' to the second one?

Last edited by c.sam

Pretty much every steam engine I own from 3rd Rail.   All are limited runs and all have a very low likely hood of being produced again any time soon.   I often consider this when thinking in terms of packing, transporting and insuring my trains.   While sure if something happens (fire, theft, flood, etc) I'll get a check from the insurance company, however, I can't imagine an actual search to replace what I have.  You can't just run out to the local mall and buy a ATSF 2-10-2 Brass O gauge locomotive.  

Originally Posted by scale rail:

Rusty, I love stuff like your ten wheeler. Does it still run? How is the card stock holding up after all these years? 18 bucks for a steam engine. Wow. Don

It runs pretty well considering it age.  It has an old 5 pole motor (maybe a Pittman, not sure) in it and a homemade constant lighting circuit in it.  The smokebox front has separated a little bit but otherwise everything's still holding up pretty good.

 

The boiler's held in place by a #8 wood screw.  Don't see that every day.

 

The locomotive came to me by way of two estates.

 

I handle it gently, it's older than I am and probably in better shape...

 

Rusty

 

Last edited by Rusty Traque

My father bought  a lot of trains at Madison Hardware, in the middle 70's he bought a couple of freight cars mint. He hid them from me in his closet, forgot about them until about 1986 or 87. When we found them they were/are perfect with Madison Hardware stickers and all. I have them on a shelf. I have never opened to see them. It is a Leigh Valley Hopper and a Lionel Lines caboose. They are C-10..

Rare?  I guess that you could find and purchase everything that I own. I would say some of my items may be hard to come by but not rare. The complete 6464 P/W box car collection that I have may be scarce with the Alaskan, Pennsylvania and B&O Sentinel cars. Have most of the P/W F3's (missing only two), Berks 726/736, 773 Hudson, all the little Joe's four GG1's and many Geeps. You can buy most everything that I mentioned.

As for modern era Lionel, I consider nothing rare and Williams is so common as they issue the same stuff year after year. 

Originally Posted by Steamer:
  1.  Lionel postwar 2035 steamer with 6466W tender, mint, recently opened from a sealed Madison Hardware box.

now that I would like to see!

Here you go. The box was originally shipped from Madison Hardware and was still sealed when my friend got it recently. They don't get much fresher than this.

 

 

P1150341

P1150343

P1150347

P1150349

P1150362

P1150353

P1150355

P1150356

P1150358

P1150359

P1150360

P1150363

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  • P1150343
  • P1150347
  • P1150349
  • P1150362
  • P1150353
  • P1150355
  • P1150356
  • P1150358
  • P1150359
  • P1150360
  • P1150363

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