Looking for
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A little more help, like make might help, also a clearer picture
Not to mention that it looks like a custom paint job, no road name.
Yeah - if you want an ID, you need better photos. Could be a Lobaugh MoPac Mountain. Sand dome could be Hines Lines.
That is probably a scanned picture out of an old magazine like model builder or model railroader.
Actually it is an old photo that I scanned that I had found after my father passed away. It was labeled that it was an engine he built up and sold to get money to purchase a lathe. Still have the lathe, a 10" Logan. This probably would have happened in the 1940's or 50's. I'd like to have the engine. I imagine that it might be outside third rail maybe.
Even better yet! There are a few guys on here that search for such custom built engines from that (doorstop) era. Carey Williams is one that seems to run into a LOT of these old locos. Point is one of them may remember seeing it at a show or way realize they or someone they know may have it currently. It's a long shot, but surprisingly possible. Might help to know when part of the country your dad was in when he built it and any other info you might have. I understand all you may know is what you found on the photo though. I hope you can find it, it would be a neat story! You might post a thread in the 2 rail scale forum as Carey frequents it. And I think it is still relevant even though it may have been outside third rail. Many customs or kits from that era were built scale but outside third rail. It was an ear when two rail was beginning to grow and outside third was dying.
Yes, I figured its a long shot. I think it might have gone south from Illinois originally, but who knows where it could be now. Figured I'd take a shot at it due to the mystery IC engine thread.
So you are looking for a one of a kind, custom built engine that was sold 70 to 80 yrs ago?
I know carey finds all manner of impossible to find engines. One thing he does that helps is set up a both at local shows, he’s in Chicago, with pictures and signs. It works, he’s found and purchased some unique locos just because someone stopped to talk. You just never know.
See, you need to put this kind of “wanted”in the 2-rail forum. I agree with Dennis -Carey is a resource. Put this where he can see it.
I will compare your photo with the Lobaugh, but it is possible that Hines Lines did a Mountain type.
Yep. Looks just like the 1941 Lobaugh catalog MoPac Mountain, only with a modified CNW Berk tender. Nobody I know has ever seen a Lobaugh MoPac Berk, but Doc Peters (RIP) said he sold one in the 1970s. It is made with parts from the SP Mountain, but the boiler is unique - note the taper. Even the sand dome looks like the catalog photo.
Advertising for this one is probably best done in Model Railroader. I personally have no love for MRR, but their ads reach so many more folks than any other medium . . . There are probably six 2-railers who even know this forum exists, and Carey isn’t one of them!
oscaletrains posted:Actually it is an old photo that I scanned that I had found after my father passed away. It was labeled that it was an engine he built up and sold to get money to purchase a lathe. Still have the lathe, a 10" Logan. This probably would have happened in the 1940's or 50's. I'd like to have the engine. I imagine that it might be outside third rail maybe.
Interesting story of selling something to get something else...I bought a early 40s Logan 10 inch lathe from a widow back in 2002 for a $1000.00 with a huge amount of tooling...I got 6 guys together to move it out of her basement quickly in case she had second thoughts...it's a great machine that turns out excellent parts...with the right operator...I use it mostly to turn antique garden tractor axle bushings.
Hello all ....
Nice looking engine ....but at this distance no definitive details to say it's a ...... or was part of a ....... ...
I'll certainly keep my eyes open ......but that said there are an amazing number of outstanding scratch/ manufactured built ...vintage O scale engines out there .
Identifying a piece is the great hunt .... through magazines , catalogs , etc ..... so many pieces were made by "unknown"
1940 was the swing of the tide from outside 3rd to 2 rail ...however many existing outside 3rd rail layouts remained for decades in clubs and private hands ... ( long live outside 3rd rail !!!)
The magazine you scanned the photo from ? date ? ..any text under photo to give some direction? .
In time everything bubbles to the surface and trades hands .... .... just have to be there when it's placed on the table ...... or listed on EBAY ....... fortunate for you there are very few collectors of the early era pieces .....so competition ( in general) in not too stiff ( compared to tinplate world) ......
If you find out any more information about the engine please enlighten us ..
Cheers Carey
taycotrains posted:oscaletrains posted:Actually it is an old photo that I scanned that I had found after my father passed away. It was labeled that it was an engine he built up and sold to get money to purchase a lathe. Still have the lathe, a 10" Logan. This probably would have happened in the 1940's or 50's. I'd like to have the engine. I imagine that it might be outside third rail maybe.
Interesting story of selling something to get something else...I bought a early 40s Logan 10 inch lathe from a widow back in 2002 for a $1000.00 with a huge amount of tooling...I got 6 guys together to move it out of her basement quickly in case she had second thoughts...it's a great machine that turns out excellent parts...with the right operator...I use it mostly to turn antique garden tractor axle bushings.
Dad's lathe turned a lot of brass O scale parts over the years. Steel tires for 2 railing stuff for other people, etc. He definately got his money's worth out of it.
Carey Williams posted:Hello all ....
Nice looking engine ....but at this distance no definitive details to say it's a ...... or was part of a ....... ...
I'll certainly keep my eyes open ......but that said there are an amazing number of outstanding scratch/ manufactured built ...vintage O scale engines out there .
Identifying a piece is the great hunt .... through magazines , catalogs , etc ..... so many pieces were made by "unknown"
1940 was the swing of the tide from outside 3rd to 2 rail ...however many existing outside 3rd rail layouts remained for decades in clubs and private hands ... ( long live outside 3rd rail !!!)
The magazine you scanned the photo from ? date ? ..any text under photo to give some direction? .
In time everything bubbles to the surface and trades hands .... .... just have to be there when it's placed on the table ...... or listed on EBAY ....... fortunate for you there are very few collectors of the early era pieces .....so competition ( in general) in not too stiff ( compared to tinplate world) ......
If you find out any more information about the engine please enlighten us ..
Cheers Carey
I know that the club was outside 3rd rail back then because I have seen other photos of it. But dad had 2 rail in his basement so it is sort of a tossup as to which that engine might have been when he sold it or what it might be now if it still exists.
Hello .... I'll let Bob Turner be the Lobaugh expert here ..but the engine looks like a Lobaugh Missouri Pacific ..Mountain ..as shown in the 1941 catalog ...... not a huge number of Mountains out there ...or Bob has them all ?
Cheers Carey 
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That's probably exactly what is was. I also remeber dad saying that one of the first kits he built up, because of the war, did not come with the tender wrapper so he had to make his own out of a tin oil can for it. I wonder if this is that engine.
Elementary, my dear Watson. That is an old All-Nation kit. I guess you all are too young to remember the old A-N range of steam locomotive kits. They made a 4-4-0, 4-4-2, 4-6-2 and a 2-6-6-4. ODD-D
Odd-d posted:Elementary, my dear Watson. That is an old All-Nation kit. I guess you all are too young to remember the old A-N range of steam locomotive kits. They made a 4-4-0, 4-4-2, 4-6-2 and a 2-6-6-4. ODD-D
I'm thinking...not.
did your Dad mark his engines in any way? That would help to know it was his if someone came across it.
Steamer posted:did your Dad mark his engines in any way? That would help to know it was his if someone came across it.
Not that I know of.
