Buy anything cool lately?

Tumbleweed, that’s a wonderful picture. Your son will remember that day his entire life.

Fellows, great buys, it’s always fun to see children in the hobby, that’s where many of us got our starts, dad and son, grandpa and grandson, it’s a clean fun hobby and seeing children smile at our train meets is simply Eye Candy. Great pictures everyone. I recently opened my new VL MKT Cattle Car set, coupled to my MKT Bunk car set, the sounds are great. Happy Railroading Everyone

We love seeing your 8 year old son step up into the hobby!  Keep the spirit alive.  Handsome rascal isn't he!

Awesome buys as usual everyone! I’m back with more new purchases this week! 😂

I ordered 5 more Woodland Scenics buildings from the website Hobbyspeed.com last week and they came safely packaged.

The first two buildings are the Grillin’ & Chillin’ trailer along with the Sunny Days Trailer. I absolutely love the little details on these two pieces! Growing up, I had a summer/weekend trailer at a year round campsite on a farm so I’m going to incorporate these into something similar with my farm scene on the second level.

The next two buildings will also go alongside the farm scene. One being the Old Homestead and the other being the Country Store Expansion. Even more amazing details with these two buildings!

The fifth and final building I purchased wasn’t even on my list. I believe there was an error with the online price listed, so I added it to the cart and went to checkout. I don’t normally mention the prices of something I obtained, but getting the Records and Recruiting building for $52.84 is worth the brag in my opinion! That’s the N scale price for this item! It’s correctly listed now, which I noticed they fixed within minutes of my order being shipped.

Here’s a photo of them all together.

This leaves just one more Woodland Scenics building on my list and then there’s three smaller Menards buildings I’ve been eyeing up.

Until next time, Thanks for sharing everyone! Happy Railroading!

Gorgi 1/43 telephone trucks.  

Great buys fellows and ladies, today my items arrived from a forum member, packed well. Lionel B&O heavyweight 18 inch passenger cars, and a cool covered hopper. Happy Railroading Everyone

A couple of weeks ago I was in San Antonio and found a Hobby store that is 3rd (I think, maybe 2nd) generation, been in the same location forever. An interesting place, some O but mainly HO and N and lots of models. But in talking with him and sharing pics of my layout, I mentioned I was looking for miners, he said 5-6 years ago you could get them, but nothing being made. He did have some miniature dwarfs. They have crossbows but I think I can bash them into picks. While I was looking at those, he disappeared into the back and came back out with this gravel tower. I didn't have the heart to ask how long he had had it. But he told me all the parts were there except for a metal pin, and offered it up really cheap.

I haven't played with it, but it uses no power or batteries. You take off the roof and fill it full of gravel, pull the level and the cart fills up and dumps its load in your car and then goes up to refill and repeat. It says it will do that until you push the lever off or the tower runs out. Not exactly what I was looking for in a coal tower, but just way to cool to pass up! The Cole's semi I found at a souvenir store on the River Walk, close to O Scale (maybe) but it has my last name. It was the last Cole on the rack, so it came home with me!

This Loco I got at my local train store. It has sounds and blue tooth and was priced right. I found a thread about the Loco #99 that was about Lionel making these in the 90's as a no-name line. They were to be sold as premiums to corporations for rewards, give aways, etc. Apparently, they flopped. But it is a nice running loco. I can easily name it ... I see a fantasy railroad in my future layout and Utopia!

Also, it is my first "new" train purchase! I think someone once said revery train empire starts with one Locomotive and Tender!

Just won this off eBay, from an Army Plymouth DDT switcher:

I finally found a Rock Island caboose at a resonable price. It's a Lionel and I purchased it from a OGR member thanks Don and OGR for the use of Wanted To Buy.

This green 9122 just showed up this morning.  The trailers have the green sleeves just like the gray trailers on the brown 9122.

I read that there is a brown 9120.  The hunt continues.

Harold

Found this beautiful Weaver 50' Saskatchewan grain hopper at an antique store on I-94 in Fergus Falls, MN  (spoiler alert - the Falls no longer exist - ****ed up over 100 yrs ago)   Anyway I asked the shop owner if he had any train stuff and he showed me a shelf or two of model trains in the back room, MTH, Lionel & KLine, mostly NIB.  He had just brought some in to try out in the store & then he mentions that he has a "semi-trailer" full of trains that he'd like to sell !!  It wasn't on the premises, but I told him it's a great time to sell trains...

The rest of the story, when I opened up the Weaver box at home, there is the original sales receipt from 1993 !   I masked off the buyer's name but does anyone else remember Anthony Dudynski Supply ?

Rich in SD   

A few weeks ago I picked up a 1946 set with a 1666 and 4 cars.  I finished cleaning it up today and gave it a few laps.  It was run hard but in decent shape, just real dirty.   The highlight of the set is the nicest all-metal Postwar caboose I’ve ever seen.

Trestleking writes:

The rest of the story, when I opened up the Weaver box at home, there is the original sales receipt from 1993 !   I masked off the buyer's name but does anyone else remember Anthony Dudynski Supply ?

I remember the name but not specifics. I remember buying several items from him, and from Genco Trains. Genco was also located in NYC area.

Trestleking - “ I masked off the buyer's name but does anyone else remember Anthony Dudynski Supply ?”

Rich, yes I remember Anthony Dudynski. He was a valued vendor at METCA shows in Broad Channel and Howard Beach, Queens NY. He was always a gentleman. A vivid memory of the one show we had in Broad Channel. I got there early to set things up; but Anthony was already there, standing outside his van seemingly staring into space. I walked over to him said good morning and asked if was ok. He replied did you ever see such a beautiful sunrise? I turned around to see the sun coming up across the bay with the silhouette of the subway trestle. Sometime after that he stopped coming to shows and couldn’t be contacted. I never knew what happened to him. Thanks for the memories.

I was going to custom build a standing shelving unit for the train room near the layout. But after checking out the increased prices at Home Depot for finished boards and even basic pine boards, I opted for a screw-together shelving unit from Wayfair. It was easy to assemble and does the job, for less than half of what it would have cost me to build one from scratch. Oops. Looks like I need to move that illuminating "Rosie's Diner" picture off to the right a little bit.

@pennsyfan posted:

Trestleking - “ I masked off the buyer's name but does anyone else remember Anthony Dudynski Supply ?”

Rich, yes I remember Anthony Dudynski. He was a valued vendor at METCA shows in Broad Channel and Howard Beach, Queens NY. He was always a gentleman. A vivid memory of the one show we had in Broad Channel. I got there early to set things up; but Anthony was already there, standing outside his van seemingly staring into space. I walked over to him said good morning and asked if was ok. He replied did you ever see such a beautiful sunrise? I turned around to see the sun coming up across the bay with the silhouette of the subway trestle. Sometime after that he stopped coming to shows and couldn’t be contacted. I never knew what happened to him. Thanks for the memories.

I never got to meet him but I do remember buying some of his Weaver custom-runs.  So much of "model trains" is the good people we get to meet or interact with. Thks.

Rich in SD

These arrived today:

If any of you remember my post about "Joe Cool" back on page 281, here is the result of that build. Contrary to what the box top says, some painting IS required (I did more painting than required) and I had to come up with a fix in order to get the thing to run correctly, but, I won't go into that here. If anyone is in need of the fix, drop me a line and I will be glad to share.

Way Cool! (Pun intened) ;p)

Lionel 17157 Wonder Bread ACF 3 bay hopper.  I believe Lionel released this in 2010. 

Neal Jeter

@Big Jim posted:

If any of you remember my post about "Joe Cool" back on page 281, here is the result of that build. Contrary to what the box top says, some painting IS required (I did more painting than required) and I had to come up with a fix in order to get the thing to run correctly, but, I won't go into that here. If anyone is in need of the fix, drop me a line and I will be glad to share.

You have to mount that in a gondola full of "water" and pull it behind an aquarium car.

Hi Lionlman,  I believe Wonder Bread was made in Buffalo NY . Are there any references to Buffalo on the side plate?

Attached is a photo of the abandoned Wonder Bread bakery located in Buffalo NY.  I believe there was a segment about Wonder Bread on the History Channel.

Wonder Bread had a hugh bakery in Queens NY. It originated in Indianapolis, Indiana

https://en.m.wikipedia.org › wiki

If I'm buying bread in the grocery store, it's always Wonder Bread.  My wife was shopping one time and picked up a loaf for me (she only wants brownish bread that tastes like sawdust).  A young guy was stacking the shelves next to her and said "That's the best bread.".

Didn't early TV spots for them feature "The Wonderbread Express"? I seem to remember a Lionel train running around while the announcer pushed the bread to us kids.

Couldn't find that commercial on UTube but did come across an HO set decorated as a Wonderbread Express Mehano HO Wonderbread Express

Amtrack5899:

There is no reference to Buffalo on the car.

Neal Jeter

Hey, it's not even winter and I got a new set of jumper cables!

They replaced my old defibrillator, two leads to the heart, with a new pacer/defibrillator with three leads to the heart.

Got to laugh to maintain some sense of normalcy, beats the **** out of letting it depress you. Besides, if you can't laugh at yourself what can you laugh at?

Have a great day and play safe.

Today a friend came over to my home and gave me 2 signs, I love the older Lionel and American Flyer memorabilia, I purchased 1,  the one with 6 Lionel engines under the bridge with Lionel above I bought for $5 at the last train meet. I think the one I bought was similar to the front cover of the 1952 Lionel catalog. Either way, one man’s junk so to speak is another man’s treasure. He goes to Sunday school with us and knew I loved toy trains. Happy Railroading Everyone

I just went through the $70 off offer email  from Mr Muffins Trains.
I took advantage of the offer but in doing so thought about a long standing thorn in my side.  Nothing to do with Mr Muffin!

Why do all the manufacturers focus on army equipment? Hello! There are 5 other services!

I have the Lionel subs and propeller car; as well as boxcars produced by TCA and METCA. Thanks Stu. That pales in comparison to all the army equipment out there.

I did find a surprise in Mr Muffins offer. A flag boxcar with a Navy Anchor.

USNR ADR2 Aircrew

@pennsyfan posted:

I just went through the $70 off offer email  from Mr Muffins Trains.
I took advantage of the offer but in doing so thought about a long standing thorn in my side.  Nothing to do with Mr Muffin!

Why do all the manufacturers focus on army equipment? Hello! There are 5 other services!

I have the Lionel subs and propeller car; as well as boxcars produced by TCA and METCA. Thanks Stu. That pales in comparison to all the army equipment out there.

I did find a surprise in Mr Muffins offer. A flag boxcar with a Navy Anchor.

USNR ADR2 Aircrew

I agree. As a 24 year veteran of the US Air Force, why is it almost always Army, Army, Army?

Over the years there have been other services rolling stock, but it's really far and few in between.

If my inventory database is correct, I have 16 US Air Force items, one US Army, and seven Department of Defense items.

Guys...the answer to your question on "Why Army" may lie in the prototype world.  The Air Force (I am a 38 year veteran) does not move much equipment by rail.  We always either flew the equipment (and the airplanes) to the new base and then moved it by truck.  The Navy, similarly, does not move by rail, its equipment (ships, subs, etc) despite Lionel's fantasy with a "submarine car",  is too big to move by rail unless its components to the ship yard (like the ships propeller).  The Army however including both soldiers and most of its equipment moves by rail.  The other big rail user for military purposes, is the Merchant Marine.  My son, a Merchant seaman during the Gulf war, described how they used to pull trains of loaded equipment right up to ship side at Terminal Island, Fla and then load the ships...his ship got an award for carrying the largest number of helicopters in one load at that time.

@leapinlarry :  Those are really cool signs.  You are correct that Lionel sign is the cover of the 1952 catalog.  The American Flyer signs are two different eras.  The first is pre war 1920's and shows the # 4687 locomotive and President's special set.  Some, not all of these sets were chrome plated .  The second, I believe, is a post war S gauge set.

Well best wishes to All

Don

Don, nice explanation. Makes all the sense in the world.

@Doug W. posted:

Hey, it's not even winter and I got a new set of jumper cables!

They replaced my old defibrillator, two leads to the heart, with a new pacer/defibrillator with three leads to the heart.

Got to laugh to maintain some sense of normalcy, beats the **** out of letting it depress you. Besides, if you can't laugh at yourself what can you laugh at?

Have a great day and play safe.

You're still here to tell us about it.

That's a win in my book. Wishing you a speedy recovery Doug.

Bob

“The Navy, similarly, does not move by rail,”
Don, perhaps you should look up Naval Weapons Stations and see how they transport the weapons from the interior to off shore loading.

Train related - Are there soldering gun collectors out there ??? - what is a mint / still sealed 😳 Weller 8200 kit going for ??? - it’s never been opened - crazy

I’ve got another 8200 I’ve using forever - not sure what to do with this one

Thanks

Joe S

@dorfj2 posted:

Train related - Are there soldering gun collectors out there ??? - what is a mint / still sealed 😳 Weller 8200 kit going for ??? - it’s never been opened - crazy

I’ve got another 8200 I’ve using forever - not sure what to do with this one

Thanks

Joe S

You've got two hands, don't you??????

Great find. Put it on the shelf, one day you may need it.

It’s fun having stuff like that. Just hold on to it.

I recently bought from Golden Gate Depot the 3L Virginian 130 ton battleship gondola with coal load

I picked up this 52 footer made by Pecos River from Forum sponcor Trainz. It's a Kansas City Southern double door Auto boxcar  Since my era is 1970 and the built date was 1941, I removed the Automobile and weathered it to look older.