Buy/Make Anything Cool Lately (Tinplate Version)

I posted this one in the tinplate photo thread earier , but seeing as tho Chuck brought up Lamps

A LNER Interior signal lamp I scored recently ... this is the unit pre-electrification which was lit and placed into the signal which then shone thru coloured glass on the signal arm to indicate track state ...

( I wonder if @Chuck242 's wife would like this one lol )

Wow @Fatman that is uber cool!! Thank you for sharing. I always find it fascinating when able to trace the history of something- in this case modern, electric RR signals that change color- back to a lit signal lamp which used glass to show the color. Exquisite and awesome pick-up, man.

Not the same thing, but at the last train show I went to, as my father and I were leaving, I noticed a gentleman with a large, wooden cube like object with a small mfg. plate on it, glass that took up at least on side, and upon closer inspection mini-drawers. Turns out, I might be getting the facts wrong but the general Just is correct, it was produced by Lionel during WW1 aNd used by the Navy. He explained it’s the earlier type because of this small drawer that opened in which they’d use whale fat to light it.

Posted this in my “help ID this loco” thread, but wanted to share it here too. I’m super backlogged in things I’ve been wanting to share with everyone so here’s a start of my most recent- about which I am SUPER EXCITED!! This is my first Prewar, European electrically powered loco- and it works!!New in the pics below- the Heinrich Fischer switch tower(got it a few weeks ago), Loco and tender

Got it off the auction site. Seller had it listed as “Bub NOT BING...” loco & Tender which has letters that didn’t look like KBN, CBN, and said England underneath. Ended up getting it cheap, I assume due to the lack of markings on the loco and mismatched Tender made by a different mfg. that clearly didn’t have the expected embossed lettering.

Anyway, thanks to rdigilio and Fatman, they identified the Loco and tender.

Loco is a late 20s Bub 2410LT Electric Locomotive and the Tender is a Hornby from 1922-1930ish.

Loco creeps towards the turnout

Tebder And Loco

I do have some questions- do the parts look original? Did Bub use a pick-up roller in the 1920’s?  Also, it appears to have gauze brushes. Here’s a picture of the underside(pics of gears and brushplate are attached to this post)

Finally- a video of my first electrically powered  European Loco running a Small consist of: Hornby tender, Bub 1217 PRR Coach, And Bing 529 Observation

Sorry for the long post but as I said- so darn happy!! Any help is appreciated regarding the questions. Keep the tin coming!

Steve

Hi Folks,

Some of you may remember that about three months ago, I posted a question asking what would be a good filler for tinplate gondolas and hoppers. I got lots of good answers, ranging from hard candy to aquarium gravel.   I decided to go for the colored aquarium gravel and went to Walmart to get some in their Pets section.

I was going to buy a bag, but was very surprised at how heavy the gravel was.  Too heavy for a long train of cars.

But, right next to it, I found these great "Aqua-Jewels. "   They are made of plastic and really light.   They only cost $1.98 per bag, and a bag only weighs 3.5 ounces.   

Unfortunately, each bag contains a mix of colors, so I had to buy eight bags to sort them into single colors. 

Here are what my Marx cars look like with a full train load.

Just thought I would pass this tip on.

Thanks,

Mannyrock

@Mannyrock: Great idea and looks cool. Thanks for the tip.
Don

@Fatman - that LNER Interior signal lamp is beautiful, a great complement to any train room, and right you are, my wife wouldn't care anymore for it than she does my ATSF 4-way.

Hi Tinplate fans...we seem to have fallen somewhat behind in posting, so I thought I would go ahead and post my latest addition.  I purchased 10 Hornby Hatchette freight cars from a seller in France.  Now I know these are NOT Hornby except perhaps in licensed name but being also a Lionel guy I am used to that idea (remember the various "companies" that have been producing Lionel trains since 1969 most especially the General Mills or the Mills Product Company or MPC).  The value of these was just too tempting , real Hornby trains via e-bay are $50-75 per car plus postage and these were 10 car for 12 Euro's or about $15 for ALL 10...Wow $1.50 per car who could pass this up.  They looked nearly new and when I received them they did indeed appear LN.  Here are some pictures

As you can see, the cars are replica's of French Hornby freights, all made between 2002 -2004 and they were given as incentives when you bought a particular hobby magazine.  Imagine, buy a magazine and get a replica Hornby tinplate 0 gauge car with your purchase.  They made quite a line including at least 3 locomotives (all clockwork).

Anyway, real or replica, these will look good behind my Hornby locomotives going around the layout.

Regards

Don

Thanks guys. It had a dead short. Turned out it was the drum basically disentigrated and was shorting the fingers. So I have a drawer or original drums and I had to replace four hand rail stantions and had to deep clean it. It was super greasy oily sticky but runs super quiet now. Still need to finish the tender but she’s a winner.

Hi Dennis,  nice looking engine and a great runner too, of course a drawer or original drums.... that is really helpfull. 

I also have one and it is one of the greatest Lionel engine, a work of art and today's productions are not so high quality than pre war motors.

Hey Don, I have three passenger cars and one little steam loco that go with these. They were going on the block soon, let me

know if you have any interest

John

Nothing wrong with Hachette at all and they are great shelf queens or sometimes runners ! They certainly look the part but just be wary they are a real lightweight tin and can corrode pretty quickly once exposed so keep the paint polished and or protected if they are going to be handled a lot ... case in point is a fine example of a PLM that has been on ePay for quite a while ( which of course the seller has NOT advertised as Hachette, but you can see it is in the photos ) Just do a search for "Hornby PLM " and you will find it ... at first glance you think ... yep thats got wear consistent with age ... but its a LOT less age than you think lol !

The wheels are also oxidising ( and you can see the plastic gearing in the clockwork )

Also spots underneath, where no handling that would have occured, are spot corroding ..

I actually have a Hachette BB locomotive ( Shelf Queen lol ) and a few wagons

And a Hachette ETAT combo

That is my plm on epay, don't think I realized it was hachette.

John

@beardog49 posted:

That is my plm on epay, don't think I realized it was hachette.

John

OOPS !!! LOL! Dont hit me John !

( Its written right there on the back where the tail hook exits lololol)

Hornby Fabrique Pour Hachette ... Hornby Made for Hachette ( hachette licensed the name for the series )

Fatman, thank you for you good advice and comments.  I did get the Hatchette PO electric type loco from the same source although it was an earlier purchase.  It works fine although it goes like the devil if you don't hitch it to a few cars...way too fast for my 0-31 curves but it does indeed work.

Regards Don

@Don McErlean those are very nice looking cars with a neat backstory being giveaaways when subscribingto a hobby magazine. I remember growing up(early 2000s) and you'd get an action figure with this one magazine. In recent times, and maybe its just the clubs/magazines to which I belong/subscribe, it that incentive received by subscribing has turned into "by subscribing you'll be able to purchase". Regardless, great stuff, Don, thanks for sharing. Those cars are sharp.

@Fatman thanks for the info on Hachette! Saw it recently while on vacation, couldn't quite place it....much appreciated!!

@Dennis Holler happy to see the loco is working!! Love that streak of light blue passenger cars making up your consist!!

I haven't bought anything in awhile but this week I bought a nice original 1930 Lionel Standard Gauge set #387 which has the 384 locomotive and the peacock green 332, 339 and 341 passenger cars. I l like the looks of this loco/car combination which is pictured in the 1930 catalog.

Here's a long post

First is a variety lot that I got back in July and have wanted to post because he unique cars that came with it. There were 6 cars in the lot(Hafner Black roof/frame Overland flyer not shown)...After that are some other July pickk-ups and early August buys. Got some German tin today but probably won't pst til tomorrow

Variety Lot

Ives 50 series Passener cars- "The Ives Railway Lines" No. 51 Newark(1913-1914). This guy was in the best shape of the bunch. Green frame and green roof

Two of my favorites(although I love them all ha) Hafner(?) CNW Overland Flyer and Lionel Disney Circus Dining car. The Hafner frame has wear but the body is in really good shape, the dining car's colors have faded a bit and I've cleaned it the best I could

American Flyer- I believe a Hummer Line "505 Pennsylvania Lines" and a GN RPO that lcks a number, thus I believe it was from a set. Also don't think the roof is original to the car

The Newly Acquired Ives Newark on the left with its predecessor(already had this one)  Ives Pennsylvania Lines No. 51 Newark(1911-1912) on the right. Tough enough to see in person , but the frame on the older one appears to be gray while the newer one is green.

From later in July:

American Flyer 4-wheel LV gondola. As I was born in the LV, I really like this car. Also in good condition

Modern Marx "National Military RR Defense Units". I know it's part of a larger set- what appealed to me is the famous Marx windup tank on the other side. That and it's a slick lookin' car!

Marx Bogota- green Pullman

while with Marx( From earlier in August)

Pair of Marx 245 prewar Bogota Pullmans- On the left is a plain black frame with TS couplers, on the right SLF with Joyline couplers

The Bogota joins the Montclair- just need the observation!!

@StevefromPA posted:

American Flyer- I believe a Hummer Line "505 Pennsylvania Lines" and a GN RPO that lcks a number, thus I believe it was from a set. Also don't think the roof is original to the car

Why do you think the roof is not original?  Its red color?  The key to its originality is that the roof is the same color as the door.  The roof appears to be correct to me.  It just happens to be a more unusual color.  I have seen red, orange, and green doors on sets with these types of cars. 

NWL

@Nation Wide Lines Usually those are tell tale signs, I agree. A bit fuzzy on the reason why I thought that- it was over 6 weeks ago that I got that lot and looked into it... the RPO lacked a number so google wasn’t helping. I resorted to my only Obrien’s Guide from 1991- which is outdated. It gave me a starting point that the car was part of Set, IIRC.  I was able to search slightly more  specifically and found 2 Prewar Flyer Great Northern sets:

1.) Consist of 4 wheel cars with green roofs and a green door on the RPO

2.) Consist of 8 wheel cars with red roofs and a red door on the RPO

While it’s a larger 4 wheel coach than some of the others I have from different Makers from that era, I don’t think itd fit on a Flyer 8 wheel frame. I do really love the prewar cars with Heralds like that, though, and I know you know your stuff about Prewar Flyer so if you have any info I’d appreciate it!

Here's a set that recently rolled into the O&O railroad complex.  Until I saw the set for sale I didn't know Bing had sold a battery powered train set in the late 1920's early 1930's.

The set, from the reference is 11/540/0

The set

  While everything matches the catalog picture I'm pretty sure the passenger car on the left is an earlier version.  The catalog illustration does not show operating doors. The two wires coming from the locomotive are the connectors to insulated battery posts on the tender.

  The tender is much larger than it would have been for a simple clockwork - obviously the size was driven by the size of the original batteries which, apparently were held in place by simple friction and covered with the coal pile.

The underside of the tender has an interesting on/off switch.

As for the track - it is standard clockwork track from the period.

   I tried searching Google for the shape and size of the original batteries - no luck.  Since I'm sure nothing will just drop in I plan to build a small AA battery holder out of plastic and work out a way to connect these batteries to the rest of the circuit.

@StevefromPA posted:

@Nation Wide Lines Usually those are tell tale signs, I agree. A bit fuzzy on the reason why I thought that- it was over 6 weeks ago that I got that lot and looked into it... the RPO lacked a number so google wasn’t helping. I resorted to my only Obrien’s Guide from 1991- which is outdated. It gave me a starting point that the car was part of Set, IIRC.  I was able to search slightly more  specifically and found 2 Prewar Flyer Great Northern sets:

1.) Consist of 4 wheel cars with green roofs and a green door on the RPO

2.) Consist of 8 wheel cars with red roofs and a red door on the RPO

While it’s a larger 4 wheel coach than some of the others I have from different Makers from that era, I don’t think itd fit on a Flyer 8 wheel frame. I do really love the prewar cars with Heralds like that, though, and I know you know your stuff about Prewar Flyer so if you have any info I’d appreciate it!

That sized car came on both 4 and 8 wheel frames. 

Here is the same car on an 8 wheel frame with orange roof and door

NWL

@Robert S. Butler posted:

The underside of the tender has an interesting on/off switch.

As for the track - it is standard clockwork track from the period.

   I tried searching Google for the shape and size of the original batteries - no luck.  Since I'm sure nothing will just drop in I plan to build a small AA battery holder out of plastic and work out a way to connect these batteries to the rest of the circuit.

Robert,

the matching batterie is 3LR12 4,5 Volts, you need 2 of them.

Arne

How long will that engine run on one set of batteries?   I never knew about it either till someone posted about it on another forum.  Very cool.  Someone out there offers a battery holder that is the right shape, so you can use rechargeable AA batteries instead of eating up non rechargeable ones if you like to run it alot.   I have fitted onboard battery power to a Bassett Lowke LMS Compound using four rechargable 2300mah Nimh AA batteries in a holder.    AD

Thanks @Nation Wide Lines - I appreciate that confirmation. Guess I’m always expecting something to be “wrong” when I purchase a number of items like that

@Robert S. Butler I didn’t know Bing made battery operated trains in that era either!! Awesome pick-up!! I love how loosely(talk about an understatement) batteries were put in toys back then, even with some of the litho coming out of Japan in the 50s/60s.

I’m not sure which of the coaches is older but I just realized after your post that doors aren’t the best way to judge. Portion of Page 346, 1932 addendum to 1930 customer catalog

10/565/0

Some late Bing’s had opening doors. I always thought that more detail on a Bing car meant PRe-mid 20s till I just translated portions of that page.

side note: I love that book, it validated that the first Bing train car I ever bought(the one shown above) is legitimate and, according to the Spanish description- doesn’t have the raised roof as shown in the book’s picture but a “normal” roof like mine. There are a variants of that car from sets and a version without marking but still. What a great book

Arne, thanks for the info - guess I'll see about getting a couple of those batteries.

@Robert S. Butler posted:

The set

  While everything matches the catalog picture I'm pretty sure the passenger car on the left is an earlier version.  The catalog illustration does not show operating doors.

The left with opening doors is Bing 10/564 made 1929-1930

The right is Bing 10/5131 made 1930-1932

Arne

Ok, so with the overlap in passenger car production and a 1930 offer date for the set does this mean the set could have had a 2nd class car with working doors and a second 2nd class car without working doors?  In other words, is there a reasonable chance the set is an "as sold" and not a set with a replaced car?

As I said in my other post, had some German tin to share. Forgot to add I have some prewar U.S. Motive Power I received last week as well:

Late Ives 1100 cast iron loco. Runs great! Only problem is that one of the rear wheels doesn’t spin when I run it(loose/not attached to axle)

Flyer 1097. Always wanted one of these boxcabs. it’s not in the greatest shape but the pic actually is worse than it really is.

Still has the patents sticker inside

I bought this knowing it had problems running when not on a test bench. FIced the electrical issues but look at the rear(left) drive wheel...

It’s expanded from the pest. Got out the calipers to measure each wheelset’s flange distance- the read wheels are 1.28” apart while the front are 1.23”. It’d run rather nicely if it wasn’t for this imbalance.

now to the German tin:

KBN 6”, 4 wheel PRR cars:

553 Express baggage(GREAT condition)

Two 1223 coaches(Also nice condition)

different than any Bub coaches I’ve ever bought. Couplers are unique- work with European market(vertical fishhook)couplers and US market T/S couplers

AND are a nice size- Bub 5.5” on left and Bing 6.5” on right. They don’t look bad with the Bing in a consist but outsize the 5.5 inchers

Finally, from the weekend- Bub 254 NYC coach and Bing Belvidere NYC Lines Steel sided Coach..

There should be another Bing steel sided NYC coach(Waukegan) but I’m afraid it may be lost in the mail

Thanks for clarifying @Arne sorry @Robert S. Butler , didn’t mean to lead you astray. Also- that’s a good question

Robert.

In 1930 the Bing 10/564 has been changed, from 1931-1932 the car had a other roof and the small windows on top was not cutted out.

It is possible Bing had used the older leftovers for the sets.

Arne

Robert I have the same Bing Loco

I have hooked it up to a single 18650 li-ion cell (4.2V max charge) and it barrels ... My plan for it eventually is to put in 2or3 18500 Li-ion batteries in parallel with a small inexpensive variable voltage buck converter to enable any speed range

( easy for me as I gave up smoking thru using e-cigarettes and have lots of batteries and chargers lol )

Hello everyone...must admit I am fascinated by the battery powered loco's from the 1930's or earlier.  Stevefrom PA thank you for comment on my Hatchette cars, to me they are neat and look good although they are not original Hornby.  OBTW I have the same 4 wheel baggage car (GN logo) with copper journals and green roof and door.  I also have a 1097 and mine came with matching 1120 red/green 4 wheel coach and observation car.

What I have today is sort of an "Australian" adventure.  Some time ago, I obtained a Hornby type 31 1st/2nd (or 3rd) livery coach  from a seller in Australia.  Hornby made 2 type 31 coaches, one 1st/2nd(or 3rd it isn't marked)  and the other 2nd /brake but did not distinguish then by number in their nomenclature.  Both are small 4 wheel coaches in the crimson and cream color scheme.  So I was on the hunt for the one I didn't have, the 2nd/brake.  I recently found it, guess where, in Australia!  I recently got delivery and it is just great, almost new in the box.  So here are my new Hornby type 31 coaches.

Here is the 2nd /brake coach, just received.

Here she is in an end view showing the lithography on the end plates.

Here are the two type 31's together, the 1st /2nd on the left and  2nd/brake on the right.

Here they are with my Type 51 locomotive.  Really it should be a type 30 but I don't have one of those

Here is the fine box that the 2nd / brake came in and when I inspected the box I noticed an interesting thing.  On one end the product identification etc is in English but on the other end it is in both French and German.  Neat!

Best wishes

Don

Really nice pick up @Don McErlean

Australia was a huge export market for the UK after the war so later Hornby is plentiful here compared to many other imported or indeed local marques ...I hope these Aussie sellers are looking after you or else I wil have to go 'round an' give 'em a bloody clip on the lughole for ya , <--- note when things get serious I even resort to typing in an Aussie accent

So yep for postwar Hornby Australia will be a prime market , however many sellers on ePay consider them gold !!!

Thanks Fatman, I appreciate the help and support.  Yes, my dealings with the Aussie sellers so far have been excellent.  This latest buy just blew me away, it was pictured of course but the condition when I got it exceeded the description.  As I said in my post, the car looked brand new, indeed it looked like it had never been on the track and the box was clean and crisp. So I am very much pleased with your homeland.

How is the foot doing?  Healing up I hope.

Don

A nice Flyer no. 301 passenger set from 1939:

Needs a thorough cleaning and lubrication.

PD

I also ran down some three-tie standard gauge track for the Lionel 101 I picked up recently:

So the next question is, how does one bend the track-pins to the correct angle for each section of track/bridge?

PD

Other than food, my only purchase at the TCA Convention last week.

Steve

@Don McErlean    Doing good mate , been fitted with a special "Racing Boot " lol so getting around is more comfy Gash is healing nicely .. all going to plan so far .

No new trainage to report sadly

I've been rapidly working on filling out a roughly 1921 era O gauge collection for an upcoming Christmas holiday display.  So far I have a partial cross section of Lionel's train offerings minus the lowest end freight set as well as some of the mid level ones.  I have a few other accessories I'd like to acquire eventually along with some originals to replace the MTH repro lamp posts (technically the 58 lamp posts are too new anyway) and crossing signal.  There's also an Ives passenger set for something different.

The 156 locomotive and passenger cars arrived yesterday from a Stout Auction I won it in.  Unfortunately a former owner did a fairly decent cosmetic restoration on the locomotive although it was mechanically "totaled" with a bad motor armature and very rough original wiring.  The chassis will be getting sent to the Motor Doctor this week for motor work which should hopefully sort it out and make it run as nice as it looks.

Been selling a lot of my CMC but for some reason Erie boxcars keep coming in😜
Steve