Buy/Make Anything Cool Lately (Tinplate Version)

NWL: Your set really interesting. It seems more than coincidental that these two sets seem to be unique because of how AF used their decals. The unique thing about my pass cars ( uncataloged according to G’berg) was the placement of the singular American Flyer decal centered under the windows. Maybe they were having sort of either process or supply issue with their decals. Who knows?  

All the data I could find on my set points to 1939 from the perspective of the 403 combination loco and tender in black and the single American Flyer decal below the windows on the cars  

Don McErlean 

Greg thank you for the catalog and you are correct the loco is a 2-4-4 not a 2-4-2 which was a mistake. Indeed your catalog does show the set number as 301.  Thanks for posting. 

Don McErlean

Don McErlean posted:

NWL: Your set really interesting. It seems more than coincidental that these two sets seem to be unique because of how AF used their decals. The unique thing about my pass cars ( uncataloged according to G’berg) was the placement of the singular American Flyer decal centered under the windows. Maybe they were having sort of either process or supply issue with their decals. Who knows?  

All the data I could find on my set points to 1939 from the perspective of the 403 combination loco and tender in black and the single American Flyer decal below the windows on the cars  

Don McErlean 

Don,

Actually the single decal under the window is how the late Gilbert cars were decorated.  The curley-cue knuckle type couplers on these cars also points to 1939.

NWL

For those of you that were curious, this is how the Marx 21 and UA 2000 stack up together. They are very different in quite a few ways. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, sorry some of them are dark:

It's also interesting to note that the Marx power unit was supposed to be placed at the very head of the train and facing forward, ahead of the dummy. The UA power unit was supposed to be placed behind the dummy, back to back with the lead unit so the motor is in the middle. My lead UA doesn't have a coupler on the pilot, so this is only a thought. 

posted this on fri photo,,,but ,I found this on the ives section on $bay,thought it was just unfinished and I have an extra motor,,,,got it and the frame is brass,my original thought was to paint it black,but I like it,,,its like a pilot model,,,,one headlight is wired,,to nothing,no markings anywhere altho I didn't take the cab off,,,,any thoughts guys?

terry hudon posted:

posted this on fri photo,,,but ,I found this on the ives section on $bay,thought it was just unfinished and I have an extra motor,,,,got it and the frame is brass,my original thought was to paint it black,but I like it,,,its like a pilot model,,,,one headlight is wired,,to nothing,no markings anywhere altho I didn't take the cab off,,,,any thoughts guys?

Beautiful piece! I might be tempted to paint the cab but leave everything else au naturel.

Terry Hudon:  What you have is a version of the Ives (as made by Lionel) 1694 loco, a New Haven electric.  It was introduced as part of the " Ives Line" which was actually  produced by Lionel in 1932. It was an expensive engine introduced as the Great Depression deepened, hence it was  not a sales success.  Ives had gone  bankrupt in 1928 with all assets jointly purchased by Lionel and American flyer.  In 1930 Lionel bought out American Flyer and became the sole owner. Lionel continued an "Ives Line" but it became a mixture of both Lionel and Ives designed items but most if not all were now produced at the Lionel plant in Irvington.  The 1694 introduced in 1932 didn't last and to conserve company resources it was discontinued in 1933.  The original had a painted frame and cabin unlike yours which appears to be bare metal.  IAW the Greenberg book on Ives, most of the passenger sets headed by the 1694 were discounted and redistributed through  Canadian and British markets.

One word of caution, in response to collector demand, Williams Reproductions produced an superior replica of this engine in 1972.  It is possible that you also have an early version or even a prototype of the Williams loco. It is really handsome in either case.

Don McErlean

O was 1694, Std was 1764 I think,

SteamWolf posted:

For those of you that were curious, this is how the Marx 21 and UA 2000 stack up together. They are very different in quite a few ways. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, sorry some of them are dark:

 

It's also interesting to note that the Marx power unit was supposed to be placed at the very head of the train and facing forward, ahead of the dummy. The UA power unit was supposed to be placed behind the dummy, back to back with the lead unit so the motor is in the middle. My lead UA doesn't have a coupler on the pilot, so this is only a thought. 

Wow, never knew the Unique Art train was so large !

I always thought the Marx diesel was large ,especially for a Marx ,but I'm just really impressed with the Unique Art. 

mackb4 posted:

SteamWolf posted:

For those of you that were curious, this is how the Marx 21 and UA 2000 stack up together. They are very different in quite a few ways. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, sorry some of them are dark:

 

It's also interesting to note that the Marx power unit was supposed to be placed at the very head of the train and facing forward, ahead of the dummy. The UA power unit was supposed to be placed behind the dummy, back to back with the lead unit so the motor is in the middle. My lead UA doesn't have a coupler on the pilot, so this is only a thought. 

Wow, never knew the Unique Art train was so large !

I always thought the Marx diesel was large ,especially for a Marx ,but I'm just really impressed with the Unique Art. 

I was pretty surprised at this as well. It's certainly more scale sized I think, although just as heavy as the Marx. 

Don McErlean posted:

Handy Andy :  Read your post with great interest.  You said you "drew" the new sides on your computer.  I was wondering how you did that?  They look very finished even to the RR logo, I know I could never do that "free hand" so I was wondering is there some software you use or some program of artwork.  If indeed you did this free hand you have my admiration for sure!

Don McErlean

Don,

I drew the basic car side with the ladder and such in MS Paint. Then copied it into MS PowerPoint. In PowerPoint I did the lettering and made the logo. Yes it's freehand, but I have had lots of practice since most of the buildings on my layout were also drawn on the computer.

My first Tinplate set,Lionel Classic #44 freight set,, found on Ebsy 1/2 original retail. Brand new, ready to get oiled.  O gage version. I have a Standard  Gauge set on order.

Jushavnfun posted:

My first Tinplate set,Lionel Classic #44 freight set,, found on Ebsy 1/2 original retail. Brand new, ready to get oiled.  O gage version. I have a Standard  Gauge set on order.

Very nice.  Isn't that the Lionel pre-war classics repro set?  I am making that guess based on the blue hopper.

I believe its from 1987 one of MTH first years manufacturing tinplate for Lionel. 

It’s not tinplate but it is old. Loki is helping me test the Lionel Z TrainMaster I just bought online. 

4 screws and knobs off, Pop the cover and look at rollers/windings. Rollers must roll, never skid, windings show no sawing or heavy wear. 

Rollers can sometimes crack and it was just shipped

And I trust MY eyes more than the guarantee. The guarantee is just the fallback plan.

An experienced hand might feel all 4 for "bump" ease/consistency.and try to notice any significant changes over time and/or in time to "save it" again.

I love my old Z   The insides are pretty cool with the arm/gears/shafts to reach under the winding bottom, etc.

There is a rare KW with a similar gear set up. (maybe a pre-production prototype vs "rare", but I had one as a kid)

Well guys on the Weekend Tinplate pictures post I described a new French Hornby locomotive that I had gotten and Fatman and French Trains helped me pin it down to postwar type AVO.  However it came with 6 Hornby type 1 coaches and that was too long a train plus 3 were LNER and 3 were LMS so I clearly couldn't run them together (that would be like a PRR sleeper on the 20th Century - pre PC).  So my RR needed some new power.  The solution came today with an auction win of 3 Hornby electric locomotives (all in good to fair condition).  The good part is that all 3 have the 20 volt motor and my ZW can handle that.  All 3 worked beautifully including the reversing mechanism which on these is a remote transformer controlled 2-positon reverse that is activated by taking the voltage to zero thus you get (forward-stop-reverse-stop-forward).  The 3 loco's have all been touched up and in one case repainted (poorly) and all lack any specific RR identifications or numbers.  The one I am posting today appears to be in close to its original matt finish livery and may not have been refinished but it has no RR decals or designations on it.  Because its green, I would guess (note guess) that its SR.  Here is what my research says...

In accordance with my Hornby reference book it appears to be a Type 101T Hornby tank engine (the 101 tank is what the M3 tank became postwar)...this one is postwar and was likely made between 1950 -1954 although the 101 was made from 1949 and the M3 was actually introduced (in simpler form) in 1931although cylinders and drive rods were not added until 1936. I can date mine to at about 1950 due to some details in the openings in the back-head to accommodate clockwork controls (slots vs rectangular holes) , modifications to the back-head to provide clearance to mount both electric and cw motors, and in how the couplers are attached to the frame...all this pushes the date of mfr of my loco to at least 1950 and this loco was not offered post 1954.  While the other 2 locos are about the same, their finish is much less professional.  One is in the black goods livery scheme and is a fairly good but likely post factory spray job while the other is dark green and badly brush painted.  Yet all operate well.

Here is the loco, I will need to find some SR transfers to put on it or at least some proper number transfers

Here he is pulling a consist of No 1 Hornby LMS coaches.  The engine ran beautifully, reverse worked well, and it had no trouble with the Hornby coaches on my very level layout.

Well that's my day today, luckily this is still Easter Holiday for my job so I got to stay home and play today.  Work tomorrow. 

Best Regards

Don McErlean

Because I’m not right in the head, just bought this for some parts. Need a complete shell?

Steve

Don McErlean posted:

Well guys on the Weekend Tinplate pictures post I described a new French Hornby locomotive that I had gotten and Fatman and French Trains helped me pin it down to postwar type AVO.  However it came with 6 Hornby type 1 coaches and that was too long a train plus 3 were LNER and 3 were LMS so I clearly couldn't run them together (that would be like a PRR sleeper on the 20th Century - pre PC).  So my RR needed some new power.  The solution came today with an auction win of 3 Hornby electric locomotives (all in good to fair condition).  The good part is that all 3 have the 20 volt motor and my ZW can handle that.  All 3 worked beautifully including the reversing mechanism which on these is a remote transformer controlled 2-positon reverse that is activated by taking the voltage to zero thus you get (forward-stop-reverse-stop-forward).  The 3 loco's have all been touched up and in one case repainted (poorly) and all lack any specific RR identifications or numbers.  The one I am posting today appears to be in close to its original matt finish livery and may not have been refinished but it has no RR decals or designations on it.  Because its green, I would guess (note guess) that its SR.  Here is what my research says...

In accordance with my Hornby reference book it appears to be a Type 101T Hornby tank engine (the 101 tank is what the M3 tank became postwar)...this one is postwar and was likely made between 1950 -1954 although the 101 was made from 1949 and the M3 was actually introduced (in simpler form) in 1931although cylinders and drive rods were not added until 1936. I can date mine to at about 1950 due to some details in the openings in the back-head to accommodate clockwork controls (slots vs rectangular holes) , modifications to the back-head to provide clearance to mount both electric and cw motors, and in how the couplers are attached to the frame...all this pushes the date of mfr of my loco to at least 1950 and this loco was not offered post 1954.  While the other 2 locos are about the same, their finish is much less professional.  One is in the black goods livery scheme and is a fairly good but likely post factory spray job while the other is dark green and badly brush painted.  Yet all operate well.

Here is the loco, I will need to find some SR transfers to put on it or at least some proper number transfers

Here he is pulling a consist of No 1 Hornby LMS coaches.  The engine ran beautifully, reverse worked well, and it had no trouble with the Hornby coaches on my very level layout.

 

Well that's my day today, luckily this is still Easter Holiday for my job so I got to stay home and play today.  Work tomorrow. 

Best Regards

Don McErlean

I use to get my transfers from Wessex Transfers, but they are no longer in business.  Let us know where you get your transfers/decals

Tom,

@Don McErlean  If these are the three locomotives that sold on the "bay" on the 6th of April ( from Connecticut ) then these are Hornby clockwork bodies fitted with, I think,  Marx power units

Hornby always had "Spade" pickups such as below ( I am pretty sure you already know this tho lol )

A trio of fun units nevertheless I thought of having a go at them , but postage was waaaaay too much for this Aussie