Front end Friday.....

@Sitka posted:

Have a great FEF PW Lionel , MPC and Williams running the rails. Buy a Veteran Dinner

Nice "mix" of trains, Mark! I really like that PRR rectifier; I don't see those very often!

Kicking off FeF with a bit of fun:

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the BEEP Vortex, and a powerful ally it is."

Front End Friday...ATSF style. If you have time, please check out my new video I posted in this folder highlighting my Lionel Santa Fe "Warhorse" set.

Here is a link to my YouTube channel to watch more of my O Gauge videos:

https://www.youtube.com/c/DonaldKeiser1981

Thanks.

Donald

Happy FEF.

Don, I don't know how you do it!  Another awesome video!  Bill

A New Haven DL-109 AB set haul revenue freight on the Maybook line. The New Haven rostered 60 A units but didn't purchase any B units. At York this year I spied a B unit in hunter green with gold striping and couldn't pass up the chance to have it run as a pair even if it was not prototypical. The two units with twin motors each have some great pulling power.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pBeSmaZsF3X2XLwb9

Happy FEF…..a recent purchase postwar GG1 2332 with postwar cars and a postwar 2046 pulling prewar cars.

John

@Bill Swatos posted:

Nice "mix" of trains, Mark! I really like that PRR rectifier; I don't see those very often!

That was a New Haven MPC That was in rough shape that a got on ebay, So I decided to paint and copy after my dad's Lionel HO Pennsy.  Thanks Bill how did you make out on people sent you a few emails where to look to purchase. Mark

Our motorman is in the front end of an R36 Worlds Fair #7 today, ready to pull out on the El and make it all the way to the Fair,  As I kid, I would always make sure to get in that first car and ride looking out of that front window next to the motorman.  It was the best spot in any train!

@Fendermain posted:

Happy FEF…..a recent purchase postwar GG1 2332 with postwar cars and a postwar 2046 pulling prewar cars.

John

OHHHhhhhh she's a keeper fer sure!! We Love running ours and on the carpet around the tree she pulls her 6.5 pound frame smoothly and quietly! Thanks for sharing... Our "Stripes" are faded more than yours... I bought a set of decals and when I got them, I couldn't install em. I also was pointed to some "painters" who do exceptional work as I thought she would look classy when the grandkids ran her for the Next 50 years.. lol. So, "The path diverged in a woods.... and I, sat and ran my GG! again without doing a dang thng..." lol

Thank you for the share

Snow fighting front ends!

RDC front end has pushed some snow.

A flanger and rotary plow front ends.  These front ends take care of business in a serious way!

My guilford road power all lined up for front end Friday

Moved some equipment around last weekend in the regular railroad chess match.
Wound up with my PRR 44 on the warehouse spur.....

Bob

Have a good front end all! Williams shark nose rounding the bend

A new Union Pacific Lionel Legacy F7.

Well hello everyone, here we are on F.E.F. and the first Friday in 2023.  I have been pretty busy with the "de" decoration of the house so have not really had a chance to take new pictures, so I thought I might just present a portfolio of how various manufacturers handle that all important front end especially when trying to keep the price down.  So here we go:

The Champion, of the inexpensive boiler fronts, is this Japanese pair from the 1960's:

This Tank switcher from ALPS

A "cable following" floor train from TN. Look at the level of lithograph on this lady, the Japanese clearly were far more elaborate, even with their inexpensive trains than other makers.

Next our friends from the UK and their French subsidiary, Hornby and French Hornby.

The French Hornby MO series locomotive was first produced in 1933 and remained almost unchanged for over 30 years.  This version with a removable key and smoke deflectors dates from about 1956.

The UK Hornby type 20 locomotive, dating from about 1954 and lasting until the end of Hornby "0" gauge in about 1962.

Finally for this line up, the Germans- always practical and realistic.  This version from HWN is one of my newest acquisitions and it dates from about the 1950's to the 1960's although it is marked "made in U.S.zone" which if accurate would date it to before 1952.

And a Konrad Dressler from about the 1950's.

But NOBODY, when he let his imagination run wild , can top MARX!!  A floor toy from the same era, 1950's.

Best wishes everyone, Happy F.E.F. and Happy New Year

Don

@Miggy posted:

OHHHhhhhh she's a keeper fer sure!! We Love running ours and on the carpet around the tree she pulls her 6.5 pound frame smoothly and quietly! Thanks for sharing... Our "Stripes" are faded more than yours... I bought a set of decals and when I got them, I couldn't install em. I also was pointed to some "painters" who do exceptional work as I thought she would look classy when the grandkids ran her for the Next 50 years.. lol. So, "The path diverged in a woods.... and I, sat and ran my GG! again without doing a dang thng..." lol

Thank you for the share

Thanks Miggy….these are beasts for sure.  Good looking running under that tree.   Sometimes it is best to admire these mechanical marvels just as they are.

John

gp30

Here is my PRR S2 front for today.  As I mentioned in another post, it had a hard life before I bought it. Took a while to straighten the smoke deflectors, but not sure what to do with the Keystone.  It sticks out from the boiler on a short piece of rod.  I'm afraid if I try to straighten it I will deform the thin metal the Keystone is on.  It is not that noticeable unless you look at it straight on, but I know it is cockeyed.  Guess I will think on it a while.

My son, Chris, at age nine building a complex Lego model that he received for Christmas, 2004.

The following two photos show Chris' final product, a Canadian Railway, Royal Hudson that still adorns the ledge in our basement train room today. It took Chris most of the week between Christmas and the New Year to complete the project. He had no help from anyone in this creation. A belated Bravo to Chris!

Meanwhile, on the Great Northeastern Railway's tracks, a 3-unit B&O F-3 diesel is finished on the service track and leaving on its day's assignment.

HAPPY  FEF.        This time FRONT END of my Christmas present  .           Gunrunner John steered me in the right direction for installing LEDs in the headlights for this ps2 / 3 volt Genset.

.

@Randy Harrison posted:

My son, Chris, at age nine building a complex Lego model that he received for Christmas, 2004.

The following two photos show Chris' final product, a Canadian Railway, Royal Hudson that still adorns the ledge in our basement train room today. It took Chris most of the week between Christmas and the New Year to complete the project. He had no help from anyone in this creation. A belated Bravo to Chris!

"  A belated Bravo to Chris ! "...........DITTO  Randy.

What a great project and dedication for a young person .

Happy Front End Friday everyone, we have been busy today traveling to our hobby shop for getting our new CW80 transformers that finally arrived, but I was shocked to see my good friends Christmas tree floor display. Rich Hane, a friend of many years has his 70 year old Lionel train set running smoothly and effortlessly under his tree. So, for today, this is my friends beautiful Lionel train from the 50’s. Happy Railroading Everyone

Here's my FeF late evening at the repair siding where things are a bit busy. Several front ends actually, EMD SW8, CAT crane, front of a shack, Dodge Power Wagon and a Ford Stake Side. Ignore the caboose in the background!

@CAPPilot posted:

Here is my PRR S2 front for today.  As I mentioned in another post, it had a hard life before I bought it. Took a while to straighten the smoke deflectors, but not sure what to do with the Keystone.  It sticks out from the boiler on a short piece of rod.  I'm afraid if I try to straighten it I will deform the thin metal the Keystone is on.  It is not that noticeable unless you look at it straight on, but I know it is cockeyed.  Guess I will think on it a while.

I've got one of these with the big deflectors in HO from BLI. I can't imagine a few keystones didn't get banged out of alignment on the real locos in service. It adds to the realism! Very nice! Who's the maker?

@Sitka posted:

Have a good front end all! Williams shark nose rounding the bend

Uh-oh! Nowhere to run! Love the Sharknose in Tuscan, BTW!

@Strap Hanger posted:

Our motorman is in the front end of an R36 Worlds Fair #7 today, ready to pull out on the El and make it all the way to the Fair,  As I kid, I would always make sure to get in that first car and ride looking out of that front window next to the motorman.  It was the best spot in any train!

Yep! I was a CTA kid and loved that seat. The Pullman 2000 series was new then. The Chicago skyline looked like it was following the train when we were heading west on the Lake Street line. I wish I could get those green & cream cars in 3-rail.

@SIRT posted:

                 EL's testing out reworked curves this week...

Gorgeous

@Bill Swatos posted:

I've got one of these with the big deflectors in HO from BLI. I can't imagine a few keystones didn't get banged out of alignment on the real locos in service. It adds to the realism! Very nice! Who's the maker?

The maker was Williams.  It was sold by 3rd Rail when Williams went bankrupt.

@WesternPacific2217 posted:

Here's my FeF late evening at the repair siding where things are a bit busy. Several front ends actually, EMD SW8, CAT crane, front of a shack, Dodge Power Wagon and a Ford Stake Side. Ignore the caboose in the background!

"  Ignore the caboose in the backround  " .......?.......it might just be me Scott but that is the FRONT END of the caboose isn't it  ?

Nice grouping in this photo .

@Dallas Joseph posted:

"  Ignore the caboose in the backround  " .......?.......it might just be me Scott but that is the FRONT END of the caboose isn't it  ?

Nice grouping in this photo .

Dallas, I stand corrected, you're right, that is the front end of the caboose! LoL And thanks for the compliment!

Good morning, guys. FEF "Santa Fe style".

Look for a new video next week featuring the Lionel Santa Fe PA ABA.

Donald

Here is the front end of an R12 on the #1 line getting ready to pull out while the maintenance guy finishes eating his sandwich -

Three New Haven Hudson Type model I-5's sit idle waiting for the rush hour in the New Haven yard

Happy FrontEndFriday all!

#204 heading out.

John

Here is a picture I took from my bucket truck this morning. This nice display is mounted on the second story of the DuPage Childrens Museum Naperville Illinois.

Have a good Front end, waiting around for some rail time have a good weekend!

Hello FEF’ers.

It is late 1949 and the photographer caught an OEG415 getting ready to head out on a commuter run.

The Pennsy had a lot of Doodlebugs (60 or so), but only five gasoline powered Brill 660s that were received in 1930.  All were upgraded with a diesel engine in early 1942 after a disastrous fire caused several deaths.  Some lasted into the 60s.  I really like the detail on this scale 3rd Rail model.