Messing with Some Vintage HO Stuff....

I enjoy pulling out my vintage stuff every now and then and oogling them, too. My HO "collectables" () are primarily "Lindberg Line" items.

Now, I do have some HO vintage cars that are in service on my layout, running among the Athearn, MDC, Atlas, and what have you. They look fine mixed in among them.

Some of them I purchased because I had them as a lad... others I purchased because... well... because I liked 'em!

Here's a string of three Varney  tinplate cars:

Andre

You guys know that Stevenson Preservation did a Varney boxcar underbody in brass for me?    They shrunk slightly, but they will never crumble or warp.  He has the master.

Mark, Andre, thanks for sharing a token of your HO memories with OGR members.  How many of us Old Heads made the switch from tinplate to HO starting in the mid-50s and beyond?  I was no exception.  My first venture was to purchase a Revell HO scale catalog from a bicycle dealer in Dallas Oak Cliff in 1956.  I paid a whopping 10 cents for it.

A great site to stir up those HO memories is www.hoseeker.net   It can be summed up in one word:  WOW!

Joe

Joe:

Yup, I went from a Marx 3-rail 25225 set to my first scale HO "Lindberg Lines" set in Christmas of '62. I've pretty much been in HO in some form ever since. Here's a picture of my current Linberg Lines set that was just like the one I received back in '62. Here's the box cover:

And here's the set:

I was wowed by my original set like this one way back in '62. I loved the fact that the cars looked like cars I saw around KC (the above cars are actually painted in flat paint and in railroad schemes), and I liked that it had a switch engine similar to what I could see in KC. I was hooked into scale model railroading with the above set.

Andre

Andre:

I well remember the Lindberg Line.  Their SW1 really blew my mind when it was announced in the model magazines.  Revell's SW7, like the Lindberg SW1, featured pretty good detail for the time.

I well understand why you have made the decision to return to HO in lieu of S scale.

When time permits, please update your Kansas City & Gulf page.

Joe

HO is but a memory for me now, but I have retained some of my favorites.

I guess these would classify as vintage nowadays.  My PFM Russian Decapod.  I bought this at Pro Custom Hobbies in 1977 during the NMRA convention.  It was probably a 5-10 year old locomotive at that time:

I prefer it over the current Bachmann versions.

My AHM 0-4-0T, I can't recall when I picked it up, probably in the early 1970's:

I think there used to be a law in Model Railroading back then that everyone had to own a so-called "Docksider" at some time in their lives.

Unfortunately, my Lindberg SW1 has gone to Val-Halla, the frame had deteriorated beyond repair, so it only exists in a photo:

My crude paint job was for the Manufactures Junction Railway, a 1-1/2 mile long railroad that switched the Western Electric plant in Cicero, IL.

Rusty

Rusty:  Love the PFM 2-10-0 Russian Decapod.  I well remember when PFM introduced their sound system too.  If I recall, it was a big hit at Hall's Hobby House in Dallas.  I'll have to ask one time part time employee Steele Craver though.  My how times have changed, including prices.

Thanks for sharing your treasures.  What caused your Lindberg SW1 frame to give up the ghost?

Joe

I'll throw down a loop and run my two Rivrossi steamers occasionally. NYC Hudson, and PRR Y6-b. They see occasional Christmas tree duty as well.

I got the Hudson when I was about 10 ('72), and the Y6 several  years later. I ran the wheels off of the Hudson but the Y6 is like new. I've replaced the motors in both (hard to find btw), and the worm gear case on the Hudson.

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

  What caused your Lindberg SW1 frame to give up the ghost?

Joe

The legendary zinc pest.  I had two mid-1970's Athearn U30C's with the same problem.

@RSJB18 posted:

I'll throw down a loop and run my two Rivrossi steamers occasionally. NYC Hudson, and PRR Y6-b. They see occasional Christmas tree duty as well.

I got the Hudson when I was about 10 ('72), and the Y6 several  years later. I ran the wheels off of the Hudson but the Y6 is like new. I've replaced the motors in both (hard to find btw), and the worm gear case on the Hudson.

I still have two 1970's vintage AHM/Rivarrossi's, but they didn't escape my razor saw and X-acto knife.

Underneath the SP style shroud lies an ex-NKP Berkshire:

And had I known the B&O "Big Six" 2-10-2 would become a rare bird, I might not have modified one:

Rusty

Wow.  Great looking locomotives. Beats the heck out of anything I owned when I had a big HO layout.

I am currently trying to install a small oval of HO track, inside one part of the figure 8 in my O gauge layout.  I plan to run an HO Gandy Dancer Handcar on it.   My little oval has 12R curves (24 inch diameter curves).  I have ordered the Handcar, and hope that that tiny short wheelbase loco can make it around those tight curves.

Mannyrock

@Mannyrock posted:

Wow.  Great looking locomotives. Beats the heck out of anything I owned when I had a big HO layout.

I am currently trying to install a small oval of HO track, inside one part of the figure 8 in my O gauge layout.  I plan to run an HO Gandy Dancer Handcar on it.   My little oval has 12R curves (24 inch diameter curves).  I have ordered the Handcar, and hope that that tiny short wheelbase loco can make it around those tight curves.

Mannyrock

Should be no problem.  Tyco once made 4-1/2" radius street car track for their trolley, which had a longer wheelbase than your handcar.

Rusty

It appears that I wasn't the only one to get their first taste of "scale" model trains in HO. Rusty, you did a terrific job on that "Big 6", and I remember making a few purchases (by mail, of course) from Pro Custom Hobbies.

Sometimes I think that the 20 years I spent in HO (1970-1990) were particularly good ones for the scale: there was still a focus on assembling stuff yourself, with lots of kit-bashing going on and parts available. And who didn't LOVE those cool Ulrich truck models? 😊

Mark in Oregon

How many of you Old Heads (Gads, I'm one now as well; havingj passed Milepost 75 on 7/4/2021) shopped at Woolco in the late 60s/early 70s and purchased AHM HO train products?  The Woolco in Irving, TX even had an employee who was a model railroader.  He moved lots of AHM for them.  I don't think the store posed a problem for Hall's Hobby House in Dallas, but you could sure save a lot of $$$ if you shopped at that Woolco in Irving, w/o having to pay retail at Miss Hall's.

Even today if I were to re-enter the hobby I would probably model in HO again (my O and S scale study didn't give me the thrill I thought it would) and look for nice price like new Rivarossi products.  The Union Pacific Big Boy comes to mind.  To enhance the roster, the plastic Revell (marketed in Europe) Big Boy kits are perfect for a roundhouse scene w/o dropping lots of $$$ for additional powered models.  That would be overkill insofar as they wouldn't be operated but only serve as static models at best.

Rusty:  I hit the like button regarding the zinc pest problem you encountered in your reply to my question.  NOT because of zinc pest issue but as a thank you for answering.

Joe

As I mentioned before, I have a Rivarossi/AHM "Big 6" in which the entire boiler weight was infected with the zinc issue. Since that weight was somehow tied in with the drive mechanism (I don't remember exactly how), it rendered the engine inoperable. Fortunately, I was able to find a replacement piece on eBay...

Rusty: you also did a great job on that Berkshire, by the way...🙂

Mark in Oregon

I still have a 1x8 foot switching layout from back in the ‘80’s, and a 4x8’ layout that was a remnant of a much bigger layout that I was building before I reverted back to my 3 rail days and finished my 5x9 layout. Here’s some shots of the unfinished 4x8, and the switching layout. I still occasionally run both layouts.

The switching layout ( complete with an old Varney metal reefer, and custom painted Athearn SW8. The 1st and 2nd photos show the 4x8’.

@laming posted:

I enjoy pulling out my vintage stuff every now and then and oogling them, too. My HO "collectables" () are primarily "Lindberg Line" items.

Now, I do have some HO vintage cars that are in service on my layout, running among the Athearn, MDC, Atlas, and what have you. They look fine mixed in among them.

Some of them I purchased because I had them as a lad... others I purchased because... well... because I liked 'em!

Here's a string of three Varney  tinplate cars:

Andre

Those Varney "Tinplate" cars to me look more realistic than a lot of modern offerings.  Gordon Varney was a master of decoration for the era these cars were made.  I have quite a bit of Varney, but between my Uncle and my Father, they have nearly every piece made by Varney post war.  Their diesel locomotives were not the best runners after Varney and Lindberg parted ways, but still fun to work on.  The steam locomotives could be made to run like clockwork when built well though.

I agree, Jonathan. That same yellow ART reefer is on the left side of my switching layout spotted at the warehouse. I have only a few vintage cars on my layout, but the detail is almost as good as some of my scale built kits. Here is a closer shot, along with a weathered Varney plastic flat that I think looks credible with some weathering.

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

How many of you Old Heads (Gads, I'm one now as well; havingj passed Milepost 75 on 7/4/2021) shopped at Woolco in the late 60s/early 70s and purchased AHM HO train products?  The Woolco in Irving, TX even had an employee who was a model railroader.  He moved lots of AHM for them.  I don't think the store posed a problem for Hall's Hobby House in Dallas, but you could sure save a lot of $$$ if you shopped at that Woolco in Irving, w/o having to pay retail at Miss Hall's.

Even today if I were to re-enter the hobby I would probably model in HO again (my O and S scale study didn't give me the thrill I thought it would) and look for nice price like new Rivarossi products.  The Union Pacific Big Boy comes to mind.  To enhance the roster, the plastic Revell (marketed in Europe) Big Boy kits are perfect for a roundhouse scene w/o dropping lots of $$$ for additional powered models.  That would be overkill insofar as they wouldn't be operated but only serve as static models at best.

Rusty:  I hit the like button regarding the zinc pest problem you encountered in your reply to my question.  NOT because of zinc pest issue but as a thank you for answering.

Joe

Back in the 70's purchased many AHM items at various F.W. Woolworths in NYC and Long Island.  My prize score was on a post Christmas clearance - a Rivarossi Tuscan GG-1 and full set of smooth side Tuscan passenger cars. 

Here's a couple more late 70's AHM/Rivarossi and purchased from Woolworth's.  I remember the check-out clerk asking me why something so small cost so much. (A princely 22 bucks each at the time.  I think they MSRP'd around $40-$45.00 in 1979...)

The Santa Fe 91 is pretty much stock, but I painted the red wheels and pilot black because they looked too cheezy to me:

The Reno repainted for my private road at the time, Seattle Tacoma & Portland:

Same for the Genoa:

Still got 'em, buried somewhere in a plastic bin.

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

The legendary zinc pest.  I had two mid-1970's Athearn U30C's with the same problem.

Rusty

Replies...

Joe:

Purchasing AHM at Woolco's? Yup! I recall them clearing them out at .99 cents a car.

Jonathan:

Yup. Like I mentioned, they blend in nicely among the other rolling stock.

Artie:

Nice switching layout, Artie!!

Rusty:

Excellent work on the AHM modern steam. Nice work on the AHM 4-4-0's, too!

Andre

@taycotrains posted:

This got me out of my chair to check the frames of the two Lindberg service station floor plan kits that I own...surprisingly all six of the replacement frames show no sign of rot !

I probably wouldn't panic.   As I mentioned, I also had two Athearn locomotives with the same affliction, but the others I've retained from the 70's are fine.  It's just unfortunate I only had one Lindberg locomotive and it had it.

Rusty

Some of my HO collectibles:

My favorite cab controller:

1960's vintage AHM / Life Like Cast GG1

Walthers Commuter Coach

Penn line cast metal commuter cars circa 1955

Heavily reworked MDC E6.

1947 Walthers HH660

Hobbytown E7 set hand painted by the original owner (not me).  The A & B are permanently attached.

Import brass Japanese switcher circa 1960's.

Varney 60' coach

1947 Cast Varney F3 I custom painted for my Uncle in 1996.

Nice... that E6 is terrific; Bowser/ Penn Line tender?

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

Nice... that E6 is terrific; Bowser/ Penn Line tender?

Mark in Oregon

Great call!  Yes.  It is a Bowser Tender. 

Thanks, Andre.

Here’s a later version of the MRC hand held. Nice collection of vintage stuff, Jonathan!

@GG1 4877 posted:

Some of my HO collectibles:

1960's vintage AHM / Life Like Cast GG1

1947 Walthers HH660

Hobbytown E7 set hand painted by the original owner (not me).  The A & B are permanently attached.

That AHM GG1 if it is cast metal is probably Penn Line (or one of its predecessors/successors). I had several that I was going to combine using various pieces/parts to make an all-wheel/dual-powered one including some optional manufacturer-supplied weights. Unfortunately, the project box got lost during my move.

I have one of those HH600s that I (one day) plan to put an Athearn SW drive into. The Walthers shell is cast out of lead or a heavy lead alloy so this thing should be a real beast when completed. Note that I thought about the Atlas S1 but the drive would have required too much modification.

The E8 reminded me that I had gotten a silver CB&Q E5 from ebay listed as Hobbytown but it turned out to be a Carey shell on a Model Power chassis. Still for the price that I paid, I am not complaining; and it is HEAVY!  Just a little bit of shell-fitting remains to be done to complete the project; oh, and mount a coupler on the rear.

I do enjoy looking at all this vintage stuff.

@PRRMP54 posted:

That AHM GG1 if it is cast metal is probably Penn Line (or one of its predecessors/successors). I had several that I was going to combine using various pieces/parts to make an all-wheel/dual-powered one including some optional manufacturer-supplied weights. Unfortunately, the project box got lost during my move.

Interesting story about the cast GG1.  Around 1995 I had a very nice conversation with Lou English Senior of Bowser regarding vintage GG1s.  He helped me identify my first of what would be three George Stock HO GG1s that were cast brass and scale length if not a bit rough in my collection.  When I mentioned the Varney / Life Like / GHC / AHM GG1 he was quick to correct me that it was not the Penn Line tooling, but rather a Japanese copy of the tooling.  Having 6 of these GG1s now, he was absolutely correct.  The parts are not interchangeable except in a few instances.  The original Penn Line GG1 with road number 4917 has a different drive mechanism.   

Sadly my 1955 Penn Line original bit the dust traveling to Asia and back as it was the sample for Tuscan red on Sunsets GG1 project of 2009 which was how I got affiliated with Scott Mann through Bob Heil in the first place.  One day I will get a replacement for it.

@bob2 posted:

You guys know that Stevenson Preservation did a Varney boxcar underbody in brass for me?    They shrunk slightly, but they will never crumble or warp.  He has the master.

That's right, I almost forgot that among all those beautiful O scale models you have sits some early (?) HO... 🙂

Mark in Oregon

Hey GG! 4877, I still have the MRC hand held controller. I agree with you. And at the time it was the best way to control DC engines. Don't use it anymore and am thinking of selling it.

RAY

Here's another:

Pretty sure this is a Walther's kit, paired to a Suydam drive. The motor it came with was completely dead, so I was able to install a Mantua in its place:

It runs well enough, I suppose, but I'm not thrilled with the "wire drive belts": they seem to be very fussy to adjust. Anyone here have any hints on these?  

Mark in Oregon

Wow. Those vintage HO trains are impressive. I still have a small HO train collection with early 1990s-era Life Like and Bachmann locos and Life Like track. I just recently got the trains out, cleaned the track and wheels, and got all four of my locos operational. My oldest loco, a beat up Life Like UP GP38-2 High-Nose diesel, is almost 25 years old and it ran after a few minutes of cleaning and giving it power. The engine was my first electric train, and running it again brought back so many memories. This picture is not mine, but it shows the loco that I have. Externally, my loco is a bit beat up with missing parts, but it runs fine, so I'm happy.

I also had a Penn-Line GG1 for awhile, but it was a fussy runner, and I sold it off. I also had Athearn PA’s, Stewart F3 A &B units, Atlas RS3, and a Life Like Proto 2000 switcher, all in Erie Lackawanna dress. But, as I gravitated more toward my 3 rail, I gave some to a young friend who was just starting a layout, and sold off the rest to a local hobby shop.

All I have now, as far as motive power is a pair of Life Like Proto 2000 E8’s in DL&W, and an Atlas Alco Century in the early black/yellow EL scheme, and the previously mentioned Lackawanna switcher by Athearn, but with a Proto Power drive, and Northwest Short Line wheels.

@GG1 4877 posted:

1947 Walthers HH660

Whereas I TOTALLY "get" the appreciation for vintage HO (of which I also am a part of and of which I collect in a small scope), when it comes to enjoying trains, there is simply no comparison in regards to how far HO has evolved.

The above photo of a very historic (for the HO timeline) Walthers HH model can offer a startling look into the past when the identical contemporary offering is contrasted therewith. Here's a photo of an Atlas HH660:

The contrast is even more startling when you realize the above Atlas model can be had with factory installed DCC/Sound.

The early modelers in HO were truly pioneers that paved the way for what we enjoy today.

Andre

I still have such a soft spot for the crude beginnings of this hobby.  I'll take a lump of metal doorstop model over a fine scale HO model any day since I'm firmly rooted in OW5 now.  Not much actual value in it, but the historical value is priceless.

"Historic" was exactly what I was talking about.

Seeing as you're no longer active in owning and operating HO on a contemporary layout, I can understand your "not interested in the new stuff" sentiment.

As a practicing HO scale guy, I see value in both: The vintage and today's offerings. Most HO'ers do NOT see the value in both, instead only being interested in today's offerings.

Andre

Andre,

If I were still an HO operator, I would certainly want the latest and greatest.  My father purchased a few HO collections that he is now passing to me of just pre-DCC HO from the late 90's and the quality is very good. 

At the same time, my uncle has a layout that hasn't changed much since he built it in 1969 and he is currently using a Varney NW2, a Penn Line GG1, and a Penn Line K4 as the main power on each of the three mainlines and he has them running like clockwork.  The Penn Line items are new additions to his layout that he bought from an Allentown show about 5 years back.

Overall, though I don't see myself going back to HO as an operator.  If anything, I'll continue to operate my small collection of N.  That has come such a long way as well.

...and not all "vintage stuff" are locos...

This is a Suydam kit; I think it was the first thing I built after I moved to Oregon; late 1975...

Mark (still) in Oregon

How right you are, Mark!

"Vintage" in model railroading really covers a huge spectrum.

Suydam:

I've ended up with a NIB Suydam "Ye Olde Curio Shoppe" kit that I think can make a pretty neat little structure. I intend to use it on my 1880s theme layout I'm seriously contemplating.

Andre

IF: you ever have a desire to run your stuff "old school", and you get a chance to pick up one of these:

...you won't believe how smooth this will make your stuff run.

The pulse is a little harsh, but it really isn't needed. It works great for HO engines; a bit on the light side (power-wise) for anything larger. It kinda reminds me of its contemporary stereo equipment...

Mark in Oregon

This is a recent find and a good one too! A very rare 1967 vintage Märklin HO 3045 Danish 2-10-0. This example is C9+++. Diecast boiler and frame,smoke unit and a real stump puller! I've been looking for this engine since it came out in the late 1960's.

Ricky

Interesting paint scheme; colored bands around the stack.  I was gonna ask if this is AC, until I read your bit about "HO 3- rail"... 🙂 Is the engine itself powered, or is it tender- drive?

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

Interesting paint scheme; colored bands around the stack.  I was gonna ask if this is AC, until I read your bit about "HO 3- rail"... 🙂 Is the engine itself powered, or is it tender- drive?

Mark in Oregon

This loco is indeed 3 rail/stud AC.The motor is located in the boiler. Fleischmann,as well was several other european makes, used a tender drive in many of their steam engines from the mid 1960's on.

The Rivarossi FM C-Liner rivals the Athearn F7 for longevity.  Even Lionel HO had them.  HO Collector magazine did an in-dept article about the Rivarossi C-Liner some years ago.

These are from AHM in the 1980's.  I lopped off the pilot extensions and filled the gap with styrene.

The mod improved the looks, but the old Rivarossi's don't hold a candle to the later (1990's?) Proto 2000 C-Liners.

Rusty

Rusty

Is that Kato Unitrack in your photos?

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

Rusty

Is that Kato Unitrack in your photos?

Mark in Oregon

Yep.  Bought a package of straights for photo purposes.

Rusty

I been collecting vintage HO for 14 years now. Mostly TYCO some Athearn Marx and AHM. I even have 2 mint American Flyer long box sets from 1960.

A couple weeks ago early in the morning at the Kutztown show a guy I know tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I would be interested In a TYCO set ? I walked with him to his car and he showed me this set...I asked the price and when he told me I paid him off without question. I been looking for this set for 11 years !

Bob:

LOVE the set!!

Andre

@taycotrains posted:

I been collecting vintage HO for 14 years now. Mostly TYCO some Athearn Marx and AHM. I even have 2 mint American Flyer long box sets from 1960.

A couple weeks ago early in the morning at the Kutztown show a guy I know tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I would be interested In a TYCO set ? I walked with him to his car and he showed me this set...I asked the price and when he told me I paid him off without question. I been looking for this set for 11 years !

Oh man...  At 11 years old how I wanted that set.  It taunted me from my LHS's window.  Instead my folks bought me a Marx set from Sears.

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

Oh man...  At 11 years old how I wanted that set.  It taunted me from my LHS's window.  Instead my folks bought me a Marx set from Sears.

Rusty

And for Christmas '62 I wanted a Marx set from Sears that turned out to be out of stock... and my folks ended up getting me the set of a life time: My Lindberg Lines set!

Irony.

Andre

Speaking of Marx ! At the May Kutztown show I was able to pick up this set for a mere 40 dollars. The set is the most perfect example of any Marx set I own. There isn’t a single broken step or rail missing on any of the cars even the stack is on the caboose !

Great snag, Bob!

Even the pressed cardboard handle wafers on the transformer are perfect! I had one of those types of transformers via a Marx set I received for Christmas when I was in maybe K or 1st grade in the late 50s. It had such a transformer, I think? (Perhaps it was a separate purchase?) Anyway, the pressed cardboard didn't survive on one side (I think it was the directional side), but I liked that little transformer for it reminded me of the Holy Grail of model traindom: What I later learned to be a Lionel ZW.

That Rock Island set is probably one of the best looking sets Marx produced in HO. The colors on the engines and caboose really snap.

Andre

...some Ulrich projects...

Anyone care to guess the closest (and currently available) match to the "410M" boxcar red paint? 

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

...some Ulrich projects...

Anyone care to guess the closet (and currently available) match to the "410M" boxcar red paint? 

Mark in Oregon

I would guess Tru-Color paints.  They have all sorts of flavors of boxcar and tuscan reds.  By clicking on the number series the color charts appear.  The colors as shown will, be dependent on your particular computer monitor.

Rusty

@Strummer posted:

...some Ulrich projects...

Anyone care to guess the closet (and currently available) match to the "410M" boxcar red paint? 

Mark in Oregon

LOVE that 1950s "needle nose" KW! Trailers too! Well shucks... also the car!

Andre

Here's Marklin's HO E03 from the late 1960's - the first of many versions of this beautiful locomotive that Marklin would offer. Mine still looks and runs great!

Currently cleaning out my storage unit.  I have all sorts of vintage HO hidden in those boxes.  Photos when I get to them.  Hobbytown PAs, Cambro cast brass and aluminum castings, Varney, Penn Line, older MDC, and who knows what else!  It's been a while since I've been through those boxes.

@Rusty Traque posted:

I would guess Tru-Color paints.  They have all sorts of flavors of boxcar and tuscan reds.  By clicking on the number series the color charts appear.  The colors as shown will, be dependent on your particular computer monitor.

Rusty

Thanks Rusty. I went back and fixed the spelling: "closet" to "closest". 😁 Will look at those paints...

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

...some Ulrich projects...

Mark in Oregon

"So, be one inch tall with Ulrich.".

I have some old HO models left over from my Uncles late modeling days in the 70s/80s I've been working on repairing for static display. I'll have to take some pictures. Mostly it's kit built stuff, painted to loosely resemble Lakeshore Electric Railway stuff: a wooden boxcar, and a interurban. There's also a SW 1 from Atlas iirc that was originally an EL loco but was repainted in a speculative LSE scheme, along with a caboose (the later sadly beyond saving).

Here's something I'd not noticed before.

I've had a handful of old Akane steamers for years; a Pacific and (2) Mikes. the Mikes have build dates of December 1960 and September of 1961; they both have rather crude air pumps:

The Pacific (build date June 1961) has an air pump that looks like this:

This looks more like the Cal Scale pieces I bought back in the '70s and '80s.

Dunno if this will be of any interest, but since I just now noticed it...

Mark in Oregon

Speaking of vintage brass:

N5 Cabin by TTD

Mack Railbus.  Manufacturer unknown

@Rusty Traque posted:

The Rivarossi FM C-Liner rivals the Athearn F7 for longevity.  Even Lionel HO had them.  HO Collector magazine did an in-dept article about the Rivarossi C-Liner some years ago.

Rusty

I got a pair of these in UP when I was about 9 in the AHM blue and yellow box.  I just found them the other day, but the box is buried currently.  Photos when I pull them out.

My most powerful DC transformer is this one.  Don't know much about it, but it runs my O very well too.  Picked it up for $30 at a local TCA auction. 

While not vintage, I have a pretty nice selection of brass top MRC controllers as well as some Tech II and Tech IV controllers.

@GG1 4877 posted:

Speaking of vintage brass:

N5 Cabin by TTD

Mack Railbus.  Manufacturer unknown

Looks like you still have a nice selection of HO; thanks for showing your stuff. 🙂

Mark in Oregon

Oriental CB&Q O1a Mikado (4960) from 1980.

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

Oriental CB&Q O1a Mikado (4960) from 1980.

Rusty

Although not a big fan of CB&Q steam (sorry! ), that is one very nice looking engine... .  It appears that you have quite an extensive collection, Rusty.

Mark in Oregon

I did not see any mention of Globe Models so here is the Globe F7, the father of billions and billions of Athearn F7s:

Speaking of Ulrich products, here are two Ulrich gondolas:

Oddly there are slightly different dimensions between the two.

@PRRMP54 posted:

I did not see any mention of Globe Models so here is the Globe F7, the father of billions and billions of Athearn F7s:

Speaking of Globe...  While long gone from my greasy clutches, back in the 70's, I used an A-B-B-A set of Globe F7's on Athearn drives for Santa Fe freight F's.

I powered all four units.  They fit the Athearn drive fine with little modification, even the Walthers "Diesel Dress-Up Kits" fit.  This was long before Athearn began offing the F7A with a single headlight.

Also, the articulated was a rough conversion of an AHM Y6b to a Santa Fe Y3a.  (Yeah, I know I gave it the wrong number...)

@Strummer posted:

Although not a big fan of CB&Q steam (sorry! ), that is one very nice looking engine... .  It appears that you have quite an extensive collection, Rusty.

Mark in Oregon

And most of it's in boxes...

Rusty

I was "rearranging the deck chairs" in the basement when I came across this.  My parents bought this Class 91 for me on a European trip back around 1970.  The box is long gone and there's no visible makers marks, but I think it's a Lilliput:

What's really bizarre about it is it's rigid wheelbase, the pilot truck doesn't swing.  In fact, it's powered!  Put it up on blocks and all the wheels move...

Haven't run the thing in decades, but I recall it will handle 18" radius curves.

Rusty

Huh... that is "bizarre"...

Mark in Oregon

@Rusty Traque posted:

I was "rearranging the deck chairs" in the basement when I came across this.  My parents bought this Class 91 for me on a European trip back around 1970.  The box is long gone and there's no visible makers marks, but I think it's a Lilliput:

What's really bizarre about it is it's rigid wheelbase, the pilot truck doesn't swing.  In fact, it's powered!  Put it up on blocks and all the wheels move...

Haven't run the thing in decades, but I recall it will handle 18" radius curves.

Rusty

That HO BR91 steam locomotive was made by PIKO.

@Ricky Tanner posted:

That HO BR91 steam locomotive was made by PIKO.

Thanks.  Piko would've been another of my guesses.

Rusty

Two of the most vintage HO items in my collection are the seldom seen Penn Line Crusaders. Produced for only a few months, circa 1948. Production stopped, more complex than some of the other Penn Line locos, and the owners leaned more towards producing models for the PRR. Estimations are a few hundred were produced. Far far less survive today. One of these is restored, the other all original, with box.

Now that's cool! I can only guess the original is the one in "back" in the first picture, and the upper one in the second? I think I can see decal film on the other one...

Mark in Oregon

Mark,  the restored one is the one with the smaller 118 on the cab. I acquired that one first. After I found the original one I had notified the maker of the decals that are on the restored one to see if he could correct the sizing and color of future prints of the decals to closer match the originals but he had no interest as the demand really isn't there.

@PRRK4s posted:

Two of the most vintage HO items in my collection are the seldom seen Penn Line Crusaders. Produced for only a few months, circa 1948. Production stopped, more complex than some of the other Penn Line locos, and the owners leaned more towards producing models for the PRR. Estimations are a few hundred were produced. Far far less survive today. One of these is restored, the other all original, with box.

You WIN!!!

I've seen catalog photo's, but never the model.

Rusty

@PRRK4s posted:

Mark,  the restored one is the one with the smaller 118 on the cab. I acquired that one first. After I found the original one I had notified the maker of the decals that are on the restored one to see if he could correct the sizing and color of future prints of the decals to closer match the originals but he had no interest as the demand really isn't there.

Okay; I had it backwards then. Thanks for the clarification...and for showing us these very cool, very unusual pieces. Rusty's right: you win! 

Mark in Oregon

My workbench power supply...

I can remember when these were first advertised in Model Railroader magazine, and when I got this I was surprised by how small it is. The "pulse" feature in this seems less "harsh" than the one in the Heathkit unit and certainly any of the Troller units I have... FWIW.

The only thing about this is I wish it had a "power on" light; dunno how many times I've forgotten to turn it off! 

Mark in Oregon

Here's another item...

Have built several kits of this type over the years: this is one of the "pre-built" Bowser K4s. Very pretty, weighs exactly 2 pounds (engine only), and runs as a Bowser/Penn Line should.

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

My workbench power supply...

Mark in Oregon

I was using a Controlmaster V for my bench supply.  I liked that you could take the surrounding bracket off and flip it over to hang the supply.  It's still buried in one of my moving boxes.

However, I did locate my first "real" DC power pack to supplement the Marx one I had.  The MRC Ampack:

It last saw service on my former S Scale railroad powering the Bowser turntable motor.

Rusty

Funny...the Ampack was my first decent power pack as well; mine had the smaller knob and red push- button circuit breaker... 🙂

Mark in Oregon

Here are some photos of more vintage items I am digging up as I clean out my storage unit.  I forgot just how much HO I have.  Literally boxes and boxes.

First off - A "new" in the box set of Hobbytown E7 castings.  Great locomotives overall, but I was never a fan of how they did the nose.  I have a set of PA's I will post later that are just awesome.

Blue Line passenger car kit.  This is one of several I have.  The others are PRR.  Sadly the paint has been damaged, but these are still very nice kits for their time period.

International Model Products didn't just import O.  They also did HO and I have this pair of shorty PRR passenger cars.  I think these must be mid 60's vintage as the frames are plastic.  The dining car frame is broken in half and I never got around to figuring out a fix.  These are fun as they came with full interiors.

If there is time tomorrow, I'll post my Stromberg kit.  Very rare WWII vintage for those in the know of HO history.

@Strummer posted:

Here's another item...

Have built several kits of this type over the years: this is one of the "pre-built" Bowser K4s. Very pretty, weighs exactly 2 pounds (engine only), and runs as a Bowser/Penn Line should.

Mark in Oregon

I will post my Bowser K4 soon.  I built it when I was 16 and added the long haul tender to it.  Very nice build on your part!

Thanks, but as I mentioned, this is one of the "factory builds" that Bowser offered. List price (printed on the box) was $179.99(!) I think I paid 40 bucks; maybe my all time best deal in HO... 🙂

Mark in Oregon

PS: will post my (2) Bowser builds sometime: E6 and I1...

The just about all-but-forgotten Athearn Train Master:

Athearn made two versions: The "SP" style with large numberboards and Mars light bezel and "regular" with small numberboards and no Mars light bezel.

Rusty

Jeez, between you and Johnathan, we can keep this topic going for a while...🙂

Mark in Oregon

Not all HO ( or OO ) is fancy schmancy electrickery stuffs !

All photos from my collection

Right back to the "first " HO ... The Bing Miniature Table Railway ... clockwork from 1922!

with a later finescale adapter kit ( uk made)

Distler, Bub, and a french company Mignon quickly followed suit with miniature railways of their own .

A distler set ( minus locomotive )

Even the Spanish got into it by 1937 with this Rico example

fast forward a few more years and Karl Bub in 1938 made the Sonderklasse ... a 5-speed clockwork locomotive , the speed of running could be set to 5 different rates via an adjustable governer set up .. very ingenious, and a superb bit of engineering in such a small clockwork

Unfortunately the war stepped in to seal this brilliant loco's fate and it was only ever made for one year .

Bub also was a pioneer of train sets with differing functions the following loco is an electric outline locomotive from their "Passing" set where two locos ran on the same loop and as one rounded the track it was sent into a siding where it automatically braked and sent the other set off around the loop !

After the war with improved manufacturing things exploded !

Mettoy UK made a circle of pressed tin HO and locos

Stepping away from "toys" companies like Pyramid in the UK started making more scale clockwork

This might look very familiar to HO modellers as it became the basis for the Triang/Hornby Jinty series when Triang took over Pyramid in 1950 .. the above is the original 1949 model by Pyramid Toys .

Over to France Jouef was starting to make Clockwork HO sets as well.. with the Diabolo!

Over in Japan companies like Sakai and Bandai were getting into rather cool tin battery powered sets

Distler also made a several battery powered sets after the war into the late 50's .. below is the TD5000

And just to prove clockwork wasnt fully dead Hornby kept the clockwork HO happening into the 70's !

Although all of the above is not the entirety of the collection I think it makes a nice walk through time

Which bring us to the star in the HO section ... Just because your house didnt have electricity that didnt mean you couldnt have fun with trains , as all the above showed us, but necessity being the mother of all invention ... here is Probably one of the first HO STEAM locomotives I have ever come across ... made in the late 1930s from a Trix UK tender chassis ..a very talented engineer ... and yes it still runs today !

Here's some old and new Marklin along with a '50's series stamped metal engine house and a '60's era motorized turntable (which runs like new).

@Strummer posted:

Thanks, but as I mentioned, this is one of the "factory builds" that Bowser offered. List price (printed on the box) was $179.99(!) I think I paid 40 bucks; maybe my all time best deal in HO... 🙂

Mark in Oregon

PS: will post my (2) Bowser builds sometime: E6 and I1...

Apparently reading is not my specialty this weekend!  I just found mine, but no pictures yet.

Some more finds as I'm cleaning out my collection.   To start several metal Varney F3s, an AHM SW1 I custom painted for CNJ, two Athearn SW7s, a Varney NW2, two of the three Tyco Brill trollies, and some various truck trailers by Athearn and Tyco.

Close up of the Varney NW2

Next box:  A Brill cast trolley of unknown origin, part of a Mantua 2-8-2, several tenders from Mantua, Varney, Bowser and others, some Varney NE style cabooses, a nicely customized Athearn SD9, a rubber band powered F7, an MDC PRR specific gondola, and Athearn tractors.

A little out of focus, but a mixture of Varney, Life Like, AHM, Athearn, and MDC cars.  One to point out is the "Wreck Pond and Northern" green covered hopper.  This was an HO layout custom run for a club that operated out of the Elberon station on the New York and Long Branch.  When I was late in high school the 19th century station burned to the ground and took the layout with it.

Nothing too special here other than AHM offered a Red Baron painted Alco and I custom painted one in the green scheme when I was about 14.

This one is special to me only as it is the first custom painted locomotive I ever did.  It started life as an ICG Tyco locomotive and I hand painted the stripes and added the various decals.  I was 12 when I did this so the effort I feel is commensurate with my age at the time.

Finally on this post, a Hobbytown PA non powered unit that I was planning on striping and painting to match my custom painted PRR unit which I will post when I finally find it.

A gallery of Varney Streamliners, circa early 40's. For awhile I was on a kick of collecting these vintage locomotives. I finished the first one in 2013 as a 4-6-4 Hudson. Scratchbuilt the streamlined tender to go with it. Found another kit a year later, built and finished it to match the first one, but this time it was made into a 4-6-2. The tender was Streamlined from a plastic Varney tender. The third one was nearly built when I acquired it. Whoever did the preliminary work really went all out with mods to try and duplicate the look of the Frisco Firefly. It too is a 4-6-2. I gave it it's paint and lettering. The Last of the group got the flavor of the "Southern" look. Another 4-6-2 that used a PFM PRR K4s chassis. Tender is a modified Mantua with fluted lower sides. One by one I sold them off and they now reside in several other collections. I have a 5th one, yet untouched, in their boxes and master carton. More or less a mint specimen of the original Varney Streamliner Hudson. Ahhh, maybe some day it will be built too.

Lots of cool stuff... 🙂

Mark in Oregon

To continue...

This 1974 AHM/Mizuno brass/cast hybrid is a pretty enough thing:

...the "Brown Book of Brass Locomotives" says it's a notoriously poor runner.

Running the motor separated from the frame shows the motor itself is fine; rolling the chassis without the motor shows no signs of binding; improved the electrical pickup on the tender; made fine adjustments to the gear mesh, but it still runs poorly!

Is there ANYTHING that can be done to improve this, or is it simply a crappy model?   

Mark in Oregon

About 25 years back when I was still heavy into HO, I found a company that sold can motor replacements for open frame Pittman style motors like the DC-71.  Perhaps that will help your locomotive if you can find one of those still? 

@GG1 4877 posted:

About 25 years back when I was still heavy into HO, I found a company that sold can motor replacements for open frame Pittman style motors like the DC-71.  Perhaps that will help your locomotive if you can find one of those still?

I had thought of that; except my other HO brass (and lots of HO non-brass) locos have open frame motors and run just fine. Heck, my S scale Enhorning F unit and O scale all Nation Ten Wheeler both have big open frame motors; both are very quiet, very reliable runners. This thing not only is noisy, but runs very sporadically. It's a puzzle, that's for sure!  

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

To continue...

This 1974 AHM/Mizuno brass/cast hybrid is a pretty enough thing:

...the "Brown Book of Brass Locomotives" says it's a notoriously poor runner.

Running the motor separated from the frame shows the motor itself is fine; rolling the chassis without the motor shows no signs of binding; improved the electrical pickup on the tender; made fine adjustments to the gear mesh, but it still runs poorly!

Is there ANYTHING that can be done to improve this, or is it simply a crappy model?   

Mark in Oregon

I had one of those.  I don't remember any particularly bad running qualities, though.

However, it was being marketed as a 3400 class Pacific, but it didn't look right to me.  The 3400's had an Elesco feedwater heater on the pilot deck and the model didn't have one or any of the associated plumbing.  It stuck me more as a 3500 class, so I swapped positions of the sand dome and numberboards to represent a 3500.

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

I had one of those.  I don't remember any particularly bad running qualities, though.

However, it was being marketed as a 3400 class Pacific, but it didn't look right to me.  The 3400's had an Elesco feedwater heater on the pilot deck and the model didn't have one or any of the associated plumbing.  It stuck me more as a 3500 class, so I swapped positions of the sand dome and numberboards to represent a 3500.

Rusty

Thanks Rusty

Since yours was okay, I guess they are at least capable of being decent runners. This inspires me to continue to fuss with mine. I'm gonna use this photo as my new "desktop" picture...

Mark in Oregon

Westside Sierra #24, lettered for my last HO layout:

Rusty

That's a very nice looking engine. 👍

Mark in Oregon

Some more vintage HO found while going through my collection.  Still have not gotten to the box that has close to 50 HO GG1s ....

This one goes back to WWII.  A partially completed Strombecker wood kit of the Rock Island Rocket. 

And one more for tonight ... don't want to spoil all the goodies!

One of the two Gilbert HO steam locomotives made.  This one is the PRR B6 and has a smoke unit.  The other was the Hudson.  I found a Hudson at auction and gave it to my dad as a gift.

Jonathan

Neat stuff; I think I have seen an example of the Strombecker wood/paper train, but it was in UP colors. Like probably a lot of us I had, at some point, some '60s-vintage Strombecker 1/32 slot cars...

Gosh, the Gilbert loco can barely hold that motor; there's hardly room for the tender! Is it like their S gauge steam, where all the pick-up was in the tender?

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

...Like probably a lot of us I had, at some point, some '60s-vintage Strombecker 1/32 slot cars...

Mark in Oregon

Uh... that would be me, too. My first Strombecker set arrived for Christmas '63 as I recall... my second Strombecker set was Christmas '66. I did the 1/32 home set scene until the early 1970s. Did a little bit of 1/24 commercial track... but I enjoyed the home set racing more. Here's the very ad in Montgomery Ward's '63 Christmas catalog of the track (the "A" set) I received for Christmas that same year:

I've just recently re-entered the vintage slot car hobby, with Strombecker being my main emphasis. (Imagine that.) Here's a set I purchased the past week (but haven't  yet received):

Sorry... I couldn't help but chase the Strombecker slot car rabbit that scampered out of the brush pile.

Andre

@Strummer posted:

Jonathan

Neat stuff; I think I have seen an example of the Strombecker wood/paper train, but it was in UP colors. Like probably a lot of us I had, at some point, some '60s-vintage Strombecker 1/32 slot cars...

Gosh, the Gilbert loco can barely hold that motor; there's hardly room for the tender! Is it like their S gauge steam, where all the pick-up was in the tender?

Mark in Oregon

Mark,

The set up is typical HO steam from the era.  One terminal picked up from the tender and the other from the locomotive.  Yes, the engine is a little large for the locomotive!  No one else made a B6 in this era in HO.  I have an English A5 too but it is missing the tender, motor, and the valve gear.  Not sure how the motor fits in that one. 

I never got into slot cars much because at my age they were all HO and had a hard time staying on track. My brother got a Tyco HO slot car set the year after I got my Tyco HO starter trainset.  At one point we had a 4x8 board on the ground that had his slot car set on one side, my HO loop on the other and my Dad's 1955 UP passenger O27 set on the inside of the HO loop.  I vaguely remember the slot car taking a leap off the track, fouling the O27 loop and then getting crushed as it derailed the Lionel train.

Today's posting is a Penn Line kit I found at a local show about 10 years back.  Being in an arid environment, these kits almost look new outside of the damage to the boxes.  This is an E6 that someone started by painting the tender and that's it.  instructions are original.  This kit is circa 1955.

1955 TYCO set

That is a very nice Tyco set.  Mine from 1976 wasn't nearly as nice.

Some vintage brass:

Sunset from way before my time with them.  I suspect this is from the Mort Mann days.

Track cleaning car.  I used to see these advertised in old model magazines.

Some crude brass from TID.  I don't know much about this company, but I have a few pieces from them.

Holy cow ... you could open a museum... 😳 🙂 👍

Mark in Oregon

@GG1 4877 posted:

Some vintage brass:

Sunset from way before my time with them.  I suspect this is from the Mort Mann days.

Track cleaning car.  I used to see these advertised in old model magazines.

Some crude brass from TID.  I don't know much about this company, but I have a few pieces from them.

I was always intrigued by brass...but not enough to ever pull the trigger on any item.

I remember way back in early 1976 my father (after much pestering) drove me up to a train show in what I believe was Kenilworth NJ I just remember it being off rt 22 somewhere. I looked at brass Rutland style caboose...it reminded me of a Raritan River caboose that I was so familiar with locally...it was well detailed, but the lack of paint and couplers that would not work with my then horn hooks dissuaded me from it...I ended up spending my money on other items. Ten Life Like blister packed individual freight cars for 2 bucks each that the vendor probably got out of Two Guys the month before for 25 cents apiece.
Talk about a missed opportunity !

Back to the mundane: The Athearn F7 from the 1970's.  Still has the old metal load bearing, inaccurate trucks.  Seattle Tacoma & Portland is my most prolific private railroad name.

Even developed a simplified paint scheme.

Rusty

A morning post of my Bowser K4 before I head off to work for the day.  I built it when I was 16 in 1985 and added the long haul tender and super detail kit.  Having just pulled it out the box, I see now I need to do some searching for some of those super detail parts that are missing!

It's a little dusty from years on display.  Kind of like the real ones.

No K4 is complete without some passenger cars.  These are two Blue Line coaches.

I don’t have much Flyer HO but the two sets I do have are mint.

I like the reallly old tin/ cast stuff....  Love these Globe, Athearn, and Silver Streak tank cars... I just keep buying them even though I have nowhere to run them lmao

Beautiful kits Dennis !

Somehow I managed to win the MTH K4 for $25.  I think the Bowser cost a bit more.  Would like to land a few more Bowser or Penn Line PRR locos as well as the Varney F-3's

Some more HO Vintage Fun.  Varney and Tyco tonight.

@Dennis Holler posted:

Somehow I managed to win the MTH K4 for $25.  I think the Bowser cost a bit more.  Would like to land a few more Bowser or Penn Line PRR locos as well as the Varney F-3's

25 bucks?!?  That just might be the all time great deal!  😁👍😁

Mark in Oregon

This fell victim to my move last year.  I decided to sell it as the only time the train had been out of their boxes since 1980 was for these photo's in 2015:

The NMRA Headquarters Express was a fundraiser for building their own facility in Chattanooga.  The headquarters building wound up being sold to the TVRM in 2013 as the NMRA changed priorities.

There was also a model made of the Headquarters:

The set and building was also available in N Scale.

Rusty

Rivarossi, I think. Very handsome set...

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

Rivarossi, I think. Very handsome set...

Mark in Oregon

Yep, imported by AHM.  There was some carping about the fact that the NMRA used the company with the deep "pizza cutter" flanges.  But there was no real alternative to single source the set at the time.

Rusty

The buy of the year off Facebook marketplace. Listed for 45.00 I didn’t quibble !

Bob,

Nice buys.  In my early days I was a Tyco fan;. Like the Lionel crowd, I couldn't wait for the annual catalog to come out.  On my layout I had those mercury street lamps on the outskirts of downtown Plasticville and the longer fluorescent style around the town center, just like real life (so I thought). Your post reminded me of those times. In my mind I can still see every detail of that layout.  Thanks for the post.

Earl     

@Conductor Earl posted:

Bob,

Nice buys.  In my early days I was a Tyco fan;. Like the Lionel crowd, I couldn't wait for the annual catalog to come out.  On my layout I had those mercury street lamps on the outskirts of downtown Plasticville and the longer fluorescent style around the town center, just like real life (so I thought). Your post reminded me of those times. In my mind I can still see every detail of that layout.  Thanks for the post.

Earl     

Thanks Earl ! The streetlights were a throw in on that deal but the real bonus was the Brachs candy operating hopper that I once paid 35.00 for with two busted couplers.

Picked up some early Rivarossi today !

Very heavy!!! the FMs are both powered and permanently coupled and MUed . The diaphragms are deteriorated with very weird couplers.

The steam engine is die cast with a plastic tender!

The instructions are in Italian...I really like the boxes !