https://www.ebay.com/itm/Converse-Trolley-Body-for-Parts/174361610959?hash=item2898c30acf:g:qZoAAOSwNktfGzGm
Same me, different spelling!
Must be rare, I've never heard of it. There's no "Morton Converse" in any of my toy train reference books. I've never even seen one in the "Maine Antiques Digest " toy auction ad pages. It'll be interesting to see what it sells for.
Penny, So did you get it? Sure looks cool!
Don
I just looked, and at this time (4:40 PM EST) it's a got a $49 price on it.
If Becky wants it I sure won't stand in her way and try to out-bid her!
(Don't know what I'd do with it anyway! )
I've never heard of Converse before (except as a brand name of a company that makes Chuck Taylor's canvas shoes). I didn't see the name Morton anywhere in that ad. Is Morton the company that made that trolley? Is Converse the name of a railroad or place where the trolley ran?
Aha! Stumped ya! That's why it's so unbelievable that it would show up on Ebay of all places!
Lionel, and in this case were talking about Joshua Lionel Cowen himself, bought the Converse trolley bodies for his No. 300 City Hall Park 2 7/8 gauge cars of 1902:
https://www.tinplatetimes.com/Tinplate%20History/300variations/300var.htm
Cowen then attached a wood underframe, a cast iron motor frame and the motor from his unsuccessful electric fan to the bottom:
Seeing ANYTHING from the 1900-1905 2 7/8 gauge line is beyond rare at train shows. That's why so few collectors bother learning about them. But Joe Mania makes reproductios which are much easier to come by! https://jlmtrains.com/products/2-7-8-inch-gauge/2-7-8-inch-cars/converse-trolley/
If I ever win big on the lottery I'm going to call Joe and say "Make me one of everything!"
That is amazing, I never knew!
If anyone figures out that trolley body on "The Bay" has a Lionel connection the bidding's going to go beserk! Don't worry, I can keep a secret!
If what you say is true, then isn't it still possible that trolley is a Lionel car after all? Maybe it had the wooden underframe with the motor at one time. Maybe that's why it's missing now. Perhaps whatever held the underframe was taken off to use the motor for something else.
I was amazed to find out JLM charged $1095 for a reproduction trolley. When Converse sold their original model, I imagine it must have been priced to sell to children. Lionel's version with the motor would have been priced to sell to children also. I wonder how many they sold before they broke even and started making a profit. Allowing for inflation over the years, I find it difficult to understand how using today's technology would result in having to charge $1095. Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to create the same items? Am I missing something?
In today's world, a person making $26,000/year would have to spend what would be earned in a little over two weeks. Were Lionel's trolley's priced at what a person would make in a little over two weeks also? A 1903 reproduction catalog lists its price at $8.00, and that includes 30 feet of rail and 60 ties.
According to the TCA book, the bodies that Lionel bought from "Morton E. Converse and Co." were maroon and green. Blue and yellow indicate that it was not made for Lionel.
Bob Nelson
phrankenstignI was amazed to find out JLM charged $1095 for a reproduction trolley.
Consider everything involved. To reproduce something an original has to be obtained, drawings made, stamping dies designed and built, then labor hired to assemble, paint, and otherwise finish.
If it's being done for mass production the initial costs can be overcome fairly quickly, so the retail price can be held down knowing the initial costs will be paid off in a short time. If it's a custom build only, and I'd expect this product would be, then the price is going to remain high.
As far as Lionel was concerned, even though they had some moderately priced articles, they were always on the "pricy" side, but then, remember the old saying "You get what you pay for?" Lionel's quality was always kept high and the pricing reflected that.
Well it only sold for $58
Considering its age somebody got a deal! I wonder if it's anybody we know?
All I can say is it wasn't me. As much as I would have liked to.
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