Fleischman/Maerklin HO

[palallin]

I've run across a fellow who has a cache of old Fleischman and Maerklin HO. "Old," in this case, is uncertain: they're two rail trains--even the Marklin track is--with fiber ties and formed, sheet-metal rails (tubular, like Lionel, but with more realistic tie pattern). In addition to locos and both European and US pattern rolling stock, there's a great deal of trackwork, including switches, accessory activation sections, and modular signals. I'm *guessing* that we're talking '50s here, but I cannot be certain from the glances I've had.

Virtually EVERYTHING is in superb condition: some of the boxes have never been opened. I took an aluminum, streamlined, US pattern passenger car out of its box for the first time, and it's gorgeous.

Is there a collector's group in Europe or, preferably, the US that focuses on these trains? This guy wants to sell out--he inherited them from his dad but has no interest--and there is no one here locally that is into that sort of thing. eBay is an option, of course, but he'd like a better idea of what he's got, and a specialists' club would be a quicker source of info and, perhaps, interest than eBay would provide.

TIA for any responses.

[lionelsoni]

That sounds like early K-track from around 1969, which I think should have pukos (point contacts, rather than a continuous center rail).

[palallin]

No studs (or whatever): simple fiber ties like early US HO flextrack. There's too much of it New-in-Box for it to be another maker's track in the wrong boxes.

[Anonymous]

I sounds like a very interesting collection. I had some of the Fleischmann trains when I was a kid in the 1950's. Sadly,I have only one left. A BR24 2-6-0 Painted for the Pennsylvania RR.
I don't know off hand of a specific group dedicated to the collection of Fleischmann trains. There may be one. I'd try contacting the "European Train Entusiasts" group. http://www.ete.org/ Someone should be able to direct you.

[palallin]

Thanks for the link!