Russian Train Set

[BobbyDing]

Scrolling thru countless Lionel items on Evilbay, I came across this. Thought it was something different:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Speed-Regulator-for-Electrical-Railroad-Set-Lionel-60s_W0QQitemZ6050920243QQcategoryZ4146QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Anybody ever seen these before?

Bobby

[Anonymous]

I believe that may be the only Russian "O" 3 rail set ever offered. I have seen pictures of this train set before, but not in this good of condition. It would be a great addition to anyone's collection. The price looks excellent.

[Anonymous]

I too have seen one of these in a magazine article - it wasn't in as good shape as that one. Personally if I had the cash I'd snap it up!

[Jumijo]

That Block Post N2 (Switchman) looks like a Lionel knockoff.

Nice set, but send my money to Russia in hopes of getting a train in return? Nyet.

Jim

[pbjwilson]

The price is just for the transformer. He's selling everything off seperately.

These show up on e-bay occasionally. Daves Trains had some awhile back as well. This looks to be the most complete and in best condition I've ever seen. To bad he's breaking up the set.

[Anonymous]

Hello, community.
I am that seller on eBay, who offer these parts from the Russian train set.
I has read all Your reviews and want to say what I already sold 16 of these train sets.
Sold to different countries, even to Hong Kong. My the first buyer was Dave (http://www.davestrains.com).
After I sent about 10 sets to Arizona last two years.
pbjwilson said what only bad parts sells separately - NO,
I started to sell it separately when was ill and very need money quickly, only therefore.
If someone want to buy the complete set - welcome to my web shop -
http://sovietsouvenirs.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1
I also accept any offers and may answer to questions here or write on sales{dog}sovietsouvenirs{dot}com
I am seller with big and good standing on eBay (kingdiamond*).
Also I hope that the word RUSSIA is not so sinister for You.

[mersenne6]

The set is the only one O gauge set made in Russia. Like anything there are variations in the paint as well as the casting details of the engines, bridge types, etc.. The layout is interesting in that it has a wiring harness which pretty much dictates where everything has to be placed. In addition each piece of track has a separate number tab attached so that it can be placed in its designated spot on the "designated" layout.

The gateman is a copy of the Lionel although much more massive. It specs out at almost twice the thickness of the Lionel sheet metal. The gateman himself has a green lantern instead of a red one. The whole set is a lot of fun to run and the engine is an absolute tank with respect to power and heft.

[More to restore]

Dzien dobre Alex MB!

Nice to see your product. It definitely looks attractive.
Can you tell us all a little bit on the history of this train brand and how you got involved in it.

I was really surprised to read that the transformer 110-120V! Did the Russians make this set in the sixties to be exported to the evil capitalistic USA??? I can not believe that. Anyway, this definitely would like to know more about. Please elaborate.

do widzenia!

[lionelsoni]

Where did you find "110-120V", More? I don't see it anywhere in the text. But I do see the number 220 on the transformer nameplate.

[More to restore]

Lionelsoni,

I was surfing Alex his website and found that on:
http://sovietsouvenirs.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1

On that site, I read very much to my surprise:
#Speed Regulator - The voltage regulator 5-13 voltes (from 0 to the maximum speed). Uses 127 (110/120) Volt Power.

One of the very few good things about the sovjet union was the 220 Volt power supply, so I can definitely not understand how they would ever make in the 60's in the middle of the cold-war 110 Volt articles.

[Anonymous]

The power of the half of just postwar Moscow used 127v, other part used 220v. Other cities used also 220 volt. Most of electric devices of such era has the jumper (switch) 127/220 volts.
The speed regulator what currently sells on eBay intended for 220volt power.
The speed regulator what in the complete set on my web-shop uses 127volt power what practically is the same as 110v in USA.
I want to say also - You well know "Bolshoy" Theatre, the main part of it hitherto uses 127v electric-wiring and 127v lamps and some devices. Because this is our history and stayed in the initial state...

[Anonymous]

Look on the bottom left corner of the label on the regulator on this pictures:
http://sovietsouvenirs.com/catalog/images/toy/set17/set17-reg1.jpg
and
http://sovietsouvenirs.com/catalog/images/toy/set18/set18-reg1.jpg
You may at once see the difference - 127v at the first, 220v at the second

[lionelsoni]

I can see that they were made for those two voltages; but the one in the Ebay auction is for 220 volts. I hope that American bidders understand that. Or is that not a picture of the actual transformer being sold?

Since the nominal American voltage is now 120 and frequently higher in practice, 127 would be a good conservative rating for use here. The output voltage is however a bit low for use with many American trains.

I just realized where the 127-volt number comes from. It is 220 divided by the square-root of 3. It is thus the line-to-neutral voltage for a 220-volt line-to-line 4-wire 3-phase system. This is analogous to our 480/277-volt industrial service, which, by the way is the scheme used for American head-end power. Or to the 400/230-volt service more commonly used in Europe.

[More to restore]

Thanks Alex, for revealing this Russian power mystery for us.

Could you tell us some more about the history of this Russian brand? When was it made, how did you find it?
I am honestly, interesting in learning something about this brand, what is completely new to me.

Djienkuji braza!

[vsmith]

The "Pioneer" station is obviously a reference to the Soviet "Young Pioneers" program, basicly the Ruskie version of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. In Moskow there was (is?) a large park that featured an entire miniature railroad (full stand inside engines and passenger cars on like 600mm gauge?) manned and operated entirely by Young Pioneer members. It was run prototypically and to the same operational standards as the Soviet National Railways. I would suspect this set might have been in some way associated with that movement.

[Anonymous]

2 lionelsoni: ALL MY PICTURES ARE ACTUAL, as I selling most unique items and my buyers must to know the real state of the specific item .
2 More to restore: I bought different set in the different places, most in Moscow where lived people who earned (in far times and now also) more money and can allow itselves to buy such expensive set (at that time costs about 3-4 of month wages of usual worker)
Read the history from the Dave - http://www.davestrains.com/sovfaqs.html
Very true description from my the first buyer who knows even more me!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

The "Pioneer" station is obviously a reference to the Soviet "Young Pioneers" program, basicly the Ruskie version of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. In Moskow there was (is?) a large park that featured an entire miniature railroad (full stand inside engines and passenger cars on like 600mm gauge?) manned and operated entirely by Young Pioneer members. It was run prototypically and to the same operational standards as the Soviet National Railways. I would suspect this set might have been in some way associated with that movement.

Most Soviet products of that far times - the copy of the world's progress items.
Was it a Russian cameras (Leica copy) or something else.
This set is not the exclusion. Of course this is the lionel copy with some Russian specifics.
The main powers in that time was aimed to military production or inner use of the state.
A usual people was not very interesting for our government...
And now also...

[BobbyDing]

Wow. This is all very interesting. I think that transformer is a very cool looking device.

Alex, Glad you stopped in to tell us about this. You'll have to pardon my lack of knowledge on Russian history. Were these sets approved and made by the state? Are any newer trains still made and sold in Russia?

Bobby

[Anonymous]

What a great topic! I am familiar with these trains and have always been fascinated by them! I've always wanted one!

I actually do own two Soviet-made toy train sets. These are both battery operated sets made entirely of plastic that were manufacturered in the 1970's. Each set has a tank engine (an 0-8-0, but the wheels are articulated, so I guess technically an 0-4-4-0) that pulls just a single passenger car. The track layout is an oval with three dead-end sidings on it for switching. There are special track sections that activate a switch on the bottom of the engine to make it go forward, reverse or stop, plus uncoupling tracks, a station and a signal. They are about O gauge in size, but the track is slightly wider than O gauge, which is prototypical since the Russians have 5' gauge track. One set has a yellow engine with a green passenger car and the other has a blue engine with a yellow passenger car. A variation with a green engine also exists, so I need to find that one. I'm lucky enough to have both of my sets mint in the original boxes.

Model Railroader had an article in a 1990 issue about model railroading in the USSR. In it, it mentioned that in the prewar era some Gauge 1 toy trains were made in Russia. I've never read anything else about this. Have you ever heard of such a thing, Alex?

As for other Soviet trains, the above-mentioned MR article talked about an HO set that was manufacturered at that time with an 0-6-0 steamer and passenger cars.

There was also an HO model of a Trix Express diesel railcar made in the USSR in the 1950's. Go to www.trixexpress.de and click on "Gewis" for more information.

[lionelsoni]

It's tempting to think that our 1.25-inch gauge is exactly correct for the Russian 5-foot prototype gauge, as it is for the WARR General models. But continental Europeans like to consider O scale as 1/45, so that 32 millimeters, which is virtually the same as 1.25 inches, is correct for the standard 56.5-inch (1435-millimeter) prototype gauge. But, in that O scale, Russian track must be wider than 32 millimeters to be correct.

[Anonymous]

I met also this pre-war copy of Marklin -
http://sovietsouvenirs.com/catalog/images/toy/mc/marklin_copy-5.jpg
http://sovietsouvenirs.com/catalog/images/toy/mc/marklin_copy-6.jpg
http://sovietsouvenirs.com/catalog/images/toy/mc/marklin_copy-7.jpg
If somebody want to buy, I can to contact with the master of this rare item to know the price. You may see extra photos by request.