Use Erector set on your layout?

[Boyd]

If I have enough girders I will replace my basic 2x4 and plywood swingup bridge with Erector set materials. Anyone else use  Erector stuff?

[ben10ben]

I have a decent collection of Erector sets, and, at times, have integrated Erector sets with the trains.

At the moment, I'm working on a Bascule bridge. I have the superstructure built, although I'm still working on the best drive mechanism. The basic design was lifted right out of the original 8 1/2 instruction manual, although I'm having to make some modifications to allow for the train.

Gilbert made a set in the couple of years before the war that included an American Flyer O gauge engine and all the parts needed to make your own cars for the set. There were a total of 7 different car designs, although the set only included enough parts to make two at a time. Specifically, each car requires 8 special flanged wheels, and the set only included 16. 

Although I have tried at times to buy the parts needed to build the cars, the wheels are out of my price range. They are anywhere from $6-10 each, so a full 7 car train would cost several hundred dollars. 

There was an article in the A.C. Gilbert Heritage Society newsletter several years ago about someone who built the entire train using wheels that they turned themselves to save money. It was very interesting.  

[phillyreading]

I tried to use an Erector Set or parts from an Erector Set(early 70's) to build a frieght car, got everything built then tried to run it on the track, wheels would not hold to the track & derailed within a foot, even tried double wheels to see if that would help.  That is about the extent of my using an Erector Set on a layout.  Never occurred to me to use the steel frame work pieces to build a bridge.  The set I had even had a motor that ran off two C cell batteries.

Lee F.

 

[Neil B.]

Hi guys,

Go to this website:

http://www.girdersandgears.com/models.html

You'll find a lot of photos models made from Erector (click on the links) and other brands of construction sets. I looked briefly and found photos of 2 bascule bridges and 1 lift bridge.

Neil Besougloff editor

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

I use the Erector set material on my standard gauge layout.  It works pretty well for bridges and some buildings.  Neil, nice to see you post on here.  At least we know the editor is reading the forum:-)

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana