Would anyone here have any information about model railroad pioneer George Stock? That is about all that I have been able to find out about him, other than he must have been quite a good model locomotive builder in his time. Note that his name is mentioned in the caption of the following photo.
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Big Jim,
A lot of ting's here and pic's, not all him, but interesting:
https://www.google.com/search?q=George+Stock+Model+Railroad+Pioneer&client=firefox-a&hs=1v4&rls=org
Frank
Edit: You'll have to scroll down until you see the pic's, about half way down, I didn't notice till now, it was locked, so I could not give a direct link, but you should get it. Sorry bout that! JIM
Frank,Thanks for trying, but, there is just not a lot there except for: "Stock, George*. PA. [1985] George Stock Models. Model Retailer; Custom Loco Builder. Pioneer HO scale 1930s.. "
Even the pictures include so much junk that I have no idea why 99% of them would even come up in the search. That is why I asked here, thinking someone might be old enough to remember this man.
Jim,
I will agree, there was a lot things unrelated to Him. But to be perfectly honest with You, I will be 72, this year and I never heard of Him. Been in HO since 51'. Oh Well! Good Luck in Your Hunt!
George Stock was a name I used to see referred to often when old timers would talk about, or write about, the early days of the hobby, particularly the origins of HO scale. He was both modeler and manufacturer, as many of the pioneers tended to be back in the 1930s.
The April 1934 issue of MR features Stock's "Diminutive & Obstinate" railroad layout; at that time he was in OO scale, 6 volt DC (early HO and OO used 6 volt DC perhaps because back then auto batteries were 6 volt). His layout plan that he himself drew says "George D Stock, 40 W Mt. Airy Ave., Philadelphia Penna. The article is pretty funny - he writes about his PRR A-5 0-4-0: "...when taking a full dose of volts it's a joy to see her pulling around a five car freight train at a scale speed of about 200 m.p.h. It will take the freight up the high line as if there wasn't any grade at all, and coming down, oh my! It's a good thing the curves on the elevated line are banked. She's been to the floor several times. ... The line boasted a boxcar, but the president and g.m. walked on it, smashing it to pieces."
In the May 1934 issue are two photos of the original Burlington Zephyr when it was still under contruction at Budd's plant in Philadelphia. Stock took the pictures and he was described as the first "outsider" to see the train.
June 1934 saw the first ad from George Stock advertising various HO 3.5mm scale items: a complete line of parts, track parts, cylinders, domes, stacks, wheels, trucks. And interestingly -- articulated trucks for a Burlington Zephyr. Also "MERCO" building papers for HO and OO as well as O gauges. Send stamp for free list to the same steet address as above.
The August issue announced that Stock had just completed a "Hephyr" 3 car articulated train made of aluminum
The September 1934 issue gave some updates (back then if a guy finished a locomotive or a freight car or even just laid some new track or had a derailment, MR would publish the news in Along the Division). Stock had just finishd new freight facilities at Neurasthenia, the main station on the layout. It was also announced that the freight depot brought so much new business to his layout that the board of directors decided to pay a 25% dividend to stockholders. That kind of "news" was common in MR at the time. The photos show a reasonably sophisticated and even scenicked setup for the time
This is an aside, but the September 1934 issue also announces that Robert Keune of Milwaukee has begun construction of 5 O gauge reefers. Bob Keune is still alive and living in Milwaukee, and moreover is a charter member of the NMRA. When we had the 75th anniversary convention here in Milwaukee he was there to help stuff the bags of information and material the day before registration. To my knowledge he is still running O scale trains.
The October 1934 issue featured an article by George Stock "Car Lettering by Hand." "Use a Gillott 303 steel pen and burn the point with a match until it is dull red ......"
November 1934 featured a change in the ad text for Stock's ad. Now it read Ho 3.5 mm "Most complete line in the U.S. Track parts, cylinders, trucks, driving wheels. 4 & 6 coupled "free wheeling" mechanisms. And the same MERCO building papers. Now your stamp would get a free list and samples.
Fast forward to February 1937 MR where Stock's ad (at the same Philadelphia address) says "TO ALL 'HO' GAUGERS ... Our new 1937 list No. 6 is now ready. It is just full of many interesting items. ARA track parts, loco kits, bronze trucks, building papers, etc. A 3 cent stamp brings you your copy. Get it now!"
February 1939, Stock is advertising an HO turntable with aluminum sides , 13" long wood floor, brass fittings, and instructions for only $1.50. The large HO catalog is now ten cents. Same address in Philadelphia.
June 1939 ad. Green Eye! Have you seen our HO semaphore? The only working scale semaphore on the market. Made of metal throughout. Painted, colored and ready to install. $1 each or lots of 6 for $5.
September 1939 ad "It's a HOney! Our NEW 0-6-0 switcher kit is just about tops. Cast boiler, 100% complete chassis, all other parts are included. 2 or 3 rail $19.00." Catalog No. 7 is ten cents but the 1939-40 catalog would be ready Oct. 1. The August 1939 issue gave some details in the Trade Topics review: all the sheet brass parts are cut to size and drilled. parts such as the stack and dome are completely finished; chassis assembly using English rail for side rods (!). Boiler is a bronze casting and incorporates firebox and running boards.
I cannot find an ad by George Stock in my November 1940 issue of MR.
Dave Nelson
You'll often find George Stock mentioned in the early history of HO along with Eric Lanal (actually Dr. Allen Lake Rice - the Eric LaNal name being made up by rearranging the letters of his real name, often commonly referred to as "Uncle Eric") as these two were probably the most responsible for the popularization of HO scale, at least in the US.
Everything I know comes from reading articles and ads in the MR DVD collection, in the early days there were plenty of contributions by these two.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I have been trying to find info on Mr. Stock for some time. Years ago I purchased a model of a PRR L-5 electric with high hoods and two pans that he apparently made by hand. The model is nicely crafted and runs well. The only criticism that I have is that he evidently painted the whole thing by hand, including the lettering. I was thinking of having it stripped and redone by a professional, but was advised against doing so. Here's a picture of the prototype: https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8pP0BMhUhloAHA6JzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIybThvY2ZvBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZANhZDI4ODM4MmEyYTVjMTQ4Mjk5MjNiYjYzN2NlOWU3YQRncG9zAzMEaXQDYmluZw--?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3Dprr%2Bl5%26fr%3Dyhs-mozilla-001%26hsimp%3Dyhs-001%26hspart%3Dmozilla%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D3&w=1024&h=548&imgurl=www.northeast.railfan.net%2Fimages%2Ftr_prr3930.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writeopinions.com%2Fprr-l5&size=97.7KB&name=Opinions+on+%3Cb%3EPRR+L5%3C%2Fb%3E&p=prr+l5&oid=ad288382a2a5c14829923bb637ce9e7a&fr2=&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&tt=Opinions+on+%3Cb%3EPRR+L5%3C%2Fb%3E&b=0&ni=96&no=3&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=113femo82&sigb=1452s8065&sigi=11f8ef0gl&sigt=10phqbl0o&sign=10phqbl0o&.crumb=bTPGoD.umoV&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla
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I'd be reluctant to alter a piece that was made and painted and lettered by a hobby pioneer of that stature. I know that is an interesting locomotive; I suspect it was offered in brass at some point and if it is the locomotive you want rather than a display piece I'd hunt one down. Back in the 1930s almost all stuff was hand lettered; some guys were really expert at it. Al Kalmbach's own stuff was by comparison rather crudely lettered but I wouldn't think of altering it if I had a Kalmbach original.
Dave's right. We live oin an age of technical advancement and relative wealth that makes it hard to appreciate things were a lot simpler back then. The model was not only hand lettered, as was common, but being painted by brush was also the norm. Air brushes were something only professional artists used for the most part.
While it may look a little crude by today's standards, the original finish adds value to your model and it is certainly historically accurate. I'd leave it be and enjoy it as is if it were mine.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Have to agree with not modifying it. I'm in no way a collector, I buy things to run - even the pre-war Lionel set I was given, I have no reservations about using repro parts and modern wire to fix up what needs to be done to make it all run again. But in this case - no, I would not alter the model. Subscribe tot he all access pass for a month and read the first few years of MR. When HO is talked about, if the article isn't by "Uncle Eric" LaNal, it's by or about George Stock. And in those early issues were ad by Stock, selling kits and parts for the then-new HO scale. It was an interesting time, new scale getting off the ground, very little in materials available, almost everything was scratchbuilt. There really wasn't even a tinplate version you could start from - like many O scale locos being rebuilt or using parts from Lionel and Flyer tinplate O. What you have there is a genuine piece of history. Not a "collector's item" because some people say it is but something genuinely related to the history of model railroading and specifically HO scale. If it weren't for the likes of Eric LaNal (really Allen Rice, professor of languages), George Stock, and a few others, HO may have gone the way of TT. Or maybe S and TT would be the two preferred scales smalelr than O instead of HO and N.
As to Allen Rice using a pen name - maybe a good thing? In I think Jan 1960 MR there is a Railway Post Office letter from a guy running for mayor of his town, his opponent actually used the fact that he was a model railroader as a reason to not vote for him. The model railroader lost. WHo knows what the deans and other faculty at the college would have thought of a grown man entrusted with educating youth "playing with trains"
Hello all, thought I would add my interesting tale about George D. Stock HO equipment. Back in the late '60s I inherited several boxes of old HO stuff from an uncle who was moving out of the area (Bethlehem, PA area) and had always fanned my toy train "flames". I was a teenager at the time and interests had moved on from 027 Lionel to Aurora slot cars and Athearn, PennLine, Tyco and other HO scale stuff. Well, what my uncle left me was what I thought at the time just junk because the rolling stock was all made of wood and cardboard and in my mind, not up to snuff with current off the shelf items. My uncle had told me at the time that he had purchased these trains from a former Bethlehem City Councilman, by the last name Miller, and who owned the City's Oldsmobile dealership. Thank the Good Lord, this old HO stuff went into storage until recently. Because of an undersatnding wife and cheap rent, I held on to it all these years. About a year ago, I started going through the boxes and discovered an early Gilbert Hudson. Loved it because my brother had the identical "S" gauge version when he was a kid. After digging a bit further, I found, not one, but two, cast brass GG1s.....very crude castings but with twin Pittman motors. The pantagraphs appear to be soldered out of paperclips! Ever curious, I started doing some Internet research and came across the George Stock entries at HOSeeker. Sure enough, the two I have are identical. Also stumbled across an online hobby shop that had one still in kit form in the original box. So, now my interests have gone full circle over the past 45 years. I'm now back at the point where I love the prewar stuff, whether it's the early HO or Lionel and Flyer tinplate. I appreciate the emerging and evolving technology at the time and the relative simplicity. Thanks for "listening", and best of luck learning more about the HO pioneer Stock. BTW, I traded emails several months ago with a guy out in Phoenix who had picked up 3, maybe 4 of Stock's GG1s. Not bad considering estimates were that he only made about 100 kits. Chris.
lso saw him work on his D & O layout, crafting various scenery and roadside features. One of the things that impressed me back then was the Philadelphia PTC trolley he had that ran from an overhead wire. Back then Lionel , HO and Amerixan Flyer all ran from an electrified rail. George was handicapped, he suffered from severe curvature of the spine, and when he walked his head and neck were parallel to the floor. He also sold rolling stock kits in his small shop, along with some track, but his main business was the making of individual electrified GG1s, locomotives, and switchers. I don't know if he made any kits, but I did see him create several locomotives from sheet brass. He was fanatical in his attention to detail, and I have a 1950 catalogue of his listing his locos and other things he had for sale. If you want a photocopy of that 1950 catalogue, pleas email editor@hebm.info. And be patient as with the holidays coming on, I may need a week or so to get back to you. Please include snail mail address as this catalogue is hard copy and not electronic.
Hello all George Stock was if not the first , one of the first to offer HO engine kits . MR Oct 1935 the E6 and following year (1936) the 060 switcher . Boiler castings are a bit basic ..but could be detailed out .. looking for more info about George Stock ..any period catalogs showing these engines out there ?
Thank you
Carey Williams
hum I guess photos can not be added sorry if you contact me happy to email them to you
Photos can be added - they have to be hosted online, for example on one of the Internet photo sites, and have their own URL. Paste that URL into your post using BBcode URL tags, or use the 'insert image' tool in the toolbar above the text entry window (it's just to the right of the 'chain' for insert link, and looks like a little mountain and sun in a rectangle).
zstripe Jim, I will agree, there was a lot things unrelated to Him. But to be perfectly honest with You, I will be 72, this year and I never heard of Him. Been in HO since 51'. Oh Well! Good Luck in Your Hunt! Frank
Frank,I will soon be 72 and I never heard of him either. I do remember reading Mel Thornburg's articles on scratchbuilding steam locomotives in the 50s. Even though I was young I knew this man was a master at scratchbuilding.. IIRC he used a old fashion iron you heated up on a open fire.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I saw some flicker posts and others - see links below:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/57293605@N07/19624221473/in/photostream/
https://www.nmra.org/nmra-pioneers-model-railroading-year
A currently listed item on eBay, may be a George Stock model:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PRR-PENNSYLVANIA-0-6-0-STEAM-LOCOMOTIVE-HANDMADE-BRASS-METAL-VINTAGE-HO/373030916595?hash=item56da6011f3:g:qP8AAOSwiFBeokZV
http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/112804616/george-d-stock-helped-pioneer-ho-scale