Bing #3238 Engine

[j.mel]

I have a Bing #3238 Engine and one passenger car and one pullman car, can anyone tell me the date of manufacture of this train set?

Thanks

John

[mersenne6]

 You will have to provide more detail before anyone can say much of anything.  As described your train could have been manufactured anywhere between 1914 and sometime in the mid to late 20's.

Details Needed:  Engine color and other markings (i.e. road name)

Logo markings for Bing - is it a stylized triangle or is it the letters BW put togther in an interlocking format?

Car details: 4 wheel, 8 wheel, markings - car numbers railroad name, color, lithoed to represent wood side or metal side, coupler type.

  If possible a picture would be of great help.

[j.mel]

 

Hello,

 Thanks for the comeback.

 The engine is a greenish/gray color, with red trim around the doors, winodws, and roof, cast iron and very heavy, the frame and the pilots are black. The engine has "New York Central Lines  and 3238 NYC and HR. written on the sides. On the front right hand side it has overlapping V's and Germany under the V's. It has one head light and on the middle of the collector/pickup it as ingraved WW orVV Germny D.R.P. a PATENT APPLIED FOR

 The cars are lettered "New York Central Lines on top/sides above windows, Rockford (Pullman Car), and Belvidere,(Observation Car). They are four wheel cars. On the bottoms of the cars they have the WW symbols with Geramany underneath the symbol. It has no reverse but has a hole in the engine body casting for what I believe could me a reverse rod, but I don't believe this model had reverse originally.

 The cas are green lithiographed with gold trim, black frames, and dark brown roofs.

 The set looks to be all original and runs like a bear but the headlight seems to be dim,(possibly a bad ground?).

Hope this helps, I will try to get pictures posted.

Thanks Again

John

[mersenne6]

  The small cast iron 3238 NYC was made from 1912 to 1926.  The stylized BW  logo for Bing Werke (which does sort of look like WW) came into use after World War I.  The earliest photocopy of a catalog I have with this logo dates from the early '20s.  So my best estimate is that your set was probably made between 1920 and 1926. 

   The litho treatement of the cars varied over time.  The set below has earlier style Bing identification markings.  The steel side litho would suggest it dates from just after World War I.

[j.mel]

mersenne6,

 I have pictures of my Bing Train Set that I would like to post but I am not sure how to post them on the Trains.Com Forum. Can you help me out.

Thanks

John

[mersenne6]

  I'll steal the answer that Northwoods Flyer gave to me lo' those many years ago over on his Pre-War American Flyer thread when I asked the same question:

"It is a relatively simple process, and if I can do it, you will be able to as well. 

The first step is to establish an account with an online photo hosting site.  There were several that were suggested to me but I tried Shutterfly and I have stuck with it.  http://www.shutterfly.com/

I take the digital pictures of my items, store them on my computer and then upload them and store them at my shutterfly account.  You can set up a number of "albums" and organize your pictures any way you like on the site.

When I want to add them to my post on the thread I keep the message box open and open a second window with shutterfly.  I  have the picture I want in the viewing window on shutterfly (this will make sense once you see how the site is set up).  I copy the picture from shutterfly and paste it into the message as I am writing it, (or after I have written it)."

 

[j.mel]

How did I do?

John

[Northwoods Flyer]

Nice job John; both on posting your photos and aquiring the set.  It looks to be in excellent condition.  Does it run?  Please share with us the circumstances under which you got it.

 

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

[AF53]

John - That is one beautiful set! I've often thought about getting some Bing and Ives cars or even a set or two. Thanks for sharing. Keep them coming!

Ray

[j.mel]

NorthWoods Flyer,

 Thanks for the compliments. I got the set from a train auction and I must say it runs like a "Raped Ape", it absolutely flys.

 I have just had new brushes installed and the engine all checked out. The only slight problem I have is that the head light bulb is dim, I think it might be a bad ground.

Thanks again,

John

[j.mel]

Hi Ray,

 Thanks for the compliments. Its hard to believe that something as old as this train set can stll be around and run like the day it was first  put into service. That is what appeals to me about prewar trains.

 I wonder how many Christmas's it put a smiling face on a little boys face.

Thanks

John

[strainst]

mersenne6

The small cast iron 3238 NYC was made from 1912 to 1926. The stylized BW logo for Bing Werke (which does sort of look like WW) came into use after World War I. The earliest photocopy of a catalog I have with this logo dates from the early '20s. So my best estimate is that your set was probably made between 1920 and 1926.

mersenne6

The small cast iron 3238 NYC was made from 1912 to 1926. The stylized BW logo for Bing Werke (which does sort of look like WW) came into use after World War I. The earliest photocopy of a catalog I have with this logo dates from the early '20s. So my best estimate is that your set was probably made between 1920 and 1926.

 

mersenne6

I just picked up a Bing 3238 loco.  On the end of the one I have, it is stamped "MADE IN GERMANY" which make me think these loco were made into the late 20's and maybe into the early 30's.  I always thought that the "made in xxx" was required around 1929.  This loco has a reverse unit which is controlled by the handle sticking out the rear of the loco.

Side View

End View with "MADE IN GERMANY"

A little hard to see the red lettering on the olive background.  the condition is a little rough and you may have note, the previous owner used it to pull Ives 4 wheel freight cars so he replaced the Bing coupler with an Ives coupler.

 

strainst

[Nationwidelines]

strainst

I just picked up a Bing 3238 loco.  On the end of the one I have, it is stamped "MADE IN GERMANY" which make me think these loco were made into the late 20's and maybe into the early 30's.  I always thought that the "made in xxx" was required around 1929. 

strainst

 

strains,

You are a bit off in when the Made In... was required.

I looked it up, because I was pretty sure it was required prior to 1929.  I found this:

"In 1890 Congress passed protectionist tariff legislation - the McKinley Tariff. This legislation, in addition to imposing heavy tarriffs on imports and provoking a major depression in the United States, also required that imported items be labeled with their country of origin. If you see a mark that simply says a country name it was made after 1890 for export to the United States. Once the requirement for foreign origins was imposed, many American manufacturers also began marking their items with some indication of source to take advantage of "Buy American" sentiment.

In 1914, the law was revised and the phrase "Made in..." was required. This is NOT a reliable indicator of age, however. There are numerous recent items that say only a country name without "made in..." Don't rely on that rule in dating items. "

As for Bing, they were in financial trouble in the late 1920s and were liquidated in 1932.

NWL