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Tinplate Heritage Photos

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, December 7, 2020 9:56 AM

Northwoods Flyer

#4696 Wide Gauge Brass Piper Locomotive and Tender by American Flyer

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I got to handle one of those last year.  THIS one seemed to weigh as much as an M-1 Garand!  How did kids ever pick one of those things up?

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Posted by JonEddy on Monday, December 7, 2020 10:01 AM

Flintlock76

I got to handle one of those last year.  THIS one seemed to weigh as much as an M-1 Garand!  How did kids ever pick one of those things up?

 

Maybe that is one of the reasons you don't find too many in nice shape,  it's so dang heavy a kid would drop and break it or thier foot. Wink

   Jon

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Posted by pennytrains on Monday, December 7, 2020 7:05 PM

JonEddy
it's so dang heavy a kid would drop and break it or thier foot.

Break the locomotive?  Doubtful.  Break the foot?  Undoubtedly!  Big Smile

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

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Posted by JonEddy on Monday, December 7, 2020 9:29 PM

pennytrains

 

 
JonEddy
it's so dang heavy a kid would drop and break it or thier foot.

 

Break the locomotive?  Doubtful.  Break the foot?  Undoubtedly!  Big Smile

 

True, my dad used to ride around on the floor on his wide gauge engine when he was a few years old. They're tough engines!

    Jon

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 9:09 AM

Here are examples of the #129 - #132  passenger cars in orange by Ives.

As many collectors know it can be difficult to collect complete sets in pre war tinplate.  I have found this to be true when collecting Ives. In this case I have found the 4 cars with brass journals from different sources.

I like the Ives #1122 steam engine, which can be very difficult to find in good condition. So in order to make up a set to run I added a #25 Ives tender that was paired with the #1122 and substituted a #423 steam engine from American Flyer that has a few modifications.

Its great fun playing with trains.

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EDIT:

On closer examination I realize that the photos of the "set" are missing a car.  It should have the

No. 129 Saratoga

No. 130  Buffet

No. 131 Baggage - Express

 and the No. 132 Observation.

Northwoods Flyer

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 10:25 AM

I try to avoid adding 4 wheel cars to the collection.  I like the realism of 8 wheel cars. ( Smile, Wink & Grin What a joke, this is tinplate we are talking about.)  However every once in a while a 4 wheel car sneaks its way in.  Such is the case with this No. 803 hopper by Lionel.

Here it is with its cousin the No. 653  8 wheel hopper.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 10:34 AM

Northwoods Flyer
I try to avoid adding 4 wheel cars to the collection.  I like the realism of 8 wheel cars. ( What a joke, this is tinplate we are talking about.) 

Don't feel bad, I kind of do the same thing on my own layout, that is, not mixing up eras or different 'roads from said eras, then I have to remind myself "For crying out loud, they're TOY TRAINS!  Stop sweating historical authenticity!  Relax!"  

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Thursday, December 10, 2020 9:23 AM

I have come to the end of items in my collection from Marx. If I come across anything else or purchase something I will add it back into the rotation. So for now let me reprise the Union Pacific M10000 by Marx.

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Posted by pennytrains on Thursday, December 10, 2020 6:30 PM

Possibly the only thing in my collection that has the distinction of being at least slightly rare is my 520:

This is the Type IV car that had the green painted over the terra-cotta resulting in a crackle finish:

Looking through the wiring holes on the underside you can get a better idea of what shade of green it was way back when:

By the way, is this wiring correct?

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, December 10, 2020 6:34 PM

Look at it this way, if it works, it's correct!

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Posted by pennytrains on Thursday, December 10, 2020 6:37 PM

Flintlock76

Look at it this way, if it works, it's correct!

 

That's the problem.  What looks right only lights one lamp.  I can't get both to light at the same time.

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Friday, December 11, 2020 11:31 AM

O gauge #435 by American Flyer

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, December 11, 2020 4:02 PM

OK, if that's the case then something's wrong.

Looking at the picture of the underside of the car I see there's a circular "connector." Looks like wires come from the left and attach to screws at 11 o'clock and 7 o'clock.  I'd assume the wires from the right side should attach to the screws at 1 o'clock and 5 o'clock. The screw post at 5 has nothing attached to it.  Try that and see if that second light comes to life, assuming the bulb's good. 

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, December 12, 2020 9:00 AM

Here is a representation of Set No. 502  "The Managers Special" by Ives.

The only difference is that the actual set shown in the catalog has the lighted version of the cars.

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Posted by JonEddy on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 9:04 AM

Here is a little Lionel Jr Streamliner I recently picked up. It runs like a demon, just needs to be cleaned up a bit.

     Jon

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Monday, December 28, 2020 9:43 AM

I had some time over the Holiday and managed to rummage through some boxes. This is engine #224E and tender #2224W by Lionel.

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 9:16 AM

No. 554 Northern Pacific General Coal Co.  Hopper by Marx

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Friday, January 1, 2021 10:33 AM

Station Platform No. 91 by American Flyer

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Northwoods Flyer

Happy New Year 2021!

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Sunday, January 3, 2021 9:39 AM

I believe that these are Saratoga cars from circa 1914 - 1916 by Ives.

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Posted by pennytrains on Sunday, January 3, 2021 6:46 PM

Northwoods Flyer
Station Platform No. 91 by American Flyer

I've never seen that one before.  Simple construction yet extremely effective!  Big SmileThumbs Up

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 9:48 AM

2 - #2640 Pullman and #2641 Observation in green by Lionel to run behind my 224e.

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Thursday, January 7, 2021 9:29 AM

#28500 Lehigh Valley High Sided Gondola by Marx

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, January 9, 2021 12:44 PM

The 2004/4004 Crossing Set with Automatic Bell by American Flyer came in 2 variations. It was made up of a #214 Watchman Tower and a #2222 Crossing Gate.

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Friday, January 15, 2021 3:21 PM

#86000 Delaware, Lackawawanna and Western Hopper by Marx

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 2:34 PM

Here are some examples of the Lionel - Ives transition era equipment.

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Posted by pennytrains on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 6:32 PM

I've always liked those.  I guess it has something to do with the cab windows.

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Sunday, January 24, 2021 9:19 AM

Lionel - Ives

Here is the Ives version of this set.

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 11:15 AM

Lionel - Ives

Here are the same cars in Lionel Lines livrey.

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, January 30, 2021 10:51 AM

Lionel - Ives

Just for good measure here is the #1651E with Lionel-Ives Lines livery.

The set came to me with Ives R.R. Lines cars.

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Posted by pennytrains on Saturday, January 30, 2021 6:45 PM

Since I have a Lionel 1690, a 1691 and two Ives 1690's I've been searching for a L-I 1651E to complete the set.

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

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