I did a search or the MR 75 Year collection. Mr. Anderson started his model railroad business in the late 1950's. His first add was in the Oct 1957 issue Classifieds. His last ad was in the Classified Marketplace of the March 1980 issue.
A note by Gordon Odegard in the Feb 1982 Bull Session column, says that he was injured in a construction accident. and been disabled. He died before the note was published. His obituary appears in the May 1982 Off the Train Wire column. He died Dec 29 1981.
There is a Review of his "X2 Magnetic Uncoupler" in the Nov 1958 issue. The X2F coupler, often erroneously called the "NMRA coupler" required a minor modification to work with the uncoupler. It was the most commonly supplied coupler on the HO cars of that period.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
dknelsonI don't recall when Arvid Anderson stopped advertising and disappeared from the Walthers catalog.
Dave (and the OP),
The Anderson turnout links are listed in my oldest Walthers catalog, 1971, under Earl R. Eshleman. It was basically a shaft with adjustable lever arms on either end. The top one hooked through the bridle connecting the points. The bottom one was driven by whatever -- choke cable, switch machine. When it was thrown, the top lever moved with it.
I believe that Eshleman must have purchased the company from Anderson or his estate. I remember the ads in old MR and RMC mags, which might be the place to research some of the other items, too. There was nothing under either name in the 1972 Walthers catalog, so presume that was pretty much near the end for them.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Arvid Anderson was one of many small manufacturers -- basement operators they used to be called -- from the 1950s - 60s, with a small but respected product line, mostly HO but there may have been some O as well. I recall some structure kits of wood as well as a turnout crank -- for mounting the switch machine or motor under the layout and connected to the tiebar with this crank. It was one of the early attempts to get the hulking switch machines off the surface of the layout where they detracted from scale appearance. I do not recall his coupler but given the timing I imagine that Kadee pretty much swept the field about that same time (and some of us recall pre magnetic Kadees).
I don't recall when Arvid Anderson stopped advertising and disappeared from the Walthers catalog.
Dave Nelson
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Mantua fishplates are obviously from the days when people hand laid their rail -- maybe even before Atlas came up with flex track with the fiber crossties and rail stapled to it; but I had never heard that Mantua made fishplates.
The Anderson Magnetic Uncouplers are most likely a pre-Kadee product and made to work only with their version of coupler, whatever that may have been. Most likely some type of hook and loop coupler.
I first entered model railroading in the 1950's and have never heard of either product.
NJ International is still in business and still making signals and related products, so you need to learn how to use your computer to search for things.
http://www.njinternational.com
And I didn't need Google or anything else to find the above link -- I just typed in the address.
ACY The above post says "fish plate" is a synonym for "tie plate". I think that may be erroneous. Tom
The above post says "fish plate" is a synonym for "tie plate". I think that may be erroneous.
Tom
You are correct...they are not the same. Tie plates are shown here: http://www.ez2rail.com/track-components/tie-plates
If itm looks like a rail joiner, then it is a rail joiner even though they call it a fish plate. Here is a link to a picture of a real fish plate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishplate.
Concerning the NJ International item 8306, you can call/e-mail NJ and ask them if they recognize what you have by that part number. Here is link to their contact information: http://www.njinternational.com/order.htm .
Same thing with your item 7, extra contacts. I will hazard a guess that those extra contacts are for the solenoid switch machines that NJ used to sell.
It looks like you got an answer to the track cleaner car at the other forum where you posted the same questions.
And here is a link to a copy of the patent given to Arvid Anderson in 1958 for a "Electro-magnetic means for effecting de-coupling of a pair of adjacent coupled toy train cars", http://www.google.com/patents/US2933201. Unfortunately the sketch in the patent application did not reproduce very well. Actually, when I Googled this subject I came up with another magnetic uncoupler circa 1960, http://www.google.com/patents/US3069023. When you look through that, you'll see citations for other related items, including Accurail's version of a coupler.
Fish'plate, n. [prob. from Fr. fiche, means of fixing, confused with fish] either of a pair of iron or steel plates bolting two rails together lengthwise, as on a railroad.
(Webster's New twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Second Edition, published 1961 when jointed rail was the norm.)
Fish plates on 1:1 railroads are metal plates with holes in them that are place on the wood tie and then the rail on top of that. The holes are for the spikes. I have a few of these that I have used as an anvil for better words. These are molded into the plastic tie strips on HO track, both flex and sectional.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
In this country, most 1:1 railroaders won't know what a fishplate is. In England, it's the term for the steel plates that attach one rail to the next (i.e., "rail joiners"). For some goofy reason, U.S. modelers picked up the term and have used it for several years even though it's an unknown term on the prototype. In this country, those plates are called angle bars. Not sure about Canadian parlance. I don't recall ever hearing that Mantua ever sold rail joiners under their own name. You learn something new every day. Live long enough & you'll know everything!
Hey all, I decided the best place to come and ask questions is here. seeing it is the place to ask questions, so here goes..
I iver the years have accumulated a ton of stuff for HO modeling. and stuff passed down from gerat grandfather, to grandfather, to dad, then to me. been model railroading since I was a yonker of 12. and Im 50+ now, and rebuilding seeing i moved into another home I purchased. so sorting out stuff, I came across some weird things. I have some parts I can not for the life of me identify. maybe you all can help here
1) I have about 30 bags of something called "Fishplates" they are in the manilla bags, 100 count, to me they look like rail jointers, but over the years, I never heard of something called fish plates before. any one know of them??
2) I also have aprox 40 packs (unknown count) that look like O gauge rail jointers. if they are (i dont have a picture of them yet, but when i get batteries I will post them.) looks like about 12 to a pack. in HO the rail joiners have folded copper to the bottom of the rails. these things do not have such a fold on either side. though there are 2 tabs on each end to I guess make them so?? anyone??
3) I have about a dozen or so ""Anderson Magnetic Uncoupler"" it also says This package contains..
Assembled Uncoupler20 Conversion PinsTies for CamouflagInstruction SheetPrice 85 cents. Made by Arvid L. Anderson, Box 392 Frederic, Wis
Does anyone know of this Magnetic Uncoupler?? should, or could I used them on my layout? are they worth using (I am using DCC) anyone please??
4) I also have a wooden Kit, that is a Track Cleaning Car Assembly, made by N&T Models... has anyone heard of them? though the kit seems to be complete, again, its a whole kit, One would need wood glue to put it all together. If I did, would this work as a track cleaning car???? has anyone ever owned one? ir should I just build it and into a glass case?????? lol
5) I have about 200 packs of (6 per pack) ""Scale Signals & Accessories) from NJ int. to me they look like the recieving end of a infared reciever part. it has a (I am assuming) part number of 8306. nothing else on the packageing, no instructions, nothing. any ideas? and or instructions on how to use them????
6) I have several bags, of 250 pieces per bag. the only thing I can say about this is that it has a black top, with 3 copper (LED) style posts (for lack of a better word) there are numbers on the bags (all the same)
7588 635258 and next to that number sideways it has this number or code it is either FEB6, or IEB6. no idea in the world what these things are. I suck at google for searching... anyone??
7) and the last one. it also is a NJ inc, the little white box on the tab on right, says ""Extra Contacts"" had to describe this, except to say it look slike something you would find inside of a relay. (if thats a help)
Thanks in advance, Again, I am trying to rebuild my HO Layout, and in my many many many parts cases, besides 4 box's of Rivarossi Steam parts. I came across these things I am lost at. again I SO Suck with google searching. I honestly could not find Black Beauty in a field of White Mice if my life depended on it. so any help here would Help me So much. and maybe the layout as well.
Thanks in advance, Ray
"Sometimes the Most real things in life, are the things we can not see."