Anyone here into vintage HO? 1940s thru the 60s?

[toptrain]

Here is another one of my old kitbashes a B&O Hayes 10 wheeler.

frank

[toptrain]

Here is my other old mantua pacific as CNJ 822. I used a all metal tender made for the latter all metal Mantua 4-6-2 and 2-8-2 types.

[toptrain]

Mantua in the 1940's and 50's made a line of HO scale locomotived made of cast metal and brass. They made 3 or 4 little 0-4-0t and 0-6-0t tankers. next largest would have been their small switchers of which the one I liked was the 0-4-0C camelback. A 4-4-0 named Bell of the Eighties, a 2-6-0 called the Mogul, a 4-4-2 Reading Atlantic P7 class. next would be a 2-8-0 Reading I class. The next a 4-6-2 Pacific said to be a Reading prototype again but I will say it was CRR of NJ, Baldwin Pacific. This is the model I chose to show today. 

The Baldwin built 4-6-2 pacific.

[Erie1951]

toptrain

Russ

Well you namesake the Erie had a bunch of them. 

frank

 

As did the DL&W and, IIRC, the NYO&W and CNJ, too.

[toptrain]

Russ

 speaking of camelbacks, Well your namesake the Erie had a bunch of them. 

frank

[Midwest Northern R.R]

I've always thought that vintage trains were easier to operate, and maintain. Some of my personal favorites in my roster are,

• Bachmann UP SD-45
• Lima Models Pennsylvania 0-4-0
• Athearn ATSF GP-35 #1347
• Athearn GN S-12 #25
• Lionel Lines Scout 2-4-0 #1130 (Another Forum on this loco-Classic Model Trains)

These locos I would suppose are some of the easiest to maintain, which makes me into vintage model trains. No pics available, due to a technical difficulty (it's not not knowing how)

 

"Your never too tall to play with trains"

                                                        -Liam

[Erie1951]

You know, Frank, there's something about Camelback locos that's always appealed to me. 

[toptrain]

Years ago in the Early 1980's I kitbashed a HOTCO, new one, 0-4-0 camelback into a 0-6-0C using a mantua drive. The tender is a kitbasher Mantua switcher tender which is shortned and a height extension added to coal bin.

[toptrain]

 

Above is the Califorina Zephyr as shown in the 1955 HObbyline catalog. Ths second of the 4 passenger car set. For me a hard one to get. I am thinking that when things get a little less busy I.ll repaint and letter Penn line or varney cars to make the set till if luckey I can find it. Micro-Scale still makes a decal set I can use.

 

 

 

[toptrain]

At the top a recient photo of the ERIE's Lake Cities Express. Below that is the Pennsylvania RR Trail Blazer also by HObbyline. This photo was taken on my old layout which I had to take down.

[toptrain]

I am sorry that I didn't get the photos done till now I had to much fun running these old trains.

Here are the first two large passenger set made by HObbyline.

Today I am running two old HObbyline passenger sets.#451 The Erie, Lake Cities Express and # 456 the PRR Trail Blazer. 

 

[Eilif]

50's and 60's is not my era.  I settled into 80's-00's and actually got rid of a fair amount of stuff from from that era.  However I've got some items from that era  that I like and will be holding on to.  A couple old Metal boxcars, some flats, etc. that will find use into the early 80's on my little short line.  

I'm also halfway through building a Silver Streak EJ&E wood sided boxcar kit that I'm putting together just for the experience (never built a wood kit before) and because I like EJ&E.

This week, on a whim, I picked up a Revel 1958-59 HO Trains catalog at a resale shop.  It was a hoot to read through their late 50's HO offerings in full color and it actually contained one car that I have.

[toptrain]

Dan I am familiar with the 44 ton center-cab diesels you are using. I have two but only one is powered. I haven’t painted them yet for any railroad. It would be nice to see yours in a photo. frank

[toptrain]

   Once I had gotten the Erie set in green and gray paint ( I posted photos 7-7-2019, 10:04 AM) I thought that in this clearstory roof or Heavyweight style car there were only 4 different paint schemes on these cars, PRR Tuscan red, UP yellow, LV red, and Eire green and gray. Well there is another Erie Green Gray and black a second Erie paint scheme making it not 4 but 5 different Heavyweight passenger sets.

Edit 10-27-19 I have recently found out that there is another HObbyline train set using the aforementioned cars in another color paint scheme. It is the B&O Royal Blue set #462 which now makes 6 different heavyweight paint schemes. I am not certain about this set as to color but one person who told me about it calls it a Dark blue set. Another said it was blue and gray. Whenever I can get a photo of it, it will be posted here. It also is an un-cataloged set seeming to be a 1955 release. Until some info is found on this set being listed in an advertisement in a Model Railroad magazine or original HObbyline sales flyers or a lost catalog no date can be positively correct. 

[toptrain]

Here's the set; #446 "The Ridgerunner" 1955. The box this set comes in is not the newer style one which was used for some 1955 sets. This style box is the same as sets issued starting in 1953. 

[toptrain]

At the Hamburg trainshow last Sunday I found and aquired a Hobbyline train set. It is named "The Ridgerunner". It is set number 446. A PRR freight pulled by a Brunswick Green Alco FA1. Also 10 other HObbyline freight cars. Eight in their boxes.

[toptrain]

 

 Here something to share about Vintage HO, it is a place to find some. Ralph Maurer, Alis the train guy is having his summer train show at Hamburg PA this Sunday 7-28-19. For me it’s a 2 hour trip but that has never been disappointing. I always find something neat. This show has lots of vintage HO offered as much or more than any other gauge. My hopes are up as usual for certain trains, Who knows what I’ll find.

 

link to train show list

http://trc.trains.com/events.aspx?page=list&type=1&cat=6

[toptrain]

 Actualy I dont know what vintage is. I know it as old stuff. The time period may be different to everyone. Maybe it is just a polite and proper way of refering to old sfuff. Being 73 does that make me a Vintage person? 

[rrinker]

 That's another one I have, a Varney NW2, in B&O. Was at my grandfather's. He had a train layout set up, just 3 nested ovals on a 4x8, no turnouts. One loop ran a Varney set with the NW2, another had the ATT Stephenson's Rocket set, and the smallest had a Tyco trolley. I might still have the power pack the ran the two outer ovals, a twin throttle unit, where he had penciled in what the maximum speed we were supposed to run at.

                          --Randy

[hardcoalcase]

7j43k

 

hardcoalcase

...and a Varney SW-something diesel.

Jim 

The Varney was (and is) a phase III NW2.  The SP&S's NW2's were phase III.  It is the only phase III available.

Ed 

A belated response... and so it is a NW2 phase 3!  As a steam guy, all diesels look the same to me .

In doing some follow up, I found that there was a brass model from Oriental Limited.  Didn't see a price, but I had a hunch that upgrading the Varney version would be a very attractive alternative.  I hope your project went well!

Jim 

[toptrain]

 

Two large and powerfull steam locomotives I like to run are a pair of PRR J-1 types. Both are old brass locos. The first being the newer of the two being a KTM made model of 1966 that was a AHM release. The other one I think is a early 60-62 HOTCO, HO Trains Company release. I Have some nice photos and have posted then in a edit on 8-15-19. Both have excelent detail the KTM differs in having outside sanders as though it has been modeled from a loco that has been in service for awhile and has had it sander pipes replaced.

[toptrain]

About the HObbyline caboose and a little history.

 

  This is about the HObbyline standard caboose for 1954 and 1955. It is a center cupola type with 2 side windows and open platforms with handrails on each end. It is thought by some to be a promotional car for the road name on it was HObbyline.This kind of large but older fashion caboose was their main stay when it came to cabooses. It was used on all there HObbyline set from 1953 to 1955 this caboose was on the tail end of every freight set they made. After 1955 they had a Pennys and UP version. Their caboose kit kept getting its decal sheet updated going from PRR and UP with the addition on WP, SP, and I think a couple of others.  As a promotion car it seemed it didn't work to well for by the end of 1957 the company was gone. That is almost 63 years ago.

  What a legacy this company left. The most obvious being Lionel's first HO made in USA most of which came from the English dies, their freight cars, their steam locomotives, and their FA1 diesel all of  HObbyline tradition. Gordon Varney wound up with both the Streamline and Heavy weight (clerestory roof) passenger cars. Somewhere along the line other car types were added, observation, Pullman, Dinner, and full baggage to each Heavy weight and streamlined style. Then Life Like used them right into their proto 2000 era and I guess Walters have them now. Penn Line also used these passenger cars. Little known was Mr. J. A. English had completed a PRR consolidation and was ready to release it. This complete tooling along with the English-HObbyline PRR A5 went to Bowser and became the basis for his line of metal PRR steam locos and the recent made PRR A5. Whatever happened to the English die cast FA-1, FB-1 tooling? Well it seems it went to Lindsay who sold their own kits of them, and bodies and frames to Hobby town of Boston who further prolonged the life of this model. It is easy to say that most HO train modelers have in their rosters of HO trains a few of these model trains either made directly by HObbyline English or the following companies who had acquired HObbyline, English tooling.

  Do you wonder where Walters FM H10-44 came from? Place a HObbyline one alongside the Walters and think about it.

frank

[toptrain]

  Mike great post. Only difference with me is I started and stayed with HO. I always thought that HO in the 50-s and 60-s gave you a lot of choices in trains and builders. I’m not comparing it to today just I liked what I had. It was more than enough. You never stop looking for stuff. I still for years haven’t found a Mantua Deep Rock single dome tank car from their old paper sided, all metal Line. Or a HObbyline Lowery styled FM H12-44 in either of the 3 road names I don’t have, UP ATSF or C&O. Also Hobbyline made B&O Alco FA-1 locos, These were uncataloged locomotives made in 1955 for a Baltimore Hobby shop, Lloyd's. These Alco FA-1s in B&O were special uncataloged items. They did PRR in both Brunswick Green for their freight sets, and Tuscan red for their passenger sets. Other FA-1's were Erie, Western Pacific, Union Pacific. The B&O FA-1's were used only in a the 2 Lloyde's sets. Lloyd's set #1 was a passenger set and #2 was a Freight set. The passenger set has been sold on EBay a few times while no photos are found of the B&O Freight set. To date 8-11-22 no photo has been posted anywhere of the freight set. Lloyd's info states set 2 has a twin set of B&O FA-1's, 6 freight cars, and a caboose. This info makes set #2 the largest ready to run set HObbyline has ever produced. I have made a set that uses all HObbyline locos and cars to show what the set may have looked like. I can not get the photo to post here.

 

 Take care Mike

 Frank

[emdmike]

Most of my HO and even my G scale are "vintage" or "old", whichever term you prefer.  But, I know my older brass will be running long after that new fangled train with unknown quality metal castings and lots of throw away electronics as long bit the dust.  Same for the older Blue Box era Athearns, while I moved up to brass from them, they served the purpose thru the years I was unable to afford a brass or higher quality locomotive.  The estate tables at shows are my sweet spots to be, along with any dealer with brass.  Only thing I buy brand new is track.  In G scale, my live steamer is an Aster 4-4-0 from the mid 1970s, and Kalamazoo trains from the early 80's.  I have some brass that dates back into the mid 1950's.  So count me in as a lover of older HO trains.   Mike the Aspie

[toptrain]

 More Vintage HO scale. This time from a 1953 to 1957 a set from a plastic HO line that grew from an older post war metal line. The set is the "Lake Cities Express". An Erie passenger train modeled by HObbyline. I wish I had the box but just having the set is very nice. Some info I put together on this set.

                   “Lake City Express”

                 Of the ERIE Railroad

                   HObbyline set #451

 

Historic Note: One of our model train magazine’s the Railroad Model Craftsman in the past published Builders Plates, which are Photos and information on scale and toy train locomotives made back then in a post card like format. Occasionally doing Classic locomotives from 10 to 20 years back before the publishing date of the magazine and labeled them Classic. In the August addition of 1963 on page 30 and 31 builder plates 84 to 89 were published. For this magazine this was not typical but special for usually three were done on one page now here is 6 on 2 pages. Plate 86, page 30 was a HObbyline Alco FA-1 and the model photo chosen was this Eire FA-1. In the descriptive text an important bit of information was a part of it. From information the magazine had on this particular locomotive they knew it to be scarce (rare). This set is listed on the HOseeker site’s online 1955 catalog on page 5. There is a drawing of the set and a list of what the set contained.

  Important information from the builder’s plate is that these plastic models were first made in 1953 and ceased in 1957, also that the Erie FA-1 and passenger cars were scarce back then in 1963, I would say that now even more scarce. The models were issued as ready to run with a Polyethylene plastic body and nylon power trucks, a Pittman DC-62A 12 volt DC motor powered the eight wheel drive that connected the two trucks by a flexible shaft. HObbyline plastic split knuckle couplers were used. Post War John A. English “B” units that were made of Zamac metal castings were not converted to plastic. 1954 list price for a powered “A” unit was $12.95, the dummy “A” unit was $5.95. The Lake City Express set was listed at $41.50. These plastic locos, cars, and sets were sold under the HObbyline trademark.

 

 

[toptrain]

dknelson

I am, but more by coincidence than choice.  When I started in HO, if I bought something used it was 1950s or older, so I do have rolling stock of that era. 

I had a Varney F3 and it pulled like a son of a gun, but the sideframes and other parts had zinc-rot and deteriorated into nothing.  I was sad because that engine was a favorite, even though the sideframes were shorter wheelbase than prototype.

So did the zinc side frames and front door/headlight castings of the Penn Line shortened GG1 (what you have is Penn Line's tooling which Varney came out with again in the 1960s) that I always intended to get to but never did.  They just crumbled to nothing.  I think I finally threw the body shell casting and some other parts away, or maybe sold 'em off cheap at a swap meet., because the PEMCO GG1 was full scale length.

If you like older HO, I hope you know the HO Seeker website.  It has all sorts of photos, catalogs, and information about HO from the early days. 

http://www.hoseeker.net/

Dave Nelson

 

 

Thank you Dave! I am very familiar with the HO Seeker site and seeing what was is well known to me. just can't find the stuff.

frank 

[toptrain]

I like Vintage HO

I just finished up a pair fo diecast Varney F7s and a Varney GG1.  

 

I like Vintage HO

I just finished up a pair fo diecast Varney F7s and a Varney GG1.  

 

 

It would be great to see them.

frank

[rrinker]

riogrande5761

 

 

Anyone here into vintage HO? 1940s thru the 60s?

 

 

It won't be long until vintage will be 1960's through the 80's!

 

 It's already up to the 90's if you believe eBay sellers. 

                             --Randy

 

[riogrande5761]

 

Anyone here into vintage HO? 1940s thru the 60s?

 

It won't be long until vintage will be 1960's through the 80's!

[toptrain]

Speaking of Rivarossi trains. The most interesting ones I have are the UPRR Big Boy and the Clinchfield Challenger. I hope you like the 2 photos.