Trains.com

Tinplate Heritage Photos

39172 views
334 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Friday, August 21, 2020 12:01 PM

Most of my collection is in storage as I get the basement ready for the new layout.  What I have to post for Lionel is a little thin until I can locate some of the boxes.  I do have one box available that contains the very first items I bought for my collection when I was 12 years old.

This is a 2817 caboose.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    November 2011
  • 2,071 posts
Posted by Postwar Paul on Friday, August 21, 2020 5:14 PM

I've got an 817. Body style the same, different graphics.

Paul

  • Member since
    November 2011
  • 2,071 posts
Posted by Postwar Paul on Friday, August 21, 2020 5:44 PM

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, August 22, 2020 9:32 AM

This is the only boxed set of Marx that I have.  Its pushing the tinplate definition again, but this portion of my collection is limited.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,571 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, August 22, 2020 9:43 AM

Gorgeous set and a great find!

And don't worry about definitions, if those passenger cars are sheet metal they're "Tinplate."  Consider it at the end of the era.   Whistling

  • Member since
    November 2011
  • 2,071 posts
Posted by Postwar Paul on Saturday, August 22, 2020 2:16 PM

Here's my 333. It's a smoker.

  • Member since
    November 2011
  • 2,071 posts
Posted by Postwar Paul on Saturday, August 22, 2020 2:18 PM

I need to get those beautiful passenger cars, like you've got.

  • Member since
    November 2011
  • 2,071 posts
Posted by Postwar Paul on Saturday, August 22, 2020 2:22 PM

Another weakness of mine are the Marx E7's. But that's another topic altogether, sorry.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Sunday, August 23, 2020 12:53 PM

Great Photos Paul.

Thanks for Posting.  Keep them coming. Big Smile

 

The Dorfan portion of my collection is relatively small. I have been trying to limit it to the O gauge line.  The lumber car that I posted above came with a home made lumber load.  I have been trying to create a lumber train.

I have limited the variations that I will collect to examples with black trucks with or without brass journal boxes. There are other variations.

Here are two more examples:

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Monday, August 24, 2020 10:43 AM

The Ambassador by American Flyer.  Some of my favorite passenger cars.

 

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 9:43 AM

The Greyhound by Ives.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    July 2020
  • 1,517 posts
Posted by pennytrains on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 7:10 PM

"Greyhound"...by MTH Whistling:

Sorry.  Couldn't resist!  Smile, Wink & Grin

I'll redeem myself with one of my favorite photos.  A repro Paya trolley between a Repro #68 and a repro #57:

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,571 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 9:38 PM

Absolutely charming!

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 10:09 AM

Delightful photo Penny.  I think that I have at least one of those trollys packed away somewhere. Thanks for posting.

Here is a #2813 by Lionel from the first train purchase I ever made.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Thursday, August 27, 2020 11:57 AM

I coming down to the end of the archived photos of the Marx items in my collection. These are the B&O diesels.  I have the caboose too, but apparently I didn't take any photos of it.

Enjoying the World's Greatest  Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • From: St Charles, Mo
  • 155 posts
Posted by JonEddy on Thursday, August 27, 2020 3:20 PM

Here are some recent acqusitions I made. A 1938 American Flyer Hudson green streamliner set and a lionel OO gauge set. I'm not sure if they're considered tinplate or not but they're all metal and prewar.

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • From: St Charles, Mo
  • 155 posts
Posted by JonEddy on Thursday, August 27, 2020 3:26 PM

Northwoods Flyer

I coming down to the end of the archived photos of the Marx items in my collection. These are the B&O diesels.  I have the caboose too, but apparently I didn't take any photos of it.

Enjoying the World's Greatest  Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

 

Northwoods, is this the caboose for that Marx set? My brother likes Marx too.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Thursday, August 27, 2020 4:27 PM

Nice finds JonEddy.  Those streamline cars look excellent.  Thanks for posting.

Yes that is the caboose for the B&O diesels.  Mine is the 8 wheel version.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • From: St Charles, Mo
  • 155 posts
Posted by JonEddy on Thursday, August 27, 2020 4:52 PM

Thanks, I have a set of the chrome cars too. Now I just need the blue and red versions. Big Smile

Northwoods Flyer

Nice finds JonEddy.  Those streamline cars look excellent.  Thanks for posting.

Yes that is the caboose for the B&O diesels.  Mine is the 8 wheel version.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

 

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • From: St Charles, Mo
  • 155 posts
Posted by JonEddy on Thursday, August 27, 2020 5:22 PM

Northwoods,

   What radius track do you run your streamliner hudson set on?

      Jon

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Thursday, August 27, 2020 8:17 PM

JonEddy

Thanks, I have a set of the chrome cars too. Now I just need the blue and red versions. Big Smile

 

Actually I think you will also need the orange cars from the Hiawatha set, and the yellow cars from the Union Pacific set. Wink

 

I believe that the Hudsons were designed to run on the 4 rail whistle track (40" radius?).  I always ran my Hudsons and their streamlined cars on O-48 Fastrack and they operated well.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • From: St Charles, Mo
  • 155 posts
Posted by JonEddy on Thursday, August 27, 2020 9:19 PM

I figured it wasn't a good idea to run them on O36 curves. I like the Hiawatha and the Union Pacific sets but I can never find all of the cars at once or in nice shape.

JonEddy

Northwoods Flyer

Thanks, I have a set of the chrome cars too. Now I just need the blue and red versions. Big Smile

 

 

Actually I think you will also need the orange cars from the Hiawatha set, and the yellow cars from the Union Pacific set. Wink

 

I believe that the Hudsons were designed to run on the 4 rail whistle track (40" radius?).  I always ran my Hudsons and their streamlined cars on O-48 Fastrack and they operated well.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

 

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • From: St Charles, Mo
  • 155 posts
Posted by JonEddy on Thursday, August 27, 2020 9:29 PM

Marx tin plate tunnel I got at the same time as the Hudson Flyer set.

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • From: St Charles, Mo
  • 155 posts
Posted by JonEddy on Thursday, August 27, 2020 9:35 PM

Funny you mentioned the Hiawatha, I found these sheets for streamline 12" car assembly and the Hiawatha\Burlington Zephyr in a box full of manuals I got yesterday too.

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • From: St Charles, Mo
  • 155 posts
Posted by JonEddy on Friday, August 28, 2020 7:34 AM

Here is a nice tin plate bridge I came across. Marx is the manufacturer, not sure of the time period though.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Friday, August 28, 2020 10:15 AM

Great posts JonEddy.  I particularly like assembly sheets for the streamliners.  I have not seen those before.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Friday, August 28, 2020 10:23 AM

Here are two variations of the Dorfan 607 caboose:

Black trucks without journal boxes,

and black trucks with brass journals.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • From: St Charles, Mo
  • 155 posts
Posted by JonEddy on Friday, August 28, 2020 6:29 PM

I love the Eagle litho cars. This is the engine that came with mine but it isn't the correct one.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,959 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Saturday, August 29, 2020 10:33 AM

The Boadway Limited by American Flyer

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Fyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,571 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, August 29, 2020 3:56 PM

You gents have some great stuff, that's for sure!

Good thing I'm not into tinplate or pre-war or I'd be drooling all over the keyboard.  Yuck!  

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month