Leipzig Station Youttube

Check out this Youtube from MTH on the Leipzig Station!





By the way, I guess you can tell I have curtailed most of my toy train procurement.  It has gotten too expensive and money is tight.  However items like the above may be a rare exception to my rules.  I am only preordering/procuring now through one dealer that has consistently performed well for me: Nassau Hobby in Long Island.   I can't speak for the whole world, just for me.  They've been awesome and any preorders I have will be going through them exclusively!!

Marc

My new favorite Ice Cream Place!

Fun little caboose near Niagara Falls re purposed for ice cream!

Marc

The Boucher/Bassett-Lowke Connection

Boucher was not strictly a toy company. They produced models: industrial models for exhibition; yacht models for racing; live steam boilers, engines and fittings for model steamships; and the old Voltamp line of trains which at the time were the most realistic toy trains in the country. That is why Boucher's slogan was "Toys that are more than just Toys". One imagines that H.E.Boucher would have preferred to skip the "Toy" part of the slogan altogether. So when in 1923 Boucher announced a 1 gauge live steam locomotive, it should not have come as any surprise. A picture of the catalog illustration is in the following Tinplate Times article, and a catalog picture with detailed description of the locomotive can be found in Graham Claytor's TCA Quarterly article on operating live steam locomotives in the winter edition, 1981, Vol 27, no 1.
http://www.tinplatetimes.com/Tinplate%20History/HertzBoucher/hb.htm >

This locomotive was brought out around the same time as Boucher bought out Voltamp, and Boucher offered ex-Voltamp passenger and freight cars to go with it, with trucks altered for 1 gauge. As it turns out, this locomotive was in fact made by Bassett-Lowke. Whether Boucher commissioned B-L, or B-L made it for themselves and Boucher took the opportunity to market them in the US is unclear. What is clear is that at $275 in 1923 money, not many were sold. B-L also listed this model in their catalog, but with a few variations. The article by Claytor shows both the Boucher and B-L locomotives. The B-L has a different cab window design, steam cylinders and a longer tender than the Boucher version. However, in the 1927 B-L catalog, the locomotive is shown with the same cab windows and cylinders as the Boucher version:

Naturally, I wanted one. The problem of course is scarcity. I have only ever seen 3 Boucher versions, and 2 of them may have been the same one under difference circumstances. I have never seen the Bassett-Lowke version in person, and only know of Claytor's (where is it now?). So imagine my excitement when i stumbled into one:

This is most likely a Bassett-Lowke given the larger tender. I would have preferred a Boucher, but this will have to do (its missing the trailing truck, a bogus Marklin repro is standing in for now). A real Boucher looks like this (pic from Liveauctioneers, Bertoia Auctioneers, used without permission but dear God, i sent them enough money in the past year so they should be cool about it)

As with most things that i own, this one is a bit strange with some unexplainable differences to other known examples. First and formost, it is coal fired, not spirit fired. The tender carries only water with a connection to an annoyingly intrusive water injection line into the boiler on the left hand side. The lubricator has been moved from inside the smokebox to a tank on the pilot deck. Bassett-Lowke describes it as having two trial cocks (to check for low and high water in the boiler), but these have been replaced by a proper sight glass. Some of these modifications are extremely professional and suggest B-L did it, and some are a bit sloppy suggesting aftermarket by a hobbyist.

sadly, as seems more often the case than not lately, the person who shipped it to me was very careless with the packing (folded newspaper for cushioning!), and its own weight managed to nearly destroy the cab in transit. One third of the paint was lost on the roof and the front was mangled. I had a friend straighten it, i repainted the front and chemically darkened the roof to blend in, but there is no escaping the fact that i had bought an excellent example and ended up with one that was...not. So let this be a cautionary tale: get into the habit of telling anyone you deal with how to pack your trains: i.e peanuts, and plenty of them.

Toy Trains at Disneyland....

I was hanging out in Anaheim, CA last week and I spent a few minutes (or hours/days) at Disneyland.  Disney California Adventure has some really cool train stuff, check out the windows in the stores with both prewar O Gauge and Standard Gauge.  They also have a mock up "Red Car" in Disney Adventure as well that's really nice. 

If you are a train nut, this is fun time.  Get a park hopper as Toontown also has a "Jolly Trolley" that really is very similar to the Fontaine Fox Toonerville Trolley.  It's kind of nice to see an actual real prototype of the Toonerville (yes, I know there are others).  Check out the pics....  I know, not a huge secret that Walt Disney, Ward Kimball, and the Disney team were/are train buffs.  It's just nice to see it reflected in a present day theme park.  Also, if you get a chance, check out the Radiator Springs at Disney California Adventure.  If you like toy trains and cars, you won't be disappointed.

Marc

PCC in Sa Francisco

Absolute ton of gorgeous PCCs running in San Francisco today.  Would love one in the right gauge!! (Standard of course!)

MTH Leipziger Train Station

Just when I thought I'd seen it all, MTH pulls out all of the stops!

I have yet to see this product in person, however my friend in Switzerland saw it (and Mike Wolf) in Europe and was impressed.  There is much to be said for prewar European tinplate and this station is no exception.

I'm not sure how I can get standard gauge to roll by this thing and look right.... But I'll figure out a way!


Marc

That's what I'm talking about!

Well MTH just moved into the "most impressive innovator" in toy train history books.  Yes, I know they've done a tremendous amount for the hobby both in O gauge, Tinplate and so on.  Yes, I know they have a fantastic control system called DCS.

I was a little disheartened by the Ives Catalog.  I guess I really needed to see it for what it is: a tinplate flavor of the "Ready to Run" offering.  That makes it excellent and not a dud by any stretch.

However the main event is the Tinplate Catalog which usually debuts around the April York time frame.  This is really something I do look forward to, largely because outside of some unusual finds in prewar product, Tinplate really doesn't change radically from year to year (at least as a product).  Layouts can change daily or even hourly!

This new MTH catalog hit me between the eyes.  My tinplate expenditures have really fallen off, largely because I've had just about one of every key or important set there is.  And because spending infinite amounts of cash on trains really isn't optional for me.  This catalog was a very pleasant surprise for a couple of reasons.  Most obvious is the picture at the top.  This is new product that should have been produced many moons ago.  Nonetheless, it is still absolutely brilliant and near art in both concept and execution.  I for one will be buying both sets, guaranteed.

Subways do lend themselves beautifully to tinplate, largely because of the time they've been around, their historical documentation and ready availability of prototypes (if you've never been to the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn I highly recommend it).  If you've ever been on Boston's subway it is the same deal, both modern and classic hardware running through dimly lit New England tunnels.  It's a really fun system that just plain works.

The catalog has some other outstanding features.  I really like the State Brown Brute.  The color brown usually doesn't evoke thoughts of a regal means of transport however the State Brown set is just gorgeous.  And I do very much like the New Haven set as well.  I am a huge fan of New Haven and the sets I actively seek out.

So bravo MTH!  Even the retooled stuff like the Boys and Girls sets manage to really get interesting.  The colors and mixtures of cars are fun to look at and I'd wager to say they'll be cherished many years after they are introduced.   The newly offered 2600 series cars are also really well done and I do think I'll be ordering a few as well.  The 4-4-0 sets are a very welcome addition as they are the first sets in standard gauge to really jump back to the Civil War era (and do a great job of it).    I hope this kind of catalog is the shape of things to come and I do think MTH will be rewarded with both sales and customer loyalty.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Marc

Old Penn Station New York City with aerial & skyline views of Manhattan ...

Great video with nice music.

MTH Ives Catalog Re-think - Opinion

I've had some time to ponder this catalog and really look it over.  It's all stuff MTH has done before.  And it is two pages.

So now I have a couple of questions.  Is this really a product offering or just a pamphlet to see if any customers will bite on twice redone Tinplate sets?  I'm really hoping this isn't the wave of the future for MTH.  I'm hoping this isn't the end of a brilliant tradition started with tinplate catalogs and wonderful offerings dating back to when Mike started with Williams and culminating with his absolutely brilliant partnership with Lionel.

There is so much more room for innovative tinplate in the marketplace.  There is so much wonderful stuff out there that has never been adequately produced or reproduced and I hope MTH isn't throwing in the towel.  This shouldn't be a discussion just about standard gauge, it should also be about O gauge as well.

Fact is, this isn't even close to what Ives produced that was "uncataloged" either before Lionel snapped them up or after.  If MTH really had the guts they'd produce a super-rare item like the Ives Treasure Chest.  Or even some of Ives' One Gauge in Standard Gauge format.

Please don't abandon us MTH!

Marc

2014 Uncataloged Ives Catalog Released - MTH

2014 Uncataloged Ives Catalog Released

So, I'm hoping this isn't the April York Tinplate catalog.  While not a bad offering, it isn't exactly exciting either.  All rehashed stuff from prior catalogs....



Marc

More European Tinplate Goodness

It doesn't matter where the tinplate is from, as long as it is tinplate!  Michel sent me another wonderful video of European Tinplate making the rounds...

Marc

New MTH RTR Catalog - Meh

"Meh" is a new word brought to us by the internet.  It means "Indifference; to be used when one simply does not care."  As much as I like MTH, the new RTR is meh.

The tinplate sets are a rehash of a rehash.  I'm hoping that this isn't what we have to look forward to in the next tinplate catalog.  My tinplate purchases have fallen off the map.  Largely because of lack of funds but also because the same products are consistently trotted out for another go.  I know MTH can do better because their O gauge offerings are simply outstanding.

M

Rare Set on eBay

Ya, I know.  There are tons of rare sets around.  They float in and out of eBay all the time.  These standard gauge Railchief cars are really cool in person though.  If you have a 400E and you want to replicate the Lionel O gauge set, check out these cars.   These cars are always interesting and quite frankly always amazing to see running on a big standard gauge layout.

Ebay Set Link

Marc

More Swiss Tin

Check out some great tinplate layout pics from my friends in Switzerland.  These never get old....

Tinplate Show in Ulm in Germany

Happy 2014!

My friend Michel sent me a really cool pic from a German tinplate show.  I always remember those early TCA pictures of this amazing Fandor layout.  I think I saw them in an early TCA Quarterly.

I'm hoping Michel took more pics he can send me!

The hall on the picture is from ACE a european tinplate company and the train passing is a Maerklin 4000 loko, live steam.

Marc

Wolverine Coal Loader and Hafner/Wyandotte Windup Train

Gotta love this tinplate coal loader!  Really cool and NO electricity!

Marc

Upcoming Greenberg Guide

Hi All,

Bruce Greenberg is coming out with a new Prewar Guide for Lionel.  It will likely be around the April, 2014 York Timeframe.  I always look forward to these as Bruce Greenberg really pays attention to detail and does his homework.  While there will always be debates about production runs, staffing and color schemes, there really is no debate of how valuable these guides are.  There really has never been anything like them before or since.  Here is a link to a current page for Bruce:

http://sykesvillehistory.us/

I highly recommend you take a look at the web page and then grab a copy of the  new guide at York or just before.  It really helps make good buying decisions and intelligent planning for layouts and your roster.

Marc

Christmas Ale

From a great brewer.  I think you can see why I find this particular ale attractive....

Great Lakes Ale

Live Steam in Germany....

From my friend Michel in Switzerland:

"Dear Mark Last sunday in Biberach Germany. A layout from my friend Holger. running live steam Lokos from Carette build around 1900."


This is just too cool...

Marc

Pacific in Action

Michel sent me this cool link to a Pacific in action.  I'd love to see a Pacific in Standard Gauge (yet another one of those un-built toy trains), somewhat akin to the Hudson that should get produced as well.  I have a G gauge Hudson and a Pacific in G and they are both spectacular.  Check out his video, it is really cool...

Marc