Very cool scale model. I am debating how much room I would need.... Now let me see (I'm doing some precise calculations... 2+5 is 11, 9 + 13 = 4...) Perfect. Just enough room on my layout!
Marc
Monday, April 30, 2012
Scale Roller Coaster
Ok, here is something you don't see very often. A real and true (and really cool) 1:48 scale wood roller coaster! This is a perfect addition to 99% of the layouts that have a decent amusement park. I'd like this even without the Amusement park.
Hit the link here to see this thing in the Hammacher catalog.
Very cool scale model. I am debating how much room I would need.... Now let me see (I'm doing some precise calculations... 2+5 is 11, 9 + 13 = 4...) Perfect. Just enough room on my layout!
Marc
Very cool scale model. I am debating how much room I would need.... Now let me see (I'm doing some precise calculations... 2+5 is 11, 9 + 13 = 4...) Perfect. Just enough room on my layout!
Marc
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Mega Brute is getting some attention....
This mega-Brute is getting some attention... The Youtube hits are nearly off the charts. I would recommend watching this in another window to get the full size and scope (just click on the Youtube video twice or use the expand button).
Ok, a little background: This is my friend Al's Brute. He desperately needed more power and wanted to add a third motor however MTH immediately came back to him and said "not a good idea". So Al decided to make a few changes:
1. Added the third motor which MTH promised but didn't deliver
2. Added 381 style marker lights on both ends
3. Added pilot wheels to both ends
4. Exchanged the headlight castings with the larger, flared number board style used on American Flyer.
From Al:
Personally I think it looks great but i'm sure there will be those who cry "foul" for defacing a legend.
Adding the third motor was a no-brainer, it was virtually a drop in conversion with a little creative wiring. The marker lights were another story, but I think the effort was worth it. Without them, the face just looked blank and boring. The pilot wheels were from a Lionel 9E and were a simple drop in addition with no modifications whatever.
Upon disassembly I found that each end of the Brute had 8 pounds of weight in it along with traction tires. I removed the weights and traction tires and found that in the new configuration, with the engine tethered and all three motors slipping, the current draw was less than half of what it had been in the "as built" configuration. It has enough traction to start the train on 2% grade with no wheel slip whatever. Since I run mine on the level and don't expect to see any more cars manufactured for it in my lifetime, I'm not too worried about the board!
Marc
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Passing of Another Great Train Maker
On April 14th, Mr. Dick Mayer passed away. This is important for a number of reasons. Not just because the guy was a decent human being, he had a family and spent his life earning an honest living.
The guy was part of the great train society that happened after WW II. It was for tinplate enthusiasts that wanted something more than what Lionel had produced prior to the war. The Bob McCoy's, the Jim Cohen's, the John Davanzo of Pride Lines. And now Dick Mayer. All of these people had one thing in common: a can do attitude and a will to see something into reality that wasn't already there.
That's pretty damn impressive stuff. Nowadays (and I am guilty of this), if I don't get my updates and tracking information on the web on my new/latest gadget from whatever online or big box store I have a hissy fit. We've been made into a land of people that can't build anymore. We just hope that someone out there will take our money and whine and moan when the quality isn't up to snuff. And it almost never is. I can tell you stories about trains, gadgets and furniture that falls apart after it leaves the box.
However....
I can tell you for a fact that guys like Dick Mayer could care less about any of that.
My introduction to Dick was that I was very new to collecting tinplate trains and a friend of mine that was helping get around in the TCA suggested I give him a call. I ordered an Ives 3243 from him. I waited about 2 years.... And after I found the cancelled check, I got irate. I called Dick and asked him what the hell was going on?
That's when Dick talked me down and explained the realities of limited production. Quality takes time. Good machining takes time. "I don't make things that people sell at swap meets, my stuff doesn't change hands very often" he told me. He was right. His Ives production was as good or better than Ives. And everything I bought from him was as good or better than anything else I'd ever had or seen. I also had the pleasure of becoming friends with his co-worker, Butch. Butch is a character and he is a storehouse of toy train knowledge and honest to goodness experience.
I bought pretty much anything else he would sell me. McKeen cars, Toonerville stuff. I really wanted one of his Black Diamond sets, it's just that he really couldn't make them anymore, they were literally all spoken for for almost a half a decade!
So I went in kicking and screaming to Dick and he made me into a lifelong customer and wide eyed kid. The stuff he made is still a marvel. He was an expert in lots of different aspects of toy trains. However I never detected him as a die hard toy train person. Jim Cohen was die hard, he had many layouts and many unique experiences with rare trains and even extensive time with Louis Hertz in the Ives Factory. Dick wasn't that involved in that aspect of the lore and history of toy trains. I never heard or saw him build a layout (his place in Escondido was too small). But the guy had parts. And connections (more on that in a minute)...
I've always found it kind of fascinating: the differences between toy train makers on the West Coast and East Coast. Their experiences were very different growing up and absorbing the trains and then eventually getting into collecting and operating. I'll leave it up to Arno Baars to detail some of this stuff in his book but suffice it to say, they all approached the problem of how to get more and better trains and parts the same way and differently. Yep, I know that sounds crazy, but it isn't.
These guys were all interconnected. Every time I mentioned something new and interesting to Jim Cohen about Dick Mayer, he had said that he spoke to him about this or that some time ago. Whenever I spoke to Dick about something I needed for a McCoy motor, he would tell me how wonderful Bob and Margaret were. They all knew each other! Even on different coasts. And they swapped parts and stories and ran up phone bills before there was a flat price for long distance and phone service.
Dick was part of a larger community. One that supported and actually became an ecosystem. It's why a guy like him is such a big loss. All of these people created great things. The things still exist but the knowledge and experience don't necessarily follow the items. And in Dick's case as in the case of the people I had previously mentioned, he was an artist.
I can tell you that several people have his trains you may or may not believe. They are just that good. When you see Dick's McKeen, you really do think of the age of streamlining and a unique industrial design. The colors are bright and probably not what Lionel or Flyer could have or would have used. His Toonerville Trolley has a very unique movement to it and moves flawlessly both in O Gauge and in Standard Gauge. And his Bi-Polars are huge, varied and just monsters!
I won't go much further other than to say that we've lost someone I think is important. Not just because he had the guts to rely on his own two hands to feed himself and his family (although that does gain my instant respect). It's because he saw something that wasn't there and built it. And it is art.
Good luck Dick, you will be remembered for your art as much as your personality. Your legacy will endure.
Marc
The guy was part of the great train society that happened after WW II. It was for tinplate enthusiasts that wanted something more than what Lionel had produced prior to the war. The Bob McCoy's, the Jim Cohen's, the John Davanzo of Pride Lines. And now Dick Mayer. All of these people had one thing in common: a can do attitude and a will to see something into reality that wasn't already there.
That's pretty damn impressive stuff. Nowadays (and I am guilty of this), if I don't get my updates and tracking information on the web on my new/latest gadget from whatever online or big box store I have a hissy fit. We've been made into a land of people that can't build anymore. We just hope that someone out there will take our money and whine and moan when the quality isn't up to snuff. And it almost never is. I can tell you stories about trains, gadgets and furniture that falls apart after it leaves the box.
However....
I can tell you for a fact that guys like Dick Mayer could care less about any of that.
My introduction to Dick was that I was very new to collecting tinplate trains and a friend of mine that was helping get around in the TCA suggested I give him a call. I ordered an Ives 3243 from him. I waited about 2 years.... And after I found the cancelled check, I got irate. I called Dick and asked him what the hell was going on?
That's when Dick talked me down and explained the realities of limited production. Quality takes time. Good machining takes time. "I don't make things that people sell at swap meets, my stuff doesn't change hands very often" he told me. He was right. His Ives production was as good or better than Ives. And everything I bought from him was as good or better than anything else I'd ever had or seen. I also had the pleasure of becoming friends with his co-worker, Butch. Butch is a character and he is a storehouse of toy train knowledge and honest to goodness experience.
I bought pretty much anything else he would sell me. McKeen cars, Toonerville stuff. I really wanted one of his Black Diamond sets, it's just that he really couldn't make them anymore, they were literally all spoken for for almost a half a decade!
So I went in kicking and screaming to Dick and he made me into a lifelong customer and wide eyed kid. The stuff he made is still a marvel. He was an expert in lots of different aspects of toy trains. However I never detected him as a die hard toy train person. Jim Cohen was die hard, he had many layouts and many unique experiences with rare trains and even extensive time with Louis Hertz in the Ives Factory. Dick wasn't that involved in that aspect of the lore and history of toy trains. I never heard or saw him build a layout (his place in Escondido was too small). But the guy had parts. And connections (more on that in a minute)...
I've always found it kind of fascinating: the differences between toy train makers on the West Coast and East Coast. Their experiences were very different growing up and absorbing the trains and then eventually getting into collecting and operating. I'll leave it up to Arno Baars to detail some of this stuff in his book but suffice it to say, they all approached the problem of how to get more and better trains and parts the same way and differently. Yep, I know that sounds crazy, but it isn't.
These guys were all interconnected. Every time I mentioned something new and interesting to Jim Cohen about Dick Mayer, he had said that he spoke to him about this or that some time ago. Whenever I spoke to Dick about something I needed for a McCoy motor, he would tell me how wonderful Bob and Margaret were. They all knew each other! Even on different coasts. And they swapped parts and stories and ran up phone bills before there was a flat price for long distance and phone service.
Dick was part of a larger community. One that supported and actually became an ecosystem. It's why a guy like him is such a big loss. All of these people created great things. The things still exist but the knowledge and experience don't necessarily follow the items. And in Dick's case as in the case of the people I had previously mentioned, he was an artist.
I can tell you that several people have his trains you may or may not believe. They are just that good. When you see Dick's McKeen, you really do think of the age of streamlining and a unique industrial design. The colors are bright and probably not what Lionel or Flyer could have or would have used. His Toonerville Trolley has a very unique movement to it and moves flawlessly both in O Gauge and in Standard Gauge. And his Bi-Polars are huge, varied and just monsters!
I won't go much further other than to say that we've lost someone I think is important. Not just because he had the guts to rely on his own two hands to feed himself and his family (although that does gain my instant respect). It's because he saw something that wasn't there and built it. And it is art.
Good luck Dick, you will be remembered for your art as much as your personality. Your legacy will endure.
Marc
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Coming up at York
Honestly, I used to remember York fetching significantly more fanfare than it seems to be catching now. This one little item is kind of exciting though: MTH is releasing a new Tinplate Catalog at York.
This is still a marvel to me. That even in 2012 tinplate trains are still getting produced. I have to say, even if MTH has one gem like the Chromate Brute cars (or the Brute itself), I shall be very excited about this catalog. I know, it takes MTH a while to produce the promised products in the catalog. Yes, I know, they come from China and some people don't care for foreign production. Yes, I know, many folks would rather have original Lionel or Flyer. I've heard it all before, numerous times.
Regardless, I think the new catalog is a great thing and I am looking forward to it. Why? Well because I like things like Chromate Brutes and oversize cars. Those are things other manufacturers didn't have the guts to do. And let's not forget one very big thing: when I started collecting these years ago I didn't get a shot at $15 State Sets. When I'd go to a show or an auction the average price of a decent green or brown State set was in the neighborhood of $15k. The Blue Comet sets were a "steal" at $7.5k.
Um, right. So you can go and pay $15k for a State Set. I'll take the MTH one for $1500 bucks. Trying to find a decent Armor Train in O gauge? Go ahead, even with mountains of cash you may never find a decent set. I'm thankful that Mike and his team are working for us!
Looking forward to the new catalog!
Marc
Regardless, I think the new catalog is a great thing and I am looking forward to it. Why? Well because I like things like Chromate Brutes and oversize cars. Those are things other manufacturers didn't have the guts to do. And let's not forget one very big thing: when I started collecting these years ago I didn't get a shot at $15 State Sets. When I'd go to a show or an auction the average price of a decent green or brown State set was in the neighborhood of $15k. The Blue Comet sets were a "steal" at $7.5k.
Um, right. So you can go and pay $15k for a State Set. I'll take the MTH one for $1500 bucks. Trying to find a decent Armor Train in O gauge? Go ahead, even with mountains of cash you may never find a decent set. I'm thankful that Mike and his team are working for us!
Looking forward to the new catalog!
Marc
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Oh Chromate!
Hello Standard Gauge Friends! Well, I just got my hands on a few of the new Chromate cars for the Brute. I must say, these a ridiculously huge. I mean Buddy L large! They are well done and I think my "out of box" experience is quite a bit better than some of the initial findings I've read about on the Tinplate Forums.
These will overwhelm almost any layout. You need an SGMA size layout to actually run these things. I just have the 3 car set, I didn't buy any extra cars. Really though, they are gorgeous and well done. I have to say that they would have been overwhelming for any early 20th Century era home, however they are destined to become classics in the 21st Century. They are highly unusual and I haven't seen anything quite like them.
I'll try and roll some film of these things running. I may have to clear out (as in sell) some of my other stuff to make room for these beasts. Each one weighs what a normal high end O gauge loco (or 2 or 3) weighs. And they are about the size of an average 4 year old.
Wow.
Marc
A big antique store in Stratford, CT
I just saw a few tinplate trains there and I had to get a shot. This place is great, they usually have some trains somewhere in the place (it's just a huge steel warehouse w/antiques). My son goes hunting for pocket knives in the place and once in a while he turns up a gem.
I like seeing original Lionel stuff so it's kind of fun. If you are in the neighborhood it is right off of I-95.
Marc
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Report On Early Lionel Steamers On Line
On January 14, 2012 eighteen tinplate toy train collectors met in Alexandria, VA to systematically
gather data about early Lionel Standard Gauge steam engines. Read the results of
their investigation focusing on early Lionel No. 5 locomotives on Tinplate Times:
http://www.tinplatetimes.com/Tinplate%20History/GreenbergSteam/steam.htm
or
http://www.tinplatetimes.com
Monday, February 20, 2012
Early Lionel Study Group: Open Invitation
From Bruce C. Greenberg, PhD...the author of the Greenberg's Guides:
Please join the Standard Gauge Study Group to study Early Lionel Electrics: 33, 34, 38, 42, 50, 53, 54, 1910, 1911 and 1912...
Place: 5233 Bessley Place , Alexandria , VA 220304
Time: Sunday March 4, 2012 10 am to 4 pm
Please invite your train friends to join us.
Rsvp to Bruce Greenberg, 703-461-6991 or brucecgreenberg1(at)gmail.com
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Ives Armatures on eBay
Just perusing ebay, check out this auction from Mr. Bob Hannon:
http://r.ebay.com/xO9Q6d
It's for newly wound Ives Armatures. I remember speaking with Jim Cohen many times about armatures (or lack thereof) and Jim couldn't say enough good things about Bob. I have some of Bob's armatures in a few of my Jim Cohen trains and they are as good as anything from the Ives or Lionel factory.
There are quite a few things that can go wrong with an original standard gauge engine. More often than not the key item that effects performance and is hardest to replace IS the armature. Winding these things is almost an art form. Not trivial by any means. It can be done by a dedicated hobbyist however I've seen Bob's work and it is stellar. Read is his return policy on eBay and you'll get a good sense of how ethical he is.
Above is a pic for the auction. I'd recommend you get to know this guy if you have a few original items. One or two of these armatures sitting around in a desk or repair shop is a great idea. Maybe it is time for a couple of new armatures anyway in some of my old Ives boxcabs!!
Marc
http://r.ebay.com/xO9Q6d
It's for newly wound Ives Armatures. I remember speaking with Jim Cohen many times about armatures (or lack thereof) and Jim couldn't say enough good things about Bob. I have some of Bob's armatures in a few of my Jim Cohen trains and they are as good as anything from the Ives or Lionel factory.
There are quite a few things that can go wrong with an original standard gauge engine. More often than not the key item that effects performance and is hardest to replace IS the armature. Winding these things is almost an art form. Not trivial by any means. It can be done by a dedicated hobbyist however I've seen Bob's work and it is stellar. Read is his return policy on eBay and you'll get a good sense of how ethical he is.
Marc
Friday, January 27, 2012
Stubby Trains
So a minor confession: I really love stubby trains. These are trains that are truncated or shortened. Shorter, designed atypically with one truck and made to work in a very small space and with very tight curves. There are prototypes for truncated or shortened trains. Mining was the most common (plenty of mining trains can be seen elsewhere on this blog). Mine cars and mining trains have been modeled extensively in the toy train world and actually for a very long time in standard gauge.
What set me off on this discussion/tangent was that one of my relatives sent me some RMT trains over the holidays. I have to say, they are really nice. Ok, full disclosure: I like all toy trains, not just standard gauge. I have quite a few Postwar trains from Lionel, MTH and so on. I am so ashamed! Ok, not really.
The RMT trains are really nice, mostly because I do not have a layout with a huge footprint and I tend to like trains that I can whip around the layout quick and not have them fly off the track. The RMT trains are well done, they have substantial attention to detail, they are unique and they run extremely well. I got to thinking though, how interesting it is that standard gauge never really embraced the modified trains like O gauge seems to. Check out the New York Central set with the one truck passenger cars. I am probably going to pick up a few more of these cars. They have people inside and are really well articulated.
By the way, for the Youtube videos I'd recommend watching them directly on Youtube. For some reason the software Google uses for the web log (Blog) truncates the video for the web page. You'll get a better idea of how nice these trains are if you can blow up the video to your full screen size.
So after I really ran the RMT New York Central Set, I started thinking about the standard gauge "Shorty's" that I have. Somewhere I have a McCoy Black Diamond set I have to try out. But I use the below sets all of the time. These are mostly from Joe Finelli. He is a very talented artist/train maker and he has made several of these sets and put them out on eBay and sold them to TCA Members and collectors.
Check out the coal train.
Here is a Pride Lines Voltamp Set. It runs like a champ and was one of John's last creations. He will be missed, this set has it all, classic styling, great running and a prototype to match it from the early days of railroading. The colors on it are fantastic.
The neat thing about shorty's (truncated trains) is that they look great even when there isn't a substantial amount of rolling stock or passenger traffic. And by the way, I've seen plenty of pictures of Steeple Cabs pulling a single car or caboose, so the train is still in the land of prototypical (if that's how you are so inclined).
There are quite a few "shorty" standard gauge trains out there. They are not easy to come by and some are quite rare. Carlisle and Finch isn't standard gauge however it definitely could be considered a "shorty". I'll post some more shorty's and movies shortly (pardon the pun). I'll also discuss the history in a bit more detail and post quite a few more pics! More soon -
Marc
What set me off on this discussion/tangent was that one of my relatives sent me some RMT trains over the holidays. I have to say, they are really nice. Ok, full disclosure: I like all toy trains, not just standard gauge. I have quite a few Postwar trains from Lionel, MTH and so on. I am so ashamed! Ok, not really.
The RMT trains are really nice, mostly because I do not have a layout with a huge footprint and I tend to like trains that I can whip around the layout quick and not have them fly off the track. The RMT trains are well done, they have substantial attention to detail, they are unique and they run extremely well. I got to thinking though, how interesting it is that standard gauge never really embraced the modified trains like O gauge seems to. Check out the New York Central set with the one truck passenger cars. I am probably going to pick up a few more of these cars. They have people inside and are really well articulated.
By the way, for the Youtube videos I'd recommend watching them directly on Youtube. For some reason the software Google uses for the web log (Blog) truncates the video for the web page. You'll get a better idea of how nice these trains are if you can blow up the video to your full screen size.
Blow up these pictures, click on them. I used a really nice camera to take the shots, you should be able to see the detail.
Check out the coal train.
Here is a Pride Lines Voltamp Set. It runs like a champ and was one of John's last creations. He will be missed, this set has it all, classic styling, great running and a prototype to match it from the early days of railroading. The colors on it are fantastic.
There are quite a few "shorty" standard gauge trains out there. They are not easy to come by and some are quite rare. Carlisle and Finch isn't standard gauge however it definitely could be considered a "shorty". I'll post some more shorty's and movies shortly (pardon the pun). I'll also discuss the history in a bit more detail and post quite a few more pics! More soon -
Marc
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Layout Expansion Progress
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Some SGMA Shots from Pittsburg
For those of you not technically inclined, I am posting some of the great shots from the SGMA event in Pittsburgh. Ya gotta love these guys!
Marc
Marc
Monday, January 09, 2012
Layout Expansion (again)
Monday, January 02, 2012
IVES 3242 STANDARD GAUGE ELECTRIC TRAIN
From the 0 Gauge RR Tinplate Forum, member Nachtjager has done a nice job rejuvenating an IVES loco...
"Scarce tan Ives brass plate 3242 (1926) making a few test laps with a few freight cars. All original wiring, original armature, original wheels. This loco had been overpainted black on the outside and it took me four days to dig out the original tan paint!"
"Scarce tan Ives brass plate 3242 (1926) making a few test laps with a few freight cars. All original wiring, original armature, original wheels. This loco had been overpainted black on the outside and it took me four days to dig out the original tan paint!"
Monday, December 26, 2011
Tinplate Play
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Grand Central Chandeliers
I just love the lights in Grand Central. They don't make them like this anymore. Does it get better than this? Merry Christmas everyone!
Marc
PS Click on the pic to blow this up. The ceiling isn't too shabby either!
Marc
PS Click on the pic to blow this up. The ceiling isn't too shabby either!
If you happen to be in Lower Manhattan this season...
You have to check out this shoe place. Yes, I'm not insane. Really. I'm not. Frye's Shoes is there flagship store at 113 Spring Street in NYC. Don't go for the shoes unless you have a wife or girlfriend and your credit card has a high limit and is paid off. They have nice shoes. This is a blog about trains and tinplate. And it's what they have in the window that is something special. They have robots and tons of cool tin in the window. And the window dressing moves. Really, this is one hell of a cool set of windows.
See that big clockwork thingy? Well it turns and does stuff and it is absolutely mesmerizing. The window display is absolutely show stopping. It is as good as anything I've ever seen in any Macys or Bloomingdales or Harrods or whatever.
Check out this little Youtube I captured....
See that big clockwork thingy? Well it turns and does stuff and it is absolutely mesmerizing. The window display is absolutely show stopping. It is as good as anything I've ever seen in any Macys or Bloomingdales or Harrods or whatever.
Grand Central Trains 2011
Merry Christmas All! Welcome to prime time for toy trains. I was in Grand Central last week with my Panasonic Micro 4/3rds camera. And well, go figure, there were a few toy trains there. Grand Central at Christmas is always a spectacle. There are quite a few special stations in the United States and Grand Central is the king to rule them all. I really don't even think the models of it do the grandeur and boldness of the structure justice. It is one of those places that has to be taken in by being there. And the wonder of the place doesn't get old or pass with age. It gets better.
I snapped a few shots in the Grand Central Transit Museum. The MTH layout is there every year along with some key parts and pieces of standard gauge collections. The layout is excellent O gauge, especially for the really small amount of space they have. The kids in Grand Central were absolutely going nuts over the trains and there were plenty of outstanding quality sets that could be purchased right on the spot and reasonable prices. It really is a warm and great atmosphere to see these toys. Maybe the SGMA can cut a deal with Grand Central to really show them so serious toy trains!
Without further delay....
I snapped a few shots in the Grand Central Transit Museum. The MTH layout is there every year along with some key parts and pieces of standard gauge collections. The layout is excellent O gauge, especially for the really small amount of space they have. The kids in Grand Central were absolutely going nuts over the trains and there were plenty of outstanding quality sets that could be purchased right on the spot and reasonable prices. It really is a warm and great atmosphere to see these toys. Maybe the SGMA can cut a deal with Grand Central to really show them so serious toy trains!
Without further delay....
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