Precut wood glued around a one inch piece of PVC. All secured with bands made from armature wire. Looked way better than the plastic one from Athearn.
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A little bit of Model Railroad Trivia:
Before the war American Flyer was already trying to entice the buying public into something a little smaller and more economical than O Scale. They were offering what they called 3/16 trains. Basically smaller S SCALE cars and engines but running on O GAUGE track - smaller but still fully compatible with the Lionel track most modelers already owned. (Pretty smart marketing tactic if you ask me!)
Gilbert used the advertising slogan:
. . . . . . Get More Railroading Out of Your Railroad! . . . . . . .
A beautiful restored ALL CAST METAL #510 Stock Car.
This is S SCALE - but rolling on O GAUGE track.
Manufacturing wise it is extremely impressive that this car is an all one piece, all metal casting but still retains the very open, see-through, slats and pressed metal sliding doors. (I honestly do not see how it was done. At least not and then still turn a profit.)
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Restored Lionel crane: (circa 1935 thru 1950’s)
Repainted the roof and ordered a new replacement boom and we are back in business.
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Current day modern Lionel Production Snowplow:
I think this model as a lot of class none-the-less!
. . . and the Real Deal!
I am considering adding the black paint treatment to the plow and wings???
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Another bit of Flyer Triva:
Which I had no idea of until just 2 years ago.
Flyer was building O Scale 3-rail ~ pre-war!
I am no longer jealous of Lionel’s BIG Locomotives!
. . . and here shown are some of their early all metal rolling stock:
Note below on this later built tank car how Flyer was progressing towards their iconic pressed metal trucks with the separately applied brass/nickel plated journal boxes. Also this car shows the advent of the link and pin couplers.
Some of this equipment can date from the mid/late 30’s
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Those snowplows have such a, Warhammer, look to them
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Some American Flyer cranes and work cars – pre-war to modern:
These two units are definitely post war but the crane housing and boom castings probably trace their origins back to the 1930’s in the Chicago Flyer days.
The very popular Flyer Industrial Brownhoist crane from the 1950’s
Image found on line. Used here for discussion purposes only
Modern day Lionel/Flyer Derrick and Tool Car:
Hey Lionel - Just one problem: NO OUTRIGGERS!
Whenever you turn the derrick boom to the side, the car falls over! You at least need to add a counterweight to the backside of the derrick.
Popular Flyer Search Light car from the 50’s often sold in conjunction with the crane cars.
Another style of searchlight car also offered by Flyer
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Love the Santa Fe warbonnet…
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Me too. So far however I have found only one supplier with replacement decals. I ordered them but they are so fuzzy I really don’t want to use them.
I now have a lead on a second supplier that I want to try but fear they may be getting their decals from the exact same source.
Picked this little N-scale, Ferromex Tri-Level autorack from ModelFest a couple weeks ago
I guess they didn’t include the hand brake at this scale
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That’s strange as the brake assembly isn’t that small
yes, I know
The N scale ones from Intermountain have a rudimentary brake stand.
Of course super-detailing is what’s fun about model railroading.
Just took these today while out on a ride:
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This reply made me take a closer look at it and indeed it has one.
Also, great shots of that Rave Door (birdcage) autorack. I’ve loaded and unloaded autoracks in the past and we hated that style door. Very hard to open and close.
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Nice pics…
I have been thinking about autorack weathering…
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They weather beautifully
A couple of conversions that might be of interest:
First a conversion I did way back in my late twenties. (Circa 1978) A combination of an HO Scale Mantua 0-4-0 Switcher and a 0-4-0 Docksider. It required hinging the two engines together plus a forward boiler extension made out of thin brass sheet and similar extensions added to the two side tanks of the Docksider’s cast metal body. Add to that a couple of Kemtron 2-wheel pony trucks, some Cal-Scale parts and more home made brass details and I then had my 2-4-4-2T Locomotive.
The heavy “Sand Box” casting on the front pilot is actually the cab floor and rear frame member from the old Switcher body. The snow plow was just an “oh what the heck” later addition.
Even though the forward engine is unpowered this model, because of it’s weight has always been a good runner, plus it pulls and tracks very well.
So far the image seen below is just my “digital plan” for now another future conversion of this locomotive, this time to On30.
Down thru the years I have also hung onto the heavy cast metal slope back tender from the old switcher. I now envision converting the tender to oil and using it as an auxiliary water/oil tender to the main locomotive. (Another, oh what the heck addition!)
The tender already connects to the locomotive with just a standard Kadee couple so I retain the option to run the engine either with or without the tender.
Perhaps this new engine will become a 2-4-4-4T ??? That remains to be seen!
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Nice work. All the designs fit together well.
Wouldn’t this engine be a 2-4-4-2T?
Yes, but here at the end I am saying I MIGHT change it to a 2-4-4-4T with the substitution of a four wheel truck under the cab.
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