Help in identifying something

[n-scaler-dude]

Ok, the following picture is of an n-scale engine my dad had, possibly in the 60's. It has no identification that I can see on it anywhere. The frame, as well as the body are some kind of metal (steel?). I remember running it along time ago and it was the most gawd-awful sounding, clunkiest running engine I've ever seen. But I love it! Now, many years later, it has suffered some knockarounds and has a few small broken pieces and missing thingies. I would love to try and replace the missing parts and get it running again, but I don't know who the manufacturer might be.

Any of you "old school" n-scalers know?

 

[n-scaler-dude]

I guess it would help if I put the picture in....

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Looks like it might be a "Postage Stamp" train. Made by Aurora, they also made slot cars. Don't know where you would get parts for it though.

 

[n-scaler-dude]

I suppose I'll keep an eye out for something on ebay. I always seem to find whatever I'm looking for, there.

I've never heard of Postage Stamp trains, but Aurora is a name I do remember as a company that made slot cars.

Thanx for the lead.

 

[60103]

I'll second the Postage Stamp possibility.
For info -- is it set up so that the 2 inner axles are fixed and the 2 outer ones are in truck frames that pivot? That puts it as quite early N gauge.

 

[n-scaler-dude]

Not sure what you mean. The truck frames both pivot on a single screw (one which is missing). The inner axles are "fixed" within the truck frames, I guess, and both have large brass gears fixed on them. The outer axles are set in a small, vertical, slot and ride, slightly, on a small contact spring thingee (one which is also missing).

I see several original Postage Stamp train catalogs for sale on ebay that show various cars and engines. The type that looks like mine has a more detailed truck, like modern stuff, than mine. I didn't see anything that looks like mne, unless it's an earlier model than the catalogs I saw.

Will keep looking though.

 

[absnut]

I still have several of the Postage Stamp locos, made by Trix, and they look nothing like the one above. I think it was an early Fleischmann effort. I'll do a litle more research.

Dick

 

[absnut]

I was wrong (Darn! I hate it when that happens!!). A little research on Spookshow Internatinal shows that the above engine is probably an early Arnold-Rapido production. The give-away seems to be the trucks which appear to be the same as the above photo. Check it out:

http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/arnoldf.html

Dick

 

[n-scaler-dude]

absnut - I believe you hit it on the head. The crummy performance, no details on the trucks, wheelies over turnouts, etc... This is all the stuff I remember when it was in running condition.

The problem now is that that page refers to them as being "very rare", so my hopes of being able to afford one if i find it are not high.

At least I own a small piece of n-scale history.

 

[absnut]

Richard, you do, indeed, own a piece of N scale history but, "rare" is such a relative term I hesitate to use it and also don't pay to much attention to it on eBay! There, everything is "rare" to the seller. I have seen them on e"bay, but they are not all that common. I don't remember them commanding excessively high prices, either. Keep your eyes peeled and you just might spot one you can pick up for a song and use it to replace parts on your "heritage" model. Good luck.

Dick