The Vintage HO collector.

[toptrain1]

HObbyline HO collectors take note:


Life and the acquisition of Vintage collectable HO trains hasn't stopped. But it has slowed down quite a bit just like me. The main problem with collecting vintage trains is those uncatalogued items that keep turning up you can't account for. They match nothing of the cataloged items and must be thought of as being custom made. When you find them, and they are nice enough you keep them with your collection you can never list them as a part of your collection. They are just odd ball items to show and speak of and think about. With my Favorite company HObbyline some HO trains come to mind, of trains seen it preview catalogs, and teasingly in retail catalogs and advertisements or a part of a photo or drawing in trade magazine., Nothing is mentioned as to their being a listed part of the companies 'sale offerings. With HObbyline trains, these are seen but never found listed anywhere in catalogs. The Virginian 2 bay hopper, Frisco 4 bay hopper, Inland Ammonium Sulphate box car, and inland cresol tank car, Victor tank car, CONOCO tank car. I have thanks to another collector, a Rhom and Hass tank Car, and a photo of a Humble Oil tank car. These are very rare items produced by HObbyline made for private companies. They are call special cars and are uncatalogued items, though made by HObbyline, not a part of the HObbyline line of trains. I found on my own the Union Switch and Signal Co. gondola which is another special car. I found when researching HObbyline sets an advertisement in the 1955 Oct issue of Model Railroader by Lloyd's Hobby shop of Baltimore for Lloyd's set #1 a B&O passenger set, and a set #2 also a B&O freight set. These were made by HObbyline for sale by Lloyd's, and so are uncatalogued. I have seen online auctions of the B&O set #1 the B&O passenger set, and of set #2 also a B&O freight set I know nothing. I have found no information anywhere on this set that I know does exist. I have found and purchased 2 B&O FA-1's and the two combines and two coaches from one of the sets, and still need 1 more coach to complete the passenger set. The B&O freight set must use the same 2 FA-1 locos and is said in the advertisement to have 6 ready to run freight cars and a caboose. HObbyline only made 5 different freight cars so something had to be doubled. HObbyline choose to double the boxcar in three of their set. I guess that again would be the choice for the B&O freight set. This B&O Freight is the largest freight set ever made by HObbyline. HObbylines largest freight set sold as a HObbyline set has 5 ready to run cars and a caboose. As to the caboose, in this 1955 freight set as they are known to be, the only caboose released with HObbyline sets that year and had the HObbyline name used as a road name. A photo of this B&O freight set has to my knowledge never been seen even by any collectors of HObbyline I come across. Whoever has one B&O freight sets has never shared the information on-line. Nothing is known about how many of each set were sold. All search engines I have access to have no photo of this B&O freight set. Now you know the great train collecting Delima. In truth you can never collect them all for you dont know what else was made. You can only collect what is listed in catalogs. Everything else you find is just custom cars. unless there is some type of varication of the car acutely being produced. Good luck collectors.

Here just to help some more, I have gotten as a part of a Varney set box, the inside car inserts, there is only one insert and it is made to hold a set that had the same number of locos, freight cars and a caboose as a uncatalogued set sold by Lloyds of Baltimore. I have placed all proper original HObbyline locomotives, freight cars, and caboose in it. Any of the freight cars seen are from 1953 to 1955 and could have been in this set. The 2 FA-1's are B&O and correct originals for this set. Here is the Lloyds set #2, but in a Varney set box insert. This is all done so any other collector seeing this set would know what could have been in the original Lloyd's B&O uncatalogued freight set #2. It is better than nothing!

frank toptrain1@aol.com



Lloyds B&O passenger special set #1 HObbyline set #462 below

 

[toptrain1]

Here is an Old Kibri station from around 60 years ago. I had to fix the roof and do something about the missing wrap around porch. seenin the lower right corrner is Bachmanns 4-4-0 Western Atlantic RR. And yes that is Bernie the Bus!
frank
Kirbi station track side.

 

[zathros]

That's a really nice looking station.

 

[toptrain1]

Zarthros' I haven't heard from you for awhile. Nice to speak with you again. Glade you like the old Kirbri station. Still looking for a replacement porch or whatever I can find to match the architecture of this station. I may have to make it out of plastic and somehow color it to match the sidewalls. Oh well I'll do what I can.

 

[toptrain1]

Here is a sought after Fleischmann C-C doublended Electric locomotive in New Haven paint. I cant date this loco, but guess it was released somewhere in the 1960's.
Maybe someone else knows the date it was released?
frank

 

[toptrain1]

Some old Gilbert HO trains.

#117 15503 LNE all die cast metal gondola.
#116 The Sinclair tank car. Notice the old original Gilbert coupler in the photo, on the right side. Yes, it looks like a big hook. Car # SDRX 24712. It looks to be a Varney tank car body on the Gilbert die cast frame.
frank

 

[toptrain1]

High Town. Built atop of a ridge.
frank

 

[toptrain1]

Here in The Vintage HO collector. seems to be a good place to put recent acquisitions. Even with a good size collection of vintage trains dreaming never ends. Just having and running sets as seen in catalogs grow into larger train consists of just one type of freight cars. Weather it is with HObbyline or other Vintage manufactures products my only problem is not seeing the locomotives and cabooses in the same photo, inches away from each other. Yes! The length of your mainlines do matter for it allows for train consists of longer lengths. At present the type of car I want to run is 4 bay hoppers. HObbyline only made 6 different road-names. Getting enough of each one is now important to my collection. Also getting unbuilt kits and decal sets for other than HObbyline road-names for custom cars. I am hoping to get another Cotton Belt black hopper, and an unlettered hopper at this time. Maybe I'll get lucky.
frank

 

[toptrain1]

My most recent finds in HObbyline were 2 PRR cabooses. One is 1956 and the other 1957 types. with them came a perfect Mantua 4 window brass caboose painted for the PRR, a Mantua PRR gondola, and 2 1860 vintage passenger cars sold as Trail Blazers from "The Advance Molding Co.

Seen below is one of the last advertisements for Trail-Blazer old time passenger cars. Note there are four different cars at this time.
#23 Passenger car.
#35 Mail Car.
#45 Baggage car.
#56 Combination car.

I can only dream of a 8 to 10 car-consist of these cars running around my layout. Sometimes the past was better than the future!
It would be nice if some company would rerelease these Old Trail-Blazer kits once again.
Frank
.

 

[toptrain1]

Here is My Rivarossi Big Boy making the turn into the tunnel at Mine Hill.
frank

 

[toptrain1]

Here is a retro HO scale tank car with a rarely never seen road name Pegasus Oil Company, with a recording marking od H&P 753. It setps back to the 1950's with its tin plate cars and sets. The car is 99% steel metal. Only the wheels are different. It has a form of Kupsee couplers and will couple up with most hook and loop couplers.
This is from a old Macy's tin plate train set. This cars will run on HO gague track I am trying to clean it up as much as possiable. The only rust damage is to a letter S on one side.
frank



Here you see Pegasus with a different frame, trucks, and couplers to allow it to run with newer freight cars and locos. It even has a new dome.

I do hope to add details like a dome platform with ladders down to walkway, break wheels on wlkway where they belong, New Handrails around tank, Placard holders around walkway, Also remover remaining rust spots, touch up the silver on the tank, repaint the walkway, and touch up paint and lettering. And if I can find some red letterig that matches repeate tank numbers on tank ends. I wish I could say it is all so easy as 1, 2, 3. But this fussy detailing will take awhile. This tank is from an old Sears train set , I think from the 1940's It deserves a new start. I may try to paint the dome red. Maybe!

 

[toptrain1]

How about a series of posts on HO Camelback Locomotives. I wonder where this type of cab on top of boiler design originated. I got to do some research.

frank

 

[toptrain1]

A Vintage 1960's HO/OO retailer of model trains importing trains made in Japan and England was the American Train and track Company. Yes, the abbreviated name would be AT&T just like the phone company. Their products made in Japan were HO scale, whereas the British trains ran on HO gauge track but were OO scale models. Sometimes called "Double-O scale" This made them larger than if made in HO scale.
I'll post photos of a set they sold here. It is powered by a Brass steam loco, 0-4-0, pulling 3 old time coaches, which was made in Japan. The box is not in good shape., but what is inside is nice. I have placed a photo of the box cover, the interior set, and a close up of the loco and one coach. All three are the same. ATT did import a second type on old time coach that was identical to what is seen but was labeled "Smoking Car". These Passenger cars also came in a green color.
Frank

 

[toptrain1]

Here is group photo of 54 Vintage HO reefers and boxcars. Maybe you would like to see them,
fra

 

[toptrain1]

54 car photos first letter each description line is thee Manufacture. A Athearn, L Laconia, M Mantua, W Old wood kit maker unknown.

V A-1 Box, Mopack Eagle, MP 120174. A-2 Box, Dixieland N.C. & St. L.22145

V A-2 N.C.&S.L. Dixieland 22145.
V A-3 Ref, SWIFT Reefer Line, SRLX 12000.

V A-4 Ref, St. Louis Refrigerator Car Lines, SLRX 4539.

I A-5 EIRE OB-box, (outside braced) all wood by IMP, Imperial Model Products, (I is Imp.)

I A-6 BOX, Chesapeake and Ohio, C&O 2930.

V A-7 BOX, The Katy, MKT 45090.

V A-8 Box, B&O Timesaver Service 467109.

V A-9 Box, B&O Timesaver Service 467110.


A B-1 Ref, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, & Pacific. URTX 37019.

M B-2 Box, Southern pacific Lines, S.P.60710.

L B-3 Ref, Central Vermont, Milk, 559.

M B-4 Ref, Goetz Country Club, Beer, URTCo. 14313.

V B-5 Ref, Old Dutch Cleanser, CRL. 8945.

V B-6 Ref, Burlington Route Express, BREX 313.

V B-7 Ref, American reefer Transit, ART 24248.

V B-8 Ref, Pabst Milwaukee, beer, U.R.T.Co. 23333.

V B-9 Box, Western Pacific, W.P. 20805.


V C-1 Box, New Haven, N.H.30862.

W C-2 Ref, Prima Beer, U.R.T.C0. 93185.

V C-3 Ref, IL loins Central, M.D.T. 10285.

V C-4 Ref, Carnation Milk, U.R.T.Co. 33100.

M C-5, Ref, Baby Ruth Candy, NADX6245.

V C-6, Ref, Gerber’s, G.S.V.X. 1001.

V C-7 Ref, Old Heidelberg, Beer, U.R.T.X.Co.23103.

M C-8 Ref, Swift, Premium Ham, S.R.L.X. 21045.

W C-9 Ref, Merchants Biscuit Co. M.B.L.X.3907.


V D-1 Ref, Carnation Milk, U.R.T.X.23215.

W D-2 Ref, Heileman’s, Beer, U.R.T.Co. 19511.

W D-3 Ref, N.Y.C. Merchants Dispatch, M.D.T. 33509.

M D-4 Ref, N.Y.C. Merchants Dispatch, M.D.T.20145.

V D-5 Ref, Northern Pacific N.P. 91378.

V D-6 Ref, Northern Pacific N.P.91347.

W D-7 Ref, Northern Pacific N.P.92663.

V D-8 Ref, Northern Pacific N.P.91072.

M D-9 Ref, Santa Fe' Scout West, S.F.R.D. 21882.


W E-1 Ref, Schlitz, Beer, U.R.T.C0. 3765.

W E-2 Ref, Miller High life, U.R.T.Co. 93185.

W E-3 Ref, Mayer’s Kornblum, M.K.P.X. 119.

W E-4 Ref, Famers Coop Creamery Co. F.C.K.X.6300.

W E-5 Ref, Northwestern Line.N.W.X. 1039.

L E-6 ref, Tivoli beer, TUX 51501.
V E-7 Box, Main central M.E.C. 6444.

M E-8 Box, B&O Sentinel, 466096.

V E-9 Box Santa Fe, All the Way, A.T.S.F. 275161.


W F-1 Ref, Goetz Country Club, C.B.X. 4407.

V F-2 Ref, Blatz, Old Heidelberg, U.R.T.X. 23103. F-3 Ref

W F-3 Ref, Armour Ref Line, Clover Bloom Butter, A.R.L.X. 3985.
M F-4 Ref, Amour Ref Line, Star Pure Lard A.R.L.X. 15041

A F-5, Ref, Illions Central. I.C.50045

M F-6, Ref, Borden’s Fine Cheese, B.P.D.X. 12021.

W F-7, OB wood Ref, PRR 5342.

W F-8 Ref, Decker Meat, D.M.R.L. 2532.

V F-9 Ref, Santa Fe. El Capatina, S.F.R.D. 8130.

 

[Awry_Chaos]

Impressive collection!

 

[toptrain1]

This one is box 1 layer 1, the top layer in the box.
B1 L1
1st down Globe reefer Swift Refrigerator Line, red, SRLX 12000. A sheet metal car with a wood floor and cast metal details.
2nd down is an ERIE reefer of the Union refrigerator Line URTX 39427. All plastic.
3rd is a Varney reefer Santa Fe SFRD 25602. all plastic.
4th is another Varney reefer. Wilson car Line WCLX 9350. A plastic car.
5th is a ROCO Austria, Nickel Plate Road boxcar NKP 16520. a Plastic car.
#6 Mantua reefer, Crazy Crystals water co. ART 468. a plastic car with sheet metal sides.
#7 middle, Old Athearn reefer. Burlington Route Way of the Zephyrs. BREX 74230. Metal car, wood floor, U shaped metal center support with ribs.
#8 middle, Mantua reefer, Land O' Lakes sweet cream butter, NADX 6340. plastic car with metal sides.
#9 right side. Athearn Boxcar, Strasburg Rail Road SRC 110. Plastic car
#10 Old Athearn reefer, American refrigerator Transit Co. ART 242 48. metal car with wood floor
#11 Unknown, 34' flat car with cast metal sides, and wood floor.
#12 Varney reefer, Old dutch cleanser CRL 8845. Metal car Plastic bottom.
#13 Train Miniature Reefer, Santa fe, SFRD 35041 with map one side. Plastic body and floor.
#14 Mantua reefer, Model Railroader magazine, MRX 1027, plastic car metal floor.




this one is Box 1 layer 2 These Athearn and Roundhouse boxcars were custom Painted and lettered by KarLine.
Bi L2

Box 1 second level. All cars seem to be Kar Line. Some Athearn and some Roundhouse.
L side
#1 Athearn/ Kar Line, boxcar, Texas and pacific, T&P 58044.
middle line.
#2 Ath / Kar Line, Rutland Route of the Whippet, Rut 72890. Plastic car.
#3 Ath/ Kar Line, Lehigh New England RR. LNE 7050, Plastic car. Black.
#4 Ath/ Kar Line, Lehigh New England RR. LNE 8125, Plastic car. Boxcar Red.
#5 Roundhouse, Kar Line, Louisville & Nashville RR. The Old Reliable. L&N 7100.
#6 Ath/ Kar Line, Western Pacific RR. WP 20984. Plastic car
right line
#7 Athearn, double Door, boxcar, Pennsylvania RR. PRR 64153, Automobiles.
#8 Roundhouse, Kar Line, New York Central System, NYC 124005, Plastic car, Metal floor.
#9 Roundhouse, Kar Line, ERIE RR. ERIE 78940. Plastic car, Metal floor.
#10 Roundhouse, Kar Line, Jersey Central Lines, CNJ 567890. Plastic car, Metal floor.
#11 Ath/ Kar Line, Delaware & Hudson RR. D&H 19793. Plastic car.



This one is box one layer 3.

B-1 L3Box 1 Level 3.

#1 Varney Reefer, Gerber's Vegetables, GSVX 1001, Metal car plastic floor.
#2 Accurail maybe. I>G>A. good food stores, URTCo. 16803.
#3 Globe maybe, Old Dutch Cleanser. CRL 2953. Plastic car paper sides.
#4 Accurail ? Producers Cold Storage, PKSX 7201. plastic car.
#5 Peerless Beer, N X 3061. Plastic car.
right row.
#6 Globe boxcar, Baltimore & Ohio RR. 467993. Metal car, wood floor, cast metal rib detail.
#7 Varney boxcar, North Carolina & St Louis, NC&StL 23145. metal car, plastic bottom.
-- #8 Train Miniature, boxcar, Lehigh New England, LNE 8207. Plastic car. black
#9 Train Miniature, boxcar, Lehigh New England, LNE 8207. Plastic car. black
#10 Accurail reefer, Pacific Fruit Express, PFE 20072. Plastic car.
#11 AHM Roco, Texas, Pacific, & Western, TP&W 610. Plastic car.



This is Box 1 layer 4

B-1 L4

Box 1 level 4 left row
#1 Red Ball Fruit Car Northern Pacific RR. NP 14725, wood car.
#2 Red Ball, Milk Car, Bordens Milk tank car. BFIX 534, red & black. wood car.
#3 Red Ball Milk Car, Bordens Milk tank car. BFIX 534, red & black. wood car.
#4 Red Milk car, Bordens Milk tank car. BFIX 539, White tank plastic tank, metal floor.
#5 Main Line Models, Poultry car, PPKX 5131. Wood car.
#6 Flat car with high sides, wood floor and cast metal sides No road number.
#7 lifelike P2000, large gondola Pere Marquette PM 18881. plastic car.
#8 lifelike P2000, large gondola Pere Marquette PM 18914. plastic car.
#9 lifelike P2000, large gondola Pere Marquette PM 18942. plastic car.
#10 Varney boxcar, Main Central RR, MEC 6444. could be (Penn Line) plastic car.
#11 Bachmann, Heavy weight flatcar. Great northern 42764. plastic car.
#12 Model Die casting, Express reefer, Pennsylvania 2701. plastic car.
#13 Model Die casting, 50' boxcar, Pennsylvania 100484. plastic car.
# 14 War Emergency 50' gondola, New jersey central RR, CNJ 86721



These 5 photos are of the HO trains in just one of my boxes. I'm Renumbering my boxes and photographing then to see what i have. The box was at one time just Varney trains. Now it has others mixed in

B-1 L5

Box 1 Level 5.
#1 on left. Bachmann red caboose, Reading 3014, plastic car
#2 top left row. Athearn crane tender, PRR 425500. plastic car.
#3 Athearn Crane car. PRR 0860200 X Lionel flat car. plastic car.
#4 Crown gondola with gravel load, PRR 357765. plastic car.
#5 Mantua, Gondola, Texas & Pacific, T&P 17833. Plastic car, metal floor.
#6 kit bashed, short Gondola with gravel load. Made by Louie Lukash.
#7 Varney, gondola with gravel load, PRR 357843. plastic car.
#8 AHM , gondola with gravel load, ANN ARBOR RR., A. A. 42742. plastic car.
right line of trains.
#9 Kit bashed. wood deck added to Flat car. PRR 425500. X Athearn flat car.
#10 kit bashed crane tender PRR 425500. X Athearn flat car.
#11 AHM, Stock car, PRR 678900. light brown.
#12 AHM, Stock car, PRR 678900. light brown.
#13 AHM, Tempo Stock car, PRR 135427 dark brown silver roof and doors.
#14 AHM, Tempo Stock car, PRR 135427 dark brown silver roof and doors

Box 2 Level 1



This is the Box 1 layer 5 the bottom layer of trains in this box.




It is a heck of a day

 

[toptrain1]

Some more vintage HO trains from toptrain. I made this phopto when going through one of my boxes.


Here are some Old Marx HO tank-cars, The red one and white ones in the upper left corner are Rocket fuel cars. All the rest you can read their names.
frank
"It's a heck Of a Daya'

 

[toptrain1]

THE HOT-SHOT HObbyline TRAIN SET #426
This blog of mine started with a copy of a HObbyline trainset which I still would like to get a photo of the real thing. What i'll do now is ad a photo of my 11 HObbyline train set. I just got it At the Hamburg PA. Train show a week ago. show was on 12-29-23.
The HObbyline set is the 1956 Pennsylvania Railroad freight set #426 "The HOT SHOT" I have it in its original set box though it has not lasted very well. I refer to the box and not the trains. Tho released in 1956 and still around they are only a little less then top condition. ALL locos and cars are the ones that came with the set and are seen in the 1956 retail catalog.
frank

 

[toptrain1]

Here is a retro HO scale tank car with a rarely never seen road name Pegasus Oil Company, with a recording marking od H&P 753. It setps back to the 1950's with its tin plate cars and sets. The car is 99% steel metal. Only the wheels are different. It has a form of Kupsee couplers and will couple up with most hook and loop couplers.
This is from a old Macy's tin plate train set. This cars will run on HO gague track I am trying to clean it up as much as possiable. The only rust damage is to a letter S on one side.
frank
View attachment 208499View attachment 208500

Here is my reworked Pegasus tank car. It still needs some touchups to the silver and the lettering. So more is to come!
frank