Early-Time Kits

[J3a-614]

At the suggestion of pdlethridge, here is a place for some links to early model railroad kits that are still available.  In some cases the detail may be a bit crude, some are challenging to put together, but they are still fun and, in a way, a connection to early modelers, including the legendary John Allen of Gorre & Daphetid fame.  These kits are part of what would have kept Varney Docksides and Ten-Wheelers company back when.  As to the thread name, I was tempted to call them "old-time kits," but that might have been confused with pure period models--but then, isn't that what these are, in more ways than one?

Freight cars in wood and cast metal:

http://www.yeoldehuffnpuff.com/

Buildings in wood and cardboard, and in real corrugated metal:

http://www.alpinemodels.com/index.html

Modelers of the 19th century will like this one:

https://www.labellemodels.com/

Of course, Bachmann's own Plasticville line dates to 1947.  (History site)

http://www.tandem-associates.com/plasticville/plasticville.htm

Northeastern Scale Models used to sell a variety of freight cars, and was best known for a Russell snowplow and Boston and Maine coaches that would have gone behind those Moguls and Americans a Bachmann contingent loves so well.  Those cars are not currently catalogued, but the company is around, in California.

http://www.nesm.com/

Not listed here is Bowser, who made an extensive line of steam locomotive kits, mostly of PRR prototypes, including E6s 4-4-2s, H10s 2-8-0s, G5 4-6-0s, L1s 2-8-2s, M1 and M1a 4-8-2s, I1s 2-10-0s, and of course K4s 4-6-2s.  A New York Central K-11 4-6-2 and a very heavy "lead pipe" (waggish comment) UP 4-6-6-4 were also available, and for a while this firm also reproduced Varney's Dockside, 4-6-0, and 2-8-0.  Unfortunately, steam kits are too small a market today.

Then there were (and are) these classic trucks from Ulrich:

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=ulrich+models

http://www.ulrichmodels.biz/servlet/StoreFront

http://www.railstop.com/

This is intended as just a start.  No doubt there are others around, and I'm certain some readers here will remember having worked with others, such as Ideal Models (structure kits).

Let's hear what you have to say.

[Bill Baker]

J3,

Thanks for the link to Labelle.  I bought their 1905 Combine and Coach a few years ago. I run them with my Bachmann 10 wheeler.  One thing I would like to add is the finishing out of the roofs.  I bought some model airplane tissue to place on the roofs and spray painted them black.  It gives a great texture a thousand times better than just painting the roofs.  I also stained the car bodies with mahogany wood stain and sprayed them with a clear coat to give them a shine.  They both look great.

Bill

[ebtnut]

Bill:  Your treatment of your LaBelles mirrors what the prototypes did back around the turn of the 20th century, in the days before "Pullman Green" became ubiquitous.  It's the reason that passenger trains got the nickname "varnish". 

[rich1998]

River City RR sells some nice old time plastic "shake the box" kits on ebay, "Buy it now". I cannot mention the brand here. The cars are 36' truss rod type. Circa 1900.

I have bought a bunch. Very good seller.

They also sell the Overton four car set, unpainted so you can detail them yourself.

Lex

[J3a-614]

A little more history:

The Northeastern kits were more properly known as Ambroid kits of various series; from what I've been able to determine, Ambroid was primarily a glue company, and the kits were made by Northeastern for them under contract, Northeastern primarily being a wood-milling company making stripwood and other scratch-building material.  Later some of the kits would be re-released under Northeastern's own name.  A history site is below:

http://www.trainweb.org/ambroidkits/sitemap.htm

Ambroid's main business was really glue.  It's still around, and still a good product for wood, cardboard, and so on.

http://www.ambroid.com/Ambroid.html

Came across this history page from a site on old models in general; the best thing about it is that it shows how some of those old kits actually came out, including some shots of kits under construction.  As Labelle is still around, and as it is still possible to run into vintage Ambroid models, the shots of the models under construction are of interest in giving you an idea of the experience you'll have.

http://www.oldmodelkits.com/blog/plastic-model-kit-history/the-ho-scale-model-railroading-revolution-of-the-1940s/

The Kasiner streamliner car illustrated reminded me of OK Streamliners, which I believe may have started out as a firm called Herkimer's.  (Can anyone confirm this?)  In any event, OK Streamliners is still around, and for a relatively modest price, will even custom-punch the sides of a car for you if it is not a standard car they offer.  Keep in mind, however, that these are going to be very basic models, particularly in the interior and underbody departments, if they have anything at all.

http://www.okengines.com/

http://www.okengines.com/pdf/catalog1.pdf

http://www.okengines.com/pdf/catalog2.pdf

Still, those are parts you can add on; and in some cases, the custom car service they offer might be the only way to get some prototypes, including the prospect of the boat-tail observation cars that were to have been built for C&O's George Washington by Pullman-Standard (but were canceled by the road's financial troubles in the late 1940's).

Then there is Model Railroad Warehouse, home to M. Dale Newton's Red Ball line until recently.  Looks like Red Ball will still be around, too, based on some of the material on this site:

http://www.mrrwarehouse.com/

Who knows what else is out there?

[Woody Elmore]

The Ambroid kits were "1 in 5000" made for them by Northeastern. I built several and my favorite was an outside braced NC&StL caboose.  Northeastern was making kits long before the Ambroid series. Their originals included a B&M winged snow plow and some B&M passenger cars.

There were 12 cars in each Ambroid series and they ran two series.

As for cement you had three choices: an acetate glue as made by Ambroid and Duco; then there was ever popular Walther's Goo which was similar to Pliobond and was basically rubber cement. The best choice for wood kits was Elmer's white glue.

I used to use Elmers or equivalent on the wooden body and goo or pliobond to attach metal fittings. Walther's used to tout their glue as being great for everything but it was difficult to work with. I used to use library glue - a thin rubber cement that came in a jar with a brush - used to attach labels to the insides of books.

The hobby has come a long way since those days. The Northeastern kits still make nice models and there are tons of great detail parts if you don't wish to use the rather crude white metal castings that come with the kits. I see the kits on Ebay all the time. I paid a few dollars for mine but I see them on Ebay for ridiculous prices. Those must be the Ambroid gold plated series!

[J3a-614]

More tickling of brain cells going on. . .

Just the thing to go with a Shay or Climax (or a not-yet-made Baldwin rod logger), and by Kadee, the coupler people:

http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/HO-Scale%20Log%20Car.htm

http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page101.htm

http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page102.htm

http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page103.htm

http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page107.htm

http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page104.htm

[pdlethbridge]

If you tickle it too much, you'll laugh!!!!!!!!
Most, if not everything, can be found on Ebay. And some can be gotten cheap.

[J3a-614]

I would have more than what I do if I weren't married. . .

"I am a man of constant sorrow,
  My wife spends all my pay. . ."

We must always love women, they put up with all our bad jokes (as my own wife of 29 years can attest).

[J3a-614]

A comment in the "carpet coupler" thread about link and pin couplers (normally associated with 19th century railroading) got me looking--and found that some of the products of Alexander Scale Models are back in production, courtesy of Tomar (normally associated as a firm specializing in passenger train tail signs)--including, of course, the link and pin couplers.  Other lines, such as Utah Pacific, are there, too.

http://www.tomarindustries.com/index.html

http://www.tomarindustries.com/asm.htm

One of the classics from this line.

http://www.tomarindustries.com/A-7519.jpg

Another firm that was around a long time back, with some classic structures and a portable coal conveyor was Dyna-Models; does anybody know if this firm or some reincarnation is still around?

[buzz]

Hi
What is even more interesting is how many times we perhaps build the same kit in our lives.
I am working on two houses and there gardens both are re manufactured early time kits originally by Airfix from their railway range the only change is literally the brand name on the label.
In the sixties many UK model railways and train sets had had these buildings and still can only by Dapol today but still exactly the same Kit
I have built the cottage kit for the third time
First as little more than a child boy was I proud of that mess.
The second time in my twenties for a friends layout, and a good deal better than the first attempt with dad.
And now yet again this time hoping to get the thatched roof coloring right
never did get that right in the other two builds
Just by coincidence I have also used plasicville kits from time to time
these seem to have the same longevity as the old Airfix railway range
So I wonder how many of the plastic ville models cleverly disguised with realistic paint jobs and a couple of extra details added are hiding on todays model railways. if I can get one when I want it the cathedral and burger bar can certainly have a place on my layout.
regards John

[Chris350]

Have to say I'm a big fan of the Tomar bumping post.  Have four or five scattered around my layout.

[CNE Runner]

My thanks to all for a fascinating thread. I have bookmarked this one for future reference. J3A-614...that historical website is wonderful!! I plan on visiting it often...brings back memories.

Since Tomar Industries was mentioned, I'd like to give them a plug. The transfer tables (traversers) on my Monks' Island Brewery/Railway layout were giving me fits due to their unreliability. It seemed no matter what I tried, I just couldn't get reliable electrical transfer between the tables and the pit rails. I installed Tomar #805 Pickup Shoes on the tables - such that they had contact with (slid along) the powered pit rails and, voila, reliable power to each table's tracks! I will try to find the time to take some pictures and add to my much earlier thread. Incidentally, this thread can be seen at

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,10410.0.html

Again, thanks for the valuable information.

Regards to all,
Ray

[J3a-614]

I have to say, this has been fun looking up this old stuff, although it takes up too much time (which is to say, it's just a little addictive). . .

I wasn't going to put on information about Bowser, as this firm no longer makes steam locomotive kits, but in view of the interest in "early-time" kits, I have to change my mind.

For reference, Bowser's modern home page:

http://www.bowser-trains.com/

From this home page:

First, the steam engines; note the former Varney engines as well:

http://bowser-trains.com/holocos/holocos.htm

Continuing on:

http://bowser-trains.com/hoother/manual/manual.htm

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoemrrs/aerotrain/aerotrain.htm

For many years, Bowser trolleys were the only ones you could get, outside of brass or scratchbuilding.

http://bowser-trains.com/hoother/trolleys/trolleys.htm

Other items, one or two of which have been linked earlier in the tread:

http://www.railstop.com/History/Bowser/BowserHistory.asp

http://www.bowser-trains.com/misc/history/history.htm

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/FMref.pdf

Athearn cars used to be in metal:

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/Menzies.pdf

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/Partref1.pdf

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/partref2.pdf

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/motors.pdf

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/Old%20Locos.pdf

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/gg1ref.pdf

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/tenders/tenders.htm

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/tender_trucks/tender_trucks.htm

http://www.bowser-trains.com/misc/building_tips/building_kits.htm

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/BoxRef.pdf

http://www.bowser-trains.com/hoother/Old%20Lady_Varney.pdf

These came from this page; looks like they still have some Varney metal cars (Bowser production) in stock.

Detail parts are still handy for dressing up or altering current locomotives, and for those rare occasions (because so few of us still have or ever did acquire the skill) when you scratchbuild an engine.  The Cal Scale line, by way, includes parts originally made by a company called Budd, which must have been one of the first, if not the first, detail parts firm that worked in lost wax:

http://bowser-trains.com/hoother/calscale/calscale.htm

http://bowser-trains.com/hoother/calscale/6000.pdf

http://bowser-trains.com/hoother/cary/cary.htm

http://bowser-trains.com/hoother/cary/Cary%20Parts.pdf

http://bowser-trains.com/hoother/cary/Cary%20Superdetail%20kits.pdf

http://bowser-trains.com/hoother/cary/Cary%20Body.pdf

http://bowser-trains.com/hoother/selley/Selley%20Drawings%20HO.pdf

From Bowser, material on one of the company's predecessors:

http://www.hoseeker.org/pennline/pennlinehistory/pennlineindex.html

Note that you can look inside the catalogues with the drop-down links:

http://www.hoseeker.org/pennline/pennlinehistory/early.html

http://www.hoseeker.org/pennlineinstructions.html

http://www.hoseeker.org/pennlineinformation.html

Hmm, check out the home page where the catalogue information came from; someone else likes to look up old HO stuff:

http://www.hoseeker.org/

In one way it's too bad some things have improved to the extent they have, and that is in how one can at best rarely get undecorated kits and decals to go with them.  Believe me, this is still something useful, especially if you are modeling a road like the C&O or the Virginian (or for that matter the NYC where it interchanged with the C&O and the VGN, at the east end of the former Kanawha & Michigan) and you need about 300 hopper cars, all with different numbers.

http://www.minot.com/champ/

Enjoy.

[J3a-614]

Not anything with early kits (other than that some were used here), but something still appropriate for what is turning out to be Bachmann's nostalgia and history page:

http://gorre-and-daphetid.witt-family.com/

http://www.gdlines.com/

I'll let you explore here, particularly the slide pages, and just wait for some comments.