Penn Erie (LWS)

[R.K. Maroon]

I assume this is another Penn Erie model: Ebay #282964724946, O Scale 2 Raill Unpowered Erie Lackawanna U33C

Chris, you are absolutely correct. I chose not to bid, but I did snag the photos:

Penn-Erie U33C EL 3314_01.jpg (101.03 KiB) Viewed 7416 times

Penn-Erie U33C EL 3314_02.jpg (101.39 KiB) Viewed 7416 times

This particular model can be built as either an U33C or a U36C. The Erie Lackawanna had both, but the first two digits of the road number identify this one as a U33C (A lot of railroads did this with U-boats it seems).

Jim

[ScaleCraft]

Including the NP.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

The SCL engine looks like a miraculous recovery.

A lump of coal into a diamond!

Does really demonstrate the potential lurking in those old Penn-Erie (LWS) units.

[bob turner]

They have a charm. They will never compete with modern brass or plastic for detail.

I can see that someday I have to find skinnier handrail material. Fortunately, my handrails are simply nailed in place, and can be pried loose.

[De Bruin]

Whoa, I like what you've done with Allan's U-Boat! it certainly was worthy of getting painted and custom decaled.
(I covet this one big time )
Based on what Jim told me about him I'm sure he'd be delighted to see it completed too.

Also thanks to all for additional comments on the SCL U-36B. As minimalist as these Penn Erie castings are they're do have a
crude cachet that polishes up nicely with some work; this one has been reliably running now for a year at the club in regular service and has held up well including reliable tractive effort. I look forward to doing some more of them, though I'm leaning towards an All Nation F-unit as the next cast diesel project after that lengthy visit to Weaver PVC hell with those sketchy L&N FA's. I've been off of modeling for a few months building additional bench's for the shop and re-arranging the shelving accordingly. Getting close, sealing last coat on the bench tops tonight; put everything back into place and I will be resuming work on the Chester Sunbeam project first and some club locomotive repairs.
Pete

[bob turner]

Speaking of charm:
If this link works, you will see a couple of brass (unpainted) locomotives that really capture the essence of 1980s O Scale. I have been painting most of my creations, but admit that I miss the patina of my old brass MG MT-4.

o scale you tube 2013 memorial

Nope - try this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VEOltlQBf ... Oybd4_JnlQ

[De Bruin]

Liked that a lot Bob, thanks for posting, and yes that was a perfect trip through the "Wayback" machine to the 1980's. My old DFW O scale modular club trains back then in the early days looked a lot like all of that, except of course few of our member's steam back then would rarely run for more than an hour before the "smoke escaped" from their Pittmans, Sagamis etc. and would be consigned to bad-order shelf hell often sadly until the estate sale.
Also liked the layout and that Suydam and Kidder traction in the back ground, I only have one brass traction piece and I can't bring myself myself to sell it. Did he ever get the traction "off the ground?"
Wow, great!

[R.K. Maroon]

The video was filmed at Bob Stiver's "East San Francisco Bay" layout in Seattle. Bob is still around and operating the last I heard. I do not know who Steven Lewis Holmes was, but Dave Scalecraft can tell us -- I hear his voice in the video.

Jim

[ScaleCraft]

Hard to watch it for too long whilst sitting here in the Oncology Surgery Waiting Room. At least with any volume (gonna have to get some headphones).

About 1:00 is me on the right...spot the straps of the overalls.
About 2:00 is me and my Bob Hall built NP 2-8-0.
Video on pause right now to avoid scowls.

[rogruth]

Dave,
I recognize your voice several times on this video of an outstanding layout.

Bob T,
Thanks for the link. There seem to be other good videos on that link also.

[R.K. Maroon]

And now back to that Penn-Erie U33C in EL colors. As it is, I have another Penn-Erie that may have been built by the same modeler:


Mine is a U25B. I did consider bidding on the U33C to put these two together but both models need some work, Erie Lackawanna is not my road, and I already have too many projects. The U33C sold for $150 I think. Not a bad price perhaps, but I don't think it had a drive.

Jim

[R.K. Maroon]

I am in the middle of a two-part series on Penn-Erie for my O Scale Archaeology column in O Scale Trains magazine (Rufus T. Firefly, editor). The second part will be a look at the relation between Penn-Erie and Locomotive Workshop (LWS). I have a set of the LWS newsletters starting with the September 1974 issue. LWS was already selling Penn-Erie castings at the time of this newsletter. I am looking for any LWS flyer or newsletter that predates Sept 1974 in hopes I can get an idea as to when LWS started selling the Penn-Erie castings, and what models were offered (I know that the offerings changed over the years). I have a complete set of O Scale Railroading, with the first issue going back to June 1969, so I will check those early issues to see if I can find anything. However, if anybody has any LWS documentation pre-dating 1974 and would be willing to either look through it or let me borrow it (I will scan and return), please let me know.

I do like Penn-Erie:



From left to right: two U33B's, one U30C, two U33C's and one U25C.

If I have this correct:
* the U33B is also good for the U36B
* the U33C is also good for the U36C

Jim

[ScaleCraft]

The video was filmed at Bob Stiver's "East San Francisco Bay" layout in Seattle. Bob is still around and operating the last I heard. I do not know who Steven Lewis Holmes was, but Dave Scalecraft can tell us -- I hear his voice in the video.

Jim

Somehow first time around I missed the question on Steve Holmes. Odd duck, as are we all. Machinist. Had dozens and dozens of doorstop locos, mostly SC, can motors, no detail or paint.

Went to his funeral. Sometimes folks decide when to go. Hard, only the family knew until the Priest mentioned it in the service.

[bob turner]

Re- structure that last sentence? Surely the priest did not blurt out that the guy took the hemlock?

If he did, isn't suicide a mortal sin for the Catholics? How does that fit with a requiem mass?

[ScaleCraft]

Actually, he did. Expressed sorrow when someone takes their life.

So, I ran him down after the service, and asked (interested, since the LAST Catholic Funeral I spotted a dunk tank...full-immersion baptism and all that), he told me the latest understanding (Papal Decree?) is that folks who take their lives are not in their right mind, therefore are not committing mortal sin.

What he said. Seriously.

Yeah, it was a shock to find out that way, and to find out Catholicism is rapidly approaching good old Southern Baptist in their thinking.