Model Train Journal

Since Chris didn't do it, I thought I'd start the thread this weekend. I attended the TCA Eastern Division's Meet at York. I did come away with a couple of bargains, but in general prices were high and the crowds didn't seem that big.

However, I did get to meet Mike Wolf, or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof.





George

I had some great bargains this time at York, although I didn't think prices were all that good on new stuff:

• Picked up new (old stock) Lionel PowerHouse 180 brick for $50
• Got 2 MiddleDivision (Atlas O) Pennsy X29 boxcars for $45 a piece
• This Atlas gondola for $9! Check out the funky coupler and the stick-on lettering.

Does anyone know anything about it?

I'm planning to peel off the lettering, stick a set of decals on it, scuff it up a bit, and use it to haul coils.

George

G3750 wrote:[*]This Atlas gondola for $9! Check out the funky coupler and the stick-on lettering.

Does anyone know anything about it?

George

Beginning in 1971, Atlas began importing a line of O scale locomotives and rolling stock produced by Roco in Austria.
Atlas Roco gondola cars measure 13-1/8 inches, have 13 sideposts, one at car centerline and of course the funky ROCO couplers, an enlarged version of their HO couplers.

Atlas "O" must not have had the O-scale gondola available for this advertisement because they show the n-scale gondola with Kadee couplers.



It looks like you have a piece of Atlas Tool Company history.

Roco products were the basis for LIONEL/MPC's entry into a more 'scale' sized product
with it's '98xx Standard 'O' line' made in the '70's..
Trucks/couplers/frames/bodies are interchangeable between the MPC cars & the Roco.
B.T.D.T.
George's gondola was not imported/made by MPC.

Kusan/KMT in the 1950's made a series of plastic 'traditional' sized freight cars with identical truck/couplers as pictured by George and Wayne.
Williams made copies in the '70's.
No, I do not know who copied who...

Postwar LIONEL wheelsets will swap out with the plastic Kusan/Roco wheelsets. B.T.D.T.
As is, "the funky ROCO couplers" are compatible with any 'Lionel compatible' 'Lobster Claw' coupler.
((i.e., They work with almost every thing I've accumulated)
except my MARX, but there are 'work-arounds for that...)

Good snag on the $50 power-bricks, George. I need a couple of MTH bricks to replace the pair that got water-damaged in my basement.

Didn't see many bargains. Friday York seemed pretty crowded to me, but the parking lot appeared to have a lot fewer cars on it. No idea. Talked to a couple of dealers that lamented down attendance. Face it, we're dying off.

I did find this diecast 2235T tender for less than $50:



Which brings up the question, is a diecast 2235T/W the same as a diecast 2224T/W, the only difference being the tender drawbar?

Paul

The two die-cast tenders are the same. Judging by the rear coupler I would say the one you have was made in 1939 and it came with a 225E. That was a good price for a die-cast tender. I would have bought that one for at least $100 dollars

Wayne - thanks so much for the update. With a little weathering and decals, I think it will make a good mill gon or I'll find Pennsy decals and put it in revenue service hauling coils.

Paul - thanks. Wish I had been able to find 2 more PH180s. That was absolutely the steal of the show.

I walked around with my friend Price for both Thursday and Friday (I came back on Saturday for that gon). We were both unimpressed with prices - they were high! I also thought the crowds were smaller. My wife asked me if there was anything new and exciting about this York - my answer was no. The Atlas booth was tiny. And there is a rumor that Lionel is not going to attend the April York.

This must be the first time that I can recall that I've attended all 3 days. I have to say this past York left me wanting for ?something? It had the feel of an ordinary train show, only much bigger. I mean, if I want endless rows of schlock, I can attend First Frost / First Thaw in Allentown. That was the feel to me.

George

Train show pickup this morning: a dealer carton of 100 Super O straight sections

webenda wrote:and of course the funky ROCO couplers, an enlarged version of their HO couplers.

Not so Wayne. It may look like the same design in a blurry photo but the older ROCO American Profile cars had the so-called NMRA Horn Hook Couplers.

HONDO74 wrote:The two die-cast tenders are the same. Judging by the rear coupler I would say the one you have was made in 1939 and it came with a 225E. That was a good price for a die-cast tender. I would have bought that one for at least $100 dollars

Yeah, it was a bargain. There’s a guy in the Purple Hall that brings twenty or so tables of odds and ends, much of it outright junk. If you’re looking for parts, and have the time to wade through the piles, it can be a gold mine. This time he had a table of odds-n-ends tenders. This and a really rough 2235W were in the pile. Probably could have gotten both for a hundred bucks and made one nice 2235W out of the pair, but I’ve got enough projects...