1936 Alexander passenger cars cast sides

[Carey Williams]

Hello Vintage O scalers

At the recent Jim Seacrest auction ..there was a interesting lot #1146 of 9 passenger cars ..see link

https://connect.invaluable.com/stout/au ... 4740C8A8B/

I spotted 3 what I thought were cast Alexander cars ....

Some of the other cars may be Walthers ...or ?

The cars arrived !!! Yes 3 Alexander cast sides , ends, and some of the under carriage bits, bronze trucks ... found an ad in October 1936 offering the cast side car.

In the 1934 American Model Railroad Co. catalog ...all cast cars are offered as well and built up ... the all cast cars are lovely ...but very heavy .... so I assume Alexander came up with the cast sides and wood top and main floor so save a pound or so ...

In the 10th edition American Model Railroad Co. catalog ...all cast, cast sides and built up are all offered as options .

Whilst flipping through Model Railroader's looking for the cast side car ads...came across in 1939 a one piece smooth sided Alexander car ...has anyone seen these ? ... die cast like the New Haven coach ?

If any one can enlighten me on the the other cars in the lot I'd be most appreciative . ... I can provide additional photos
Cheers Carey

Is there a Alexander ( America Model Railroad Co. ) catalog between the 1934 and Tenth addition ?

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[ScaleCraft]

This is mine, had it for decades. I won't tell you what I paid for it or Burner might blow a gasket.

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[ScaleCraft]

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Underbody.
I remember the consternation it caused, as the underframe portion (cast) sure looks like the design of the SC head end cars. Different than yours, maybe just different years.

[R.K. Maroon]

Lots to respond to here:

Whilst flipping through Model Railroader's looking for the cast side car ads...came across in 1939 a one piece smooth sided Alexander car ...has anyone seen these ?

Yes -- I have one and have seen others go by

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... die cast like the New Haven coach ?

Sandcast, just like the New Haven coach

Is there a Alexander ( America Model Railroad Co. ) catalog between the 1934 and Tenth addition ?

At least one:

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...the underframe portion (cast) sure looks like the design of the SC head end cars. Different than yours, maybe just different years.

Dave, that looks like a Min-i-Scale (heavy white metal) or Mi-Loco (aluminum).

Jim

[ScaleCraft]

Not bronze, I don't think. I'd have to dig it out again, but it screws onto the wood floor and roof just like the Alexanders do. Woody said Alexander, so who knows. I've had it over 30 years. Oh..and it was free.

[Carey Williams]

Hello Dave and Jim + plus the rest of the world

Dave thank you for posting the photos of your nice cast car .... I'm going the vote with Jim about the Mi-Loco origins ... can we assume it is aluminum ? I've attached some photos comparing the Mi-loco ( aluminum --no rivets) with the Mini Scale ( die-cast with rivets ..beautiful but heavy ) both done in true O scale 17/64 th's .

Jim thank you for posting the photos of the Alexander smooth sided cars and neat cover on the catalog .... more things to hunt down .

Here is a photo of Ed Alexander found in the Model Railroader of April 1939 ....

Cheers Carey

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[ScaleCraft]

That's where it gets weird. Mine has wood roof, wood floors, and flathead screws through the sides just like yours do.
No cast roof, but the frame piece appears to be added...and it is wider than the carbody. This car is NOT 17/64ths by appearance. I will now have to dig it out and measure it.

Mine has the large belt rail like yours do...not like the last two shown at all.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Well, if any of you run across any of these Alexander sides and ends, please do drop me a line.

[Carey Williams]

Hello Dave

Seems like Alexander made many different varieties .... just to confuse the collectors down the road .

Jim the one piece bodies have a slot to slide the floor in like Kaisner ? and separate end castings ?

Rufus..nice kit ..the only set of early ( old timey) Alexander cars I've seen are at the TCA museum .

Whatever happened to Alexander's collection of O scale ?

Thank you
Cheers Carey

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[Rufus T. Firefly]

Rufus..nice kit ..the only set of early ( old timey) Alexander cars I've seen are at the TCA museum .

I've only seen one other of these cars and it was being sold in a lot with a pile of more modern cars that apparently were very desirable to at least 2 other persons,

Retrospectively, I made a terrible error when I rebuilt it by not capturing the castings in RTV to make copies in resin.

[ScaleCraft]

Maroon has seen the car when he was here last. It's an Alexander.
Now, on the frame bit....who knows. Somebody had one and installed it?
Alexander ran out of his frames and supplied those?
Originality 70 years on is sometimes very difficult to ascertain.

[Carey Williams]

Hello Dave and the world ...
I tried to post some additional photos but the man behind the computer said no
So I'll try tomorrow


1934 Alexander ad ... selling cast sides , wood roof cars .. bingo !

So perhaps the catalog between the 34 and 37 will fill the gap
Has anyone seen the old timey (early ) cars in an Alexander catalog ? Ad ?

Thank you
Cheers Carey

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Has anyone seen the old timey (early ) cars in an Alexander catalog ? Ad ?

In '37.....