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rec.models.railroad
TINPLATE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Part 1 of 4, Information

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This is a listing of frequently asked questions and general information
concerning the collection, operation and repair of collectable model railroad
equipment. I make every attempt to keep this information current and accurated,
but I accept no liability from the use of this information. I do not endorse
any of the products or companies listed here, although I often state what I
have chosen to use myself. Any comments critical of a product or company is
only an opinion from the experience of the author or a contributor to the FAQ,
and is to be taken in that context. Many corporate names and products mentioned
here are trademarks, so don't use them for profit! Your input is necessary to
keep the FAQ accurate and comprehensive. Additions and corrections are always
welcome. E-mail to the author at:

[e-mail]
(Christopher D. Coleman)
TCA #88-26999
LRRC #0032070

The official World Wide Web archive for this FAQ is at the Webville amd
Hypertext Railroad Co. at URL:
http://watnet7.eng.ohio-state.edu/colemanc/webville.htm
Addtional relavent documents can be found there. This is not a full time server
and may not always be available.

This FAQ is hereby Copyrighted (C) 1994,95 by the author. It may be copied and
distributed anywhere in either electronic or hardcopy format, providing it is
not altered, changed or edited in any way other than format (DOS, UNIX, MAC,
html, WP, etc) and no payment is extracted solely for its use. All other rights
are reserved by the author. All other types of reproduction in part or in whole
or use in a commercial manner are not permitted without express permission of
the author. Those who choose to archive this FAQ are requested to notify the
author as to its archive location if possible and to keep the most current copy
on file. This is solely to keep the FAQ as current and accessible as possible.

This FAQ contains the following topics:

Part 1, Information

     WHAT'S NEW IN THE FAQ?
     COLLECTABLE/TINPLATE TRAINS
     GRADING STANDARDS AND OTHER JARGON
     MANUFACTURERS
     THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE
     RAILSCOPE
     LOCOMOTIVE TYPES

Part 2, Equipment

     CARS
     TRANSFORMERS
     TRACK
     SWITCHES

Part 3, Equipment

     TOOLS
     MAINTENANCE TIPS
     MODIFICATIONS
     PARTS SUPPLIERS
     MOTOR DESIGN

Part 4, The Hobby

     LAYOUTS
     OPERATING TRAINS
     DISPLAYING TRAINS
     COLLECTING TRAINS
     INVENTORYING
     MEETS
     GROUPS
     OTHER SOURCES

WHAT'S NEW IN THE FAQ?

     The FAQ is now in 4 parts
     The FAQ is now maintained in fully hypertext format and will be posted to
     the Web server in that form

     I always need input on what else should be in this FAQ!

COLLECTABLE/TINPLATE TRAINS

What constitutes a collectable model train?

     A collectable model train is any model train with intrinsic historical or
     sentimental value rather than just scale accuracy. This can include any
     vintage or antique trains as well as many current production items
     manufactured in a similar way. For example modern issue trains using three
     rail operation often appeal to those who collect older three rail
     equipment. Scale model trains, on the othe hand, are made and uesed with
     scale accuracy as the paramont factor. Scale and collectable often overlap
     in that models initially made for realism become uncommon and are sought
     by collectors, such as 1930's OO Scale. They may occur in any scale or
     gauge but are common to Standard, Wide, O, S and larger gauges.

     Tinplate is the word most often used to describe these trains but I find
     it to be often misunderstood as referring to only the stamped steel
     "tinny" trains made early in this century. It also includes plastic models
     made from the 1940's and up. The word collector is also misunderstood. A
     collector is not just someone who amasses old trains on shelves or in
     closets. Most collectors operate and most operators collect. It is very
     difficult to draw a line between the two, but most choose their own
     location on this spectrum. The pure collector is concerned only with
     appearance and the pure operator mostly with operation. Here I will use
     "Collectable" and "Tinplate" interchangeably. Whatever these people are
     called, they like trains for their "neatness" and entertainment value
     rather than their "exactness".

     Each collector (or operator) must establish his or her own unique
     collecting strategy. Most basic to this is the selection of what types of
     trains you wish to collect. A collection of all known types and scales of
     model trains is not a realistic gaol. The area of specialty can vary from
     a period of a particular make (eg. Flyer 1907-1942) to all of a particular
     scale (eg. O scale) to a particular style of trains (eg cast iron). This
     choice is completely up to the collector's preference.

     There are, however, many in the hobby whose sole interest is to buy and
     hoard trains until they appreciate and sell them at profit. These persons
     have little interest in the hobby, but rather in monetary gain from them.
     They are generally considered a liability to the hobby and are disliked
     for their practices.

GRADING STANDARDS AND OTHER JARGON

What are Grading Standards and what do they mean?

     These standards were set forth by the Train Collectors Association and
     have been accepted as the means for identifying a piece's appearance. They
     give no information on its operational condition. The exact interpretation
     of these levels is somewhat subjective.

      Mint: Brand new, absolutely unmarred, unused in original box
      Excellent: Minute scratches or nicks, no dents or rust
      Very Good: Few scratches, no dents or rust, exceptionally clean
      Good: Scratched, dirty, with small dents
      Fair: Well-scratched, chipped, dented rusted or warped
      Poor: Badly damaged, use for parts

     other collectors jargon you may see

      OB: original Box
      LN: like new - used but otherwise in Mint condition
      MIB: mint in box, may have been unpacked but in mint condition
      NOB: new with original box, may or may not have been used
      Prewar: Manufactured 1943 or before
      Postwar: Manufactured 1944 or after - for Lionel this period
      lasted until 1969, 1966 for Flyer, and 1975 for Marx
      MPC (Model Plastics Corp.) OR FUNDIMENSIONS (later name):The division of
     General Mills which produced Lionel and Flyer Trains under license from
     the old Lionel Corp. from 1970 to 1986.
      LTI (Lionel Trains Incorporated): The current maker of Lionel and Flyer.
     LTI owns rights to these names and has no relation to the Lionel Corp.
      die: the mold used to form plastic or metal parts clockwork: a wind-up
     train using a coiled spring as power live steamer: a train operating an a
     real boiler/piston arrangement using real steam, usually heated by an
     alcohol burner.
      railhead: the top circular or rectangular part of the rail
      prototype: the real object you are modeling
      spur gear: two normal gears meshing straight teeth
      worm gear: corkscrew gear meshing with a gear with slanted teeth
      tender: the car that carries fuel and water for a locomotive sequencer
     (E-Unit): a device that automatically changes the direction of a universal
     motor when the power is interrupted.
      York: very large train meet in York, PA put on by the TCA

MANUFACTURERS

What manufacturers are commonly collected?

     Those with address are currently in production:

     AMERICAN FLYER

     The Edmonds-Metzel Manufacturing Company was founded by William O. Coleman
     in partnership with William Hafner (Hafner left to found Hafner Mfg. Co.)
     in 1907. It's train line included clockwork O gauge trains. The company
     first identified itself as the American Flyer Manufacturing Company in
     1919. At about that same time Flyer introduced electric trains. Both cast
     iron and stamped steel were used in the trains.

     American Flyer introduced a 2 1/8" Wide Gauge trains in 1925 to compete
     with Lionel's Standard Gauge. Wide gauge was the fad gauge of the 1920's,
     with Flyer and Lionel the big makers, and Ives, Boucher, and Dorfan with
     significant shares of the market. The Great Depression killed all the wide
     gauge lines and O became the mainstay of all makers that survived. Flyer
     Wide gauge production ended in 1932. Having weathered the depression,
     Flyer, like Lionel, concentrated on more scale like trains that the public
     was demanding.

     W. O. Coleman Jr. sold Flyer to A. C. Gilbert of New Haven, CT in 1938,
     who moved production and senior staff to Gilbert's factory. Gilbert also
     made the highly collectable Erector Sets. Gilbert's momentum, however, was
     interrupted by the onset of World War II and the collateral shift of
     American factories from private production to war-time production.

     After the war production resumed but in the S Gauge line, which featured
     realistic two rail "T" track. Later, appearance was improved by the
     introduction of the knuckle coupler. Gilbert and Flyer prospered in the
     early 1950's as second in sales to Lionel. Their primary selling point
     over Lionel was realistic length trains and two rail track. By the 1960's
     Gilbert was in the same trap as Lionel with rapidly decreasing demand for
     their "old fashioned" toys. A. C. Gilbert Jr., then president, was unable
     to curb the slide and in 1962 the company was taken over by an east coast
     holding company. With their own staff they were equally unsuccessful and
     ended Flyer production in 1966 only to declare bankruptcy in 1967. Flyer
     rights were bought by Lionel. Not until 1979 did Fundimensions
     reintroduced the Flyer line and there have been limited offerings in most
     years since then, using mostly old Flyer dies.

     Address mail to LTI above
     concerning their American Flyer Line

     AMERICAN MODEL TOYS/ AUBURN

     Founded in 1948 in Fort Wayne IN by Jack Ferris Jr. They produced a large
     line of the most realistic passenger cars made during the immediate
     postwar era until being displaced by Lionel's extruded aluminum cars. AMT
     also beat Lionel to the boxcar market with a line of highly detailed cars,
     only to be displaced again, by Lionel's 6464 line. As American Models and
     Toys the firm brought out starter sets in 1953. The firm continued with
     production of F-3 Diesels and Budd cars, but by that time the market had
     shrunk and the company was in financial straits. In 1954 after an
     unsuccessful reorganization as Auburn Model Trains, the line was sold to
     Kusan who continued production.

     AMERICAN MODELS

     Maker of S gauge models

     American Models
     10087 Colonial Industries Drive
     South Lyon, MI 48178
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     AMERICAN STANDARD CAR COMPANY

     American Standard Car Company
     PO Box 394
     Crystal Lake, IL 60014

     ARISTO-CRAFT

     (Polk's Model Craft Hobbies Inc./Aristo-Craft Trains): scale like G-Gauge
     equipment in 1:29 scale

     Polk's Model Craft Hobbies Inc./Aristo-Craft Trains
     346 Bergen Avenue
     Jersey City, NJ 07304
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]

     ATHERAN

     One time O Gauge maker

     BACHMAN

     Originally "Bachman Brothers" was started in 1833, but did not become
     important to tinplaters until the 1950's when they mass produced a large
     line of injection molded plastic buildings called "Plasticville". The
     buildings are roughly O Scale but also look good with S. The molds were
     also half-sized in the 1960's to produce HO scale versions. Most of the
     kits in both sizes are still produced. More recently Bachman has entered
     the G Gauge marked starting with battery operated trains and moving up the
     track current. Currently they hold the low price end of the G market.

     Bachman Industries, Incorporated
     1400 East Erie Avenue
     Philadelphia, PA 19124

     BING

     Pre WWII German train maker, who imported O and 1 gauge trains to the US.

     BOUCHER

     The Boucher Manufacturing Company made model ships previous to their 1922
     purchase of Voltamp's line of trains. They were modified from 2" to 2 1/8"
     to be compatible with Lionel's Standard Gauge line. Boucher marketed their
     trains as highly accurate and occupied the high end of the market. As with
     other larger gauge lines the Great Depression killed Boucher's, and having
     no smaller gauge line to fall back on it finally folded in 1943.

     BUDDY "L"

     Made a line of large unpowered trains for outdoor use from about 1926 to
     1931. They still produce a line of rugged toy cars.

     CARLISLE & FINCH

     The Carlisle and Finch Company was founded in Cincinnati, OH in 1894. They
     began production of an electric train line in 1896 using three rail track,
     then shortly converting to two rail track. Initial products included only
     trollies but expanded to include an entire line. C&F trains were heavy and
     detailed catering to the high end market. C&F was the earliest leader in
     US train production until being overtaken by Ives.

     COHEN

     Founded by James Cohen, it produced standard gauge stamped steel
     equipment.

     Cohen
     PO Box 174
     Trumbull, CT 06611

     COLBER

     Founders Antony Collett and William Burke initially started in the
     appliance business in New York, NY, and later began repairing trains as a
     Lionel service station. In 1946 Trains became their primary business as
     they became Train Center of America, and grew to be the largest Lionel
     distributor in the East. Unable to stock trains fast enough to meet
     demand, they began making low price versions of Lionel accessories in 1948
     as Colber Manufacturing Company. Their versions included beacon and
     floodlight towers, watchman's shanty, street lights, and wig-wag signal.

     Colber received a stern warning from Lionel concerning their packaging in
     1950, concerning that it was a near copy of Lionel's, which led to its
     modification. During 1951-54 Colber supplied Flyer with several
     accessories in addition to its own line by using different nameplates and
     plastic colors. By 1954 Flyer no longer needed Colber's help and The toy
     train market was shrinking so Colber decided to leave the market. They
     sold their dies to Marx, who primarily wanted them out of the market, and
     switch to electronic components, which it still makes today.

     DAYTON-DINKY

     Milton and Byron Dunkelberger crated this line of 4" gauge trains from
     1922-25. Their principle feature was remote control of coupling,
     uncoupling and dumping several years before Lionel and Flyer trains. Their
     track was steel ribbon placed into slotted wood ties, similar to Lionel's
     early track.

     DELTON

     Maker of G Gauge equipment

     Delton Locomotive Works
     120 Maple Street
     Delton, MI 49046
     Phone [phone]
     Toll Free [phone]

     DORFAN

     Dorfan was founded in 1924 by Milton & Julius Forchheimer. Their trains
     were promoted as being educational in that they were easily disassemble.
     Their trains were made primarily of a copper-zinc alloy termed Dorfan
     Alloy, which was strong and light weight, but impurities in the alloy
     oxidized over time causing the metal to expand and crack. Since most
     Dorfan castings are now deteriorated, many collectors replace defective
     castings with reproductions.

     Along with its idea of being a more thought provoking toy train it placed
     well detailed and painted passenger busts in the passenger cars. Less
     expensive lines were lithographed stamped steel, but also had flat
     lithographed figures.

     Dorfan was unable to weather the depression with its higher detail and
     hence more expensive trains, and ended production in 1934.

     ELECTOY

     The J. K. Osborne Manufacturing Company produced a line of 1 Gauge trains
     from about 1910-17 which were known for small production runs and
     excellent detail work. They were made of stamped steel and were meant as
     competition for Bing and Marklin 1 gauge trains. Trains were not produced
     after WWI rationing ended.

     GENERAL TRAINS

     founded by Harry Stearns in Chicago, IL, it produced a 1/2" model to the
     Union Pacific M-1000 and a two rail standard gauge track system from
     1933-34.

     HAFNER

     Founded by William Hafner in 1901 producing Clockwork toys. He produced
     trains from 1905-07 When he joined William Coleman to start American
     Flyer. In 1914 he reformed his company and produced lithographed trains.
     His son John took over from Bill in 1944 and ran the company until 1951
     when he sold it to All Metal product which shortly went bankrupt in 1956.
     The tooling ended up with Marx who reused some items.

     HOGE

     (pronounced Hoagy) Founded in 1909 in Manhattan, NY, by Hampden Hoge, who
     had left the company by 1919. They produced only office supplies until
     1931, when Henry Katz dissolved his company and came to manage Hoge's new
     toy division. The firm contracted construction of their toy designs to
     Mattatuck Manufacturing Company. Products included stamped steel passenger
     and animated circus cars as well as electric and clockwork locomotives.
     The line ceased in 1939 and Hoge was bought and dissolved by Mattatuck in
     1958. The name is currently the property of Robert Hoge (no direct
     relation to the founder), a Hoge collector.

     HORNBY

     Hornby was a large train producer in Britain and Europe, and attempted to
     establish an American plant in 1913 to market its lithographed trains. By
     1925 its was producing US prototype equipment. Fierce competition, their
     higher prices and limited selection contributed to their limited success.
     Hornby was ill prepared to handle the 1929 depression and ended its US
     production. They are also known for their Meccano construction set which
     they later sold to American Flyer. Hornby is still a manufacturer of HO
     and OO toy trains in Europe.

     HOWARD

     The Howard Miniature Lamp Company produced a line of 2" gauge trains from
     1904-07. The line included steam and electric locomotives, cars, and
     trollies. In 1907 the recession prompted Howard to concentrate in its
     manufacture of electrical components.

     IVES

     Founded by Harry Ives in 1868, they produced various toys including floor
     clockwork trains, until 1900 when a fire destroyed the plant. Afterwards
     Ives was able to design an entirely new toy line including both cast iron
     and stamped steel O gauge trains and 1 gauge clockwork trains. They were
     also the first US maker to use preassembled sectional track, as pioneered
     by European makers such as Bing. It became the initial American market
     leader in the electric trains starting in 1910, when it introduced
     electric O gauge versions, due to their following from clockwork trains. 1
     gauge electrics followed in 1912. Ives was in for stiff competition when
     Lionel entered O gauge in 1916 and it was exceeded in size by Lionel in
     1924. Ives changed from their 1 gauge to 2-1/8" Standard Gauge produced by
     Lionel, calling it Wide Gauge. Lionel fiercely targeted Ives quality in
     their add which is at least partially due to the personal rivalry between
     J. L. Cowen and Harry Ives. By 1926 Ives was in financial straights and
     filed bankruptcy in 1928. Lionel and Flyer jointly bought Ives and in 1930
     Lionel purchased Flyer's portion. Lionel continued to build Ives trains
     until 1931 when trains sales plummeted. Lionel mostly wanted Ives for
     their superior and patented three position reversing unit.

     Ives is not produced except occasional reproductions
     name owned by Lionel

     JOY LINE

     A small maker of tin trains which became Marx's entry into the market when
     they purchased it.

     K-LINE

     A more recent addition the three rail fray, it was founded in the 1970's
     by Maury D. Klein (hence MDK Inc.). K-Line acquired many of the old Marx
     dies and tooling, changing only the name on the products. More recently
     they have greatly diversified into more accurate models. They currently
     offer a full range of O-Gauge products. Their quality is usually good but
     can sag dramatically in some cases.

     MDK, Inc.
     K-Line Electric Trains, Inc.
     PO Box 2831
     Chapel Hill, NC 27515
     Phone [phone]
     Toll Free (900)34-HOBBY (800-344-6229)

     KALAMAZOO TRAINS

     Maker of G-Gauge equipment

     Kalamazoo Trains
     655 44th Street
     Allegan, MI 49010

     KATZ

     Henry Katz and Company was founded by Henry Katz and was famed as the
     creator of the one dollar train and one dollar transformer in 1929. The
     firm produced a few low priced yet attractive lithographed trains. It was
     dissolved in 1931 when Katz moved to Hoge.

     KASINER

     Founded by Norm Kasiner and Bill Kachler in 1947 in Rochester, NY they
     produced a small line of O gauge passenger car kits.

     KENTON

     No information available

     KNAPP

     The Knapp Electric and Novelty Company was founded in 1890 and introduced
     its full line of 2" gauge trains in 1904. Train production ended in 1913,
     but Knapp later marketed HO scale trains from 1931-46.

     KRIS MODEL TRAINS

     No information available

     KUSAN

     An established plastics maker who, under the guidance of president Bill
     McLain, purchased AMT's tooling in 1954 and used it as a base for their
     own line of trains. They were unique in being able to run on either two or
     three rail track. Kusan created many "space train" items in the late
     1960's prompting Lionel to do the same. Nevertheless as the train market
     declined, Kusan was financially forced to phase the line out beginning in
     1958. In 1961 the line ended production and the tooling was sold to Kris
     Model Trains.

     LGB

     (Lehmann Gross Bahn) A German maker who defined G Gauge (G for Gross or
     Big) in the 1970's and has imported increasingly to the US for the past
     fifteen years. Known for their high quality and price as well as being
     weatherproof for outdoor operation.

     Lehmann (Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk)
     Nuremberg, Germany

     LGB of America
     6444 Nancy Ridge Road
     San Diego, CA 92121

     LIONEL

     It was founded as the Lionel Manufacturing Company in 1900 by Joshua
     Lionel Cowen (spelled Cohen at the time), a young inventer. It initially
     produced electric fans during the summer of 1900, but in the fall demand
     waned and during the Christmas season he had the "vision" of an
     electrically propelled train. In 1901 he began production of 2-7/8 gauge
     two rail equipment. In 1906 he changed to three rail "Standard Gauge", a
     trademarked name. It was 2-1/8" gauge, an improper interpretation of the
     old Marklin defined gauge which was 2- 1/8" between rail CENTERS not their
     inside faces as Cowen interpreted it.

     Lionel changed its name to the Lionel Corporation in 1918 and exceeded
     Ives in sales in 1924. This marked the start of the Classical Period of
     flamboyant bright trains. The depression took its toll on train sales and
     killed the extravagant Standard Gauge by 1940 in favor of O, which Lionel
     began in 1918. Lionel bought the bankrupt Ives in 1931 and then itself
     entered receivership. It recovered by 1939 largely with the help of its
     hugely successful Mickey Mouse hand cars. From 1938 to 1942 Lionel
     produced several O and OO scale models as part of the birth of the scale
     model movement. During WWII, as it had in WWI, Lionel made naval
     navigation equipment.

     The peak postwar year was 1952. By 1955 the market had soured and Lionel
     headed into the red. In 1957 Cowen and his son sold their stock to Roy
     Cohn, an corporate raider, who tried cutting costs and massive
     diversification only to wreck the company by 1964. Lionel produced or
     distributed fishing reels, race sets, chemistry sets, record players and
     other odd products. Quality was often negated to the quick buck. Lionel
     managed to buy the rights to Flyer in 1967 and keep a toy line going until
     1969 when they sold the train making rights to General Mills Model
     Plastics Division (MPC), which later changed its name to Fundimensions.
     Lionel floundered financially as a holding company until bankruptcy around
     1990.

     Fundimensions had the advantage of great experience in the plastics
     industry which they incorporated into the train line. The size of the line
     ebbed and flowed, peaking in 1978 and 1983. Quality was good on the whole,
     with top of the line items being far superior to old Lionel and bottom of
     the line being worse. Fundimensions became a part of Kenner-Parker in 1985
     and produced Lionel until 1986 when the name, rights and facilities were
     sold to Richard Kughn, a collector and real estate man. He created Lionel
     Trains Incorporated, an autonomous train maker. Initially there were
     numerous excursions into semi-scale models and Standard Gauge reissues.
     The line has been significantly re-vamped providing more and higher
     quality beginner level equipment and an overall more balanced line up to
     $600 diesels. Quality and selection have also been greatly increased. LTI
     has introduced new and innovative items with a vigor matched only by the
     Lionel Corp. of the 1950's. They have also made substantial use of the
     latest electronics in such items as Railscope, RailSounds, RailSounds II,
     electronic e-units, and now PowerMaster control system.

     Lionel Trains Incorporated
     50625 Richard W Blvd
     Chesterfield, MI 48051-2493
     Phone: [phone]
     Toll Free: (800)4-LIONEL to locate the nearest authorized dealer
     Fax: [phone]

     MARKLIN

     Leading European maker of a wide range of gauges and scales

     Marklin
     PO Box 319
     16988 W Victor Road
     New Berlin, WI 53151

     MARX

     A popular manufacturer of toys and trains founded in 1919 by Louis and
     David Marx, which usually supplied the price niche below Lionel and Flyer,
     making it popular with those who couldn't afford those brands. Marx train
     production started in 1938 when they purchased Joy Line trains. Marx was
     likely the last train maker to convert from stamped steel to plastic, in
     the 1960's, whereas Lionel and Flyer did so in the 1940's and 50's. Marx's
     principle concern was maximum production and quality ant the lowest price.
     As a result there were endless variations of products. Additionally Marx
     often did not place catalog numbers on many trains. In 1972 Marx sold the
     company to Quaker Oats Company who continued production until 1975. Many
     of the Marx dies were purchased by MDK, who changed only the name imprint.
     The Marx trademark is currently the property of American Plastics, and has
     recently been licensed to James and Debby Flynn, who are making
     reproduction stamped steel Marx trains.

     Marx Trains
     209 E. Butterfield Road #228
     Elmhurst, IL 60126
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]

     McCOY MANUFACTURING

     This Kent, WA company is a producer of lager scale stamped steel trains.
     It produced reproductions of Lionel's 2 7/8 gauge line from 1957-61. In
     1966 it introduced its own Standard Gauge line eventually including steam
     and diesel locomotives and freight and passenger cars.

     MINI-CRAFT

     No information available

     MODEL DIE CASTING INC.

     Maker of G-Gauge cars

     Model Die Casting
     3811 W Roscrans Blvd
     PO Box 926
     Hawthorne, CA 90251

     MTH

     (Mikes Train House) A modern distributor of well detailed locomotives
     which they design and have manufactured by Samhongsa in Korea. MTH
     previously made several Lionel authorized Standard gauge reissues.

     MTH Electric Trains
     9693 Gerwig Lane
     Columbia, MD 21046
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]

     PRIDE LINES

     Maker of Disney ans similar motif stamped steel trains and trollies. Meant
     as toylike collctibles, though they do operate.

     Pride Lines Limited
     651 Hoffman Avenue
     Lindedhurst, NY 11757
     Phone: [phone]

     RED CABOOSE

     Maker of scale like tinplate locomotives

     Red Caboose
     PO Box 2490
     Longmont, CO 80502
     Phone/Fax [phone]

     RIGHT-OF-WAY

     (ROW) Maker of scale-like O gauge equipment

     Right-of-Way Industries
     1145 Highbrook Street
     Akron, OH 44301

     S HELPER SERVICE

     Maker of S scale rolling stock

     S Helper Service
     2 Roberts Road
     New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1621
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     SUNSET MODELS (3rd Rail division)

     Maker of scale like O 3 rail locos

     Sunset Models
     3rd Rail Division
     138 W Campbell Ave
     Campbell, CA 95008
     Phone [phone]

     T-REPRODUCTIONS

     Reproductions of prewar tin and Buddy L trains

     T-Reproductions
     227 West Main Street
     Johnson City, TN 37603
     Phone [phone]
     Order 1-800-825-4287

     THOMAS

     Founded by Jim Thomas in Wenonah, NJ to create a line of 0 gauge trains.
     They succeeded in producing a General steam locomotive and set before
     Lionel. They acquired Scale-Craft and Company's line of 0 gauge cars and
     moved to a new facility in Shawnee, MI. Thomas continued to produce trains
     until 1959 when Jim Thomas died suddenly of a heart attack. Other firms
     continued production until the dies were destroyed in a fire in 1964.

     U&R HOBBIES

     Founded by Ulmer and Robbins in 1949 in Chenango Bridge, NY, they produced
     a small line of passenger cars until 1952

     UNIQUE LINES

     A line if tin lithographed trains produced 1949- 51 by Unique Art
     Manufacturing Company, and established toy maker. The line included both
     electric and clockwork trains and four wheel cars, some using old Dorfan
     dies. As a lower end of the market line, it could not compete with Marx,
     and was ended when Unique decided to stay with other toys and office
     supplies.

     USA TRAINS

     O Gauge cars and various G gauge equipment

     USA Trains
     662 Cross St.
     PO Box 100
     Malden, MA 02148

     VARNEY

     No information available

     VOLTAMP

     The Voltamp Electric Manufacturing Company was founded in the 1890's by
     Manes E. Fuld, it began producing electric trains and accessories for 2"
     two rail track. The line included mostly B&O steamers, electrics and
     passenger cars. The line was sold in 1922 to Boucher.

     WEAVER

     Another modern maker of scale-like O collectors pieces.

     Weaver Models "Quality Craft"
     177 Wheatley Ave
     Northumberland, PA 17857
     Phone: [phone]

     WILLIAMS

     Founded in 1971 by Jerry Williams as a maker of reproduction Lionel and
     Ives Standard Gauge. The company slowly shifted its interest to modern 0
     gauge beginning with the purchase of some old Kusan Dies. They are now a
     distributor for scale-like three rail locomotives and cars. They are
     likely number three after Lionel and Kline in three rail O.

     Williams Electric Trains
     8835-F Columbia 100 Parkway
     Columbia, MD 21045
     Phone [phone]

THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE

Thomas, Thomas I must have Thomas!

     The following is a synopsis of Lionel's 1994 Thomas offerings available at
     Lionel authorized dealers. Also included is their new Crayola Set.

     THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE & FRIENDS SYSTEM

     all are Large Scale(G-Gauge of US 24" gauge) and have loop and hook
     couplers
     8-8106 Thomas the Tank Engine Deluxe Electric Train Set
          0-6-0 Thomas model with moving eyes and changeable face
          Annie and Clarabel coaches with removable roofs
          DC power pack
          12 curved sections with yellow ties
          Thomas sound system with six buttons to produce Thomas sounds on
          internal speaker
          Playmat 4 1/2 X 7 1/2 big enough for 2 straight oval (no straights or
          switches included)
          Thomas Faces -surprised, tired, angry in addition to normal face
          Figures of Sir Topam Hat, conductor and driver
          Suggested retail: $199.95 (previous set was about $175)
     8-8104 James & Troublesome Trucks Set
          2-6-0 James the Red Engine modes with moving eyes and three
          additional faces
          DC power pack, 12 curved sections with yellow ties
          Troublesome Trucks with a total of three interchangeable faces
          Suggested retail: $179.95
     8-85121 James the Red Engine
          moving eyes and three additional faces
          Suggested retail: $79.95
     8-87411 Troublesome Trucks
          total of three interchangeable faces
          Suggested Retail: $29.95
     8-82121 Thomas Play Pack (everything in the deluxe set not in the previous
     set)
          Thomas sound system with six buttons to produce Thomas sounds in
          internal speaker
          Playmat 4 1/2 X 7 1/2 big enough for 2 straight oval (no straights or
          switches included
          Thomas Faces, surprised, tired, angry in addition to normal face
          Figures of Sir Topam Hat, conductor and driver
          Suggested Retail: $29.95
     8-82122 Thomas Building Set
          Wellsworth Station
          Windmill
          Water Tower
          Suggested Retail: $29.95
     8-82120 Thomas Sound System with six buttons to produce Thomas sounds on
     internal speaker
          Suggested Retail: $11.95
     Track: (yellow ties)
          8-82013: 4 Curved Track $9.95
          8-82014: 4 Straight Track $9.95
          8-82011: Left Manual Switch $19.95
          8-82012: Right Manual Switch $19.95
          8-82010: Pack of four above $49.95

     Crayola Activity Train Set

          16 washable crayons
          two axil Crayola industrial switcher AC/DC
          Crayola gondola with crayon rack
          boxcar with colorable cleanable sides
          Crayola SP style caboose
          6 straight track and 8 curved track
          colorable 3' X 5' playmat
          3 8.5 X 11 coloring sheets
          DC Power Pack
          Suggested Retail: $99.95

RAILSCOPE

What the heck is Railscope?

     Railscope is an invention of LTI which involves a miniature B&W camera
     mounted in a locomotive sending a signal to a remote TV. The signal is
     sent through the rails. The Railscope system includes the locomotive,
     receiver enclosed in a simulated lumber pile, coax cable, coax adapter,
     two inductors and a capacitor. A Lionel 4-1/2" TV was offered separately.
     On larger layouts use if chokes and resistors on all track connections is
     necessary to filter out noise that will distort the picture received. The
     earlier engine cameras were powered by a 9 V which lasted only about 30
     minutes of run time. Later units contain adapters for 6 AA batteries which
     will last longer. The receiver also uses a 9 V which lasts much longer.

     First introduced 1988 with O gauge GP-9, HO FA-2, and large scale (G)
     0-4-4, all with "Lionel Lines" markings, all units ran on one 9-Volt
     battery in the locomotive and one in the receiver, and suffered from the
     exhausted locomotive battery problem. In 1989 the line was the same except
     for the addition of an S gauge PA-2, also in Lionel Lines markings. In
     1990 Two additional O GP-9's were added, one in Union Pacific and one in
     New York Central, and both cameras ran on track power with a 9-V in the
     receiver. The S gauge was replaced with a PA-2 in Nickel Plate Road
     markings. The previous HO, G and O were still offered, but with adapters
     to substitute 6 AA batteries. There have been no units cataloged since
     then, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it resurface again an the next
     few years.

LOCOMOTIVE TYPES

I'm confused what all the locomotive types are.

     This is a ROUGH listing of prototype locomotives types.

     STEAMERS - (# front/pilot - middle/drivers - back/trailing
     wheels)
     Principal Makers: Alco, Baldwin, Lima, N&W RR
     Burns Coal, Wood or Oil in firebox, fumes pass through water-
     filled boiler in flue tubes, and exit into smokebox and up
     through stack. Heated water passes from the rear tender tank
     to boiler to the cylinders. Reciprocating rods connect pistons
     to wheels.
     0-anything-0: Switcher
     4-4-0: American
     4-4-2: Atlantic
     2-6-4: Prairie
     4-6-0: Mogul
     4-6-2: Pacific
     4-6-4: Hudson
     2-8-0: Consolidation
     2-8-2: Mikado
     2-8-4: Berkshire
     4-8-2: Mountain
     4-8-4: Northern
     2-10-2: Decapod
     Any steamer with more than one pair of cylinders is Compound
     Any compound with separate sets of drive wheels is a Mallet
     Any compound with the front drivers hinged is Articulated

     DIESELS, ELECTRICS, AND TURBINES
     Diesel engine or gas turbine is connected to a generator: or
     power from overhead lines passes through internal step-down
     transformer. Electric power is regulated and transmitted to
     axle motors in the trucks, hence diesel-electric, (AC or DC)
             A=one powered axle       1=one unpowered axle
              B=two powered axles      2=two unpowered axles
              C=three powered axles   3=three unpowered axles
              D=four powered axles     4=four unpowered axles
              +=separation between different wheel sets
     General Motors Electro-Motive Division
     GP-7,9,12,18,20,30,35    B+B       GP=General Purpose
     SD-9,7,40,40-2,50,60,70  C+C       SD=Special Duty
     F-3,7,9             B+B       F=Fifteen-hundred HP (later
                                             F=Freight)
     E-2,3,8             A1A+A1A   E=Eighteen-hundred HP

     General Electric Transportation Division
     U-18B,22B,36B       B+B       U=Universal
     U-22C,36C           C+C
     Dash 8-40C,              C+C
     EL-C (electric)          C+C
     EP-5 (electric)          B+B

     Alco (American Locomotive Company)

     Fairbanks-Morse
     Trainmaster

     Baldwin/Lima-Baldwin/Lima-Hamilton-Baldwin (mergers)

     Pennsylvania RR
     GG-1

     Other oddities such as Steam turbines and Hydro-Motive
     existed, but did not catch on.

End of the Tinplate FAQ, Part 1 of 4
HAPPY MODELLING!
On to part 2 of 4
Archive-name: model-railroad-faq/tinplate/part2
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 02-25-95

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

rec.models.railroad
TINPLATE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Part 2 of 4, Equipment
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------


This is a listing of frequently asked questions and general information
concerning the collection, operation and repair of collectable model railroad
equipment. For more info on this FAQ see part 1. Additions and corrections are
always welcome. E-mail to:

[e-mail]
(Christopher D. Coleman)
TCA #88-26999
LRRC #0032070

This FAQ contains the following topics:

Part 1, Information

     WHAT'S NEW IN THE FAQ?
     COLLECTABLE/TINPLATE TRAINS
     GRADING STANDARDS AND OTHER JARGON
     MANUFACTURERS
     THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE
     RAILSCOPE
     LOCOMOTIVE TYPES

Part 2, Equipment

     CARS
     TRANSFORMERS
     TRACK
     SWITCHES

Part 3, Maintenance

     TOOLS
     MAINTENANCE TIPS
     MODIFICATIONS
     PARTS SUPPLIERS
     MOTOR DESIGN

Part 4, The Hobby

     LAYOUTS
     OPERATING TRAINS
     DISPLAYING TRAINS
     COLLECTING TRAINS
     INVENTORYING
     MEETS
     GROUPS
     OTHER SOURCES

CARS

How are coupling and uncoupling done?

     Coupler designs and methods can be considered an entire field of study on
     its own. The earliest systems used variations on the simple loop and hook
     system. The problem was that the cars had to be lifted off the track to be
     coupled. Following this most companies turned to complex and sometimes
     unreliable latch coupler. This usually involved a barbed latch and
     receptacle for a latch on each coupler. The cars could be separated by
     disengaging both latches at once, which usually proved difficult. After
     WWII major makers switched to the prototypical knuckle coupler. The
     prototype uses a pin above the coupler head to lock into the rear of the
     knuckle inside the coupler head when lowered.

                      #
                       #                   knuckle pin
                **  #   O        **  ####O   knuckle
                ** ### **        **     **
                *********        *********  coupler head
                  **O**            **O**   locking pin
                   ***              ***   drawbar
                   ***              ***
                  OPEN             CLOSED


     The Lionel version, introduced in 1945, used a spring loaded plunger in
     the knuckle head locking the rear of the knuckle. The plunger is
     surrounded by a solenoid powered by a sliding shoe contact. The sliding
     shoe contacts with a fourth rail in special track sections, which when
     powered will energize the solenoid and the plunger and releases the
     knuckle. In the mid 1950's a revised knuckled which used a spring loaded
     pin beneath the coupler head to work the same way as the prototype, except
     inverted. This design, with a few changes, is still used. Flyer's,
     introduced in the early 50's, uses a bar inside the head to lock the
     knuckle from the above, like the prototype, but the bar extends below the
     head to a weight. When the weight is lifted the knuckle is released. A
     special track section with a coil powered lifting runner was used to lift
     the weight.

How do Lionel UCS track sections work?

     The UCS (universal control section) and its predecessor the RCS (remote
     control section) and their O-27 cousins are simply constructed, but
     operationally difficult to understand. The different rails and the
     electromagnet operate in different ways for different functions. As shown
     below, the section controllers use strips of copper contacted in certain
     ways such that the desired circuit is made. Either the three *s are
     connected or the two #s and the two @s. The controller uses four wires.
     Two are connected to the rails as supply and ground and the other two lead
     to the control rails and electromagnet. Therefore only the two control
     wires need be strung to your track while the others may be connected
     directly to the transformer.

     Uncoupling requires either the use of an electromagnet on a plunger
     activated version or the energizing of a knuckle electromagnet connected
     to ground and to a sliding shoe. The uncouple button connects both control
     rails and the track electromagnet to the power rail. This has the result
     of uncoupling all types of couplers, if properly positioned.

     Earlier operating cars are supplied both ground and power leads through a
     pair of sliding shoes, one in each truck. When the Unload button is
     pressed, one rail is connected to ground and the other to the power rail,
     thus powering the car. Later cars used a large spring loaded plunger in
     the center of the car to supply the action, which must be manually reset
     after operation. The Uncouple electromagnet must be used for these.


                                  UNCOUPLE             UNLOAD
          RCS
          near rail                supply              ground
          far rail                 supply              supply

          UCS
          left rails               supply              ground
          right rails              supply              supply
          electromagnet              on                  off

          6019 (O-27)
          left front rail          supply              ground
          right rear rail          supply              ground
          electromagnet              on                  off

          OTHER O-27 SECTIONS
          electromagnet              on                  off


                     UNCOUPLE    UNLOAD

                  ______O___________O______
                 |  *-----------+-------@  |
                 |  *----------+|-------@  |
                 |  *---------+||-------#  |   front view
                 |  ---------+|||-------#  |
                 |___________||||__________|
                             ||||
                             ||||____4
                             |||_____3
                             ||______2
                             |_______1

                       RCS CONTROLLER


                                 top views

            ================================================== ground rail
              -------------------------+--------------------   outer control rail
            ===========================|==+=================== power rail
              ----------------------+--|--|-----------------   inner control rail
            =====================+==|==|==|=================== ground rail
                               \ O  O  O  O /                  screw terminals
                                 |  |  |  |___4
                                 |  |  |______3
                                 |  |_________2
                                 |____________1

                               RCS TRACK SECTION


               =============================================== ground rail
          left   ----------------+  /~~~\   -+--------------   right control rail
               ==================| (  O  ),+=|================ power rail
          left   ----------------+\ \/__//  /+--------------   left control rail
               =================+==\/===/==/================== ground rail
                               \ O  O  O  O /                  screw terminals
                                 |  |  |  |___4
                                 |  |  |______3
                                 |  |_________2
                                 |____________1

                                UCS TRACK SECTION


               =============================================== ground rail
                                 __--~~~--__  +-------------   right rear control
               ==================     O     =/=+============== power rail
                 --------------+ ~~--/__--~~/  |               left front control
               ===============+=\===/======/===|============== ground rail
                              |  \ /      |    |
                              |   |       |    |__4
                              |   |       |_______3
                              |   |_______________2
                              |___________________1

                               6019 TRACK SECTION


               =============================================== ground rail
                                 __--~~~--__
               ==================     O     ==+=============== power rail
                                 ~~--/__--~~  |
               =====================/=========|=============== ground rail
                                   /          |
                                  |           |____4
                                  |________________3

                              OTHER O-27 SECTIONS


TRANSFORMERS

What can I get in the way of power for my trains?

     A basic review of higher wattage available power:

     NEW LIONEL

          6-4060 single control with fixed voltage, direction and whistle,
          identical to 1044
          MW: dual control, single direction and whistle, power switch, solid
          state
          RS-1: dual control, single direction and railsounds/whistle, power
          switch, solid state, replaced MW
          TrainMaster System: see below description

     POSTWAR LIONEL

          1033: 90W, single control with fixed voltage, direction and whistle,
          very reliable
          1044: 90W, single control with fixed voltage, direction and whistle,
          replaced 1033
          RW: 110W, single control with fixed voltage, direction and whistle
          LW: 125W, single control with fixed voltage, direction and whistle,
          replaced RW
          SW: 130W, dual control, single whistle,
          TW: 175W, single control, direction and whistle
          KW: 190W, dual control with fixed voltages, dual direction and
          whistle troublesome circuit breaker
          ZW: 250 or 275W, four variable controls, two with direction and
          whistle,

     PREWAR LIONEL TRAINMASTER (no whistle)

          H: 75W
          R: 100W
          V: 150W
          Z: 250W, four variable controls

     AMERICAN FLYER POSTWAR

          4B/22034: 100/110W, single control, circuit breaker
          8B: 100W, single control, manual circuit breaker
          9B: 150W, dual control, manual circuit breaker
          12B: 250W, dual control, manual circuit breaker, power switch
          14: 150W DC, single control
          15B/22040: 110W, single control, circuit breaker
          16: 150W DC, single control
          16B/22050: 175W,: single control, circuit breaker, power switch
          17B: 190W, single control, circuit breaker, V and A meters
          18B/22060: 175/190W, dual control, circuit breaker, power switch
          19B/22070: 300W, single control, V and A meters, power switch
          30B/22080: 300W, dual control, dual V meters, dual circuit breakers,
          power switch
          22090: 350W, dual control, dual V meters, dual circuit breakers

     OTHER MAKERS

          MRC Trainpower O-27: single control, direction and whistle, power
          switch, solid state
          MRC Dualpower O-27: 80VA, dual control, dual direction and whistle,
          power switch, solid state
          ROW Power Supply: 400VA, dual control, bell/whistle, dual V and A
          meters, power switch
     No particular problems have been experienced with these transformers
     unless so noted above.

     Lionel transformers made after 1939 are designated "Trainmaster" and have
     circuit breakers. Previous to this they were called "Multivolt" and had no
     circuit breaker. Because of this caution should be used with Multivolt
     transformers.

Does it matter that I use only Lionel transformers on Lionel trains?

     Essentially all trains using universal motors will run on all
     transformers. They will also run on DC, but the normal current draw is
     beyond what most DC transformers will produce. Trains using DC can motors
     will run on AC only if they are equipped with a rectifier to convert AC to
     DC. The newer offerings do but some cheap Lionel from the 1970's does not.
     Compatibility between brands is not a problem.

What's the difference between WATTs and VAs?

     VA is short for VoltAmp, or the total power lost in a circuit. In a
     nutshell, WATTs tell how much power is lost to heat (resistance) VARs
     (doesn't stand for anything) tell how much is lost to stray magnetic and
     electric fields (inductance and capacitance). VAs are defined as:

                      _______________
                     /     2       2
             (VA) =\/ (WATT) + (VAR)

     or the RMS (root mean square) value of power. Thus, since VAs express more
     forms of power consumption (both thermal and magnetic), the power value
     expressed in them is slightly higher than in WATTs, but is a better
     measure of power consumed.

Can broken transformers be fixed?

     As to repairing your transformer, if the wiper or a connecting wire is
     damaged I would try to repair it, but if the main coil is burned out it is
     not really worth the trouble, at least on smaller transformers. (there are
     places to have transformers and motors rewound) In my experience a simple
     dial-on-a-box Lionel transformer will run $15 to $30, and a nicer one with
     whistle and direction controls $40 to $60. The dollar a Watt, or VA,
     usually holds true for 1950 or newer. This depends greatly on who's
     selling it and how much money they want to make on it.

Can more than one transformer be used together? (AC)

     Connecting Transformers in series is bad news. Don't try it. For
     transformers to share a common ground is no problem, as long as their
     other poles don't touch. Now, it is often necessary to connect the poles
     of two transformers if the load is too great for a single transformer or
     when a roller crosses the boundary between insulated track blocks powered
     by different transformers. To do this the two transformers must be placed
     in phase. To test the phasing connect the two commons together and connect
     a wire to one control terminal. Adjust the two to the same voltage level,
     say 6V. Momentarily touch the wire to the other transformer's control
     terminal. If a spark occurs they are out of phase so you must reverse the
     wall plug of one. If there is no spark they are in phase.

Why did they stop making powerful transformers?

     Initially it was due to lack of demand during the 1960's when just selling
     trains was a challenge. In 1973 the Consumer Products Safety Commission
     cracked down on General Mills on transformer design. They felt for some
     reason that the ZWs and others were "Electrocution hazards waiting to
     happen". They came up with lots of new rules and regulations making the
     manufacture of these transformers near to impossible and financially
     unrealizable. To add to this Underwriters Laboratory, which approves
     products as "safe" for insurance purposes, recently would not approve a
     redesigned ZW II transformer from LTI. Apparently heat dissipation
     problems occurred with the large coil. As a replacement Lionel developed
     the "Trainmaster" system profiled later in this section. Neil Young, the
     popular singer and Lionel collector, has been contributing greatly to this
     project.

What's the deal with those new Lionel units?

     The "Trainmaster" system contains three parts. PowerHouse (PH- 1) is the
     135 Watt step down transformer ($69.95). It has one cord to the wall
     outlet and one to a 1/4" plug. It can be replaced with most any standard
     AC transformer with the addition of an available adapter cord. PowerMaster
     (PM-1) is the receiver and voltage level control unit ($129.95). It has a
     female jack to connect with PH-1 and two lugs for track connection wires.
     Neither have any external controls of their own.

     CAB-1 is the remote controller for PH-1 which contains all controls
     ($165.95). It operates on radio frequencies similar to those of RC cars.
     There are 26 controls on it, some being reserved for later enhansements.
     It contains a large red throttle knob, a numeric keypad, and buttons for
     direction, bell, whistle/horn, boost (accelerates while the button is
     pressed), brake (simulates air brake application), front coupler, rear
     coupler, aux 1 and aux 2 (last four for later functions). There is a small
     red button labeled "halt" which appears to be an emergency stop. There are
     buttons across the top labelled SW, ACC, RTE, TR, and ENG. TR is pressed
     followed by 1 through 0 on the keypad to designate which PM-1 is to be
     controlled. There is a telescoping antennae and 1/4" jack an the top. It
     appears to require one 9V battery.

     CAB-1 allows you to set the train for "heavy" which simulates the momentu
     of a real train, and a minimum voltage on the throttle to prevent unwanted
     direction changes. How to program these functions is not clear yet.

     Also available is "The Big Red Switch" ($42.00), a large, red pressure
     sensitive pad which plugs into the CAB-1 jack to operate any of the train
     functions. The Idea of the system is be to have a PH-1 and PM-1 pair
     connected to each block of track and control them up to 10 with one CAB-1.
     Each PM-1 requires its own supply such that a ZW can supply four.

TRACK

What is the difference between gauge and scale?

     Scale is the relation or ratio of sizes between a model and a prototype.
     For X:Y a dimension of X units on the model corresponds to Y units on the
     prototype. For example, if a real boxcar is 500" long and you want your
     model in 1:100 scale, then the model should be 100 times smaller,
     500"/100, or 5" long. Conversely if your model boy is 1" tall and in 1:50
     scale, then if he were real he would be 1"X50 or 50" tall. Over the years
     many scales have been defined, but the primary ones collected are:

          II (two)       1:22.5
          Standard/Wide: none defined but would be about 1:27
          G [see below]  1:24
          I (one)        1:32 (1:29 for Aristo-Craft)
          O (oh or zero) 1:48 in North America
                         1:45 or 1:43.5 Europe
          S              1:64

     Gauge is the Distance between the inside faces of the outermost railheads.
     The prototype standard gauge in most of the world is 4'8.5". Early scale
     ratios were derived by comparing the real gauge to the model gauge but
     GAUGE DOES NOT DEFINE SCALE NOR VICE VERSA. Popular scale definitions and
     gauge definitions are often slightly different from what would be derived.
     This is a result of history and is just the way it is in the hobby. Also
     one may wish to model a narrower prototype gauge which would require a
     smaller model gauge in the same scale. Defined gauges used in tinplate
     trains are shown below.

          Standard: 2-1/8"
          Wide:     2" (later 2-1/8 to conform with standard)
          G         45mm (1.77")
          O std     1-1/4"
          S std     7/8"

G gauge still confuses me!

     G gauge was originally defined by LGB as a GAUGE not a scale and being
     45mm. LGB created the name although it was used previously as I scale
     standard gauge and III scale narrow gauge. LGB models mostly European
     metric gauge (between American standard and narrow gauges) so should
     theoretically be called II scale. As time progressed other makers produced
     trains in the same gauge for compatibility of track, but of different
     gauge prototype. Standard gauge, American and European narrow gauge models
     have been produced for G track. As a result the scale ratio changes.
     models of standard gauge are I scale and of European narrow gauge are III
     scale. US 36" narrow gauge falls between established scales at about 1:24
     and so is usually referred to as "G Scale" in the US although this is not
     always accepted. Standards for G are still being created and remain
     largely nonexistent right now.

     It is common practice in tinplate to refer to a scale, say O scale as O
     gauge. This is incorrect terminology but is the normal practice. When
     someone talks of O gauge in a tinplate context you can assume it is O
     scale modelled on prototype standard gauge. G is the exception whereas it
     is usually modelled on a narrow gauge.

What kinds of track systems are available?

     Different types of track systems in a given gauge are usually separated by
     their curve radius. This has be defined as the distance from rail to rail
     of a complete circle of curved sections. Which rail is not always the
     same, but is usually the outermost rail.

     O: The standard type of trackage. Usually with three black ties per
     section. 31" curve diameter is common but O-72 and O-54 with 72" (five
     ties) and 54" curve diameters are also readily available. Single straights
     normally are 10" long.

     O-27: A lighter duty trackage also usually with three ties per section.
     Usually 27" curve diameter with 42" and 54" (O-42, O-54 light) available.
     Straight single sections are 8-3/4" long.

     Super O: Made by Lionel 1957 to 1966. Featured realistic molded plastic
     ties and plates. 36" curve diameter. Sections snap together. Hard to find
     today.

     Tru-Trak: Made by Lionel about 1976 and was similar to K-Line O. It was
     around 30" diameter and very little was produced.

     K-Line O: A semi-realistic plastic tied track included with some better
     K-Line sets.

     Gar-Graves: Realistic trackage that comes in 3' sections to be custom bent
     to layout specs. Wood ties and a center rail chemically blackened to be
     hidden. Tricky to bend without kinks. Available in stainless for outdoors.
     Available in O, S, and Standard.

     Sectional Gar-Graves: Available in 42", 54" and 72" radius, 8 sctions per
     circle, plastic ties, available in blackened center rail of stainless
     steel, O gauge only.

     S American Flyer: Flyer was the only major S producer.

     Standard: ???

Why are three rails often used?

     The principal problem with two rail track is when it that the two rails
     contain opposite polarity voltage. When the track loops back on itself the
     opposite rails will meet and a short will occur:

           ___B_______________________________B_______________
                           \                                  \
           _________________\______________________________    \
              A         \    \                 A           \    \
                         \    \                             \    \
                         B\    \A                            |    |
                           \    \                            |    |
                            \    \                         A/    /B
                             \    \___________A____________/    /
                              \                                /
                               \______________________________/
                                             B

     In three rail the outer two rails carry the same polarity with the inner
     rail opposite. Shorting is not a problem:

           ___A_______________________________A_______________
           ___B_________\_____________________B_____________  \
           ___________\__\________________________________  \  \
              A     \  \  \                   A           \  \  \
                     \  \  \                               \  \  \

                     A\ B\  \A                              |  |  |
                       \  \  \                              |  |  |
                        \  \  \                           A/  /B /A
                         \  \  \_______A__________________/  /  /
                          \  \_________B____________________/  /
                           \__________________________________/
                                       A

     This allows the construction of much more complicated layouts without
     electrical shorts. It also allows the insulation of one outer rail for the
     purposes of powering signaling accessories without disrupting current flow
     to the train and without the use of clumsy pressure plates.

Where can I get Hi-Rail track supplies for tinplate?

     Ross Custom Switches
     PO Box 110
     North Stonington, CT 06359

     Gar-Graves Trackage Corporation
     Department O, RR #1
     PO Box 255-A
     North Rase, NY 14516
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]

     Rydin Industries Inc
     28W215 Warrenville Road
     Warrenville, IL 60555

How can I make my three tie track look more realistic?

     The time honored way is to use balsa and stain and make thim by hand. The
     more modern approaches include rubber tie inserts from:

     Moondog Express
     located at Mikes trais and hobbies
     (see parts supplier listing)
     Phone: [phone]

     Snap in plastic roadbed is available from:

     "Trackmate"
     Dutch Country Hobby Products
     PO Box 209
     Terre Hill, PA 17581

     "Track-Bed System"
     Tinplate and Scale Models
     100 S. Seventh St., Dept 114
     North Whales, PA 19454-2817

     "VinylBed"
     Mainline Modules
     PO Box 21861, Dept T
     Chattanooga, TN 60130

     "Molded Rubber Roadbed"
     Rick Johnson
     19333 Sturgrass Drive
     Torrance, CA 90503
     Phone: [phone]

     Lionel Trains
     Address in MANUFACTURERS section

What track systems are compatible?

     Adapter pins are available to connect Gargraves to O and O-27 trackage. O
     and O-27 pins are different sizes and I have heard of no adapter. Adapters
     were also made for Super-O to O and O- 27. They are hard to find and a
     Gargraves connector can be used for the outer rails if it is flattened a
     bit, but originals must be used for the center rail. K-Line O uses O-27
     pins. From Gargraves to Super-O you can make one by filing a Gargraves
     connector narrower on one side to fit into Super-O. TOO MANY such
     connections IS BAD! Thy are usually not smooth and can cause wheel wear
     and cause derailments, especially on curves and trestles.

     As to clearances for engines and rolling stock, anything will run on a
     larger track curvature but not always a smaller one. Rail height is rarely
     a problem. The semi-scale locomotives and cars are the most restrictive on
     curves and switches. Most other "compressed" equipment will run on O-27 or
     larger diameter, but there are exceptions. The classifications of O and
     O-27 in the Lionel catalogs has little to do with what track is right for
     piece. Instead they are used to define different price levels in the line.
     For example the O-27 2020 steam turbine and the O 671 steam turbine are
     identical other than the number. The 671 just came with fancier sets.

SWITCHES

How do those Lionel "non-derailing" switches work?

     Switches equipped with the non derailing feature (three rail) have an
     insulated rail at the end of each track on the split end of the switch.
     The switch operates by means of two electromagnetic coils wired oppositely
     surrounding a plunger. The plunger is mechanically connected to the moving
     mechanism of the switch. One coil supply is permanently connected to the
     center power rail, except in the #022 O gauge switch where a constant
     power plug can replace it. The other supply of each coil is connected to
     the controller where either can be connected trough the third wire to
     ground to energize that coil and move the switch in that direction. In
     non-derailing the insulated rails are also connected to the appropriate
     coil to clear trains coming from that direction. When the train bridges
     that rail to the ground rail the switch will move to pass it automatically
     and thus avoid derails in an open switch. Since the insulated rail is at
     the end of the switch, an insulated track pin is needed to prevent a
     permanent connection to ground. The length of the insulated can be
     increased by connecting an insulated rail track to the switch insulated
     rail. One problem is that when power is supplied and a train is stopped on
     the switch, the coil will remain energized as long as the rail is bridged.
     The #022 switch avoids this with a series of contacts inside that
     deactivate the coil when it is already in the proper direction.

What about Marx switches?

     Marx switches are wired to the opposite polarity so the permanent
     connection is to ground and the switched supply is the power connection.
     This makes the insulated rail method impossible, but in also makes the use
     of constant supply voltage possible without the need of special plugs.
     Otherwise the switch design is the same.

I'm having power conduction trouble beyond my non derailing switches.

     99 times of 100 power conduction problems are in the center rail which has
     nothing to do with the non-derailing feature. On the 1122 the non
     derailing insulated rails are surrounded by non-insulated rails providing
     two connections to each connected track. With two rails to each track this
     usually is not a problem. _BUT_ on the 1122E the insulated rails are NOT
     so surrounded!!! They are the two closest rails in the Y part of the
     switch.

             --------------------------------
             --------------===    -----------
             -----------\   \    \----------  <--this one
                          \   \    \
                            \   \    \  <--this one

     They must have insulating pins at their ends to insulate them from the
     track ground or else they will be energized ALL THE TIME. This will
     eventually burn up your switch machine and also drain power from the
     engine.

     If this in not the problem there may be an internal contact problem.
     Because of the arrangement of the insulated rails on your switch there is
     only one outer rail connected into to each track on the split end of the
     switch. This makes the probability of a bad connection trough the base
     plate more likely than on the regular 1122. The three center rails are
     connected through a buss bar separated from the base plate by a paper
     insulator. The insulator can fail and cause a short (rare) and more likely
     the connection to the rail may have worked loose.

     A simple test to find a bad connection is to take a foot of wire and
     touching it to each rail on either side of the switch while the train is
     running thorough the "slow" section. By doing this to each switch and
     observing if the loco speeds up, you can tell which rail is at fault on
     which switch.

     Of course the fail-proof solution to a bad connection is to add another
     transformer connection to the other side of the switches.

Are different brand switches compatible?

     Essentially all switches with a long pivoting rail are compatible. Older
     style switches are of this type.

            ----------------------          ------------*---------
                                                         *
            -----************-----          ------   *    *  -----
                                                      *    *
            -----************-----          ------\    *    *-----
                   \    \    \                     \    \    \
                    \    \    \                     \    \    \

     The entire center two rails within the switch rotates around a central
     pivot. This crates a solid path through the switch for the wheel and
     flange.

     The newer type has only half the two sections move.

            ----------------------           -----***-------------
                  *****___                           **___
            -------       \ ------           ------       \ ------
                           \                      ***      \
            ------*****----- -----           -----\  **----- -----  <
                   \    \    \                     \    \    \       |
                    \ (  \    \                     \ (  \    \      |
                                                                     |
                                                            ^--------
                                                           switch point

     At the switch point where the two inner side rails meet there is a flat
     spot without a rail that allows flanges from both directions to pass
     through. The result is that the wheel flanges tend to work out momentarily
     and catch the rail when it starts again. To solve this problem a flange
     catch "(" is installed on the other rail to hold that wheel and hence the
     whole axile on the tracks and resist that drift. This works well enough
     for Lionel and Flyer, but most Marx loco wheels have their gearing extend
     all the way to the edge of the wheel. As a result the gear teeth catch the
     flange catch causing a derailment. This also occurs on Lionel control
     rails on RCS, UCS and other sections.

     Marx switches of this type do not have the flange catches. Their loco
     wheels have fatter (and less prototypical) wheel flanges with a less steep
     angle which eliminates the catching of thinner Lionel flanges. Lionel's
     flange catcher are the same solution used on real railroads as is the
     entire later switch design (relatively).

End of the Tinplate FAQ, Part 2 of 4
HAPPY MODELLING!
On to part 3 of 4
Archive-name: model-railroad-faq/tinplate/part3
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 02-25-95

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

rec.models.railroad
TINPLATE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Part 3 of 4, Maintenance
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------


This is a listing of frequently asked questions and general information
concerning the collection, operation and repair of collectable model railroad
equipment. For more info on this FAQ see part 1. Additions and corrections are
always welcome. E-mail to:

[e-mail]
(Christopher D. Coleman)
TCA #88-26999
LRRC #0032070

This FAQ contains the following topics:

Part 1, Information

     WHAT'S NEW IN THE FAQ?
     COLLECTABLE/TINPLATE TRAINS
     GRADING STANDARDS AND OTHER JARGON
     MANUFACTURERS
     THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE
     RAILSCOPE
     LOCOMOTIVE TYPES

Part 2, Equipment

     CARS
     TRANSFORMERS
     TRACK
     SWITCHES

Part 3, Maintenance

     TOOLS
     MAINTENANCE TIPS
     MODIFICATIONS
     PARTS SUPPLIERS
     MOTOR DESIGN

Part 4, The Hobby

     LAYOUTS
     OPERATING TRAINS
     DISPLAYING TRAINS
     COLLECTING TRAINS
     INVENTORYING
     MEETS
     GROUPS
     OTHER SOURCES

TOOLS

What tools are good for a tinplater to have?

     This is a basic list, see REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE TIPS for applications.
          bottle of track cleaner and rag
          standard screwdriver set
          miniature screwdriver set
          miniature wrenches or nut drivers
          vise
          linesman pliers
          needlenose pliers
          tweezers
          toothbrush
          TV Tuner (non lubricating) or Zero Residue spray cleaner
          pipe cleaners
          eraser
          fine sandpaper
          lithium grease
          light machine oil
          test lamp (or multi-meter)
     Specialty tools available from parts suppliers:
          track pliers
          wheel puller
          arbor press (step up from a vise)
          spring bender

     AF Diesel truck rebusher
     Whistle Stop Hobbies
     258 Rt 356
     Apollo, PA 15613
     Phone: [phone]

     Train Parts Tumbler (media pollisher)
     Stu Perlmutter
     618 Cumberland St,
     Debanon, PA 17042
     Phone: [phone]

     Arbor Press and other tools
     Hobby Horse Products
     PO Box 543
     Kendallville, IN 46755
     Phone: [phone]

     Track Pliers, Wheel Puller, etc
     Marvin Laster
     1805 Hoffnagle St.
     Philladelphia, PA 19152

MAINTENANCE TIPS

How should I lubricate my trains?

     For oil 3in1 MOTOR (not regular) oil is sufficient, but light machine oil
     for electric motors is best. For grease, light lithium grease in a small
     tube is good. The rule of thumb is oil bearings and grease gears. Never
     use more than one or two drops of oil or a thin coating of grease. Excess
     will simply accumulate or fall on the track, collecting dirt and making
     electrical contact worse. Never lubricate needlepoint bearings or solenoid
     interiors. These are designed not to be lubricated and it would just gunk
     them up. Lubrication of older truck bearings is usually not needed except
     under extreme operating conditions. One small drop on either side of
     rollers periodically is a good idea. For the inerd of locos see the next
     section.

My locomotive won't move.

     There are many possibilities. First take a lamp post or other small
     accessory and connect two leads. With the power on first test directly at
     the transformer. If there is no result, there is a defect in the
     transformer. Transformer repair can be dangerous and should not be
     attempted by an amateur. Check next at the track. If no response you have
     a bad connection to the transformer or dirty track. If this tests OK check
     your engine wheels for dirt or grime caked on. If all these test OK you
     may conclude it is your locomotive.

     To start working on your engine the first thing you need is an engine
     cradle. You can make one by assembling some 3/4" plywood strips to form an
     upsidedown U or trough about 12" long and an interior of 4" wide and 4"
     deep. coat the interior with clean foam rubber or thick felt. This
     provides a soft cradle for the top of your loco when your working on the
     bottom. Next your need an exploded diagram for your loco. Grenbergs has
     books of these for many makers. There are many different designs employed
     in locomotive construction so the following procedure is necessarily vague
     to cover many types of locos. It gets progressively more mechanical from
     here.

     To access the interior there are usually two to four screws under the
     frame or on the edges of the shell. WHOA! Don't remove that shell yet. On
     many Diesels the stamped steel railings will scratch a deep grove in your
     precious shell. Insert 3X5 cards on either side of the cab between the
     shell and railing first. On many locos there will be a wire connecting the
     light in the shell to the frame. Be careful of this. Some Lionel steamers
     use a rod through either side of the shell, just above the rear driver, to
     keep the shell on. To remove it use an appropriately sized punch and
     hammer to GENTLY drive it in one side and out the other. Drive in the
     direction in which it moves most easily.

     After removing the shell you should see the motor and sequencer (Flyer's
     are in the tender, if steam). Find the lead that comes from the roller or
     insulated wheels. Run a wire directly from the transformer to it before
     the sequencer and connect the other to the frame. If the motor now runs
     you have bad wiring in your pickups. If not try the field lead not
     connected to a brushwell. If the motor runs your sequencer is awry.
     otherwise it is your motor.

     As to service your motor (universal), first remove screws or nuts holding
     the brushplate on. BE CAREFUL when you remove it. There is a delicate wire
     connecting it to the field coil. If you break it off at the coil you've
     ruined the motor. Also the spring loaded brushes will pop out so be ready.
     You can now see the three segment copper commutator. Inspect it for dirt
     or pitting. Clean it with zero residue cleaner or track cleaner, or if it
     is worse a soft pencil eraser. NEVER use anything harsher. Clean the ruts
     between plates with a toothpick. Similarly inspect and clean the brushes,
     springs and brush wells. If pitting has occurred the part must be
     replaced. Not all armatures are removable but if yours is do so and look
     into the gear cavity. Remove old dirty grease as best you can and apply a
     thin coat of fresh grease. Look for worn gears. The gear that meshes with
     a worm gear is the most common to wear out.

                             T         T     screws
                            ___O__^__O___    brush wells and armature bearing
                           |_____________|   brush plate

                               O     O       brushes
                              ____|____      commutator
                              | |   | |      armature windings
                              |_|___|_|
                                  I
                                  I          armature shaft
                                  O          armature gear
                             H          H    mounting studs
                           +==============+  motor housing (field core)
                           |==============+--------+
                           |==============|        |  field coil
                           +==============+--------+

                  GENERIC UNIVERSAL MOTOR - EXPLODED VIEW

     Reassemble the reverse of how you disassembled but watch to mesh gears
     properly and if the brushes have grooves for the brush springs make sure
     they are properly aligned. When reconnecting plastic shells DO NOT
     OVERTIGHTEN!!! This will cause the shell to crack immediately or over
     time.

     DC can motors are generally unserviceable and should be replaced if they
     fail. They are usually mounted in the trucks.

     Similar procedures can be used when servicing motorized accessories.

What are warning signs for your locomotive?

     A loco that jerks as it runs or runs much better in one direction than the
     other is telling you it needs a new motor armature. Most toy train motor
     have three pole armatures so if one is failing, the motor will push for
     two thirds of a spin and be dead weight for one third, causing jerking.

     A loco that makes a "jjjjjsssshhhiinnnngggg" noise may have worn gears.
     Inspect the gears. If the edges of the teeth are straight and angular they
     should be OK. If they have become curved and dulled they have become worn
     and will only get worse. Replacing gears and wheels may be expensive and
     difficult, especially on steamers.

     When traction tire equipped locos slip on grades run your finger across
     the rubber tire. If this soils your finger the tire should be replaced.
     Grime sticks to the tires and reduces traction. Replace, don't clean them.
     They don't cost much, but are trick to get them on. If a magnetraction
     loco slips, the permanent magnet may have failed. A sharp blow can weaken
     a permanent magnet so dropping locos doesn't help Magnetraction much.
     DON'T try to replace the magnet yourself! It takes special adhesive to
     connect them properly.

     A loco that jitters or stalls under light loads is saying "clean wheels,
     rollers and track!"

My locomotive whistle/horn doesn't work.

     Lionel's whistles/horns use an often testy relay to trigger them. Normal
     track current is AC which causes the solenoid to reverse directions of
     "pull" 60 times a second causing the unit to buzz slightly in neutral (see
     MOTOR DESIGN for further discussion). When the whistle activator is pushed
     some current is diverted through a rectifier and converted to DC. This DC
     supply superimposed on the AC causes a constant field on the solenoid,
     pulling up a contact arm to its contact. The contacts form a switch
     between the battery and horn or the track and the whistle motor. Diesel
     horns use a vibrator permanently enclosed in a metal casing while steam
     whistles use a motor driven impeller in a resonance chamber.

                   to coil frame  +-+        coil supply and supply to whistle/horn
                            ===============
                            |-------------| +-   supply to whistle/horn
                            |-------------| | +  coil supply
                            |----coil-----| | |
                            |-------------| | |
                            |-------------| | |
              to coil frame =============== |__  upper contact
                            I__________________  lower contact arm
                         hinge

     The whistles on Lionels are located in the tender and horns in diesels may
     be in either the powered or unpowered unit. Follow the discussion above
     for removing shells. FIRST if you have a diesel check the battery. Never
     leave a battery in a diesel for extended periods since it can corrode and
     destroy your locomotive with battery acid. Check the battery's charge. One
     common problem is that the relay's lower contact arm is not reaching the
     upper contact arm. Place the unit on the track and try to activate it
     manually with a small screwdriver. If it sounds, there is a problem with
     the relay and if not it is with the horn or whistle. The arms may be
     CAREFULLY bent closer if needed, but not too close or it will contact at
     every bump in the track. If there is no response from the coil from
     different activators then try connecting the supply directly to the coil
     supplies (not the contacts). If this fails to activate the coil, it is
     likely burned out and needs to be replaced. If it alleviates the problem
     your track pickups are at fault.

     If on the other hand if you trace the problem to a whistle, test and
     repair it just as described in the locomotive motor repair above. The same
     basic motor design is used. DO NOT TRY TO OPEN THE RESONANCE CHAMBER! You
     will destroy it. You may remove the motor and flush plastic ones with
     water but usually not metallic ones.

     If you trace it to a diesel horn, there is a small adjustment screw on the
     underside of the horn with a locking nut. It adjusts the play in the
     vibrator that creates the horn noise. Try various positions with battery
     power applied. If you still get no response replace the horn unit.
     Replacements are available.

My stock car cows will move fine in the coral but not in the car.

     What else is new? This is a generic defect and most coral sets suffer from
     it. No good solution has been found. If yours works count your blessings.

My milk car keeps jamming!

     Remove the shell and milk can ramp cover. Clean every trace of dirt, oil
     and grease from inside it. This will usually solve the problem. Also make
     sure your platform is set to the correct height for O or O-27 track.

My #394 beacon won't spin.

     This too is normal. You can play with the vanes and sometimes increase
     performance, but this is why Lionel replaced it with #494.

How do those vibrator motors work?

     There are two types of vibrator motors. The first is used on rotating
     accessories like the 494 Beacon, spotlight cars, and rotating radar
     antennae. These use a method similar to that in the coral cars. A coil
     with an iron core is supplied with AC so it vibrates 60 times a second. A
     rubber ring with angled fingers sets on the coil and with each vibration
     the fingers loose contact with the surface for an instant and when contact
     is made again the fingers push in the direction of their lean. Doing this
     60 times a second causes a (nearly) smooth motion. For the fingers to grip
     these motors should never be lubricated.

     The second type is used in the culvert loader and unloader and in the
     aquarium car and animated gondola. It uses a coil near a flexible steel
     strip. Similarly it pulls and pushed the strip 60 times a second.
     Connected to the strip is a nylon cable wrapped around a pulley. As the
     strip moves toward the pulley no force is exerted. When it is moving away
     the cord pulls slightly on the pulley. The result is smooth motion (noisy
     though). The pulley surface should not be lubricated but its bearings and
     gears may depending on the material from which they are made.

I have trouble with my locos reversing properly.

     A sequencer is the device that controls locomotive direction. The "E-Unit"
     was originally developed by Ives. It was a trademarked name I believe,
     where the generic name for the device is a sequencer. When Ives went
     bankrupt in 1931 Lionel bought it principally to acquire it's superior
     sequencer. Until then Lionel had used a simpler and less reliable two
     position sequencer. Ives was the three position seen in modern tinplate
     locos. During it's classic era Lionel designated locos with E-units as -E
     such as the 300E and 700E. Flyer never owned the right to use the name
     E-unit specificly, but their sequencer is essentially the same principal
     interpreted differently. I believe the E stood for Electronic unit.
     Although is wasn't really electronic by today's standards, it must have
     seemed that way in those times before transistors, and vacuum tubes were
     the cutting edge.

     Most sequencers work by means of a rotating drum and contact fingers. The
     drum has copper contacts on its surface arranged so that there will be
     connections made between different fingers for different positions of the
     drum. The circuitry of this is explained in MOTOR DESIGN. An electric coil
     plunger engages a series of teeth on the drum and pulls it a fraction of a
     rotation each time the coil is energized.

     The most common problems with sequencers is a lack of proper contact
     between fingers and drum, and a failure of the coil to properly position
     the drum. The contacts are best cleaned with Zero Residue or TV Tuner
     spray cleaner. If this fails you may carefully clean the drum in place
     with an eraser. Be careful not to touch the contact fingers. THEY ARE VERY
     DELICATE so BE CAREFUL. If the drum is pitted of damages it needs to be
     replaced. Disassembling a sequencer is VERY tricky and delicate. For
     Lionel units the sides of the unit must be forced apart to remove the
     drum, and a pair of external snap ring pliers are good for this. the drum
     and finger assemblies will pop out. When reassembling press the assembly
     together by hand first and gently finish it in a vice. If the fingers are
     damaged it may be possible to re-bend them, with precision pliers, but
     replacement is the best option. If your coil plunger is sticking do not
     oil it! The oil will "clog" it up. A pipe cleaner is useful here to clean
     the interior of the coil, as is spray cleaner. When the interior is clean,
     the plunger should slide easily. If not, the coil case is likely warped,
     so replacing the unit is the best solution. This same procedure may be
     used for accessories using the coil plunger system, such as crossing
     gates.

     APPEARANCE

     The best thing for keeping your old trains tidy is MILD detergent and
     water. A SOFT bristle paint brush is useful for occasional dusting. I've
     heard of using petroleum jelly but never tried it. Also there is:

     Toy and Train Cleaning Solution
     Hampton Hobby Products --- also has many other useful supplies
     2475 Hitching Post Drive
     Allison Park, PA 15101

MODIFICATIONS

     Modifacations are not covered here for one reason: It reduces the
     colectability of trains. On the other hand it increases their
     operabilityThe most common additions is that of modern electronic sounds
     and sequencing. Here are a few makers of add-on electronics.

     ADD ON ELECTRONICS

     QSI
     2575 N E Kathryn St #25
     Hillsboro, OR 97124
     Phone [phone]

     Dalee Electronics
     10 Witmer Road
     Lancaster, PA 17602
     Phone [phone]

     Deptronics
     PO Box 2093
     Warrwndale, PA 15086
     Phone [phone]

     Electronics for Trains
     1225 Johnson Ferry Road, Building 400
     Marietta, GA 30068

     Hyde-Out Mountain Live Steam
     89060 New Rumley Raod
     Jewlet, OH 43986

     Ott Machine Services, Inc
     Dept CTT
     118 E Ash St
     Lombard, IL 60148-8701
     Phone [phone]
     [phone]
     Fax [phone]

PARTS SUPPLIERS

Where can I get replacement parts for my train?

     Both original new and used, as well as reproduction parts are available.
     Below is an incomplete listing of sources.

     Bowser - Standard Gauge Wheels
     PO Box 322
     Montoursville, PA 17754-0322

     Brasseur Electric Trains
     4215 South Wayside Drive
     Saginaw, MI 48603
     Phone [phone]

     Lou Cantafio
     6 Como Trail
     PO Box 472, RD 3
     Lake Hoptacong, NJ 07849

     Charlie's Trains
     PO Box 158
     Hubertus, WI 53033
     Phone [phone]

     Allison Cox
     18025 8th Avenue, NW
     Seattle, WA 98177
     206-546-2230

     William J Doomey
     Model Engineering Works
     PO Box 1188
     Ramona, CA 92065
     Phono [phone]

     East Coast Train Parts
     PO Box 604
     Englishtown, NJ 07726
     Phone/Fax [phone] tues-fri 11-5:00

     Al Franceschetti
     Alpha Engineering
     7910 Poplar Hill Drive
     Clinton, MD 20735
     Phone [phone]

     The R.F. Giardina, Co. - AF new and reporduction parts
     PO Box 562, Dept CTT
     Oyster Bay, NY 11771
     Phone [phone]

     Hobby Surplus Sales
     287 Main Street
     PO Box 2170
     New Britain, CT 06050

     Ronald Kolander
     131 W Washington Avenue
     PO Box 381
     China, TX 77613
     Phone [phone]

     E C Kraemer Reproductions
     105 Hollywood Avenue
     Fairfield, NJ 07006
     Phone [phone]

     Ron Leventon
     Leventon's Hobby Supply - AF supplies
     PO Box 1525
     Chehalis, WA 98532-3707
     Phone [phone]

     Lionel Classics Service Center
     9693 Gerwig Lane, Unit A
     Columbia, MD 21046
     Phone [phone]

     Locomotion Service Center
     4887 132nd Ave
     Hamilton, MI 49419
     Phone: [phone]

     Mike's Trains & Hobbies
     104 West Ocean Avenue
     Lompoc, CA 93436
     800-772-4407
     805-736-6747

     Model R.R. Centre
     90 Saxon Bay
     Winnipeg, Man
     204-489-9001

     Ted Nyerges
     580 Humiston Drive
     Bay Village, OH 44140

     L M Olsen
     2192 McKinley Avenue
     Lakewood, OH 44107

     Stanley Orr - attends York meet
     PO Box 97
     Stormville, NY 12582
     Phone [phone]

     P K Train Parts
     220 Trouville Road
     Copiague, NY 11726
     Phone [phone]

     David G Reinhert
     The Train Cellar
     1416 3rd Street
     Trevose, PA 19047

     Rick's Trains
     240 163rd Place, SE
     Bellevue, WA 98008
     206-746-0686

     Mike Sabatelle - not recommended, experienced order trouble
     PO Box 040136
     Brooklyn, NY 11204
     Phone [phone]

     Richard J Sapetelli
     390 Dartmouth Street
     Wyckoff, NJ 07481

     Joeseph Schwingl - Recommended, good service
     92-61 246 Street
     Bellrose Terrace, NY 11001

     John Severns
     John's Trains
     PO Box 46238
     Phillidelphia, PA 19160-6238

     Doug Stott
     105 David Lane Lansdale, PA
     Phone [phone]

     George Tebolt
     130 Eastchester Road
     New Rochelle, NY 10801

     That Train Place - Only place for NEW Marx parts
     56644 C R 3 South
     Elkhart, IN 46516
     Phone [phone]

     Town and Country Hobbies and Crafts
     26 Dememy Ave
     Totowa Boro, NJ 07512
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]

     The Train Shop
     Preakness Shopping Center
     Hamburg Turnpike
     Wayne, NJ 07470
     Phone [phone]

     The Train Tender
     135 Hamptom Way
     Penfield, NY 14526
     Phone [phone] (eavs and weekends)

     Trains and Things
     209-1/2 W Clark Street
     Champaign, Illinois 61820
     Phone [phone]

     Richard A Trickel
     PO Box 262
     48 Sunset Drive
     Paoli, PA 19301

     Triple "S" Supplies - Flyer S Parts
     PO Box 343
     Secane, PA 19018
     Phone [phone]

     Dennis Waldron
     48 Woodport Road
     Sparta, NJ 07871

     Warrens Model Trains - good list, attends York meet
     20520 Lorain Raod
     Fairview Park, OH 44126
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]

Where else can I get parts without paying so much?

     Some basic parts can be found at your local hardware or electronics store.

     Light bulbs:

          Lionel #   GE#              base type           Radio Shack #
          47-300     47         6.3V bayonet              272-1110
          50-300     50         7.5V miniature screw      272-1133
          52-300     52         14V bayonet               272-1117
          53-300     53         14V miniature screw       272-1127

MOTOR DESIGN

Is my tinplate train motor AC or DC?

     What follows is a technical description of the situation in as much
     layman's terms as possible and still be accurate. There are three basic
     types of electric machines in use today:

     DC MACHINES:these have a non-moving field coil on the stator and a moving
     armature on the rotor. It uses a commutator, which is a segmented plate
     which constantly redirects the current direction in the armature. This
     change in current causes a change in a magnetic field so that it keeps
     pushing against the field produced by the field coil. The more current,
     the more field, the more push, the faster the motor goes and no matter how
     fast it goes the commutator keeps the fields opposing each other, thus the
     variable speed.

     SYNCHRONOUS AC MACHINES: These have a solid slip ring instead of a
     commutator and rely an the change in the AC voltage supplied to it to
     create the changing field and hence the motion in the machine. Because of
     this IT CAN TURN AT ONLY ONE SPEED at a given frequency for which it has
     been designed, usually a factor of 60, the frequency of standard AC
     current. (frequency can be varied by specialized electronics)

     INDUCTION AC MACHINES: These are a variation on synchronous machines that
     rely on induction to supply current to the rotor, but are otherwise pretty
     similar.

     Essentially all model engine motors are DC machines. The difference is in
     the field. Lionel and Flyer locos use an electric field coil. As a result,
     if AC is applied, the field changes direction right with the rest of the
     motor so that the net force stays in the same direction. Even when the
     terminals are reversed manually the motor still rotates in same direction.
     This is why sequencers (E-Units) are used to reverse the field polarity
     RELATIVE TO the armature. HO or "can" style motors use a permanent magnet
     instead of a electric field coil. For DC it does the same thing, but if AC
     is applied the field of the permanent magnet does not change direction and
     so the motor tries to change direction 60 times a second, causing it to
     just shake violently. The direction of rotation CAN be reversed by
     manually revering the terminals (in DC).

     It is, however, common practice in the hobby to call Lionel motors "AC" or
     universal and I'm not trying to change this, but rather show how it all
     really works. Below is a table which tries to graphically show this. 1 is
     a magnetic field in one direction and 2 is in the opposite direction. When
     they point in the same direction the motor will spin one way and the
     opposite direction for opposing fields (here I arbitrarily chose the
     directions of rotation).

          ELECTRIC FIELD COIL             reverse motor leads
                                                    |
          time (sec) 1/60  2/60  3/60  4/60  5/60...| 1/60  2/60  3/60  4/60 5/60
          DC supply                                 |
          field       1     1     1     1     1     |  2     2     2     2     2
          armature    1     1     1     1     1     |  2     2     2     2     2
          result      CW    CW    CW    CW    CW    |  CW    CW    CW    CW    CW
                                                    |
          AC supply                                 |
          field       1     2     1     2     1     |  2     1     2     1     2
          armature    1     2     1     2     1     |  2     1     2     1     2
          result      CW    CW    CW    CW    CW    |  CW    CW    CW    CW    CW
                                                    |
          PERMANENT MAGNET FIELD                    |
          DC supply                                 |
          field       1     1     1     1     1     |  1     1     1     1     1
          armature    1     1     1     1     1     |  2     2     2     2     2
          result      CW    CW    CW    CW    CW    |  CCW   CCW   CCW   CCW   CCW
                                                    |
          AC supply                                 |
          field       1     1     1     1     1     |  1     1     1     1     1
          armature    1     2     1     2     1     |  2     1     2     1     2
          result      CW    CCW   CW    CCW   CW    |  CCW   CW    CCW   CW    CCW


     DC can motors can be used with AC if it is converted into DC through a
     rectifier or other means. This is done with many new offerings.

     As far as the Amperage, smaller size HO motors require less current to run
     and hence smaller transformers. I have several HO transformers I use to
     run lights and not one, even the MRCs, generate enough current to run
     tinplate trains. There is, however, MRC's trainpower O-27 which is
     designed for these larger motors. I've never tried it so I can't comment
     on its effectiveness.

End of the Tinplate FAQ, Part 3 of 4
HAPPY MODELLING!
On to part 4 of 4
Archive-name: model-railroad-faq/tinplate/part4
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 02-25-95

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

rec.models.railroad
TINPLATE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Part 4 of 4, The Hobby
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------


This is a listing of frequently asked questions and general information
concerning the collection, operation and repair of collectable model railroad
equipment. For more info on this FAQ see part 1. Additions and corrections are
always welcome. E-mail to:

[e-mail]
(Christopher D. Coleman)
TCA #88-26999
LRRC #0032070

This FAQ contains the following topics:

Part 1, Information

     WHAT'S NEW IN THE FAQ?
     COLLECTABLE/TINPLATE TRAINS
     GRADING STANDARDS AND OTHER JARGON
     MANUFACTURERS
     THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE
     RAILSCOPE
     LOCOMOTIVE TYPES

Part 2, Equipment

     CARS
     TRANSFORMERS
     TRACK
     SWITCHES

Part 3, Maintenance

     TOOLS
     MAINTENANCE TIPS
     MODIFICATIONS
     PARTS SUPPLIERS
     MOTOR DESIGN

Part 4, The Hobby

     LAYOUTS
     OPERATING TRAINS
     DISPLAYING TRAINS
     COLLECTING TRAINS
     INVENTORYING
     MEETS
     GROUPS
     OTHER SOURCES

LAYOUTS

How should I build my layout?

     A person's layout is very much an expression of his collecting interests.
     Layout styles vary from the traditional "flatland" green painted board to
     weathered near exact scale empires. What will be presented here are
     general tips for layout design and construction. Scale detailing can be
     found in the scale FAQ.

     Some builders plan exact layout designs using templates or computer
     software before proceeding with any layout construction. A shareware
     program to do this is Edittrak, at:
     ftp://alfred.ccs.carleton.ca/pub/civeng/edittrak.arj
     This is in .arj compressed format so you'll need unarj to retrieve it.
     I've found it more adapted toward scale layouts than sectional tinplate.
     Moondog Express (see mikes trains and hobbies in Parts) sells real-size
     cardbord track templates, so you can layout a track pattern without using
     track. Tharee rail track templates can be had from:

     CTT, Inc
     109 Medallion Center
     Dallas, TX 75214
     Phone: [phone]

     Other programs and templates can be found using the OTHER SOURCES section.
     Others, including myself, feel this removes some of the originality and
     just go at a pile of lumber and track with a general idea in mind. By
     laying the track unconnected in location, one gets a better feel for how
     the layout will turn out.

     BENCHWORK

     Benchwork is any superstructure that supports trains or accessories. 1/2"
     to 3/4" Plywood is recommended for surfaces. Particle board will sag out
     of place over time and waferboard/strandboard is weaker and difficult to
     work with. To support the plywood, a framework must be constructed. The
     size of the beams used varies with the length they must support and the
     strength needed. Remember on larger layouts climbing onto the board may be
     necessary from time to time, so it must support you weight. For a layout
     4X8' or larger 2X4" beams are recommended, though 1X4"s are also used.
     They should be arranged similarly to floor joists, with the long dimension
     vertically. Connect beams of appropriate lengths in a rectangles the size
     of your plywood, then run support across the intervening space parallel to
     the shorter side of the rectangle, spaced about 24" to 36" apart. Remember
     it is more important for the top faces of the beams to be aligned so
     assembly is best done upside down on a flat surface, and be sure to get
     straight beams from your lumber supplier. You may now attach legs, which
     should be bolted, NOT screwed or nailed. The number depends again in
     strength need and layout size. Braces are recommended, running diagonally
     from the leg to the benchwork. The frame can now be flipped and plywood
     attached.

     This is a generic beginners layout board and infinite variations can be
     made to its design. As for height, commonly used figures are 2', 2'6", 3'
     and 4'. I use 3' since it is low enough for medium size children to see
     and high enough to make their grabbing trains difficult. I also use
     multiple level trains at 4'6" and 6'. REMEMBER the plywood will add a
     fraction of an inch to the height, so account for this in leg length.

     WIRING

     All too many tinplate operators think it is necessary to run two wires
     from the transformer to each thing on a layout. A better idea is to run
     feeders the length of the layout and connect leads from them to each
     accessory. Color coding helps immensely in tracing faulty wires and
     shorts. The system I've developed is shown below:



          insulated    +-----------------------------------+-------------+
             rail______|________________                   | #45 gateman |
                 _______________________ TRACK             |             |
                 _________|_____________      +------------|             |
                      |   |                   |            +-------------+
                      |   |LEADS              |
                      |   |                   |
           COLOR      |   |       FEEDERS     |      SUPPLY    LOAD
           black------*---|--*----------------|------ground or common
           black------*---|--|----------------|------ground or common
                      |   |  |                |
                      |   |  |                |
           red--------|---*--|----------------|------ZW A -- loop 1 upgrades
           orange-----|------|----------------*------ZW B -- signals
           yellow-----|------|-----------------------ZW C -- accessories
           green------|------|-----------------------ZW D -- loop 1 downgrades
           blue-----*-|------|-----------------------B    -- lights
           violet---|-|------|-----------------------KW A -- loop 2
           red------|-|------|-----------------------KW B -- loop 3
           orange---|-|------|-----------------------T    -- loop 4
                    | |      |
           +---------------+ |  +-------------+
           |   #394 Beacon | +--| Lumber mill |-+
           +---------------+    +-------------+ |
                                                |
                                           thru controller
                                           to accessory lug


     I run these feeders the length of the layout, in sections connected by
     buss bars (screw terminal strips), and supply leads can be spiced in at
     the buss connections about every 4'. In this arrangement it is important
     to separate the ground feeder from the others by a foot or so, to avoid
     shorts. I strongly recommend the use of copper over aluminum wires, as
     where powerful postwar transformers can fry aluminum without tripping the
     circuit breaker. I also recommend 14 to 16 gauge wire for the feeders and
     18 to 20 for leads. Two ground feeders are recommend since they are the
     return path for all current.

     TRACK LAYING

     Always screw your track down! Many locomotives have gone from mint to good
     condition with a few too many derailments on loose track sections. I
     recommend slotted, pan head, sheet metal screws (yes, even if you're going
     into wood). #4 size for O-27 and #6 size for O. Tinplate track is designed
     with flexibility of layout design in mind. A pair of lineman's pliers, or
     better yet track pliers (get these from parts suppliers), are
     indispensable when assembling track. Also keep a supply of spare steel and
     fibre pins on hand. Cutting custom length track sections is often
     necessary in more complex layouts. To do this clamp the rails, not ties,
     between two blocks of wood. This will prevent bending the rails during
     cutting. Cut along the wood, from the top of the rails to the bottom for a
     straight clean cut. Reaming out the inside of tubular rails is often
     necessary before inserting a pin. Use dull wire cutters or needle nose
     piers to squeeze the track around the pin at the base of the railhead.
     Many track pins also have a rut in either end so that the railhead sides
     can be pressed in and prevent slippage.

Is cork roadbed any good for Tinplate?

     I used in on a small Super-O layout and there was no noticeable reduction
     in noise. This is because well secured tinplate track transfers vibrations
     right through the mounting screws into the benchwork. I does, however,
     give that prototypically high mainline look.

How steep can I make a grade?

     Grade is rise over run. For example if a real railroad climbs two feet in
     100 feet of track it is on a 2/100 or 2% grade. Lionel graduated trestle
     sets rise about 0.5" each track section, 8.75" for O-27, making it 5.7%
     grade. This would be a torturous grade for a real railroad, whose normal
     heavy grade is 2.5 to 3%. For most beginner train sets this is steep, but
     manageable. No steeper is recommended. Also remember a curve in an
     ascending trestle makes the grade about twice as hard for the engine,
     depending on the tightness of the curve. Curves also introduce the problem
     of cars being pulled off the track to the inside due to the tension
     between the engine and the rest of the train. To alleviate this somewhat
     cars should be ordered in descending weight. Furthermore if your track is
     in less than ideal condition, a curve on a grade will be the prime spot
     for a derailment on your layout, due to the unusual stresses placed on the
     track joining pins by car wheels.

     If you want to run trains longer than about 10 cars you're going to have
     to make your own trestle with an easier grade. You can make your trestle
     out of whatever you like so long as you firmly attach it to the track and
     preferably also to the benchwork. The smoothest operation will be attained
     if you make the grade taper up from zero at the bottom and back to zero at
     the top with the normal grade in the middle. This eliminates the wack of
     the wheels at stressed joints at the top and bottom as well as pilot
     (cowcatchers) catching the center rail at the bottom and longer
     locomotives rocking over the peak at the top. At minimum there should be
     support at each rail joint. For curves there should be support in the
     middle of the section also, to prevent your prize locomotive from bending
     it over enough to topple. The best support is 1/4" to 1/2" plywood strips
     under all the track. I use 1/2" 4" wide strips supported about every 9" by
     a short section of 2X4. This can be hidden with paper mache', plaster,
     simulated stone, or whatever sceniking process you prefer. I also grade
     1/4" rise each track section or 2.9%, steep but not too bad.

     If you're really ambitious you can build one from balsa wood. Use 1/4"
     square stock laying one under each rail parallel to the rail. Use shorter
     sections perpendicular under the first about every 2" to 4". Cut 1/4"
     dowel rods to length and run four of them from the support to the ground
     as pilings. This is of course a basic design.

My loco stalls at the far end of my loop of track.

     Dirty track is the first culprit. To remove light dust, oil and grease
     most track cleaning solutions are adequate with a clean cloth, either
     those provided by train makers or other products like "Rail Zip". Wet the
     cloth and rub the track as if you were polishing it. As the cloth becomes
     dirtied refold it and proceed. When you no longer soil the cloth the track
     is clean. For more serious dirt use an eraser. Ordinary erasers work, but
     an abrasive one is best, A commercially available one is called "Bright
     Boy" which seems to work well, like those included in track cleaning kits.
     If surface rust has set in use fine or very fine sandpaper. NEVER EVER use
     steel wool or ANYTHING else that will leave metal bits on the track.
     Locomotive motors will suck them in and destroy themselves! If rust has
     reached the state of pitting don't bother. It is not worth your time to
     fix severely rusted track.

     If this fails the easiest solution is to add more power connections to
     your track. This is only a band-aid solution, though, since more than bad
     connections may be present. Nine of ten times a corroded track pin is the
     cause. You should clean all your track pins before assembling your layout.
     Pull them and clean the end in the track section too if necessary. Clean
     them the same way you clean the track. If your track section is corroded
     on the inside of the tube, throw it in the recycling bin, it's not worth
     the trouble.

     If you need track down a faulty track section, first disconnect all power
     leads and remove all trains from the track. Here a light continuity tester
     is helpful, but a multimeter is best. Disconnect one track connection and
     test the continuity of the center rail around the loop. The outer rails
     are almost never a problem since they have a double conductor, but if you
     rule out everything else, you might check them too. A resistance less than
     5 Ohms is pretty good, more and you should trace the problem. Also check
     the continuity between the center and outer rails. It should be infinite
     resistance (no current). If current flows you have a bad center rail
     insulator.

     To track down a bad connection test the continuity between each track
     connection. Any reading over around 1/2 Ohm means trouble. One or the
     other sections around the joint will need replaced. The easiest way to
     find a center rail insulator short is to connect a transformer WITH A
     CIRCUIT BREAKER and crank it up to around 3/4 power. Listen to the track
     and you can usually hear the sparks in the bad insulator and it will get
     hot too, so be careful. Alternatively you may be able to track is down
     with the meter.

How can I operate my signals without those pesky pressure plates?

     There are a variety of electronic gadgets for this purpose. For these see
     the companies in MODIFICATIONS. The most popular method is to use an
     insulated track section. These are made by carefully prying out one outer
     rail and inserting insulators in each crosstie like those in the center
     rail. These are easily made from a piece of index card covered by a layer
     of electrical tape. Firmly press the rail back in place with the
     insulators underneath. Be careful not to puncture them. Insert an
     insulating fibre pin in either end of the rail, and connect a lockon to
     that side of the track. Use the connection to the outside "common" rail as
     a lead for the common on the accessory. Connect the center rail to your
     variable transformer supply and the other accessory lead to your
     transformer accessory supply. This method will obviously not be able to
     trigger the green and red lights of a block signal properly, but it will
     work on gatemen, crossing gate, semaphores and other on/off signals.

OPERATING TRAINS

Can I doublehead tinplate locomotives?

     Yes, as long as you use similar locomotives. What I mean by this is some
     locos use can motors, some use "universal" motors in addition to various
     gearing ratios. To test two locos for compatibility set them on the track,
     uncoupled and unloaded and run them in the same direction. If the
     separation between them rapidly increases or decreases their natural
     speeds are too far apart and they will fight each other if coupled
     together. You MUST lock out your sequencers when you doublehead since a
     momentary power loss may sequence one loco and not another (unless you
     have electronic ones which supress this problem). Mid-train helpers are
     also possible but placing requires skill and practice. Rear helpers are
     not recommended.

How many cars can my locomotive pull?

     This depends greatly on what type of trucks your stock has. Newer (1971
     and up) cars usually have needle point bearings in low friction plastic
     which allows them to roll very easily. Older cars have no bearings at all
     and take 2-5 times more force to roll and are heavier. These are estimates
     of pulling capacity based on drivetrain:

      Dual DC can motors, spur gear: 8 old, or 20 new
      Single universal motor, spur gears: 15 old, or 35 new
      Single universal motor, worm gears: 22 old, or 45 new
      Dual universal motor, worm gears: 35 old, 60 new

     Magnetracion and rubber traction tires can, of course, increase the
     pulling capability of an engine. Magnetracion is superior in griping and
     also grips with all powered wheels without insulating them from the track
     as tires do. Magnetraction is, however, far more difficult to replace if
     it fails.

How can I make my locomotive smoke?

     The first smoke mechinism Lionel used in 1945 simply allowed a smoke
     pellet to rest in the headlight bulb with a special dimple in it. This
     didn;t work very well and was quickly replaced with a resistance coil.
     Either heat source caused the pill to slowly melt and vaporize.
     Unfortuantly Lionel pellets are no longer made, as where they were
     patended by the engineer who created them for Lionel. Life-Like does still
     make a smoke pellet, though it does not work as well or smell as
     distinctive as the original. To aleviate the patent fees, Lionel converted
     to a petroleum based liquid smoke. Since smoke units designed for liquid
     have an absorbant material built into it the pellet and liquid should only
     be used in thier respective style units. Flyer and Marx used only liquid
     smoke units. Smoke liquids currently available can be used interchangably
     in liquid smoke units. Additionally some new liquids are designed to give
     off specific scents such as original Lionel smoke pellets.

     Original Lionel smoke pellets have become collectable in thier own right,
     so If you have them, use them sparingly and fill in the gaps with other
     brands. You might also use a few drops of liquid smoke in you bottle of
     pellets occasionally to keep them from disintegrating. Using a pipe
     cleaner to brush the white residuc inside your smokestack back into your
     generator will extend the effectiveness of the pellets you use.

     Liquid smome is available from:

     Life-Like Industries
     addres unknown

     "Supersmoke"
     Bart's Pneumatics Corp.
     1952 Landis Valley Rd.
     Lancaster, PA 17601
     Phone: [phone]

     Pellets from:

     K-Line Electric Trains, Inc.
     address under MANUFACURERS section

DISPLAYING TRAINS

How can I display my trains?

     The most obvious method is to screw track to shelving. Trains can also be
     placed right on the shelving but this provides less protection against
     earthquakes, pets, children, etc. One ingenious solution is called Rail
     Rax. They are solid aluminum shelves with mounting holes and molded
     extrusions the width of your track gauge. They are available in HO/S, O,
     and O/I/Standard from:

     Rail Rax
     786 Seely Ave
     Armas, CA 95004
     [phone]

     260 Buffalo St
     Buffalo, NY 14203
     [phone] or [phone]

     Another clever solution is to use beadboard, a common material in the
     walls of older buildings that can still be purchased. The grooves between
     beads are about right for O and S gauge stock. There are special brackets
     available for rack shelving which has staggered tiers for holding three
     rows of train display boards all visibley. Available from:

     For Toys Company
     PO Box 61
     Winnetetka, IL 60093
     Phone: [phone]

     Yet another alternative is to use wood shelving with rouded or sawed slots
     to accomidate wheel flanges. A pre-made shelving of this kind is abailable
     from:

     Trackside Marketing
     PO Box 137
     Fairview, PA 16415
     Phone: [phone]

     Remember when choosing a location for your trains that moisture is the
     enemy of trains. This is especially important if your trains are in a
     basement. A good dehumidifier will save your trains in even a slightly
     damp basement. Similarly if you choose an attic you must be cautious about
     heat. Many of the earlier plastics used in train manufacture are
     especially suceptable to warpage and melting in heat. A/C or ventilation
     is a must.

COLLECTING TRAINS

How do I know what to buy?

     Buy what you like! If you don't like it don't buy it. What not to do is
     buy every train you see. Give it a bit of thought first. Why do you want
     to collect trins in the first place? Is it to operate or display? Are you
     fond of a particular scale, manufacturer, time period or style?

How much is it worth?

     You can follow the grading standards above and look up a price in a guide,
     but that is only an approximation. Look at the MEETS section for details
     on this.

Is is in original condition?

     This matters to some more that others, but is is accepted as wrong to
     repaint or replace with reproductions major sections of an item and try to
     pass it off as original. Groups like the TCA take this very seriously and
     have expelled members for it.

     Reproduction parts are quite a controversy. They are needed where original
     parts can no longer be found, but can be misrepresented. Volumes have been
     written on what parts have been cloned and how to tell, but I will give
     some general guidelines.
       1.  Lionel molded parts usually say "Lionel Corporation, New York, NY"
          or similar. Watch for parts of this missing.
       2.  Reproductions usually have more apparent "parting lines" where the
          two pieces of the mold met.
       3.  The parts most often broken or lost are those most often cloned.
          Automobiles, helicopters, submarines, missles, and other plastic
          loads are good examples.
       4.  Bad copies are often warped or show color variation.
       5.  If you are at all suspicious, don't acuse. Ask someone more
          experienced for their opinion, especially train group officers.

INVENTORYING

How can I inventory my collection?

     The simplest way other than just writing it down is to use a price
     guide/checklist from the places listed in OTHER SOURCES. On the computer
     many use a database program such as FilePro or Paradox that can be set up
     in any way you wish. This has the advantage of being very flexible and you
     can make other files for your catalogues or slide collection with the same
     program. The disadvantage is if you want current values you will have to
     enter them by hand. There are several pre-made inventory programs. Check
     with the suppliers in OTHER SOURCES. Also there is:

     "Copm-u-Trak" - Mac or PC $49.95
     Frank K Kistner
     11062 Delta Circle
     Boca Raton, FL 33428
     [phone]

     "MacTrak" - Mac $10 demo, $93 full system
     Macintory
     3200 Washington Street
     Boston, MA 02130

     "Train Tracker" - PC $59.95, price disks $16.95 REF Development Co.
     144 Iler Drive
     Middleton, NJ 07748
     Phone: [phone]
     Toll Free: (800) 589-REEF

     "Trains"
     Scottsville Business Systems
     PO Box 3
     Scottsville NY, 14546

     "Yardmaster" - IBM PC $69.95 with one price disk.
     Additional price disks: 19.95. (PreWar, PostWar, Modern Era)
     TM Books & Video
     New Buffalo, MI 49117
     [phone]

     "The Train Collector's Workbook"
     The Ashland Group
     16 Kings Row
     Ashland, MA 01721
     [phone]

     If you have FileMaker Pro, try dropping a note to SofTrack
     [[e-mail]]. They have a Model RR inventory template for FM Pro on
     the Mac, and they are working on a version for Windows.

Is there a central method for identifying trains to be recorded in a catalog?

     This depends on the make. Usually the best way to cataloging them is first
     by Make, then by "catalog number". This usually appears on the item, but
     not always, and sometimes even the wrong one appears. The best way to make
     sure you have the correct number is to buy a "checklist and price guide"
     from either Greenberg Books or TMK for each make. They list all the
     numbers produced with a brief description of each. For the larger makers
     like Marx, Lionel, and Flyer the lists are separated into major periods of
     manufacture, such as Pre WWII, post WWII Post 1970, etc. The heiarchy of
     my train database is:

          Maker
          Period
          Catalog Number
          Date Purchased

     In some cases it can be a bit of an art but is usually straight forward.
     Early trains (1910's and before) and "economy" trains are the hardest to
     classify as where they often have no markings.

MEETS (or shows)

How should I approach attending a collectors train meet?

     There are two types of meets, Open and Closed. Open meets are open to the
     public such as Greenbergs Train and Doll Shows and Great American Train
     Shows. Closed meets are open only to group members and guests, such as the
     TCA York PA Meet. It is often recommended that you attend at least one
     meet with no money and just get the feel of the meet. I walk through a
     meet once before buying to get a feel for that meets prices and selection,
     and then make successive rounds getting the emerging deals each time.
     Another tip is always hang around until closing time when many sellers
     would rather make a deal than haul stuff home. In any case you should try
     to have an experienced collector with you for your first few meets. There
     are sharks at every meet who just want your hard earned dollars in their
     pockets.

     Another tip is that some sellers are very testy about people handling
     their items until sold, so restrain that urge to examine every piece at a
     meet and watch for dealer's "NO TOUCH" signs.

     Prices are usually higher at open meets since the clientele is less
     experienced. Prices are mostly a factor of how badly the seller wants to
     dump the item and how badly he wants to turn a profit. Prices are usually
     higher than book value and can be negotiated down to around book value.
     NEVER buy a piece at a meet without trying to bargain it down and don't be
     afraid to walk away and try later, the dealer might become more desperate
     to sell. It is also a good idea to carry a pocket price guide with you,
     but don't swear by its accuracy.

     For more information see:

     Greenbergh Shows, Inc.
     7566 Main Street
     Sykesville, MD 21784

     Great American Train Show Limited
     PO Box 1745
     Lombard, IL 60148
     Phone: [phone]

     Meets Versus Shops? Meets have better selection (by a long shot) and
     prices (by about 20%) but shops have a friendly face and service after the
     sale which is best for new items, plus there is less difference in the
     price of new items (about 5%). I do not recommend mail order since you get
     the worst of the two above, plus you don't really know what your getting
     until it arrives. (postage charges too)

     Lionel in 1992 instituted a new policy that no current production year
     items may be sold at meets or advertized mail-order. This is an attempt to
     prevent undercutting of their dealers and to ensure service after the
     sale. At a result dealers, many of whom do both shops and meets, will just
     sell their year-old stock at the meet.

GROUPS

What groups related to the collecting aspect are there?

     The following is an incomplete list of major tinplate groups:

     TCA Train Collectors Association
     PO Box 248
     Strasburg, PA
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]
     -Largest and oldest (1954) collector's group which establishes many
     accepted standards. $20.00 per year national fees. Several divisions and
     many chapters which may have their own fees. Includes Train Collectors
     Quarterly magazine one of which being the national membership directory,
     and National Headquarters News quarterly newsletter. Chapter, Division and
     a National member meets with admission from 5$ to 15$.

     TTOS Toy Train Operating Society
     25 W Walnut Street
     Suite 308
     Pasadena, CA 91103
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]
     -$22.00 per year, $15.00 enrollment fee

     LOTS Lionel Operating Train Society
     PO Box 62240
     Cincinnati, OH 45241
     For operators of Lionel trains of all vintages.
     Annual Dues: $22.00; Initiation Fee: $6.00
     Bi-Monthly Publication (2,4,6,8,10,12): SWITCHER national and local public
     meets

     LCCA Lionel Collectors Club of America
     P.O. Box 479
     LaSalle, IL 61301
     For collectors of Lionel trains of all vintages.
     Annual Dues: $40.00; Initiation Fee: $10.00
     founded 1970
     Bi-Monthly Publication (1,3,5,7,9,11): "The Interchange Track" contains
     buy-sell-trade advertisements.
     Bi-Monthly Publication (2,4,6,8,10,12): "The Lion Roars" contains
     technical and product articles.

     LRRC Lionel Railroader Club
     PO Box 748
     New Baltimore, MI 48047-0748
     -Current membership is $10.00 per year, includes a 12 page quarterly
     newsletter, membership button, and current year catalog. It is part of
     Lionel and is directed more toward kids, but it gives a great deal of
     insight into Lionel productions and offers special cars, locos, and
     premiums for sale.

     AFCC American Flyer Collectors Club
     P.O. Box 13269
     Pittsburgh, PA 15243
     Frank C Hare, Editor
     -Annual Dues $12.50 Payable in Jan four issues a year, a member list and
     updates are provided. topics covered are ALL of AF items O-Gauge, S-Gauge,
     Standard Gauge. The Whistling Billboard is a FREE advertising section for
     members 75 words or less. The Baggage Room section is for discussion

     More information is needed on these groups:
     Inland Empire Train Collectors Associatopn (IETCA)
     Lionel Central Operating Lines (LCOL)
     Lionel Collectors Association of Canada (LCAC)
     Nassau Lionel Operating Engineers (NLOE)
     Virginia Train Collectors

OTHER SOURCES

Where can I get more information?

     A good well stocked hobby shop can answer many questions, if they really
     want your business. For reference material check following:

     MAGAZINES

     Classic Toy Trains
     -8 Issues per year, soon to be monthly, collectable trains with some
     landscaping techniques, $26.50 per year, 31.60 per copy price, best for
     tinplate

     Kalmbach Publishing Co
     21027 Crossroads Circle
     PO Box 1612
     Waukeesha, WI 53182-1612
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]

     Model Railroader
     -Monthly, mostly smaller scale with some tinplate, $34.95 per year

     Kalmbach Publishing Co
     21027 Crossroads Circle
     PO Box 1612
     Waukeesha, WI 53182-1612
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]

     O Gauge Railroading
     -Bimonthly, Half and half scale tinplate, $22.00 per year, 40.00 for 2
     years.

     PO Box 239-B
     Nazareth, PA 18064-0239

     Garden Railways
     -G, bimonthly, $21.00 per year

     PO Box 61461, Dept CT
     Denver, CO 80206
     Phone [phone]

     Outdoor Railroader
     -G, bimonthly, $21.00 per year

     Westlake Publishing
     1574 Kerryglen Street
     Westlake Village, CA 91361

     The Train Yard
     -G, bimonthly, $22.00 per year

     23015 Del Largo Hills Drive
     Laguna, CA 92653

     S Gaugian
     -Bi-Monthly, $4.25 newstand, $28 Yearly ($34 outside US)

     Heimburger House Publishing Company
     7236 West Madison Street
     Forest Park, IL 60130
     Phone: [phone]

     BOOK CATALOGS

     Books are available on most every imaginable subject in tinplate trains.
     Videos are also available. Some chronicle famous layouts and Manufacturers
     while others are how-to such as train repair.

     GREENBURG BOOKS

     Bruce Greenberg founded Greenberg's publishing in the 1970s and now acts
     in a consulting capacity since he sold the company to Kalmbach Publishing.
     From its beginning Greenbergs has had the best selection of tinplate
     books. Especially recommended are their "Guide to _______ "(fill in the
     blank) comprehensive Product listing in Volume I and other information in
     successive volumes if available. Good stuff. Call and ask for a catalog.

     Greenberg Books
     Division Kalmbach Publishing Company
     21027 Crossroads Circle
     PO Box 986
     Waukeesha, WI 53182-1612
     Phone [phone]
     Fax [phone]

     TMK BOOKS

     TM Books was also founded in the 1970s, by James Tuohy and Tom McComas,
     and started with documenting prewar Lionel. Richard Kughn, who happens to
     own LTI, entered the company in the late 80s (adding the K). Their books
     are usually more expensive and focus more on history than product
     descriptions. They also focus more on videos.

     TMK Books and Videos
     PO Box 279
     New Buffalo, MI 49117
     Phone [phone]

     OTHER BOOKS

     TCA (see address above)
     "Standard of the World, Lionel Trains" Second Edition Excellent listing of
     Prewar Lionel trains, contains color chips for original paint colors.

     Available through Greenberg/Kalmbach
     "All Aboard; the history of Joshua Lionel Cowen and his Toy Train Company"
     Good and enlightening chronology of Lionel during Cowen's lifetime.

End of the Tinplate FAQ, Part 4 of 4
HAPPY MODELLING!
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