Newsletter of the Northern California Division of the Train Collectors Association

Transcription

1 Newsletter of the Northern California Division of the Train Collectors Association Richard White, Editor (new phone ) CAL-STEWART MEET Sunday, March 6, 2016, 10-4 San Ramon Marriott Hotel 2600 Bishop Drive, San Ramon See details at Discounted parking Pick up a $5.00 coupon at the desk, The Banquet is on Saturday evening. Past President Cliff Jarrard composed the text for the 2016 Train Expo (Cal-Stewart) flyer, and personally paid for the printing. This generous gift of time and funds is greatly appreciated by all in the club. PRESIDENT S MESSAGE By Bob Nichelini December 2015 Above: Bill General (L) and Dennis Musante (R) are checking out a locomotive at the September meet. See the Express in Living Color on the Nor-Cal website,at It s wintertime and it s the traditional train-buying and train-playing time of the year. We don t have any snow outside like depicted in many old toy train catalogs, but I suspect many of you will be setting your old set up under the Christmas tree with pretend snow and winter scenes. I suspect some of you even wish you lived in a real winter wonderland on the east coast. However, as a person who previously lived in upstate New York, I assure you it may look nice, but it just not that much fun if you need to go outside the house. of interesting items. As another sign of winter, we have had significantly increased attendance at our monthly meets in Lafayette. In November, all the tables were full, some with a variety There, unfortunately, was some concern expressed that toy train resale prices are falling. I don t buy or sell much, so I do not personally follow toy train sale price trends. However, I did not get into toy train collecting to make money so, for me, falling prices is a good thing. Maybe someday, I will be able to afford one of those standard American Flyer President Specials I have always dreamed about having. Our main focus now is to prepare for the Cal-Stewart scheduled for Sunday, March 6, 2016 at the San Ramon Marriott Hotel. Bob Spivock has taken the leadership role in getting the Cal-Stewart organized. But there is a tremendous amount of work that still needs to be done and we really need your help. Volunteers are especially needed on the day of the Cal-Stewart to assist with registration and to monitor meet activities. Please let us know if you can help. As the year ends, I also want to give special recognition to the Nor-Cal Board members who keep out organization on-track. (Continued on Page 2) Check out the November issue of the Tinplate Times at Upcoming Meets: December 12, at the Lafayette Veterans Hall, 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. The December meet, with lunch, is for members and their families/so s only. For 2016, meets are on Jan 9, Feb 13, April 9, Sept 10, Oct 8, Nov 12 and Dec 10, all at the Veterans Hall. June, July and August, to be determined. For directions to the Lafayette Veterans Hall, see the map on the Nor-Cal website. Meets begin at 9:30 AM.

2 President s Message (continued from page 1) AT THE SEPTEMBER 12 MEET IN LAFAYETTE Page 2 Vice President Michael Andrews Without Michael we would have no place to meet. Secretary Mark Boyd Without Mark, nothing would get done as he does it all. I m fairly sure Mark spends 95% of his waking hours dealing with Nor-Cal issues and his side-job of publishing the TCA Quarterly. Treasurer Jack D Angelo With Jack around, every penny of Nor-Cal money is accounted for and the bills are paid on time. Immediate Past President Cliff Jarrard Cliff stepped up to take on significant Board duties when my predecessor dropped out of the club. Finally, Newsletter Editor Richard White. Without Richard you wouldn t be reading this. Bob Nichelini President President Bob Nichelini is addressing the troops. That s Mark Boyd in shorts. There was quite a turnout for this meet. Extra tables had to be set up! Michael Andrews brought in this hybrid Inspection Car. It has a non-lionel plastic body, mounted on a Lionel #57 chassis. This O-gauge model of a Swiss Railways B-B loco belongs to Craig Miller. Manufacturer (or kit?) unknown. These Marklin prewar O-gauge trains are owned by Craig Miller.

3 Page 3 This rare Lionel #5C Test Set belongs to Paul Guaraglia. This Bing clockwork O-gauge loco, from 1905, was purchased on the UK ebay by Gary Espinosa. He would like to obtain a matching tender! Has anyone got one for him? This Marklin 1 Gauge electric loco belongs to Bob Mowbray. He got it on ebay, advertised as Ogauge! This colorful Marx Disney set is in Excellent Plus condition! It is owned by Paul Guaraglia. The 1 Gauge coach belongs to Bob Mowbray. Mark Boyd brought in the diecast English telephone booth and figure, in Ogauge. There were TWO Standard Gauge #10 sets at the meet. At left A grey #10 loco with dark green 428, 429 and 430 cars ( )(not really a set). Owner: Joaquin Murphy. Above, a set in mojave paint, with 337 and 338 cars. Outfit # 352 (1925). Owned by Bill Gough.

4 AT THE OCTOBER 10 MEET IN LAFAYETTE Since it was Fleet Week in San Francisco, the theme for this month s Show N Tell was Navy and Naval Aviation. Page 4 Paul LeBrett states: [These] plane models were given to me by retired Blue Angel pilot Don Simmons, who lives nearby. The models were not available to the public but given to the government officials to promote new aircraft. The Blue Angel model was made for the members of the flight team. Joaquin Murphy displayed this 36-inch long wood model (Japanese-built) of the battleship USS Missouri. It dates from 1954, and is motorized and fully lighted. On the deck is a tiny peace table where the Japanese surrender was signed in 1945, in Tokyo harbor. Consistent with the Navy theme, Dave Pfeifer displayed his pristine Lionel #51 Navy Yard Switcher, from The window struts are undamaged! Richard Zanotti displayed this very rare prewar O Marx Searchlight car. The rear of the searchlight (shown) includes the data 300,000,000 Candlepower. This ACE (English) engine house is inspired by the Hornby prewar piece. It is only one stall wide (the Hornby was 2 stalls), and has glazed windows (versus the lithographed windows of the Hornby).

5 Page 5 At left: This beautiful ACE (English) O-gauge is patterned after a Hornby clockwork locomotive of the 1920 s. ACE locomotives run on 3-rail DC. Owned by Richard Zanotti. Sale Items: Top left and above: an American Flyer Wide Gauge passenger set with a 4695 Engine and 4693 tender. Top right: a nice original Erector set. Owner unknown. At left and below: Richard Hofmeister s rare Standard Gauge Lionel-Ives #10 loco (1931), with the original box. Note the orange stripe along the bottom of the body.

6 AT THE NOVEMBER 14 MEET At left: Richard Zanotti brought in this unusual switch tower bridge. It is of embossed steel construction, with some plastic details, and dates after 1949 (sign says British Railways ). For comparison, see the Marklin catalog illustration, above. Mystery lamp post (w/ wood base), owned by Mark Boyd brought in a lovely Bassett-Lowke (re-issue) Flying Cliff Den-Otter. Scotsman in British Rail colors, and a set of six Darstead tinplate blood and custard British Rail passenger cars, in O gauge. Richard Zanotti bourht in this Fandor (German) station, from Cliff Den-Otter brought in this Lionel #2660 crane, from 1938, in maroon!!! The September 2009 Express showed trains (in a scale between HO and TT) that Nick Missey had found. They were in a diorama from the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, and portrayed the construction of the Panama Canal. Recently Mike obtained more items from that diorama the tents or barges, and miscellaneous equipment, shown above. He still need diorama photos!

7 Page 7 This O-gauge Camelback (actually a Mother Hubbard! ) was built using parts from a Lionel prewar #259 loco and 262T tender. This is a beautiful conversion! It s owned by Craig Miller, and was seen at the September meet. FROM THE O-SCALE PARTS BOX by Richard Hofmeister In spare moments, over a period of many, many weeks, I pulled together a number of miscellaneous parts from amongst my various O scale bits and pieces, to create this tank car. Everything was raw metal and I had to fabricate some parts and customize some others. But eventually the car came together. I painted it in a handsome white and satin black scheme and lettered it in the Magnolia Petroleum Co. livery. The castings [frame and body] are from a 1940's era SCALECRAFT kit so are crude by today's modeling standards, but there are some old timers around who love these cars, like we love our 1930's tinplate trains, because they remind us of our younger hobby days. The fun for me was creating the car and working on my modeling skills. I'm quite pleased with the final product. A key lesson I learned from this particular project was to always use stiff metal rod for handrails - the stock I chose was a bit on the pliable side so the handrails can deform fairly easily. Editor s addition: Bottom and dome running boards, handrails, and other details were fabricated from brass. Decals are by Champ. Classified Ads: Paul Canton Display cabinets (shown below). They measure. 32 long,19 high,4 deep, and are suitable for HO or N gauge trains. Asking $60 for each. Have 3 left. Call Paul at Richard White The display cabinets advertised in the September issue are now available at a GREATLY REDUCED price, $100 each, all six for $600. Contact Richard at

8 Just Trains Largest Selection in the East Bay Friendly help for the young and the young at heart O-scale, O Hi-Rail and Tinplate, G, HO, N and Z 9650-H Imhoff Drive, Concord Tuesday-Saturday 10-5:00 PM Jim Anthony, Owner Sunday 12-4:00 PM Website: (925) FAX: (925) Submit address and changes to Mark Boyd, mark.boyd54@att.net