Standard/Wide Gauge loco prototype?

[RateTheFreight]

Evening all,

 

I’ve been enjoying watching various YouTube videos of Standard or Wide Gauge tinplate layouts that seem to pop up particularly around the festive season. 
 

One thing I am curious about is whether the generic diesel electric locos produced by the likes of Ives and Lionel were actually based on a prototype of any sort? I know from a gauge perspective it doesn’t necessarily correspond to anything but they seem an unusual design for the era made. 
 

I do like the fact that the likes of Ives churned out these locos and accompanying coaches in different liveries, the ‘grey ghost’ being my favourite so far. 
 

its also heartening to see how well made these were by the fact they seem to operate well despite being 100+ years vintage. 
 

Greg 

[Paul H Vigor]

18 minutes ago, RateTheFreight said:

Evening all,

 

I’ve been enjoying watching various YouTube videos of Standard or Wide Gauge tinplate layouts that seem to pop up particularly around the festive season. 
 

One thing I am curious about is whether the generic diesel electric locos produced by the likes of Ives and Lionel were actually based on a prototype of any sort? I know from a gauge perspective it doesn’t necessarily correspond to anything but they seem an unusual design for the era made. 
 

I do like the fact that the likes of Ives churned out these locos and accompanying coaches in different liveries, the ‘grey ghost’ being my favourite so far. 
 

its also heartening to see how well made these were by the fact they seem to operate well despite being 100+ years vintage. 
 

Greg 

I have an operating 00 gauge electric locomotive built by Bing (for the Bing Table Top Railway) that is circa 96 years old. It still amazes me!

[Mark Carne]

Well, to start, they ain't diesels, but electric locos. Mostly based on New York Central designs, S motors and T motors mostly, with the odd Milwaukee Bi Polar thrown in.

 

In the photo, from left to right, Lionel 381E (Milwaukee Bi Polar), Lionel 408E (NYC S motor), same again, Lionel 402E (NYC S motor), Lionel 9E (NYC T motor), same again, Lionel 318 (NYC S motor), Lionel 318E (NYC S motor), Lionel 318 (NYC S motor), Lionel 10E (Milwaukee Bi Polar), Lionel 8E (NYC T motor), Lionel 8 ( NYC T motor). Some of the locos shown are actually MTH/Lionel Classics replicas.

 

Mark

[RateTheFreight]

Thanks for the info Mark, I think I’ve seen you discuss them on one of the tinplate Facebook groups. That’s a great collection! 
 

Out of interest, should I ever be lucky enough to own an original  (the reproduction ones do look lovely too and I’m a big fan of modern tinplate) are the motors AC or DC (ie would I need to purchase a step converter?) 

 

Greg 

 

[Mark Carne]

23 minutes ago, RateTheFreight said:

Thanks for the info Mark, I think I’ve seen you discuss them on one of the tinplate Facebook groups. That’s a great collection! 
 

Out of interest, should I ever be lucky enough to own an original  (the reproduction ones do look lovely too and I’m a big fan of modern tinplate) are the motors AC or DC (ie would I need to purchase a step converter?) 

 

Greg 

 

Greg, the originals have wound field motors, like pre war Hornby, so will run off AC or DC. The reproductions sold as Traditional are straight replicas, and also have wound field motors. The rest of the repros have some degree of electronic gubbins, to make awful noises, but they have DC can motors, so if you remove the electronics as I did with one loco, they run off DC fine.

 

I will warn you, I spent about 25 years resisting the urge to collect Standard gauge American tinplate, bus succumbed to it quite badly in the end!

 

Mark

[BR60103]

I will point out that the tiny pantographs on the NYC motors are prototypical. The originals ran on third rail, but at points in the GCT approaches there were long gaps in the third rail. This was covered by rails in the ceiling of the tunnels and the small pantographs could contact them if they stalled.

I used to worry about them.