sncf231e

For those interested in Japanese Railways. There are (at least) 2 books in English on the subject: A history of Japanese Railways. ISBN 4-87513-089-9 Early Japanese Railways 1853-1914. ISNB 978-4-8053-1006-9 Regards Fred

Just go ahead Rob. Your edited pictures look better than the original. I have 6 more downloadable books with pictures http://sncf231e.nl/my-e-books/ Regards Fred

Rob, If you like models of the NYC Hudson you might like the e-book I made about this subject, which can be downloaded (at no cost of course) at: http://sncf231e.nl/lner-pacifics-and-nyc-hudsons/ Regards Fred (not Ken)

The CIWL cars (a restaurant car and a Pullman car) had, also according to the instructions, to be glued together, except for the axle/wheels in the bogies. These two cars do resemble very much the Jouef cars of the same period and according to a "knowledgeable collector" these were based on the same moulds. The kit The Jouef car Regards Fred

Hello Rob, The detail shown is original from the kit; I painted the golden version but the silver version is all original. It is quite some time that I made these so I don remember whether the motion was working (it is not now) if you build carefully, but I doubt. I do not have the Kitmaster version, so I cannot compare whether they used (partly) the same moulds. Monogram/Revelll also made this BigBoy and the German Baureihe 41, which also have fixed motion the way I build these: Regards Fred Edit: I found this text about Concor: Among the unique Chessie System HO-scale static steam locomotive models are the ones marketed by Monogram and later Con-Cor. Replicated in 1/87th size, this series provided static plastic HO steam locomotives. Under research currently for a feature in a future edition of HO Collector, the series of static steam releases included a 4-6-4 Hudson carrying road number 312 and sold as a Chessie System release. The kit provided all-plastic components molded in color, as well as decals. The kit returned from Monogram in its “Metal Master” collection with chrome plating and decals for the Chessie System on its tender. From Monogram, you’ll find these kits branded as “Snap Tite” releases. Con-Cor’s offerings branded them “Desktop Collectors Series.” In addition to Con-Cor and Monogram, Revell marketed these HO steam kits for a time too, and their origin, at least for the New York Central Hudson kit, may date to the early 1960s and Rosebud Kitmaster models imported from Europe by AHM.

Indeed, the Monogram/Revell NYC and ATSF kit are based on the same moulds. I made the black plastic kit and painted it to look like an "expensive" brass model: Then later Monogram released the kit in a "silver" plated version: Regards Fred

There is an extra pick-up shoe at side which touches a fourth rail and when this rail is powered (there is a switch for this in the set) a plunger is activated. See the instructions here: http://www.tccincinnati.com/dublo/TPOMailVanSet.pdf Regards Fred

This week I found a Jouef operating TPO to add to the collection. Here are the TPO's I have found until now: 0 Gauge Bassett Lowke: 0 Gauge Exley (non-operating): 00 gauge Hornby Dublo: 00 Gauge Hornby Railways: 00 Gauge Triang: H0 Gauge Jouef: I do not know whether there are any other vintage types? Here is a video of the Hornby Dublo version operating on my layout: Many pictures of postal carriages from around the world can be seen in my (free to download) e-book on this subject: http://sncf231e.nl/tporpo/ Regards Fred

I use the Kitmaster motorised wagon to power my Airfix and Kitmaster locomotives: Regards Fred

Alan, The Gauge 1 Model Railway Association has a website with some information (and more if you become a member): http://www.g1mra.com/ For German gauge 1 there are a number of resources in Germany like this forum: http://www.s1gf.de/index.php?page=Index and this on-line Gauge 1 news site: https://spur1info.com/ Regards Fred

Most recent German Gauge 1 products are 1:32, however many British Gauge 1 products are 10 mm to the foot (about 1:30.5). Regards Fred

You do not need such a large garden for German Spur 1: Regards Fred

Oops! I should have noted that the title of this thread is imaginary rolling stock and there are no boundaries to imagination (as Triang already new in 1965 ). Regards Fred

Alexandra, A CIWL observation car? There has never been one except in the messy minds of the makers of the last film adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express. Regards Fred

The nicest about the American version I think is the observation end: And indeed I am courageous (or stupid) when playing trains; here is a run with my high voltage Märklin: I do not have any cats or dogs, so it is save Regards Fred

Maybe this helps: Regards Fred

In France 0 gauge toy and model railways have always and still are quite popular but H0/00 trains were also produced from the late thirties in France. Some H0 manufacturers made a complete range with rolling stock, rails and accessories, others made only a partial range. Here I try to give an overview of the various manufacturers from yesteryear which had at least some passenger cars in their product line; I assume that the current manufacturers are well-known. For each manufacturer I add a picture of one of the cars from my collection, more pictures from other types of cars might be added later if wanted. Of course, I welcome any remarks and additions. BLZ (Bourdeaux, L’Heure, Zedda) This company made H0 trains between 1946 and 1959. They made a simple so called “Saucisson” car and a range of (green) SNCF cars and some blue and blue/crème CIWL cars, all in metal. Here is an SNCF green baggage car: Fex-Miniatrain This small company made H0 trains between 1948 and 1955. Their tinplate passenger cars are very similar to the products of PMP and Rateau and possibly made by these companies. This Pullman car was sold as Fex-Miniatrain: FOBBI Fobbi was started in 1978 by a collaborator of Jouef and made simple plastic trains to be sold in department stores like this strange looking Pullman car. France Trains Between 1969 and 1981 France Trains made a very large range of different nicely detailed passenger cars. These plastic cars were in that period considered as the best to scale and prototype. Here a nicely colored first and second class PLM car. GéGé (Germain Giroud) GéGé was a toy manufacturer that made from 1962 - 1977 some plastic simple H0 trains and trainsets. This car has the wrong body for the livery, but GéGé customer do not mind. Hornby AcHo The French Hornby factory introduced their H0 train, called Hornby AcHo in 1960 and stopped making trains in 1973. They made a number of passenger cars based on French prototypes and curiously also a set of Rheingold cars. This is an SNCF car for local trains JEP Most metal passenger cars marketed by JEP were made by Rateau; the so called “Saucisson” car in two versions (full passenger and combined baggage/passenger) however was a JEP product made in the fifties. Jouef Jouef is the largest manufacturer of H0 trains in France and although the original factory does not exist anymore the brand is still used, the name being owned by Hornby. Jouef made a large range of passenger cars of which the oldest from the sixties and seventies are part of the subject of this story. In their first period Jouef made some small metal (lithographed) passengers cars including this Pullman car. Here is a later plastic PLM first clas car: Martin – M.G. There is not much known about this company; they made a range of SNCF and CIWL passenger cars of metal in the fifties. Martin made this second-class SNCF car with luggage compartment. MMM-RG MMM-RG was founded in 1969 by Mr. Robert Guérin, who also worked together with RMA, former leader of SMCF and existing only for some 4 or 5 years after which the same tooling was used for cars under the name Electrains. Mr. Robert Guérin also worked together with RMA. Here is the MMM-RG Night Ferry fourgon. PMP (Pierre-Marie Pilon) PMP made a series of tinplate scale-length passenger cars between 1951-1960 in SNCF and CIWL colors. The picture is of a SNCF passenger car with baggage compartment. Rateau (Rateau R. ("Les Petits Wagons")) Rateau made tinplate passenger cars in SNCF and CIWL colors in a shortened and in a full-length version. The full-length version was, with JEP couplers, sold by JEP. According to catalogues and price lists they made passenger cars between 1958 en 1963. Here is a Rateau for JEP postal car. RMA (Réseau Miniature Amateur) RMA started as a large layout (installed in a former dance hall of Montmartre), then a shop and distributor and finally a manufacturer; the history ran from 1951 - 1992. They made a large range of plastic passenger cars, most in kits, and there was a relation with MMM-RG as well as CPMR. This Fourgon Container is one of the most wanted RMA models: SMCF (Super Modelés de Chemin de Fer) Cast bronze was the material for which SMCF passenger cars are famous. These cars are very heavy and were made between 1950 and 1960 in SNCF, CIWL and PLM colors. The picture shows asecond class PLM car: In later years SMCF changed from cast bronze to plastic for their passenger cars llike this postal car: TRAM Some of the France Trains cars were after the demise of France Trains marketed for a short period with the name TRAM. This sleeping car looks very similar to the France Trains model: Troby Troby made toy like H0 trains besides other toys like slot-cars in the period 1955-1985. This plastic car looks funny and not scale-like: VB (Vollon et Brun) VB produced railway items from 1946 until 1960 and are known for their freight wagons; they made only a small number of passenger cars. Here is a VB CIWL type P sl;eeper: Regards Fred

As far as I know non-members cannot buy these books (I became a member since a book (the first one ever) on LR (LeRapide) trains was announced). But you might try to email. Here is the contents page of the Hornby book: Regards Fred

The French toy trains society CFE has issued a book on Hornby passenger trains (French and British), which by coincidence I am reading now. http://www.trainjouet.com/boutique/3_Blevot.htm Regards Fred

I have seen complete sets for about 1500 and if you find the separate items to get a complete JEP Fleche d'Or (like I did) you could spare a few hundred. https://youtu.be/wimloDToxec Regards Fred

I do have some MMM-RG rolling stock including this Night Ferry fourgon and they couple up fine. Was the coupling on your fourgon changed? Regards Fred

Thank you, I will show the finished sleeping car but it might take a while. The sides and roof have to be spray painted and the weather is not good enough for that (since I do that in my garage; I might have to wait till spring. The kit already took 5 months building. Some pics with (wrong period) passengers: Regards Fred

The Italian company Amati made a kit in gauge 1 for an Orient Express CIWL sleeping car. I am building this kit, which has a very detailed interior. Since this interior cannot be seen easily when the kit is finished I made a some video shots before going further: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDXIoavh2bM Regards Fred

I better not share pictures of the interior of my (0 and 1 gauge) sleeping cars ; here the interior of a CIWL restaurant car: Regards Fred

The small Italian company Dottori made a in 0 gauge some 35 years ago a model of 2419D with correct(?) interior: Regards Fred