When Gordon Odegard built the Clinchfield and went on tour it was clear that N scale was here to stay !!Randy
Randgust the Enfield & Ohio got me started in N-scale. He's the track plan that got me building my first layout. It's the Bedbox Central from 1001 Model Railroad Ideas in Dec. 1967 and Dec 1968. Curtis
That just jogged my memory..Looking at the catalog pics Russ posted,I saw that folding Life Like railroad.I just remembered that when I got my first N scale set,like,10,11 years old,I also got a folding railroad in a suitcase.I think it was Matchbox.It was kind of a roadbed with scenery in a vinyl case,yellow with blue/red trim...Anybody remember something like that? Can't seem to find any info on it..
Lou, I thought Aurora marketed something like that. It would have been a little later in the 1970s, maybe as late as 1980. If I recall correctly, it had a train set with in, but the loco (a crude copy of the Plymouth switcher made for Bachmann et al) ran on six volts and the freight cars had single axles inside, ahem, simulated trucks. The trains show up on that Internet Auction Community once in a while... not nearly as often as the infamous Reader's Digest stuff...
George,I'll have to take a look and see if I can find that,but I'm pretty sure that isn't it.I got it brand new for Christmas along with a Postage Stamp freight set.There was no track or train with it,just a vinyl suitcase with a blow molded layout inside.It had one or two spots for switches.It was pretty good size,closed it was probably 1-1/2' X 2-1/2 feet by 8" deep..Never used it,never saw another one..
Can I still order from those AHC ads? I see a few bargains.......I remember buying from them when I was a kid. I would send cash. No checking account.
Well,the good news is,you can still find all that stuff on Ebay,a lot for nearly the same prices,LOL!!
Are these the same guys that used to have the two page ads in MR and I think MRC? If so, I ordered a Rivarossi three truck Heisler from them back when I used to be in HO. I think I still have it in a box some where.
This is a great thread. It does take you back to the days before the internet when I looked forward as much to the ads as to the actual content of the MRR mags. Lots of dreams were had by those ads, I also remember Hobbies For Men and SMC as big retail advertisers during the 70' Bob
Wife's outta town, so I went antiquing today. Found (and didn't buy) a Dinky cast metal european 0-6-0 steamer, with two green/gray roofed 4-wheel passenger cars, with "wheels", with "flanges", that turn, looked to be n scale. Shoulda bout it and put it on LogTrain's module next show. Dave
Wasn't early N scale GREAT? Or sometimes maybe "grate"? Or just GRRRRRR. Untold years ago, I bought something that was old then, and in a "junk" bin. Some had multiples of odd N scale car bodies I had never seen anywhere else. None of them had trucks. Marked "Aurora/ made in Mexico." I wonder if they had been car bodies manufactured, but had never finished or sold. I remember they were cheap. I don't remember, a dollar a piece or maybe even less. Particularly curiosity-arousing were bulkhead flatcars marked ATSF in BLUE. I had never heard of blue freight cars on the Santa Fe. I was modeling Santa Fe in then piney woods of east Texas at the time so I needed pulpwood cars. The cars would need work both for appearance and to fit trucks and couplers... but they were cheap. I bought a handful. Couldn't make any truck conversion fit in their big hole on the bolster. I tried cutting into it and I think I just ruined a car or two, but I had a bunch. Striped the lettering off a couple, built an ninward-leaning dihedral desk to hold pulpwood, painted in Mineral brown and lettered for Santa Fe. The length did not match any exact Santa Fe class... Never actually put any into service. About six years ago, I tore down my east Texas layout to pursue another theme, which would have no place for pulpwood cars. Last year, I finally broke down and got rid of my no longer needed logging and pulpwood equipment. As far as these cars, I should say TRIED to get rid of. I put them in trainstore with this enticing description. Lot of 5 Aurora “Made in Mexico” 50’ N scale bulkhead flatcars. 2 blue ATSF #82073; 2 modified w dihedral pulpwood rack painted mineral brown, no lettering, 1 modified w dihedral pulpwood rack, painted mineral brown & lettered ATSF #92315. Mftd with large kingpin holes in bolsters that do not fit any trucks I know, I have damaged some trying to cut down or fit with kingpin rings. Must see to disbelieve this lot! Guaranteed to be in no better condition than as described and shown here. $4 for all +shipping. No takers. I thought facebook but I don't want to get bad feedback.... Woul mprobably get me on "More Facebook humor." Anybody ever have these things? Anybody ever run them?
Kenneth,I remember having a few.I think there was a Gon,and a caboose,too.There was also a crappy Plymouth looking switcher,blue and yellow.[Perhaps the ones from the portable layout George mentioned? Hmm..] I do think the loco was battery powered,looked it.I had a few of those bulkhead flats.I've seen the other stuff,but never owned any of it.The ones I had were bright yellow[UP..],red[ATSF..],and bright green[PC..]..
Very cool!! And,also not the one I had,LOL!! You know,the one I had would almost remind you of one of those matchbox collectors cases with a folding railroad in it..It was like brand new when I tossed it in the mid 70's..With my luck,they only made 10..LOL!!
Boy, you guys are making me feel younger!! I still have my first Railroad Modeler magazine from 1975! And that is the one that really got me rolling, so these 1968 things DO make me feel better, and YOUNGER! Thank you! BTW, the Aurora trainset is a neat toy, but what colors!
Rather that create a new thread, I thought I'd resuscitate this old one. Does anyone recognize the N Scale (station?) kit as seen in the center of this awful photo that I greatly enlarged from an old image? I think the building dates from my very first N Scale set up in 1968 and I'd like to find the kit and build a new one for the new N Scale road I have planned. I seem to remember that it had a sort of ventilated clerestory roof, hidden behind the station sign I added. Thanks!
