Just a friendly exercise to show how far we come. 1. Do you remember a time before N scale? 2. Do you remember a time before HO? 3. Do you remember when rolling stock was made of paper and wood, of stamped metal? 4. Do you remember flex track brass track and fibre ties with staples? 5. Do you remember Athearn's rubber band drive? 6. Do you remember the X2F coupler? How about when KayDee introduced their automatic coupler? 7. Do you remember the first use of flywheels? 8. Do you remember when plastic first was used on an engine, how about on rolling stock? 9. Does the word Zamac mean anything to you? 10.Do you remember what a engine cost in 1950? How about 1960? 11.Do you remember what you were earning in 1950? How about 1960? I am sure there are more that others can add to this and you are welcome to do so.
Sure do Inkaneer, why when I wuz a mere slip of a lad we used to sit around the cave and chip our wheels out of stone, and be-barked trees to make rails, Why we even.... Ah, wont buy that Huh? Well then answers by number.. 1.yes 2.yes 3.yes 4.yes* 5.yes* 6.yes* 7.yes 8.yes 9.sure does! 10.$29.95-$39.95 11.$$28.00 a week-$18,000 a year * 12. (#4) Do you remember zink rails stapled to fiberboard ties strip? 13. Do you remember TruScake milled wood roadbed including 60" radius curved sections? 14. Do you remember how to spike rail by hand? 15. Do you remember rolled tinplate rails? 16. (#5) I still have one. 17. (#6) Do you remember the Mantua brass loop and hook automatic coupler? 18. Do you remember when HO motors were 6volt? 19. Do you remember having to use a 6volt car battery and a carbon pile to run HO? 20. Do you remember when car trucks were either mounted on springs, or pivoted on shouldered screws so they could flex and keep all wheels on the rails no matter how high a hump, or deep a dip? 21. Do you remember when HO wheels had small flanges? (Today they are called RP-25, but that was standard back then, and expected.) 22. Do you remember when there were no ready to run engines or cars? 23. Do you remember when engines were quiet worm drives? 24. (#7) We used flywheels in 1937, they were lead, and geared 2:1 above the motor. 25. Do you remember when there were no can motors? 26. Do you know what a Pittman #50 or a #75 is? 27. Do you know what a selenium rectifier is used for? 28. Do you remember when no wheels had rubber traction bands on them? 29. Do you remember when steamer boilers were solid lead? 30. Do you remember when steamer drivers were all metal? 31. Do you remember 4-M paints? 32. Do you remember using model airplane glue you could buy for 10 cents a tube? 33. Do you remember pressing on steamer drivers with white lead? 34. Do you remember when windos for passenger cars were blue paper labels? 35. Do you remember when we could go to the corner hobby shop and buy a brass brake wheel for 3 cents? 36. Do you remember when you knew the hobby shop owner by name and he was always glad to see you? 37. Do you remember when an adult waited on you in any store? 38. Do you remember when there was no flex track? 39. Do you remember steel rails? 40. Do you remember when we didn't know what plastic compatible oil was? I'll let someone else go awhile, there is lots more.
