Recent Additions

[starfire700]

Most paint has some degree of transparency, so primer underneath can affect surface color, though I agree earlier dark olive is darker than late dark olive. I know that Lionel went from dip painting to spray in 1935, but I do not know the earlier transition from early spray painting to dip painting. Dip painting is usually glossier and has runs and puddles in locations where it hung-down on conveyor for drying. 1935 forward spray shows orange-peel texture. Early sprayed items do show a grainy texture, some of this may be dust/dirt trapped in the finish. My guess is that some time in the early 1920's they switched from spray to dip.
Paint-matching will always be difficult due to so many reasons, environmental conditions at application, variances by supplier and batch, conditions that the item aged in etc.
And of course early, pre-1935 colors will always be in-exact to match due to the lack of lead in pigments for modern paints.

[early0electric]

Spray? Dip? Spray? Dip? Great question that I've never been certain of an answer. The spray gun was invented in 1887 and improved to use compressed air in 1907. The 1912 Lionel catalog shows the enameling dept with what looks like a drying oven. The 1917 catalog shows spray booths and baking ovens. I know the 1920 catalog says spraying. Early O equipment is notorious for dust in the paint. Lionel's 1925 catalog which shows the lost training film has a clip of the spray painting being done but not sure if the print was current or of a previous year. Later (1925 -1927) 152's & 153's especially dark olive ones and olive 154's have drips and some of the vent holes covered with paint so they were definitely dipped.

[starfire700]

I believe that Lionel used both processes in the early period, pre-1925. After that most items were dipped through 1934.
After that (1935 to 42) mostly sprayed, except tinplate frames were still dipped.
The best way to confirm is to look at the finish and see orange-peel texture (spraying) or runs and thin/thick areas (dip painting). As you stated dip painting often filled holes in vents and mount holes in accessory bases. Dip painting also made for bubbles or "snotters" on frame ends, which often flaked off. This can be seen on freight car frames as late as the early 1940's.

[early0electric]

Good point about the bubbles. That explains the missing paint along the bottom edge of a lot of items including the electrics of the early period.

[pjdog350]

I got another 1701 Lionel streamline Jr car today. I have three streamline Jr sets that have only three cars. I like 4 cars. SO I've been watching Ebay for more. Found one. Paid to much but you do what you have to!

The Chrome on this one is pretty good. I think I'll put this one in the Flying Yankee Jr set.

[Terry]

I picked up some new purchases today at the Post Office.

Before opening the boxes, the dog making sure no cats have sneaked in with the mail:

 

 

Once she checked some boxes I brought in and freaked out. When I looked there were dead mice in the bottom of the box. That was trains that had been packed away for decades. Twice over the years I've found dead mice in boxes of trains.

 

But today she didn't alert so I unpacked the box.

Here's the trolley after unboxing:

 

This is a Dayton Hillclimber trolley. I always been fascinated by these toys, but all the ones I've had over the years were treated badly and not worth keeping. I saw this one on eBay and grabbed it for about $55 postpaid.

Dayton refers to the city it was made in.  There were a few different makers in Dayton. Clark and Schieble are the most recognized names.

Hillclimber refers to the mechanism:

 

There is a big cast iron weight that you get spinning by rolling the trolley on the floor and then picking it up. After a few times to get the weight spinning madly you set the trolley down and away it goes.

This is between 100 and 120 years old, and still manages to run 40 feet across the high nap carpet.

These toys were made as a wide variety of vehicles. The red steam loco is the most common vehicle.

[Terry]

I just got this 801 caboose today. My first caboose with clipped corners:

 

It turns out I have the same brown caboose without the corners clipped. Here's the two together.

 

 

They are the same, but the one I had doesn't have clipped corners.

These are version D in the Greenberg on page 322, but no brown caboose is listed without clipped corners.

[early0electric]

Nice pick up, Terry. Here are 9 brown 801's - 3 with clipped corners (1 is NYNH&H), 4 4390's, and 2 4890's. As far as showing up in Greenberg's book, There's probably an error or an omission or two. I don't put much stock in version designations in books. I look and collect by description. Versions can change from one book edition to the next along with different books and different authors. BTW there were "discussions" about color especially Brown, Maroon, and Red and the blending of the 3. Paint batches were in a range as there are so many shades.

 

[Terry]

There is just something about these little cars. One is not enough. Always room for one more - actually there was. The shelf holds 5 cars and only had 4.

Jim has a standard gauge gondola on ebay that I don't have. It has a different data stamp than the two of that color and roadname that I already have. It's neat, but at $160 my mind says I already have a dozen 112 gondolas. If I resist the urge to buy the mid priced variations I can afford good stuff every few months.

Like this:

 

[early0electric]

HA! I know what you mean about having enough. True, but if you're like me, you'll bid anyway!

[pjdog350]

Saw a post on this forum saying that they had some Marx flood light towers. I ask what they had. I was told that they had three towers that needed rewiring/ I bought then and I very glad I did.

[starfire700]

The chrome one is fairly scarce.

[early0electric]

Not much new but I did pick up a nice clean 152 with wire handrails.
 

[Terry]

That look clean. I don't have that 152. I do have one like that with gold painted handrails. I bet that color and trim comes with and without hand reverse hole.

[early0electric]

This one does have the hole in the end and with the wire handrails dates this to 1924. The earlier ones doesn't have the hole in the end. Collecting the 152 is harder than filling an inside straight. There are sooo many variations. I think I have 12 different. Mfg, corp, axle bushings, no axle bushings rivet coupler, slot coupler, 3 hole hoods, strap hoods, transition hoods, triangle brush plate, dog leg brush plate with caps, dog leg brush plate without caps, square brush plate, rivet brushes, crimp brushes, Nickel trim, brass trim, 154's stamped 152, 150's stamped 152, and on and on. And this doesn't even include the colors! Dark Green, Light Olive Green, Dark Olive Green,Light Grey, Dark Grey, Peacock, WHEW! I guess it all depends on how anal you are as to what you want in your collection.