Since this is not intended to be a book, only some very general
discussions and examples will be included. Additions will follow as
found, if pertinent. Dating can only be approximate because many
variables exist and even the definition of date is not explicit.
Manufacturing date is usually nebulous since, from plastic through
brass, identical runs may be separated by years. Storage by
manufacturer, distributor and retailer tends to obscure even date
ranges. At best, possibly the earliest public offering may be found
from advertising, showings and news releases, but many items are
"pre-advertised" as a feel for the market. Often it is the case with
brass items, but it is not unknown in other areas. We have had
queries on some such items for well over 5 years. The investing
collector may have more exacting data from extensive research, but if
you are or intend to be in this class, you are on your own as far as
this dicussion is concerned.
SHIPPING
Since you are paying for it, THE CHOICE SHOULD BE YOURS!.
First there are factors of size, weight, distance and time, which
must be considered. The costs may be highly dependent on these.
Insurance usually adds to the cost, while foreign shipments are
dependent on the countries involved.
In the US rates (including foreign) may be found on the net
for
MAIL and
UNITED PARCEL SERVICE.
Weigh some typically packaged items you normally buy, then
look them up to compare. For heavier packages pick some ZIPCODES
including maximum distances. A little comparison may be quite
enlightening.
Below 5 pounds with 2-day delivery, Priority Mail is the best
choice for both buyer and seller. Starting at $3.20 up to 2 lbs,
$4.30 to 3, $5.40 to 4 and $6.50 to 5. Insurance $0.85 first $50 and
$1.80 for $100. Beyond 5 pounds, distance, determined by ZIPCODE is a
factor.
For the seller pre-printed envelopes, boxes, tubes, tape and
labels are free at any postoffice or delivered by NET ORDER. For
outsized pieces, two containers can be taped together. Packages may
be dropped at any postoffice or picked up by mail handlers in suburban
and rural areas in reasonable quantities.
At a cost in time, small savings can be found in book rate and
parcel post. Savings increase with weight.
UPS only becomes competitive at heavier weights and large
dimension packaging with insurance.
At 5 lbs__ NJ TO VA__$100 INSURANCE:
PP = 6.42 = 4.62 + 1.80 INS 3+ DAYS
PM = 8.30 = 6.50 + 1.80 INS 2 DAYS
UPS = 5.65 W/ INS ? DAYS GROUND
UPS = 9.30 W/ INS 3 DAYS
UPS = 11.00 W/INS 2 DAYS
BACK TO TOPICS
BACK TO VALUE
DATING AND IDENTIFYING
Some brief chronological items follow to serve as
starting points for more in depth studies, if needed.
MANTUA
One case is Mantua's Reading brass and zamac locos
recently dated as pre-war. Athough Mantua dates back to the 30's, this
may not be true. Mine were purchased new in the early 50's with some
old literature dated from the late 30's. Sales were a lot slower
then, with wages around $1.00 per hour and retail prices (no
discounts) at $25 for the "Goat" and just under $50 for the Atlantic
and Pacific. To round out the line several 19th century kits of
similar contruction and material were produces concurrently: the
Belle of Eighties 4-4-0 and the Mogul plus some passenger cars and a
bobber 4-w caboose. Apparently some of the passenger cars were
produced with trucks guaged for OO. The 2 larger locos had Pittman
DC-71 motors with gear boxes, while the others had Mantua's PM-1
direct geared . Although touted as "The all metal line", box,
refrigerated, gondola and tank cars had embossed and printed paper
sides or wrappers.
Circa 1950 all diecast locos were introduced starting with the
"Shifter", along with a diecast flat car. The subsequent new Pacific
and Mikado used a Pittman DC-71 geared directly to the rear axle. The
famous Civil War "General" followed closely with a PM-1 in the tender.
The "Busy Bee" industrial switcher and a trolley rounded things out.
All locos up to the Tyco era had U shaped brass axle bearings.
During the middle 50's, the "Booster" and "Little Six" tankers
came out next, along with extruded aluminun streamline passenger cars
and zamac shelled "Sharknose" A & B diesels. The original runs had
the trucks mounted to a bar high in the shell. Often they derailed
when starting heavy loads. The (MU-1 ?)power trucks had a longer
wheel than base the MU-2 used in trollies and later diesels. Using
this truck a plastic "Talgo-Train" was introduced.
CAVEAT: Extreme care must be exercised to prevent
demagnetization
during power truck disassembly. Early runs did not have retaining
straps to keep armatures in place and they tended to fly out. ALNICO
motors are charged after assembly. Armature removal interrupts flux
loop which seriously weakens magnetic flux, requiring remagnetization.
Toward the end of the 50's, the swing was definitely toward
plastic, with a new line of freight car body shells having cast zamac
frames. Circa 1960 the 1860's freiht cars were offered with metal
trucks. Shortly after, the plastic shelled GP-20 was added, closely
followed by the "Big Six", a six wheel version of the "Shifter". Some
time around here "Sharknose A's were offered with lower gimble mounted
trucks, similar to the F-7's, with unsightly mounting blocks in the
shell sides.
Somewhere in the interim plastic cabs and tenders were
produced with loco weight dropping objectionably and in 1967 the
"Shifter" was totally redone in plastic. This heralded the launch of
Medieval Tyco Era and the rapid degradation of quality. The bastard
clone of a PRR N-8 cabin car was one of the first clues. Why, the
windows and cupola location had to be wrong, is a mystery. Maybe it
was an attempt to revitalize kitbashing. In the (cheap) interest of
economy, brass axle bearings were removed, while the mikado and
pacific now sported an under powered, overspeed PM-1 motor, geared to
the next to rear axle. The DC-71 mounting pad was still quite evident
on the frame rear. In spite of the watered down, mechanisms, the
steam loco line expanded with modified and new frames and new plastic
boilers.
The real nightmare began with arrival of the Hong Kong and
Taiwan specials like the Sharknose an other diesels including the GG-1
abortion as well as the infamous Chatanooga Choochoo. Every loco had
to be thoroughly lubed and tested upon arrival in our shop. A very large
percentage were returned. Even with care the stripping of motor
pininion gears and motor whine were all too common. Steam locos did
not do much better, we did a landoffice business replacing motors,
worms and geared drivers on unlubed locos purchased at our friendly
discount stores.
The Renaisance finally came, circa 1980, with the divorce by
which the Tyler's got the Mantua child. The brass bearings were
restored, but since Pittman had sold the DC-71 to Bowser, decent
motors were delayed. Plastic cabs and tenders remained. For a time
some kit and RTR locos were delivered in Tyco boxes to confuse dating.
With the introduction of the logging locos, the MG-81
motor and gear box; retrofit slant gear boxes were offered for Pacific
and Mikado based locos and applied to the Power Drive series. The
motor was not as large, slow or powerful as a Pittman DC-81, in spite
of the implications, it was closer to a DC-71 in characteristics.
In the middle 80's the "Heavy Weight" cars were introduced,
followed by the beautiful, new plastic "Goat" RDG A-5 camelback
0-4-0, whose only major flaw was a speed of 104 SMI/HR @ 12 v.
This was followed by a, not true prototype, 6 wheel version. Luckily
these can be repowered.
A few years later, the new Atlantics appeared with various boilers,
cabs, frame variations and MG-81 motor with the logger gear box. The
basic PRR version was very close to a believable E-3 and a true 7001
speed record setter could be made by using a non Bellepare boiler.
The "LIndberg" (E-6 prtotype) could be the basis for an E-5 with a
Delta to KW trailing truck swap and Bowser valve gear.
Next new diesel drives were introduced followed by can motor
"upgrades?". In actual tests in the atlantics, cans did not perform
as well as the MG-81, except in "efficiency?".
Finally with the arrival of the MBA boys and the high
turnover, one size fits all, Philosphy in conjuction with
"collectable" hype; the unmarketable "Team" box cars appeared and the
available line was reduced to bare bones with overpriced items. Many
locos have bare brass castings, gaudy, incorrect paint schemes and
lettering.
BACK TO IDENTIFY
