Model Railroading > Flash from the past

Two antiques both literally and model wise. These are both Varney's The silver was my grandfather's. The Maroon was a gift from VunderBob. Extra parts to get my grandfathers going. Both are sitting in front of the engine house where they will reside inside. As I write this I realize that they are on a the plywood pacific. Which is where they were when new. Look at the detail difference. Vunderbob's is metal and has really good, crisp detail for the time. Compared to the slightly newer plastic version. I placed the antique next to a P2K E8 (when it was LifeLike) just for detail comparison.

Should it be cleaned or stripped and repainted?

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I have no idea when the image flipped after uploading

They must have Magnetraction!

Whew! I got tired of standing on my head!

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My first diesel!! (Built like a tank!!)

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

My first diesel too! From a time when we referred to model locos by their manufacturers, not by their prototypes. Varney diesel (not to be confused with the Varney diesel switcher); Bowser articulated; Mantua Mikado, American Flyer Hudson; Penn Line Pacific... Some had nicknames - Dockside (a.k.a. Little Joe); Roundhouse Goat, 8-Ball Mogul...

Fond memories, but boy - do those things seem primitive now!

Tom M.

Some back story to all this. The F3 I gave away was purchased by my father 1959-60, and as the story goes, was part of the last production run from Varney before they switched to plastic shells. The model is made of zamak alloy, which has a tendency to crystallize and crumble, and the frame for this model did. Dad got a replacement from Varney, and supposedly got the last alloy replacement frame they had in stock because of the plastic changeover. Because of the story, I had some sentimental value attached to the model which was just enough to keep me from trashing it as unwanted. HB90 mentioned his grandfather's with a crumbled frame, and I figured that since I didn't want the engine, he should use it to get his going. Happiness all around.

A footnote: I went to the Greenburg Show in Fredericksburg, VA a couple weekends ago, found a Varney F3 AB set identical to my F3A, and bought them for a song. Since it's almost impossible to put DCC in these, I plan on creating a fantasy Dinner Train scheme and using them as static displays.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/15 04:17 by VunderBob.

I have to write that history down. I like to keep that on record.

The locomotive shop is in the process of being scratch built

By all means, strip and repaint the shell I sent you. It'd be nice to see it with a shiny finish.