Model Railroading > Lawrence Laboratory HO GP-7 Kits

The attached ad appeared in the October 1950 issue of Model Railroader, and announced what may have been the best HO diesel locomotive metal kit ever produced: it was entirely made from lost-wax brass castings, and it had a Lindsay motor for power (the best there was at that time).

As I have heard the story, the machine shop at one of the radiation labs run by Ernest O. Lawrence (of nuclear physics fame) was facing a budget crisis, and they were looking around for ways to generate extra revenue. As they had a well-established reputation for precision machining work, they hit on the idea of making an HO model locomotive kit that was better than anything else available at the time. The initial promotion (as you can see) used “Lawrence Laboratory” as the manufacturer’s name, but this probably had some negative consequences, because they subsequently used the “Lawrence Line” name.

At $37.50 in 1950 currency, this was a seriously expensive kit, and Lawrence Line didn’t last more than a couple of years.

Ray



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/18 18:43 by Ray_Murphy.

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Wow, to find one now!

TJY

Now that’s pretty cool stuff.

That’s a pretty decent looking model for the day.

$384 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics!

https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=37.5&year1=195010&year2=201808

Yowza!

- Jeff Carlson

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> At $37.50 in 1950 currency, this was a seriously
> expensive kit, and Lawrence Line didn’t last
> more than a couple of years.
>
> Ray

Regardless, those were generally brand new engines in 1950.  Pretty impressive to see that sort of detail, and cool to see, at a time when most modelers and railfans were still focused on steam.

- Jeff Carlson

Varney's F-3s had pretty good detail and would kill anyone they were thrown at...
(Genuwine Zamac!)

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Now that was probably a true 'Glow Worm'.

Cliff Rutherford
Grain Valley, MO

bnsfsd70 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> $384 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics!
>
> https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=37.5
> &year1=195010&year2=201808
>
> Yowza!
>
> - Jeff Carlson
>
> Ray_Murphy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > At $37.50 in 1950 currency, this was a
> seriously
> > expensive kit, and Lawrence Line didn’t last
> > more than a couple of years.
> >
> > Ray


that means my circa 1988 blue box kits would have cost the equivalent of $76.88 .For what we get today’s models aren’t as “expensive “ as some may think. That’s not including detail parts too.
D



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/18 22:54 by atsf98.

In the early to mid 1980’s, you could have bought an Athearn SD40-2 for $32.50.  A rebuilding from the wheels up would be then be in order to achieve what is RTR today.  It would be easy to add over a hundred dollars worth of parts to achieve this goal.  

That much money in today’s dollars would buy a fully detailed locomotive with sound RTR, and still have money left over. 

Typing this message back in the 1980’s would have been much different too.  Currently I’m achieving that goal with my iPhone while watching a train video on my 55” (1.4 meters) LED tv.

ʎɹɹɐ˥