Model Railroading > Can anyone identify these ancient HO items?

The railroad museum where I volutneer received a donation.  The passenger unit pictured and 5 or 6 passenger cars like the one in the picture were donated.  Does anyone have any idea who the manufacturer is and when these items were made?

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Are those possibly built from old Strombecker kits?

Stephen

I had a cast metal E-2 like that one once upon a time which I painted. Unk on he cars...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Do you have more photos that you can post?

I have an elderly friend out of town that used to run a hobby shop. I will ask him. He's a bit of a historian when it comes to model trains.

Victor B.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/22 19:18 by wabash2800.

Thanks for the replies.  I can take some more photos when I up there Saturday and then will post them.

The passenger car looks like a model built by a company called Gilbert around about 1960 or so.  The E2A, I have no idea.

John H.

I'm still waiting to hear from a friend, but I think Strombecker made some kits that look like that E unit. If so, the loco kit could date back to the late 1930s.

Victor B.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/22 12:29 by wabash2800.

My experience as a boy (in the early 50's) with Strombecker (I believe based in Chicago) HO kits were all wood structure with paper sides.  The box cars were easily converted to operate with addition of proper trucks and couplers.  Strombecker furnished their trucks made from a wooden block with inserts for two metal rods for the axles and the wooden wheels (with a flange) were pressed into position.  Couplers were a hook in the truck assembly for one end of the car and an eye for the opposite end.  If the metal pieces shown in the photos are Strombecker, I will be surprised.
jb

If you look closely at the passenger cars, the superstructures are definitely made from wood. In talking to my friend, he didn't recall Strombecker making a Santa Fe E but said it could be a B&O or Rock  Island E unit redone for Santa Fe with a poor paint job and decals.

Victor B.

I have attached 7 more photos.  One of them is next to an Athearn Blue Box passenger care for a size comparison.

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There are 6 passenger cars in the set, plus the A and B units.  

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Final picture.  Comparison with Athearn Blue Box

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After discussions at the museum, we now believe these are hand build HO cars from before World War 2.