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So I found this box on a shelf at the museum, empty.? It's the same size box used for passenger car kits from Midgage and Super Scale I've built.?
But has anyone heard of Star Line (Ft. Worth, TX)? Or that they manufactured S Steel Truss Kits for Midgage (Portsmouth, RI)?
Seems like this was a bridge kit, yes?
Tommy Lennon?
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I did a little searching in the Model Railroader magazine archive.
The first presence of Star-Line was Sep 1941 with HO switch kits.
After a while, they had some HO and OO products.? Then, HO and O (no more OO).
In May 1947, a "Midgage Models" ad (and they say "Midgage means S") shows a wooden trestle made exclusively for them by Star-Line.
In the Dec 1947 issue there is a two-page spread of various S scale suppliers including this Midgage Models ad.
No more mention of Star-Line at all after Nov 1950.
So, I think that shows when and where it came from.
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer
On Monday, May 26, 2025 at 11:00:31 AM PDT, Tom Lennon via groups.io <milepost169@...> wrote:
So I found this box on a shelf at the museum, empty.? It's the same size box used for passenger car kits from Midgage and Super Scale I've built.?
But has anyone heard of Star Line (Ft. Worth, TX)? Or that they manufactured S Steel Truss Kits for Midgage (Portsmouth, RI)?
Seems like this was a bridge kit, yes?
Tommy Lennon?
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Thank you Chuck. Another new name from the past.? It's still 20+ years before a chance meeting with a guy named Heimberger at Downtown Hobby located in a subway arcade in Chicago got me started in S. Tommy
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On Monday, May 26, 2025 at 11:00:28 AM PDT, Tom Lennon via groups.io <milepost169@...> wrote:
So I found this box on a shelf at the museum, empty.? It's the same size box used for passenger car kits from Midgage and Super Scale I've built.?
But has anyone heard of Star Line (Ft. Worth, TX)? Or that they manufactured S Steel Truss Kits for Midgage (Portsmouth, RI)?
Seems like this was a bridge kit, yes?
Tommy Lennon?
_._,_._,_
Star Line did indeed make S scale bridge kits in the late 1940s, maybe into the early '50s. -- Dick Karnes, MMR
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I suppose that was the late Donald Heimburger of Heimburger House Publishing in Forest Park, IL.? ?They were located on Madison Avenue just west of Harlem Ave.? Just steps away from Parkys Hot Dogs on Harlem.? I grew up in Oak Park next door and those hot dogs and best fries in Chicago area literally made me the person I am today.? I was always envious of his location after being marooned in California.? He published some first-class railroad books.
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer?
On Monday, May 26, 2025 at 02:22:16 PM PDT, Tom Lennon via groups.io <milepost169@...> wrote:
Thank you Chuck. Another new name from the past.? It's still 20+ years before a chance meeting with a guy named Heimberger at Downtown Hobby located in a subway arcade in Chicago got me started in S. Tommy
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Tommy Downtown Hobby was owned by Rich Bozak a former employee of All Nations Hobby. Rich was an O scale who specialized in street cars.? He was a master craftsman.? Rich didn't mind talking to a 10 year old who liked building things. He was my go to guy at All Nations.
From the mezzanine, Rich moved out to Northwest Highway. His son became involved and ran it for many years closing a couple of years ago. Rich died a few years back.
By the way, I was good friends with Don H. for many years and I miss him.? He died too young.
John Mann
Thank you Chuck. Another new name from the past.? It's still 20+ years before a chance meeting with a guy named Heimberger at Downtown Hobby located in a subway arcade in Chicago got me started in S. Tommy
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I bought an O scale 44-tonner at the original downtown location, probably in the late 1970's.? I think I visited the relocated shop once and bought a steeplecab from the son at a Chicago March show.
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Tommy
Downtown Hobby was owned by Rich Bozak a former employee of All Nations Hobby. Rich was an O scale who specialized in street cars.? He was a master craftsman.? Rich didn't mind talking to a 10 year old who liked building things.
He was my go to guy at All Nations.
From the mezzanine, Rich moved out to Northwest Highway. His son became involved and ran it for many years closing a couple of years ago. Rich died a few years back.
By the way, I was good friends with Don H. for many years and I miss him.? He died too young.
John Mann
Thank you Chuck. Another new name from the past.? It's still 20+ years before a chance meeting with a guy named Heimberger at Downtown Hobby located in a subway arcade in Chicago got me started in S.
Tommy
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And I visited there just the once, not too long after I got into S scale; he had some harder-to-find odds and ends that was worth the trip.
His catalogue listed most of what was supposed to be available in the scale, but I was not overly impressed with what he had on hand?
that trip.? It could be that manufacturing was already starting to tighten up by then, or perhaps that he ordered what buyers wanted from?
the catalogue as they ordered it.
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I suppose that was the late Donald Heimburger of Heimburger House Publishing in Forest Park, IL.? ?They were located on Madison Avenue just west of Harlem Ave.? Just steps away from Parkys Hot Dogs on Harlem.? I grew up in
Oak Park next door and those hot dogs and best fries in Chicago area literally made me the person I am today.? I was always envious of his location after being marooned in California.? He published some first-class railroad books.
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer?
On Monday, May 26, 2025 at 02:22:16 PM PDT, Tom Lennon via groups.io <milepost169@...> wrote:
Thank you Chuck. Another new name from the past.? It's still 20+ years before a chance meeting with a guy named Heimberger at Downtown Hobby located in a subway arcade in Chicago got me started in S.
Tommy
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I didn't recall that they may have made any S scale kits, but the box surely suggests that.? They were a small manufacturer (earlier based in?
Mineral Springs, TX) who produced kits using wood components in a number of scales. I encountered them during my TT scale days in high school, buying a couple of house car kits with wood bodies, card sides, and a very few plastic and white metal detail parts.?
That was back in the late 1950's.
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So I found this box on a shelf at the museum, empty.? It's the same size box used for passenger car kits from Midgage and Super Scale I've built.?
But has anyone heard of Star Line (Ft. Worth, TX)? Or that they manufactured S Steel Truss Kits for Midgage (Portsmouth, RI)?
Seems like this was a bridge kit, yes?
Tommy Lennon?
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Model Railroader Magazine, May 1947:
?
?
Star-Line Model Railroader ads:? Fort Worth, TX September 1941, new address of Mineral Wells, TX in August 1947
?
Thank you,
Matt Hogan
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Presumably a modeler with a wood shop who used it to support his hobby.
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Model Railroader Magazine, May 1947:
?
?
Star-Line Model Railroader ads:? Fort Worth, TX September 1941, new address of Mineral Wells, TX in August 1947
?
Thank you,
Matt Hogan
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From: Matt Hogan
Date: Tue, 27 May 2025 04:07:39 PDT
Model Railroader Magazine, May 1947. . .
Star-Line Model Railroader ads: Fort Worth, TX September 1941, new address of Mineral Wells, TX in August 1947 The Midgage ad states the trestle instructions were “adequate”. Exacta kits from the same period, discussed here last week, were described as “90% accurate”. So much has changed in the hobby since then! -- Bill Roberts
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I have three Star-Line wood truss bridge kits including plans in original boxes.? ?All in good condition.? They were in the box with the Mid -Gage cars that I "found".
Andrew Parker
I did a little searching in the Model Railroader magazine archive.
The first presence of Star-Line was Sep 1941 with HO switch kits.
After a while, they had some HO and OO products.? Then, HO and O (no more OO).
In May 1947, a "Midgage Models" ad (and they say "Midgage means S") shows a wooden trestle made exclusively for them by Star-Line.
In the Dec 1947 issue there is a two-page spread of various S scale suppliers including this Midgage Models ad.
No more mention of Star-Line at all after Nov 1950.
So, I think that shows when and where it came from.
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer
On Monday, May 26, 2025 at 11:00:31 AM PDT, Tom Lennon via groups.io <milepost169@...> wrote:
So I found this box on a shelf at the museum, empty.? It's the same size box used for passenger car kits from Midgage and Super Scale I've built.?
But has anyone heard of Star Line (Ft. Worth, TX)? Or that they manufactured S Steel Truss Kits for Midgage (Portsmouth, RI)?
Seems like this was a bridge kit, yes?
Tommy Lennon?
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Tom Lennon
Dick Karnes, MMR