Hi Gang,

I've made an update to the A1G page for the 2200 Series 40 Foot Boxcars... I located a 2206b State of Maine boxcar with the variant black lettering so I decided to reshoot all of the photos for the table on that page.? I think it's about time I traded the literally scanned (!) cars for digital images.? I also made the images larger in the pop-ups, since for the most part dial-up speeds are no longer an issue.

Have a look at your leisure.? One of these days I'll figure out how to allow links directly to each page!? (And shoot more replacement photos...)

Cheers,
George (your list owner)

On 08/20/2020 9:38 AM G.J. Irwin <groups@...> wrote:

I know I haven't.? As I trip over this information, I try to add it to the relevant A1G page, but I'm not specifically seeking it out.? There's also the possibility that there is "no known prototype" for some of the body styles, or they're hybrids of several different prototypes.

Some time ago, there was an attempt "on another network" to try to identify more prototypes for N Scale equipment in general, but I don't know the results since I don't belong to that particular board.

Cheers,
George (your list-owner)

On 08/20/2020 9:38 AM G.J. Irwin <groups@...> wrote:

I know I haven't.? As I trip over this information, I try to add it to the relevant A1G page, but I'm not specifically seeking it out.? There's also the possibility that there is "no known prototype" for some of the body styles, or they're hybrids of several different prototypes.

Some time ago, there was an attempt "on another network" to try to identify more prototypes for N Scale equipment in general, but I don't know the results since I don't belong to that particular board.

Cheers,
George (your list-owner)

On 08/18/2020 8:31 PM G.J. Irwin <groups@...> wrote:

Ira, if it's the Alan I am thinking of, it's the Red Caboose which is where the Model Railroad Equipment Company was, in the basement of 23 West 45th Street.? I have not been back to Midtown during business hours in a number of years.? There is an active website though the copyright date is 2004.? My guess is that he's still open.

--George

On 08/18/2020 4:33 PM G.J. Irwin <groups@...> wrote:

I don't remember how long ago they went out of business as a retail store.? A "spin-off" of sorts, Aristo-Craft Trains, lasted longer marketing model railroad equipment which was multiple orders of magnitude larger than our topic-- G Scale!? Aristo-Craft was nominally located in Jersey City for a while (across from Manhattan, I shouldn't assume everyone knows that!) and followed Polk's out of business in 2013.

I see from the post cited below that Polk's was started in 1935.? There are plenty of their ads in early issues of Model Railroader.



(Note: The "spinoff" in the thread leads to a junk domain.? I suppose you know how I know this.)

There is a long thread which started with Polk's and ends, well, I didn't read the whole thing, here:

Cheers,
George (your list-owner)

The thing that makes those NYC shops so impressive, is that they are packed floor to ceiling due to lack of real-estate.. when you walk in.. its not 'THAT' big..?

The shop in Scale Model Supply Minnesota.. IS big AND packed with stuff.. (with alot of vintage stuff)..? ?but I have noticed there is a New and Used area.. but Used stuff in good condition seems to end up in the new section.. mixed in with NOS stuff.

Anyways... Caboose Stop Hobbies in Cedar Falls is also fairly large and packed with stuff..? with a good vintage selection for sale.

If its still open.. there is a shop in Spring Valley. IL that has some vintage stuff.

On Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 12:02 _ IAL <learmoia@...> wrote:

At first I was assuming AHC was related to IHC.. but now that I found an AHC ad, it looks related to AHM.. (Like BLI/Factory Direct Trains)? (or AHC handled the RC business.. Horizon/Athearn..).. Either way.. Front door Hobby Shop, Side Door Importer, Back Door Distributor..

~Ian

On Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 11:12 igoldberg1 <igoldberg1@...> wrote:

AHC was down on East 23rd Street.? They are also long out of business.

???? Ira

???

On 08/18/2020 12:07 PM Douglas Gosha via groups.io <dgosha=[email protected]> wrote:

Don't you mean America's Hobby Center? AHC? They were the ones who had multiple-page ads in MR and RMC.

Doug

In a message dated 8/18/2020 7:44:38 AM Central Standard Time, igoldberg1@... writes:

I grew up in NY and remember that big hobby store.? It was on 5th Avenue and 32nd St.? Can't remember thername at the moment.? Tehy were based out of Newark NJ.? When I remember the name I will post it.

??? Ira

On 08/18/2020 12:24 AM MIKE via groups.io <goldrod_1=[email protected]> wrote:

They used the same scheme on many of the other car also. Atlas 2 bay hoppers/AHM 4 bay hoppers and Atlas covered hoppers/AHM covered hoppers. In those year years Atlas cars were easy to find at the local hobby shops, AHM was another story. Usually had to mail order the AHM cars from the east coast (being on the west coast it took forever). There was a large hobby shop in NYC, they ran 4 page ads in MR and MRC that seemed to have AHM and Bachmann n gauge items. Sometimes the J.J. Newberry's store would have a bin full of cars in toy section before Christmas. At a dollar a car, a guy fill up that new yard in no time.

Michael

On Monday, August 17, 2020, 01:44:06 PM PDT, learmoia <learmoia@...> wrote:

Ahh.. On that note, I have come to realize there are reused schemes between the Atlas 40' Boxcar and the AHM Combo door Boxcar..?

Also found that the first Model Power Cupola Caboose was the Roco A1G cupola caboose with some duplicated schemes (PRR.. Atlas Brown, Model Power Red)

While the AHM Cupola caboose also had 2 body styles (neither one the 6 window Roco)? but had paint schemes duplicated across both body styles. (At least New Haven)

On Mon, Aug 17, 2020, 15:26 MIKE via groups.io <goldrod_1= [email protected]> wrote:

I will share all of my AHM data and photos. The cars were made by Roco at the same time they were making car for Atlas.

Michael Bishop

On Monday, August 17, 2020, 12:57:55 PM PDT, learmoia < learmoia@...> wrote:

One thing that may expand conversation is to expand into N scale history (pre 1980?) vs focusing on Atlas 1st Generation..

~Ian

On Sun, Aug 16, 2020, 11:45 igoldberg1 < igoldberg1@...> wrote:

Has anyone produced a list ofthe protypes if any for all of the A1G cars?

???? Ira

?

?

?

Boy, RoCo must have been flying high in those days, manufacturing all those cars for Atals and several other US importers, not to mention the HO stuff.

Doug

On 08/18/2020 12:49 PM G.J. Irwin <groups@...> wrote:

It's hard to believe how many model railroad were in once in Manhattan.? I have been reading chronologically through the Model Railroader DVD and the "Directory of Approved Model Dealers" was pretty extensive!

I'll stick to the ones I've personally visited, though.

First, the one on 5th and 32nd that you're thinking of is Polk's Model Craft Hobbies.? They not only had that flagship store but several branches including one in the Woodbridge Center mall in New Jersey.? They were multi-floor; you'd ride an elevator to the correct stop for your particular hobby.

Second, America's Hobby Center was on 146 West 22nd Street, which was between 7th and 8th Avenue.? In theory you could visit, but it was so oriented to mail order that getting personal service there was... well, let's just say it was easier to mail order.

I can't leave out Madison Hardware, 105 East 23rd Street, actually on the corner of Park Avenue South, not Madison.? They were far, far better known for their extensive stock of Lionel but carried N Scale also.?

And then of course there is the trifecta that once existed between 5th and 6th Avenues on West 45th Street.? (No, it's NOT "Avenue of the Americas," only tourists call 6th Avenue that!)? The longest running shop was the Model Railroad Equipment Corporation, proprietress of which was one Carmen Webster.? It was so unusual to have a woman running a train shop that she appeared on "To Tell The Truth"!? That's the one that was down the basement at 23 West 45th.? Also on that block was The Red Caboose and a third store which I remember being called The Roundhouse but may have had several incarnations.? The Red Caboose still survives as far as I know, having moved from its location across from Model Railroad Equipment into that space.

Ah, memories... including of $1.50 A1G cars...

Cheers,
George (your list-owner)

On 08/18/2020 12:52 PM Michael D. Brown <mdbrown@...> wrote:

I believe the place in NYC you are referring to was Madison Hardware. I have vague recollections of being there once and remember the shelves extended so high that the clerks needed ladders to reach a lot of them.

On Tue, 18 Aug 2020 12:12:05 -0400 (EDT), "igoldberg1" <igoldberg1@...> wrote:

AHC was down on East 23rd Street.? They are also long out of business.

???? Ira

????

On 08/18/2020 12:07 PM Douglas Gosha via groups.io <dgosha@...> wrote:

Don't you mean America's Hobby Center? AHC? They were the ones who had multiple-page ads in MR and RMC.

Doug

In a message dated 8/18/2020 7:44:38 AM Central Standard Time, igoldberg1@... writes:

I grew up in NY and remember that big hobby store.? It was on 5th Avenue and 32nd St.? Can't remember thername at the moment.? Tehy were based out of Newark NJ.? When I remember the name I will post it.

??? Ira

On 08/18/2020 12:24 AM MIKE via groups.io <goldrod_1@...> wrote:

They used the same scheme on many of the other car also. Atlas 2 bay hoppers/AHM 4 bay hoppers and Atlas covered hoppers/AHM covered hoppers. In those year years Atlas cars were easy to find at the local hobby shops, AHM was another story. Usually had to mail order the AHM cars from the east coast (being on the west coast it took forever). There was a large hobby shop in NYC, they ran 4 page ads in MR and MRC that seemed to have AHM and Bachmann n gauge items. Sometimes the J.J. Newberry's store would have a bin full of cars in toy section before Christmas. At a dollar a car, a guy fill up that new yard in no time.

Michael

On Monday, August 17, 2020, 01:44:06 PM PDT, learmoia <learmoia@...> wrote:

Ahh.. On that note, I have come to realize there are reused schemes between the Atlas 40' Boxcar and the AHM Combo door Boxcar..?

Also found that the first Model Power Cupola Caboose was the Roco A1G cupola caboose with some duplicated schemes (PRR.. Atlas Brown, Model Power Red)

While the AHM Cupola caboose also had 2 body styles (neither one the 6 window Roco)? but had paint schemes duplicated across both body styles. (At least New Haven)

?

On Mon, Aug 17, 2020, 15:26 MIKE via groups.io <goldrod_1= [email protected]> wrote:

I will share all of my AHM data and photos. The cars were made by Roco at the same time they were making car for Atlas.

Michael Bishop

On Monday, August 17, 2020, 12:57:55 PM PDT, learmoia < learmoia@...> wrote:

One thing that may expand conversation is to expand into N scale history (pre 1980?) vs focusing on Atlas 1st Generation..

~Ian

?

On Sun, Aug 16, 2020, 11:45 igoldberg1 < igoldberg1@...> wrote:

Has anyone produced a list ofthe protypes if any for all of the A1G cars?

???? Ira

It's hard to believe how many model railroad were in once in Manhattan.? I have been reading chronologically through the Model Railroader DVD and the "Directory of Approved Model Dealers" was pretty extensive!

I'll stick to the ones I've personally visited, though.

First, the one on 5th and 32nd that you're thinking of is Polk's Model Craft Hobbies.? They not only had that flagship store but several branches including one in the Woodbridge Center mall in New Jersey.? They were multi-floor; you'd ride an elevator to the correct stop for your particular hobby.

Second, America's Hobby Center was on 146 West 22nd Street, which was between 7th and 8th Avenue.? In theory you could visit, but it was so oriented to mail order that getting personal service there was... well, let's just say it was easier to mail order.

I can't leave out Madison Hardware, 105 East 23rd Street, actually on the corner of Park Avenue South, not Madison.? They were far, far better known for their extensive stock of Lionel but carried N Scale also.?

And then of course there is the trifecta that once existed between 5th and 6th Avenues on West 45th Street.? (No, it's NOT "Avenue of the Americas," only tourists call 6th Avenue that!)? The longest running shop was the Model Railroad Equipment Corporation, proprietress of which was one Carmen Webster.? It was so unusual to have a woman running a train shop that she appeared on "To Tell The Truth"!? That's the one that was down the basement at 23 West 45th.? Also on that block was The Red Caboose and a third store which I remember being called The Roundhouse but may have had several incarnations.? The Red Caboose still survives as far as I know, having moved from its location across from Model Railroad Equipment into that space.

Ah, memories... including of $1.50 A1G cars...

Cheers,
George (your list-owner)