What's The Oldest Working Locomotive In Your Yard?

[shaygetz]

Bob, if you have some HO scale stuff from the 1930s or something up your sleeve, I certainly would like to hear about it. Whatcha got?

As a matter of fact...I was going home from the club one night when the treasurer asked if I would be interested in "some European junk" somebody left. I said sure and tossed it in the car, not knowing that I'd be thoroughly stunned within the hour once I got home...

In the box, one HR800 4-6-2 that runs like a watch, both headlights too...



...3 near mint coaches---with boxes...



...1 near mint Schlafwagon with the WWII era markings...





...and an Esso tanker...



It came with a large amount of track and cars that I've since pared down to just these and a nice loop of track. The HR800 and the Esso car may go as far back as 1939, the coaches are post war, about '46-49. They're all tin with zamac castings, only one wheelset on one coach has a slight touch of the dreaded zinc-pest. The Schlafwagon's markings are obviously the most interesting as they represent the German Railway markings with the swastika in them, slightly modified for post war sentiments. I'm thrilled to own them as I had family on both sides of the beach at Normandy, as well as one who was sentenced to and survived Auschwitz for hiding Jews. My son calls the train when running the "sparkle train" for the arcing that happens as it clangs around the layout.