Long years ago I aquired a Thomas 2 8 0 scale O. Seems to be about the same degree of detail as the Nord S locos. Always interested in the old stuff. Thanks to Rollie and all who responded re Stinson/Nord. Stan
--- In [email protected], JGG KahnSr <jacekahn@...> wrote: > > > The more I learn about the early days of the hobby the more questions come to > mind, most of which can now never be answered, as so many of > the key players are long gone. > > Thomas (Bill?) was involved with Mantua, perhaps even before WWII (not sure) > but went off on his own after the war, producing absolutely wonderful > tank car kits (still sought-after by O scale modelers) and a B&O C-16a kit > offered for either full-scale or tinplate use, and a small 2-8-0 that used > many > of the C-16a parts. Around 1950 he branched out into more tinplate with an > old-time 4-4-0, arch-roofed passenger cars, and short older freight cars. > All featured early Mantua-type engineering of a combination of die-castings > and brass stampings. Some time later in the 1950's he relocated to Oklahoma > where he picked up much of Elliott Donnelly's ScaleCraft freight car line > (Donnelly having had to assume leadership of the family printing business--a > major > industrial operation, whose largest customer may well have been the Sears > Roebuck catalogue), only to suffer a disastrous fire which destroyed most of > the masters and production fixtures. I have a ScaleCraft kit or two (with > instructions still saying ScaleCraft) with Thomas labels. From the wreckage > All Nation salvaged enough to re-run the basic single-dome tank car kit (no > more of the distinctive six-dome wine tankers, which used a different dome > casting and a few other detail changes). > > Jace Kahn > > General Manager > Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co. > > > > > > I recall both pronuntiations. I was in Glenside in 1950 but going to > > school in NY City via the Reading- CRRNJ for 3 1/2 months. I rode with my > > uncle who ran everything non oil or gas for Mobil Oil. Many high powered > > lawyers and executives rode that earluy train. It was a real education. > > One regular managed the Gulf Oil tanker fleet. > > > > The Rdg pass was good for 30 days, on any train. I took a few days off > > woner of which I went over to NJ to spend a morning at the Mantua plant. > > There was quite a difference in thase two owner - partners. I later > > realized why they split up. Mantua had good products. There was a slight > > Lionel toy influence though. There was quite a machine shop and production > > plant > > I also spent a day with John English, He was packaging all his items in his > > living room and dining room. His wife was quite wound up about it. > > > > Another visit was with Penn Models. HO. They were operating out of 2 > > garages. Reall jammed in. Their parts were contracted out. > > > > Also spent a morning with Al Pittman. He had just made the first of a new > > small motor, and a new larger one. > > > > Those 3 1/2 months included an evening with Paul Mallery (he was from > > Columbus OH). I also road all the subways and El's, the New Haven, L.I. > > Staten Island, Susquehanna, Lackawanna, All the Philly area trolleys, and > > all the NY area ferries. > > Anyway I learned a lot from the Mantua visit. Manufacturing trains was not > > that easy. But there were some very dedicated people in those days who knew > > how to make things. Not all MBA's. > > > > S also had to contend with interruptions from wars. Especialy Korea. > > Cleveland Models could not get materials, even for their airplane kits. > > > > Walthers stuck it out during WW II. Varnet had screw machines in his > > basement. Then expanded that after the war. Miller was interrupted by WW > > II. Certain materials were in short supply even after the war. Spent an > > afternoon with him the day I was discharged from Great Lakes. > > > > China was not on the horizon yet. Sen. McCarthy's N Y City buddy had not > > grabbed Lionel yet. (another story). > > > > Enough rambling. > > > > John Armstrong > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Bill Lane > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 5:28 AM > > Subject: {S-Scale List} Mantua & regrind > > > > > > > > When discussing trains I can at times easily tell when someone does not > > live > > around here. This became obvious to me years ago when talking to former S > > Scaler and lifelong New Yorker Vic Rosemen. Besides Mantua Metals,(what it > > was called before Tyco) Mantua is also a town that is 2 towns away from me > > (about 6 miles). Around here there has never EVER been a "T" in Mantua. It > > is pronounced "MAN chu wa". Vic was always "Man TU a". The first time I > > heard it I had to ask him what that was! (:->) > > > > My friend's father that worked at Tyco and obviously my tour guide had > > some > > rather old Mantua Metals trains. These had loop couplers instead of the > > horn > > hook and some were possibly sheet metal? It has been about 37 years since > > I > > saw them. > > > > In reference to Jace's comment on recycling, at that same plotter factory > > they did injection molding. The tree, sprues or whatever leftovers you > > want > > to call then went into a grinder machine. There was a percentage by weight > > of what previously used material you could recycle (20% sticks in my mind > > but I could be wrong) Further I don't recall what the consequences were if > > you exceeded the percentage. But for sure you had to use mostly new > > plastic > > pellets for whatever reason. > > > > Thank You, > > Bill Lane > > > > Modeling the Mighty Pennsy & PRSL in 1957 in S Scale since 1988 > > > > See my finished models at: > > <http://www.lanestrains.com/> http://www.lanestrains.com > > Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale! > > > > Custom Train Parts Design > > <http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm> > > http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm > > > > PRR Builders Photos Bought, Sold & Traded > > (Trading is MUCH preferred) > > <http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls> > > http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls > > > > ***Join the PRR T&HS*** > > The other members are not ALL like me! > > <http://www.prrths.com/> http://www.prrths.com > > <http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf> > > http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf > > > > Join the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society > > It's FREE to join! <http://www.prslhs.com/> http://www.prslhs.com > > Preserving The Memory Of The PRSL > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus > > signature database 6533 (20111011) __________ > > > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > > > http://www.eset.com > > > > > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus > > signature database 6533 (20111011) __________ > > > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > > > http://www.eset.com > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Yahoo! 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