Sometimes I venture into the 1950's

Thursday, August 14, 2014 
                  Cloud and rain

Sometimes I Venture 

into the 1950's

  If you've read enough of my posts, you'll know that my daily schedule is to get up in the morning, go for a coffee and low-fat muffin, walk our dog Buddy, open the computer, check the mail, then start looking for inspiration for the next several posts.

  Yesterday, I was looking on Liveauctioneers, when I saw an eye-catching rubber train from  AmbroseBauerTrains. The Company promotes themselves as "The Nation's Foremost Marketplace of Toy Trains & Toy Train Auctions". If I had the time, AmbroseBauerTrains and the vast archives would keep me busy for the next 20 years writing just about model trains! However, I've learned in my writing a blog, to always look what else an auctioneer might sell, and I've had many pleasant surprises on the AmbroseBauerTrains website finding items that were not train-related.

  I was this beautiful intense orange diesel engine yesterday made by Auburn Rubber. The company had made rubber toys in the 1940's and I discovered them a few years ago on my journey of writing this blog. I even purchased a few Auburn, and other manufacturer's toys to see them "up close". I was amazed at how well made they were, and how thy had lasted for so long. 

Please click here to visit this most fascinating model train auctioneer's website

Of course, whenever an original box, abbreviated "OB" in the description is included, the value of 

any toy escalates.  However, what attracts me to this toy is the ability for the rubber and the mould process to capture small detail. An example (without even enlarging these images) is the windshield wiper blade.

Today rubber toys have mostly been replaced with plastic toys. What I especially like about rubber is how long these toys last. Also, rubber (like plastic) is able to form and contour into small impressions in the mould to which the hot material is poured into.

The wheels are not  that impressive, but they're functional. The toy designers were smart enough to make the sides of the toy low-profile (low to the ground) so that the body covered the black wheels!

Nevertheless, you can see how the Auburn Rubber company was still producing fine toys into the 1950's - a place that I rarely visit, but if I live long enough I will - for my next blog!

Thanks for dropping by,

and as always,

have a great part of the day or night,

'wherever you may be.

Stacey

toysearcher@gmail.com

Electric Models of Electric Trains

Wednesday, March 25, 2013

Electric Models of Electric Trains

   Most train models that have been produced have been reproductions of either coal or diesel engines. Since the USA has always had an abundant supply of coal, and then oil, that's the reason.  Europe on the other hand, alwys had large supplies of coal, but they chose to go the route of electric,when coal as a fuel supply became outdated.However, there are a few that are electric. Of course, in North America, the majority of the "real" machines have been coal or diesel. In browsing AmbroseBauer Trains,I did find some electric models, and their interesting. Most of the models are by Lionel (USA), so there is some slight deviation. I did concentrate on the more recent models, although there are some models (nor shown today) that have been made prior to the 1940's.

Please click this sentence to be redirected to the AmbroseBauer website

     Electrically-operated "real" trains operate by having a special connection on top of the train called a pantograph. There are usually 2 of them, and they make contact with the electrical lines about the train. There are 2 contacts (side by side) on each pantograph. I assume that's to always keep the electrical contact ,so that if the train turns sharply, one contact is always live, even if the higher one might be less taught on the wire.

    I was surprised to find several USA models. I mistakenly assumed that there never were or are any electrical trains in the USA, but there are.  Most of the engines have very large vents on top of their roofs. Since these engines produce a lot of heat, the fans and exhausts on top are needed to cool off the engines. I assume that there are batteries within the engines to  power and elevate the pantographs when they need to make contact with the electrical grid (wiring) above them. You can see the pantographs in the down and up positions. 

   As for the toy telectirc models, their power comes from the track as all models do. It would be too complicated and dangerous to have an electrical grid as the "real" trains.

 Many times, AmbroseBauer  takes apart  a train model for bidder viewing. That's certainly a lot of work to do and then to photograph. THey also take loads of photos of each listing, but for today, I just concentrated on presenting the different models that I found on their site. THe uncovered train above is the power for the model train. The "real" train is entirely different.

I enjoyed looking at these electric model trains as I worked with them in Photoshop. They're very different form the coal and diesel engines.  In  the movies made in Europe, I've always enjoyed looking at the electrical trains and the passenger cars. They're certainly different from the ones that you mostly see in North America.

Thanks for dropping by,

and as always, have a great day.

Stacey

AmbroseBauer Trains - The Train Source!

Thursday, March 14, 2014

AmbroseBauer Trains LLC

The Train Source!

A Brief Introduction

    I should keep a logbook so that I can write down how I first came across the great resources, photos and people that I write about. I do remember though, that I kept seeing the name AmbroseBauer Trains over and over again on  Liveauctioneers. However, trying to keep writing a new post each and every day is not as easy at it seems,especially if you're like me. I like to have lots of photos, try to improve the photos if I can, and look for new sources to write about.  So trains were left as I kept writing and writing. At the same time though, I e-mailed  Mr. Drew J. Bauer a few times, and them telephoned him. Eventually, I received the go ahead! I keep forgetting that businessmen are very busy,and talking to a blogger is not their #1 priority. In Drew's case, he's busy like most other auctioneers dealing with sellers, and  he travels a great deal across the USA.

   If you go to  the AmbroseBauer Trains website, you will see a whole page of knowledge and experience on both  Mr. Paul V. Ambrose, and Mr. Drew J. Bauer.  Both Paul and Drew are train collectors and aficionados from a while back. As well, they are written books  and extensive articles on the subject.  They also act as consultants for collectors interested in starting to collect, and to build a collection over time.  Each of their listings has plenty of photographs from all angles, and they guarantee their written description to be what it is.

  By drawing on their personal collecting, as well as their business acumen, they have become the 

"nation's foremost marketplace of Lionel and American Flyer Trains"  Their slogan is "By Collectors, For Collectors".  

   I could continue, but rather than paraphrase and write, I would recommend that you go to their first page and read  the extensive history and material about this fine company. Both Mr. Paul V. Ambrose and Mr. Drew J. Bauer have well-written their story and commitment to their customers, and that says it all!

http://www.ambrosebauer.com

(Please click on the above address to be redirected to their fabulous website)

   I'm going to have to do lots of reading about trains, as I have to admit I don't know much on the subject. I do know that there are different gauges that  that are used to express the different relative sizes of trains. But that's it.However seeing all of these old trains is a real "treat" and a history lesson. Many of the "real" trains have log since been decommissioned, and there are only  small percentage in museums. However being able to see these trains is fabulous.

   If you like nice photographs of trains, and being able to see many different models and from different eras, then this is the place to go to!

Thanks for dropping by, 

and have a great part of the day, 

wherever you are.

Stacey