Old MRR Items Ads

Thanks for posting that, Russel. Two errors I spot in their write-up for the Treble-O-Lectric layout.

The track gauge for the Lone Star Locos push-along trains was 8mm, not 9mm.

The powered Treble-O-Lectric line was introduced in 1960, not 1964.

Doug

 

In a post above, I stated that Rivarossi went out of business (went bankrupt) and was acquired by Arnold who then also went bankrupt. That was in error. It was the other way around. Hornby does now own both trade names, however.

Doug

 

My entire quadraphonic system, except for the Blu-Ray player (to play modern surround discs) is 1970's equipment.

Doug

 

Writing about Rapido (the original!) has caused me to get my 16 geeps out after a couple of years (at least) storage and they all run exactly the same as when I put them in the drawer with some of them being surprisingly quiet.

Doug

 

Speaking of N Scale car kits, Kadee/M-T once offered some of theirs in kit form. TrainBoard advertiser Fifer Hobby has six for sale at:

https://www.fiferhobby.com/vintage_items/

 

Re-counting my Rapido geeps, I find there are twenty two after having accumulated a few more and got a couple more running (including the CNJ shell Dan gave me!) that needed chassis and they didn't have the fuel tank weights to keep the trucks in place so I just cut a couple of blocks of wood to he correct length/width and they work. A little lighter than the rest, of course, but fine, for now.

An MRC 9000, rated at about 1.5 amps (19VA), won't handle the over 2 amps of current draw of 15 of them very long before overloading but a 9500, rated at about 2.5 amps (30VA) will. My MRC Control Master 20, rated at about 7 amps (85VA!), will run them forever.

Doug

 

Ha -- glad to read that the CNJ geep shell is extending its legacy. My Arnold Rapido AT&SF A-B-A Fs (one powered) still run fine, as do my SOU 4-6-2 and W&A 0-6-0. Even my C&NW Baldwin switcher runs well. My PRR GG-1 runs, but needs some attention.

 

I was out working a bit on the layout, after it's vertical stowing during construction on the back porch. An old Atlas 0-4-0 switcher needed a little prodding but then took off like a scalded dog and happily buzzed around the layout like it was brand new.

 

Yup, when you consider when it was Arnold released the GG-1, it was a monumental N scale locomotive.

Doug

 

November, 1968 MR

Arnold Rapido announcing their FA:



My second favorite Aurora ad:



Oh, and not really an ad but kind of, my all-time favorite MR cover:



Doug

 

I remember my firs N layout, I built for a friend's kid in 1969, remembering my Colorado road trip crossing the divide 14 times. But my layout was gradeless, and the motive power was an Arnold Rapido F-1. Because that's what I had. Not very "Colorado", but Man it ran great!

N scale, 2 x 4 feet.

 

December, 1968 MR.

At this time, Revell was big into N scale. Made by Arnold Rapido:




The famous MRC Berkshire introduced:



MRC was also advertising the large, new Controlmaster II transistorized power pack:



JMC (parent company of Con-Cor) announcing the famous Con-Cor Hudson:



This was a two-page ad from Con-Cor with N scale on the left page and HO on the right. Where it says "You...", it says "Choose" on the right page:



Cal-Scale and their timber trestle:



And Atlas, of course, announcing more new items:



And, my second favorite MR cover of all time when they began the New York & Quebec project layout which inspired me to use Homasote on my layout, a little over 6 years later:



This was a big month for N scale as more of the big model railroad suppliers were more deeply stocking N scale. In an NMRA convention (in San Francisco, that year) report, they told about Kemtron's introduction of code 40 prefab track.

Doug

 

Wow, all such interesting images Doug! I SO continue to enjoy this thread.

 

Thanks Dan. Those were such exciting times, buying each new Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman each month to see what was new in "N Gauge".

Doug

 

The fuel tank for the diesel engine is missing.

 

Wait, you mean MRR actually covered N scale back then?!

You'd hardly know it from reading MRR today!

 

My yellow overhead gantry crane was made by Faller (not my photo). Also seen in the picture of my current layout in other threads:



Doug

 

Speaking, again, of the Arnold "Pee-Wee" ad in AHC's pages, being an American kid, I pronounced "Rapido", RApido instead of raPEEDo.

Doug