One of my first steam locomotives in HO scale was the venerable LifeLike 0-4-0T "Dockside". I purchased it in 1983. The rear frame was broken, but I managed a decent enough repair job, and I had it for almost two years before it, and my entire HO gauge collection, were lost in a move (this happened too frequently, by the way. Of course, there is more to this story).
In the late-90's I was gifted with two of the LifeLike Dockside, the Varney "Lil' Joe". These were both fairly old and in need of repair. I also lost these in a move (sigh).
Anyway, I love this locomotive. I'm a sucker for its puggish looks, its tight wheelbase, its brutish personality.
And now, I have not one, not two, but three of the Varney models.
The oldest one, on the top, is an original 1941 production. Second down is a late 1940's, early 1950's version (change in frame design), and finally a mid-50's version when they were transitioning to plastic. It rides on the same frame design as the middle model. The original frame for that one, though, disintegrated, a victim of "zinc pest".
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| Oof. |
I am still looking for parts to repair the third, but the older two just need refining and adjustments (why yes, I did use a soldering pencil half blind).
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| Ever get burned with a soldering iron? Oh, I have stories. |
The 1941 model came with an original Pittman DC-60 three pole motor. Sadly, it was ruined, the armature showing clear scorching. I nearly got it running, but in the end it was a waste of time. It now uses a five pole DC-60 that arrived with a later chassis.
The middle one runs. Period. Pittman DC-60. Walks away with anything you put behind it like a boss.
Since I took the DC-60 motor from the recently arrived chassis, I decided to swap it out for a recently obtained KTM KH-13. This motor is what I call a "functional" match for the DC-60. I had obtained it for use in my 1941 model, but when I found the chassis and motor I sprang for that. I still need to turn the shaft down slightly to take the worm gear.
Am I done with collecting these?
Ha ha ha, noooo, of course not!
I still want both LifeLike versions (Pittman DC-71 and Mabuchi RE-280 can variant). And then there's the Bowser/English version.
And did I mention the Rivarossi Dockside? You won't believe how many versions there are.
And I have two already.
Like the F units, I think just about anyone who considered themselves a toy train manufacturer had one of these in their lineup. Lima/Playart decided on the European style 0-4-0T side tank instead of the Docksider saddle tank in their lineup, but it is basically the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI had the AHM Docksider, which I think was made by Rivarossi. Ran it and the rest of my collection to pieces in the 1970s, a Mantua/Tyco 0-4-0 locomotive that I assembled from a kit are all that I have in the way of locomotives from my original layout.
Everyone had one of these because they could be sold as cheap as diesels, modelers like us who could not afford the larger steam locomotives could afford one of these.
I will always have a soft spot for them.
DeleteI bought what was being sold as a "small HO" Dockside, but when it arrived imagine my shock when it turned out to be a Kemtron/Lindsay TT scale version! Turned around and sold it!