Chipping aweigh....

I have mentioned in previous posts that many of the trains and accessories that I am using on my Toy Train Museum layouts are very authentic reproductions of the Lionel originals, made recently by Lionel and MTH Trains.  You would be forgiven for thinking that this is a relatively easy way to build a collection- that anybody with enough money could simply go down to their local hobby shop, or get on the Internet, and within a day or two they'd have a sizeable collection. This may perhaps be true in some parts of the United States (these are all American trains), but this just isn't the case from Downunder!  Or worse, from the Island that I'm presently working on!

Most of these reproductions are made in very small quantities, in limited runs.  Once they're sold, well, they're gone.  Many of the items that I'm currently searching for are made by the Lionel Corporation, which is a new co-operative venture between Lionel and MTH Trains.  MTH have made many of these items previously, but had to put their own name on them as they couldn't use the original name 'Lionel', as Lionel were effectively 'the competition'. Now with this new venture the items are made by MTH to the same really high standard, and are now indistinguishable from the Lionel originals.  Except that they're 'new'!!

Ok, I can't wander down to my local hobby shop, because there isn't one, but what about the Internet?  I've found that not too many American dealers sell this sort of stuff, maybe only a handful.  Of those that do, most are not interested in sending it on a long voyage over the oceans!  Many, for whatever reason, will only 'ship' to the Continental U.S.  That's their prerogative, I guess, but it does make it much harder for me!!  So despite these items being new, and supposedly available, I'm only occasionaly able to actually purchase them.  MTH take note!!

Anyway, this post does not end sadly.  I have 'found' another large dealer in the U.S. who is good to deal with (some aren't!!), and happy to ship Downunder.  I was able to buy a really wonderful accessory from him called a #441 Weigh Scale for my Standard Gauge layout.

At first glance this thing might look a bit boring.  What you can't tell from the picture is the size.  At 29 1/2 inches long and 9 1/2 inches wide, it is huge!!  It has a light in the office, but it is also fully functional.  There is a small beam in the office, on which you place the little weights, and you can accurately weigh your carriage, or loco!  Apparently if you could find an original item from the 30's it would be very unlikely to work, as the mechanism suffered from zinc-disease, which caused it to swell and crumble.

It came in this beaut box, which also is much bigger than it looks.  It will certainly be like Christmas for me when I finally get the chance to unpack my collection, and place everything on the layout tables!!

One item 'down', lots more to go!!