# antique wood train and steam engine identification ([Picture heavy)



## [email protected] (Oct 30, 2015)

I recently was given 4 wooden model trains and a steam engine all with no markings that I can find. All 5 pieces have been carefully packed in a box for decades with the story that an ancestor of his built the wood models in the 20's from a kit. The steam engine seems to be fully operational, but I haven't opened anything. One of the wood cars has some damage, but it looks repairable as the parts are inside the train. Can anyone tell me what these are, are they valuable, and what if anything needs to be done to them. The friend who gave them to me said the wooden models were meant to run on a track and he thinks they're supposed to be painted.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Wood Model train*

Destinmatt;

All I can see from your photos is that:

1) Yes it was designed to run on a track. Two photos show an electric motor inside the steam engine.

2) It's a model of a European, not American, train. The buffers on the car and loco ends were
once common on European trains, but they were never used in the US.

3) From the wires under the passenger cars, I'm guessing they have/had lamps inside to
light the car's interiors and show through the windows.

4) was it intended to be painted? Probably yes, since it was a kit. The choice to paint or not
would be up to the modeler though.

5) Is it valuable? Probably quite valuable; to the right collector. Otherwise no. 

6) It's very hard to judge the size of these models by looking at the photos. I'm guessing O scale (1/48th the size of a real train) or possibly "standard gauge" also called "#1 Gauge"(1/32nd-or-whatever size the manufacturer felt like making it) If it is "standard gauge" that would fit in with the idea that it was made in the 1920s. Standard gauge trains were popular at that time. You can guess at the scale by measuring the height of one of the cars. An O scale car would be about 3"-4" high and a standard gauge car, 5"-7".

All of the forgoing is pure speculation on my part. There are people on this forum who may be able to give you some factual information. The O scale section of the forum might be a good place to post this. Gunrunnerjohn, one of our members is quite knowledgeable about O scale trains. I hope he will reply with better info.
It's certainly an unusual item. The sort of thing that might turn up on "Antiques Roadshow." Definitely hang onto it. Don't throw it away! You might want to have it professionally appraised.

Good Luck;

Traction Fan


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Isn't that a steam engine, not electrical engine, in the locomotive?
Those are cool. I know nothing about them.


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*wood train*

Hi,all.. Very good looking antique train set. At a good guess very valuable. Have it appraised. The steam engine alone is very valuable.Gunrunner or shaygetz can advise you better than me. I know a little about steam engines and so forth. My experence is : I`ve lost quite a few dollars by not checking out what I bring in.Ouch LOL.

Tnx for showing us and have a good evening and a better sunday,sanepilot


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## ogaugenut (Dec 27, 2012)

Possibly a modified Strombecker kit? See http://www.collectair.com/strombecker2.html (scroll down)

Bill


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Looks like modified wood kits of European or UK descent. Somebody wanted them to run and got off to a good start using what looks to be a Marklin mechanism. Nice catch...won't take long and too much more work to get it all going---if it's Marklin, it would be 30v AC to turn it over.

The steam engine has really caught my eye. It looks to be cobbled together from Wilesco parts, not too old though judging from the black jacket on the steam chest, the whistle and gears appear to be Wilesco as well. It has a safety valve on it, it it pulls up easily with a little spring resistance, I see no reason it can't be fired up by someone who knows how to do it. That looks to be a 2 flame spirit burner...great Oogly Moogly, would I like to fire that up...because it's a bash and not a factory machine, value would be in the eye of the beholder. One would look at it as parts, others would keep it as is, the only thing that appears to be missing is the drive chain.

Nice catch...


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

shaygetz said:


> Looks like modified wood kits of European or UK descent. Somebody wanted them to run and got off to a good start using what looks to be a Marklin mechanism. Nice catch...won't take long and too much more work to get it all going---if it's Marklin, it would be 30v AC to turn it over.
> 
> The steam engine has really caught my eye. It looks to be cobbled together from Wilesco parts, not too old though judging from the black jacket on the steam chest, the whistle and gears appear to be Wilesco as well. It has a safety valve on it, it it pulls up easily with a little spring resistance, I see no reason it can't be fired up by someone who knows how to do it. That looks to be a 2 flame spirit burner...great Oogly Moogly, would I like to fire that up...because it's a bash and not a factory machine, value would be in the eye of the beholder. One would look at it as parts, others would keep it as is, the only thing that appears to be missing is the drive chain.
> 
> Nice catch...


Cool find, sometimes the wood was just sanded and sealed with something like varnish, leaving it to look like wood. Sometimes painted, I found some examples but none were what you have.
The little steam engine is a nice find too.:smilie_daumenpos:
I would definitely hang on to them and keep looking for info as to exactly what you have.

From searching I was also thinking a Strombecker kit for the train, but I could not find any pictures or reference for the one you have.

I found this, though it has no info as to who made it, it looks like the same thing but it is a steam roller. It is from the 1920's.










Shaygetz......maybe a Weeden toy from the 20's?








His for comparison,


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Awesome Ed....I knew the boiler and firebox weren't Wilesco...now we know the source. Someone did a fair job of combining a Weeden roller with Wilesco parts to come up with this.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

shaygetz said:


> Awesome Ed....I knew the boiler and firebox weren't Wilesco...now we know the source. Someone did a fair job of combining a Weeden roller with Wilesco parts to come up with this.


I don't know, you know more about these then me.
I found that through an internet search.

The first picture says combination of a steamroller and tractor. I wonder if back then you could have changed the front roller to wheels? It does have screws holding it in.

I wonder if it would fire up?:smokin::thumbsup:


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Electric motor*



mopac said:


> Isn't that a steam engine, not electrical engine, in the locomotive?
> Those are cool. I know nothing about them.


 Mopac;

No, it's an electric motor. You can see the motor's brushes in one photo, and wires. A working steam engine, like the separate farm tractor, would burn the wood model locomotive.

Traction Fan


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

big ed said:


> The first picture says combination of a steamroller and tractor. I wonder if back then you could have changed the front roller to wheels? It does have screws holding it in.
> 
> I wonder if it would fire up?:smokin::thumbsup:


I'm thinking it has been altered, as far as I know, Weeden only offered the roller--but--I've been wrong before... 

I'm aching to see if it will fire up....:thumbsup:


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