# Bethlehem Steel O gauge



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Bethlehem Steel work train. (with PRR helper cars and a few others mixed in.)

Looks like I caught an Orb floating around by the box.:thumbsup:


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Sweet...

"Mork calling Orson...come in Orson..."


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

K line Engine








Lionel flat pipe car









Lionel flat car with steel beams









Lionel 200 ton 12 wheel Crane









PRR work car


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

BS work car










Lionel light ton work crane









PRR supply work car









Lionel Work light generator car


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

Big Ed, as I see more and more of your collection, I wonder how you ever leave the room! Incredible workmanship!


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Great stuff! Especially the cranes!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Thank you both.

Choo Choo 
(bless me:laugh 

Asked to post some pictures.

I finally bought something else then a train.
I got a 14mp 30 optical zoom camera coming in at the end of the month.:appl:

Maybe I can get some decent pictures with it.

My little 2mp isn't cutting it anymore. I bought it back when 2 mp's were going for $300 bucks.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Big Ed,

Boy, that Beth Steel collection is gorgeous ... super crisp detailing. Thanks for sharing!

TJ


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Ed... Your layout engines and rolling stock are *ALL* simply *AWESOME*!  :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

You know, that's the *fun* of being an adult... you can *have *what you could only *dream* about as a kid... 


Greg


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Big Ed, I gotta ask ... What's your connection / attraction to Beth Steel? Work? Family history?

Just curious,

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Big Ed, I gotta ask ... What's your connection / attraction to Beth Steel? Work? Family history?
> 
> Just curious,
> 
> TJ



Don't know?

I get obsessed over the littlest of things.
I only got around 7 or 8 or 9 Bethlehem Steel pieces. maybe 10 or 11?:laugh:

I grew up in Bethlehem Steel territory. Used to be a tank building division 4 blocks away.
Most of the big bridges were built with the steel that came from them. including George Washington and Golden Gate bridges.
Some of the buildings,
Chrysler Building
Empire State Building ( large structural only.)
Madison Square Garden
Merchandise Mart
Rockefeller Center
Alcatraz Island
The steel in these Dams were from them too,
Bonneville Dam
Grand Coulee Dam
Hoover Dam

Bethlehem Steel was also one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the world and one of the most powerful symbols of American industrial manufacturing leadership. Bethlehem Steel's demise is often cited as one of the most prominent examples of the U.S. economy's shift away from industrial manufacturing and its inability to compete with cheap foreign labor.:thumbsdown:

Bethlehem Steel used to symbolize one of the ways what America manufacturing used to be.

But I am not going to start about what America stands for to day.
It's a shame what we have become!
Politics,politics!

And if I type anymore about it all I will do is raise my blood pressure which is high enough.


Plus I guess it's not a post for a RR site.


That's all I got to say on that subject.:smokin:


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Big Ed,

I hear ya ... and I sing (cry?) that same "what happened to America?" song myself.

I'm in the marine industry ... not much large-scale ships built here in the US anymore. Smaller stuff, maybe ... but those are often aluminum or composite.

I'll have to dust off some history reading, but my recollection is that the story of steel going into the Empire State Building is one of the most impressive "Yeah, we can get 'er done" stories of American technological know-how. Am I right that the ENTIRE building was framed in something like 10 months? Steel cast in Pennsyvania was STILL HOT when it arrived in NYC. Could you imagine erecting a building like that today in 10 months? Impossible ... not with all of our beaurocracy, unions, etc.

Chrysler building is an interesting story, too ... Didn't they hide the spire inside the building (to avoid giving away hints about the building's ultimate height), and then raise it up as an intact sub-assembly at the last minute? Stealth spire!

I took a behind-the-scene engineer's tour of Hoover Dam some years ago ... dam structure, culverts, turbines, generators, etc. ... absolutely incredible. Talk about a "get 'er done" project. They did. Wonderfully.

Thanks for the sidebar ... It's always fun to share one's interests, background, etc.

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I remember going out boat riding in the NY harbor when the trade centers were going up.
Every week they got a little taller and taller.
I was wondering if they were going to reach the top.

I wonder where the steel came from for them?

I found this on that question a copy and paste,

Construction work began on the North Tower in August 1968 with construction beginning on the South Tower by January 1969. In January 1967, $74 million in contracts were awarded to the Pacific Car and Foundry Company, Laclede Steel Company, Granite City Steel Company, and Karl Koch Erecting Company to supply steel for the project. The Port Authority chose to use many different steel suppliers, bidding on smaller portions of steel, rather than buy larger amounts from a single source such as Bethlehem Steel or U.S. Steel as a cost-saving measure.

I know Bethlehem Steel provided just the biggest steel in the Empire state building. But I know their steel was all over in a lot of stuff.

US steel was big too.
Carnegie Steel Company,started in the 1800's who sold out to US Steel.

I don't know much of the history about the rest of the buildings.


That's it, no more from me now.

I know everyone hates history lessons unless it's about trains. And then there's some who don't even like that.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

That was some interesting reading, guys---thanks for taking the time to type and share it. Ed, keep that BP down and take care of yourself, okay? Now, here's a question---something interesting I learned recently. Atop the Empire State Building, there is a tall, vertical shaft. Why is it there?


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

It has a five and a half meter spire that the building's owners planned to use as a dirigible mooring line.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I think that's right. The game plan was to use the spire as a mooring /access point for dirigibles. As far as I recall, they tried it just once, and then realized that "life at 1400 ft" was a lot more scary than they had initially thought!

TJ


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Very good! Yep, the uppermost part of the tower was to be a sort of mini-airport for dirigibles---the pole is a mast to which they were to be tethered. Can you imagine climbing down a flimsy gangway in high winds or a winter storm, 1200 feet up with New York's friendly streets ready to catch you if you slip? BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

"Honey ... we're here, safe and sound. After you ... you go first ... I insist! I'll grab the bags in the back."


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

*LOL* One good shove and "Ole'!!!" Honey, I'll meet you down at the street!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Reckers said:


> *LOL* One good shove and "Ole'!!!" Honey, I'll meet you down at the street!



I all ways thought it was there for KING KONG to hold onto.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I added to my Bethlehem Steel train.



















I purchased the first 3 cars on the train.

Lionel #3620 All metal chassis.:thumbsup:









Sparrows Point Ore car.
Anyone see something wrong with this car?








Lionel # 2555 
all metal. Bethlehem Steel:thumbsup:









I think these have been posted, but I took a few new pictures.

























Lionel #2460


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Ed,

Beautiful collection / grouping. That crane car is still my favorite. They could all use some graffiti, though. (Dohh! Kidding, of course!!!)

Brake wheel missing on the hopper??? Looks perfect, otherwise.

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Ed,
> 
> Beautiful collection / grouping. That crane car is still my favorite. They could all use some graffiti, though. (Dohh! Kidding, of course!!!)
> 
> ...


Nope only one brake wheel on the ore car.

Eagle eye Ed saw it right away.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Number of ladder steps on front/back are different?

Something with the load/capacity tags? (Though hard to read on the computer pic.)

???


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Number of ladder steps on front/back are different?
> 
> Something with the load/capacity tags? (Though hard to read on the computer pic.)
> 
> ???



Nope...I guess it is not that obvious as I thought it was.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Could be in the legends, but they're too hard to actually read.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Trucks are different than the other Bethlehem rolling stock. Is that what you're talking about???


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Could be in the legends, but they're too hard to actually read.


Nope



tjcruiser said:


> Trucks are different than the other Bethlehem rolling stock. Is that what you're talking about???


Nope


I guess if no one can see it it is not obvious.hwell:
Just to me.
I will keep it a secret unless someone has eagle eyes and identify's it.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Per your hint (other thread), if I had to be anal, I'd say that the "Sparrows Point Plant" tag is slightly crooked.

Picky, picky, picky ...

(You asked!!!)

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Per your hint (other thread), if I had to be anal, I'd say that the "Sparrows Point Plant" tag is slightly crooked.
> 
> Picky, picky, picky ...
> 
> ...



Nope that is just from the rivets, that is OK, (I think I will have to look again when I go back down.)

But....your on the right track! 
Smoke is pouring out of your stack.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I surrender ...


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I picked up a couple of Bethlehem Steel yard lights a while back from RMT.

I found a flatbed with 2 machines on it the other day for $10 bucks on e bay. $4.98 to ship.


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## Patrick1544 (Apr 27, 2013)

Nice set up Ed. Got a lot of nice pieces. Oh, watch that Orb!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I have one picture that I took in the dungeon that looks like my old bird (Big Bird) that I had for around 24 years flying around. The bird is gone now, it looks like a smoky flying skeleton with a parrot like head flying around.

Next time I am in my external hard drive that is filled with pictures I will see if I can find it.
Strange.....very strange. But Big Bird was my Buddy for a long time.  Wouldn't let me sit sit her on a train. Almost took my finger off when I tried once and wouldn't stop yelling at me for 15 mins. 
She did like to sit there and watch them, she tried to imitate the sounds the trains made too. Did the whistle fairly good she did. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Ed, I haven't see this thread before. Real cool, Luke. Real cool! I would check that orb out though. Could be feedback from a government listening device. almost forgot to mention the lights are awesome, especially the gooseneck ladder.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Those are RMT lights.

Post #162 here, http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=3529

Orbs must follow me around. :dunno:


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

Those lights are fantastic. I covet them.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

A shot of the other side of the lights.


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

What are they specifically? Do you know the number? They are really great.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Nice! They are cool! And Btw cool hand Luke was on cable this week, who knew! Any cut off parking meters on your llayout?( I'mllimited in my expressions by the ads)


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

mnp13 said:


> What are they specifically? Do you know the number? They are really great.


Yes I answered and provided a link in Karen's windmill thread on the 27th. (Of this month)

Here, 
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showpost.php?p=237465&postcount=13

Like I said in my reply (above link) RMT said they will have new ones in the beginning of the new year, but that is what they said about the water towers and they did not get them till the following August. They are emptying their warehouse to make room for more, but I think they are moving to another warehouse. They were joined by Aristo trains a few years ago but now Aritso is going out of business, Walter from RMT says his business will carry on.


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

big ed said:


> Yes I answered and provided a link in Karen's windmill thread on the 27th. (Of this month)
> 
> Here,
> http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showpost.php?p=237465&postcount=13


Oops, sorry I missed that response. But I was talking about the "street lamps" the are off white with a "Christmas tree" bulb on them.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

OH...You don't like my yard lights. 
( I still like your tiger cat)


Those are Lionel #58 Lamps. Prewar was made 1922-1942.
Postwar was made again #58 1946-1950.

The prewars were made in ten different colors some go for a good buck.
If you watch them on e bay they all get a good buck. I would have to count mine but I think I have around 15 of the lights. I paid just a little over a $100 for all of them. (that is with shipping too)
It took a while but I refused to pay over a certain price a piece for these. I have seen a single lamp get $50 bucks and it was not in new shape either, watch some and you will see. Mine are missing a little paint, but they all work, I think I will leave them as is for now.
If you look at the size of them they are a bit big but then look at the crossing gates they made too.

A link for you.

http://www.tandem-associates.com/lionel/lionel_trains_58_acc.htm


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## mnp13 (Aug 22, 2013)

big ed said:


> OH...You don't like my yard lights.
> ( I still like your tiger cat)


Oh, your yard lights are just wonderful, no worries. 




big ed said:


> Those are Lionel #58 Lamps. Prewar was made 1922-1942.
> Postwar was made again #58 1946-1950.
> 
> The prewars were made in ten different colors some go for a good buck.
> ...


I looked them up on ebay - you weren't kidding on prices! ouch!!

But I'm going to keep an eye on them, never know when you can sneak a deal, 15 for $100 isn't too bad though.

There's a #75 as well.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

The #75 is early 60's.

I looked a what I paid for the one lot it was 10 lamps #58, $71.56 won it with free shipping. For some reason no one was bidding or even looking? The seller had excellent feedback, I don't know why others didn't bid. :dunno:
The others, 3 were picked up for $21.77 & $5.98 to ship. One I got in a lot of junk. And one my bro in law got from the dump. So it is a little over $100 for them.

But you have to watch, I have seen single lamps (#58) go for around $75 bucks! I don't know why.

The batch of 10 I lucked out and was on e bay at the right time. Whenever I log on I pick the ending soonest pick and that had very little time to go and no bids. ( I think it was $50 to start). So I waited till the last few seconds and bid my $75.68 or something like that and only one other bidder bid and I lucked it out as I was a little higher then them.

If you watch the Lionel #442 they get a good buck too. It took me almost a year but I got mine for $71.00. It was the same thing not too many looking or bidding, I took it manually clicking at the last 2 seconds. 

Here,
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=4127&


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

sjm9911 said:


> Nice! They are cool! And Btw cool hand Luke was on cable this week, who knew! Any cut off parking meters on your llayout?( I'mllimited in my expressions by the ads)


They are nice lights just a tad too big, like most of the other accessories they made back then.

I been meaning to ask......."Any cut off parking meters on your layout?" 
HUH?


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

In the beginning of cool hand Luke, he was arrested for cutting the heads off of parking meters. You see him cut one off and they pan down the street and you only see parking meter posts, no meters.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

sjm9911 said:


> In the beginning of cool hand Luke, he was arrested for cutting the heads off of parking meters. You see him cut one off and they pan down the street and you only see parking meter posts, no meters.



I think I only saw it once.....and it was a LONG time ago.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Watch it again, it a good movie.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I had a laser kit of Bethlehem Steel signs for a while now. 
I forgot I had them and saw them being offered on e bay. A bell went off in my head saying hey I have those, I think. I looked through some boxes and found them. :thumbsup:

I cut them out and painted them up, added one to the roof of the roundhouse and one to my loading rack I made. Some pictures a bit blurry, as normal too large?hwell: They are not large until I upload them.:dunno:
Hit the control and minus sign one time it will bring them down. Sorry  You might have to click it twice to bring these down. I have asked for an easy way to re-size numerous times here, I don't like Photobucket. That is the only reply I get use Photobucket. I will research it...maybe....one of these years. hwell: I think my problem is in my camera settings? Both my cameras?:dunno: 
A windstorm blew a tree over by the telephone booth, repair crew on their way.
































I took one shot with no lights on at all and did not use flash to see how it looked. It is dark in the dungeon with no lights on during the day. Lights it up pretty good if I don't say so myself. :thumbsup: I have more lights to hookup yet. 













I took and overall shot, tried to that is. I should have got out all my Bethlehem Steel stuff and added to the table. A lot of things are not attached permanently yet. Some will never be attached. I still am moving things around. 

I have a lot more in boxes to add, and a lot I forgot about. I just got to figure out where. I made a watchtower the other night, you can just see it back by the wall under CNJ sign on the wall. After I made it I found another in a different color.  I guess I could add 2 on the table? I made the little freight station back there the other night too, you can just see it by the red yard light back towards the ROCK's chalk mountain, I found another one of those too. I wonder what else I have 2 of?
To the right you can just about see where it is going to run over to the other side of the basement. I am stuck on the return loop over there. Not really enough room I have to leave room for a 4x8 N scale table I am planning. I was planning to put it somehow under the O loop. Maybe put some wheels on it so I can move it easy.


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## icolectto (Nov 28, 2012)

Big Ed,

Really nice layout ! !


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

icolectto said:


> Big Ed,
> 
> Really nice layout ! !



Thanks, almost nothing is finished. 
Little (very,) little, piece by piece, I get something done.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Looking good ed! Hows the expansion going? The one down the back wall?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

icolectto said:


> Big Ed,
> 
> Really nice layout ! !


Thanks more below. Got booted off the net for a while!



sjm9911 said:


> Looking good ed! Hows the expansion going? The one down the back wall?


I ran into a dead end on the return loop.
I have some more crummy pictures here it shows what I am trying to expand to.
I think I posted these before, I have the David Stockwell Bridge mounted on the wall over there.
Back to the gear jamming tomorrow, I will grab some shots down there after I clear the spider webs off. 

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=2473


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

No progress since then! Your getting like me, or me you,. Oh well. Chalk it up to a labor strike! Unfortunately , the labourers are us!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Testing picture size, I think I found my problem in the camera.

The run down the wall. Nothing permanent right now. I don't even think I have all the pins in but it runs down to the trestle.....a dead end right now.










Yes much better now!:thumbsup:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

A small piece of Bethlehem Steel memorabilia.












Zoomed in.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Looks looks a lot of fun Ed!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Nice turntable!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Nice turntable!


It is too white, plus I think it would look better if it was set down into the table.
Plus they have problems,


http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=12622&highlight=atlas+turntable

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=17048&highlight=atlas+turntable

There are nicer ones on the market, (at least there used to be) but the price tags are out of this world. I am unwilling to blow $1600 bucks on a turntable. 

Plus they take up a lot of space, I wished I could have added longer entry tracks but I didn't have the space.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It's easy to paint the TT a different color. It would look good darker. It is a pretty nice size.


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