# Mystic Train Station



## Stillakid

So I have this Station, and was wondering about whether I should just leave it as it as(original paint), or do some modifications. 

It has some light rust on the base, ramp, and loading dock, that I do have to take care of. The walls have some scratches, and the roof also has some light rust spots. I need a flue for the roof(I could make one). I used some cleaning compound to get the color back on the sides of the building, and the colors are good. I have the door and hinge, and the 2 sliding doors. I have the windows, but they're in rough shape, so I ordered replacements.

The motor works great. Gears are all there. But I do need to find the player and record.

Thoughts/Suggestions?

Big Ed & TJ, you know what you two can do with your "Alien Green!":laugh::laugh:

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## Big Ed

I think the T man said it is hard to match that green they used back then.

Though the Alien green would look nice

By the way thanks for the link on the other thread. That guy has a nice selection of parts. Never seen that one before. 

Another for my 100,000 bookmark train folder.:laugh:

This link,
http://www.ttender.com/



edit.....,

I say go for it as you just can't paint the roof and leave the rest. Can you?


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## Reckers

Go for it! Who cares what color you make the roof?


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## tjcruiser

Nice! Is that AF/Gilbert?

Alright ... I know I'm gonna be the odd duck out, here, but ...

I LOVE the roof as is ... looks like an old copper roof with great patina. Can you mix up a few dabs of color-match, and touch-up the one or two bare spots?

I'd leave the building paint, too. I think it would jazz up a bit, though, if you could glue on (or magnet-strip on, maybe better) some antique / period-looking signs ... Coca Cola, some cigarette ad, etc. And, maybe add a little framed train timetable to one of the walls. And glue on a little pipe-style light over the doorway?

Does the roof overhang the building? I hope so.

Dumb/naive question ... Did this thing REALLY have a record that played station sounds ... "8:16 arriving on Track 21" and all that? How incredibly cool!

TJ


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## Big Ed

I changed my mind and like TJ's idea better.:thumbsup:


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## T-Man

You can try to clean it up with a polishing compound or rubbing compound. Don't remove too much. Try it on the underside first. Then use the acrylic floor nonwax if you don't want to paint.


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## Stillakid

T-Man, I'm leaning towards that. I did use some Turtle Polishing Compound/Scratch Remover, sparingly! The white and red is now very vivid and looks great. There are several deep scratchs and I may try to blend in some paint as a touch-up. The roof does overhang, and yes TJ, there's a record that goes in side and it functions much like the old victrolas with a replaceble needle and cone speaker It's driven by that motor. Pretty cool for 60 years ago


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## Stillakid

*TJ, go here!*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2V1VMZt64g&feature=related

And here are a few pics...........

The roof is "textured", has a "Crackled Finish" you sometimes see in antiquing books. 

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These pics are not my station!!!!


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## tjcruiser

Jim,

Thanks for the link. That is the COOLEST thing! I absolutely LOVE what some very bright people accomplished so long ago with what we would consider today "simple, old-school technology". E-units vs. modern diodes. Motors and records vs. IPods & mp3's. We think we've come such a long way, but have we ... really? Not so much, in many ways.

So ... some questions ...

Per that YouTube video ... Does engaging the station sound actually cause the train to stop and pause "automatically"? I thought I read that some old Lionel stations had a feature somewhere along that line of thinking.

I see the motor, and the worm gear ... all obvious. But where is the actual "record" or such? Is it a disc, like a conventional record, or is it a drum (maybe that yellow thing), like an old-fashioned Tom Edison thingy?

I would guess (???) that the silver cone-shaped thing is some sort of a diaphragm speaker?

(Note the nice two-panel doors and widows on those pics ... including a nice sliding door on the right-hand side.)

Clue us in ... inquiring minds are very, very curious!

Thanks!
TJ


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## Stillakid

*How it works!*

TJ, I hope these pics help.
The record is mounted on a turntable under the base.
The cone/needle/amplifier, drops down to a position that allows it to make contact with the record. For that period of time, pretty damn "High-Tech!":laugh:

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## tjcruiser

Jim,

Diagrams are quite clear. Pretty impressive old-school gizmo. Thanks for sharing all of the details. Good luck with the restoration!

TJ


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## Reckers

Jim, you realize you're going to have to invest in passenger coaches, now? *LOL*


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## Stillakid

Considering how hard it's gonna be to get all the station parts(reproducer is $40!), not for a while


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## Stillakid

Having found this option available, I just might give the whole station a, "Face Lift" and "Upgrade"

"We offered these many years ago, until they became unavailable.
Now they're back, "new and improved" !
Solid-state Talking Station units have returned, after an absence of several years! We have these in stock for the AF Station, for the prewar "Akoostikin" station, and for all 4 NOMA Station recordings. Only $29.95 each, including speaker, control button, and installation instructions."

Available thru;

http://www.portlines.com/HomepageMainFrame.htm

Pretty Cool


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## Reckers

Sounds like a good deal to me. Considering how scarce the needles, etc. are going to become in the future, upgrading now will buy years of use for your future generations.


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## Stillakid

If I go that route, maybe I can get T-Man to come up with something "Cool" to do with the 2 motors I have

What say you, T-Man? There are "2-Motors", and if you want, I'll send you one to "Tinker" with


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## Big Ed

Stillakid said:


> If I go that route, maybe I can get T-Man to come up with something "Cool" to do with the 2 motors I have
> 
> What say you, T-Man? There are "2-Motors", and if you want, I'll send you one to "Tinker" with


Just to let you know The T man is ignoring you because of all the three rail O gauge bashing going on.






No not really I think it is because he is on his way back home from California.:laugh:


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## Stillakid

*Mystic Update and Questions*

The base, ramp and loading dock have been stripped, sanded(lots of rust!), primed, and the loading dock & ramp, sprayed with Rustoleum Multicolor Texture. The textured paint gives it a finish, similar to those 3M non-skid tread strips. It's a grey on grey and I like how it looks.

The doors were a concern, but I took Bobs advice and used polishing compound(sparingly!), and was pleased with how they turned out

The base will be flat black so that It won't clash with the parking area I want to place it on.

What do you think of adding details to the structure? I rough clipped some pieces of wood and was thinking that it might be a nice touch around the doors and windows, painted gloss black. Once the structure is lit and the windows are all in place, it would perhaps give it some realism

I was also considering using the textured paint on the roof. Comments?
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## tjcruiser

Jim -

Wow ... WOW! Doors and windows looks GREAT, as does the "speckled" ramp ... I really like that finish.

OK ... now comes TJ's harsh 2-cents ...

I'm not crazy about the wood trim around the doors / windows. I think it detracts from what is otherwise a very traditional tin-toy look and feel. That said, (and per my 2-cents up above), I think the overall building would look great if you could add some period vintage advertisment signs to the walls, a train time table, etc. Maybe an old-fashioned light above the entrace door. All of these could be magnet-adhered, if you didn't want to damage the original finish.

As far as the roof is concerned ... I really like that old crackle finish. However, it's clear that the roof has some stains and some missing paint. If you have a new paint that can create a speckled or textured finish (akin to the ramp) that echoes that same copper-patina color, then I'm 100% onboard with you for a repaint here.

OK ... maybe that was 3-cents worth of input ... sorry!

TJ


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## Reckers

Jim,

I think it looks great. If you want tgo to the trouble to make lighting for it, I have an article for you to look at: http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3681097934/m/144108443?r=847103543#847103543


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## tjcruiser

Excellent hand-made lights ... would look great over the door! (OK ... I'll stop armchair restoring now ...)


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## Reckers

Aren't they? I plan to build a very simple, covered boarding-platform at some point. I have those in mind for illuminating it.


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## Stillakid

TJ, thanks for the input. I'm not a, "Purist" I tend to go more towards the visual. Looking at the station and knowing that I'm not going to make it, "Perfect", gives me license to add some fun, some texture and perhaps even realism. I guess I should have never used the term, "Restore" when decribing what I might do. 

I do value your input, I just might not be inclined to go in that direction
(you know us "S" guys are a bit, "Off!") LOL!


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## tjcruiser

Jim,

No worries ... this is your baby ... run with it!

TJ


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