oace
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Posts: 241
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Post by oace on Apr 25, 2024 21:59:57 GMT
A tiny French one... That I bought today for 77 Euros on eBay.fr, including shipping (no import duties or heavy shipping costs, this time : we stay in France !). Pictures from the seller's auction, as is, right out from the attic, but functional :  This is a LR little locomotive (LR stands for " Louis Roussy", the founder of that brand of toy trains, that he called " Le Rapide") that we had 30 years ago, and which was much loved by my childrens, hauling two or three small cars full of Playmobils, LEGOs or other stuff. This little engine showed an amazing speed and agility, rushing like a rocket along the track, never derailling and making spectacular slides when the power supply was turned off prompty. Much fun ! As if she wanted to thank us to have rescued her from trash and restored...  Perhaps, her French nickname "La Montagnarde" (The Mountain Girl) was due to her surprising agility and ability to hold on the track... My children called her "La Trottinette" (The Scooter). I hope that specimen - totally similar to the one we had - will thank us too for the TLC we should devote to her... Oh, OK : for the price paid, I did not take excessive risks for this Tiny Tinplate Piece of Nostalgia !  Wait and See !  OACE |
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Post by healey36 on Apr 26, 2024 0:11:26 GMT
A sharp little locomotive, what might be called a "steeple cab" over here. Looks like fun.
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oace
Full Member
Posts: 241
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Post by oace on Apr 27, 2024 21:05:01 GMT
A sharp little locomotive, what might be called a "steeple cab" over here. Looks like fun. Yes ! In France, what you call a "steeple cab" (Cabine Clocher, in French) locomotive is called "Boîte à Sel" (Salt Box). Below a typical French example of "Boîte à Sel" from JEP ( Jou Et de Paris, circa 1920), bigger than my LR "La Montagnarde" :  And the real thing, at the Gare d'Austerlitz, in Paris : /image%2F6317746%2F20211023%2Fob_fb1600_boite-a-sel-carte-postale-didier-jan.JPG) I think that the US equivalent of "La Montagnarde" would possibly be the Lionel 150 series :   OACE
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oace
Full Member
Posts: 241
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Post by oace on May 10, 2024 21:32:17 GMT
Today : restoration of "La Montagnarde"... Dismantling : very easy, the motor can be completely disassembled with a screwdriver and a span. No special tools needed...  - all mechanic parts have been degreased, cleaned, polished if needed. - rewiring of the electrical circuit. - cleaning / polishing of all contacts : spoon, collector, direction switch, brushes, brush holders. - reduction of the lateral backlash of the wheel and rotor axles. - flattening of the collector which was warped. - lubrication with high speed ball bearing grease.  Test run :  Final reassembly : I just cleaned the cab with hot water and soap... I'll see later for paint touches, if doable...  OACE |
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Post by Adam on May 10, 2024 23:23:15 GMT
Very nice!!
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oace
Full Member
Posts: 241
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Post by oace on May 11, 2024 19:10:47 GMT
A DIY-custom-made box for a safe storage of this little engine...  Oh, I am tempted to refinish this little locomotive in Daphne Blue body plus Olympic White (Aged or not) roof :    I'm sure that I will treated as an Heretic - at least by French collectors ! OACE |
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Post by runamuckchuck on May 12, 2024 0:58:47 GMT
Oh silly me, I was hoping for a thread on Bridgette Bardot based upon the thread title.
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oace
Full Member
Posts: 241
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Post by oace on May 12, 2024 10:02:39 GMT
Oh silly me, I was hoping for a thread on Bridgette Bardot based upon the thread title. A Tinplate Brigitte Bardot... O gauge, of course - HO is not worth ! But steam or Electric ?  OACE
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Post by Adam on May 12, 2024 11:28:22 GMT
Definitely steam!!
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oace
Full Member
Posts: 241
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Post by oace on Jun 29, 2024 18:01:04 GMT
I tried to improve the original finish condition by green "Sharpie Touch-Ups" here and there. OK : it's not premium, but it's better looking than bare metal, and it's a provisory solution before I could find the exact tint paint for final touch-ups :  In the meantime, I have found for 30 Euros another "La Montagnarde" in much poored cosmetic condition, but functional and in need of restoration :  So I will try to refinish her in a fancy, not original colors - think Daphne Blue and Olympic White... The job is on : stripping and anti-rust treatment primer...  Wait an See ! OACE
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Post by healey36 on Jun 30, 2024 10:44:22 GMT
Looking forward to seeing this after its respray...gonna be great!
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oace
Full Member
Posts: 241
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Post by oace on Jul 2, 2024 19:12:22 GMT
Looking forward to seeing this after its respray...gonna be great! The paint is drying... I did the job with a brush with Glycerophtalic paint for metal : minimum 24 hours of drying between layers.  OACE
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oace
Full Member
Posts: 241
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Post by oace on Jul 8, 2024 20:38:26 GMT
The painting job is progressing... As best it can !  Doing a fine and lasting paint job needs skills and knowledges that I do not have... OACE |
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Post by Country Joe on Jul 9, 2024 20:21:05 GMT
It looks great, OACE! I like the colors.
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oace
Full Member
Posts: 241
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Post by oace on Jul 10, 2024 8:38:24 GMT
It looks great, OACE! I like the colors. Thanks @country Joe ! As usual with me on such paint work, the paint is not resistant... I even wonder if it is worth to put a final coating on it to try to harden it...  OACE
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