|
|
 Posted - December 30 2017 : 02:14:16 AM
|
Yesterday I was able to acquire, through trade and purchase and several hours of waiting in traffic on I-95, a stack of rare and unusual freight car kits, some of which date back to the 1940s and 50s. A few were started, but many were totally unbuilt and brand new. A couple of them have not even been unpacked whatsoever in over 60 years, and still have all the tissue paper and parts arranged just so! Many of them I will probably attempt to build, with a couple exceptions.
This is one of them.
For those who have never heard of them--which is probably most of us!--Megow's was a company that made wood kits in the 1930s and 40s. While more famous for their airplane kits, one of their other products was a line of cardstock-side HO scale freight car kits. They had the distinction of being the very first company to produce car kits in HO scale, beginning in 1934. To my knowledge, over the ensuing few months they were joined by Varney, Walthers, and a man named George Stock as the first pioneers to sell products in this new scale. However, when Fred Megow's stores of balsa wood were requisitioned by the government during the war, the company was in bad enough financial condition that they closed down in 1949.
Due mostly to a mystery box sent to me a year ago which happened to contain a perfectly preserved time capsule of a single modeler's fleet of mainly Megow cars, dating to just before WWII, I have taken to collecting Megow's kits. I have about half of the cars they offered, out of which two other cars have their original boxes. However, I never expected to find anything like this.
This is the original Megow Tank Car issued 1935, brand new in its box. I have only seen two other examples of Megow's earliest HO kits, with the black and white box design, for sale online. As that box contained three other mostly-assembled examples of this very simple wood and card Gulf Oil tank car, and I've since recovered a fourth one from a barn, I have plenty of material with which I can savor the experience of 1930s modeling. As such, this will remain unbuilt for future generations. It is the oldest intact, unstarted HO scale kit that I know to exist, and since the scale only became popularly available a year before, I wonder how many are still out there of this age.
But enough talking about my little old tank car. I invite everyone to share their oldest kits and cars here as well! There's gotta be some crusty old survivors on people's "I'll build it eventually" shelves! Let's see what we've all hoarded for the last few decades 
The end flap was damaged but some kind soul made sure it stayed in the box.
The kit itself, complete with totally fossilized tube of black paint!
The back of the box shows all the cars that were initially offered by Megow.
The best part? I found it still sitting on the shelves of a model train shop, just as it once was 82 years ago!
--CRC
Edited by - PRR 4800 on December 30 2017 02:18:23 AM
|
Country:  USA ~
Posts: 930 ~
Member Since: January 25 2012 ~
Last Visit: August 23 2023
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 30 2017 : 7:41:24 PM
|
A piece of "The True Cross," as it is sometimes said. These early
on pieces of HO are from a time when this was cutting edge. Great
thread- I have a few pieces of my father's and will post them here.
Has to do with a Zephyr.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 11628 ~
Member Since: December 09 2013 ~
Last Visit: February 26 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 31 2017 : 03:45:39 AM
|
| Dang. If I (knowingly) found something of that Age and condition andrarity, I think I'd look for a good Museum that could preserve it. I know there's at least one Toy Train Museum out there. Some railroad museums also have a selection of model trains that are kept as part of the artifact collection, to show the influence of railroads on everyday home life. Perhaps something to consider in the future someday. Nice find!
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 189 ~
Member Since: March 07 2012 ~
Last Visit: February 16 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 31 2017 : 09:02:35 AM
|
Wow - that is an amazing find PRR 4800!! Definitely, when kept unassembled, the tank car is like a time capsule -- preserved for 82 years. 
Oldest kit....well, I have all pre-manufactured HO-Scale, and N-Scale cars, but the oldest kit (which I have tried to assemble, with very little luck from the motor) is this unpainted Mantua RF-16A Sharknose kit, with original box, circa the 1950s. I still need to get that motor working properly.....
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rp_model_railroads/
Edited by - RP model railroads on December 31 2017 09:05:27 AM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 4669 ~
Member Since: August 11 2017 ~
Last Visit: July 20 2023
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 31 2017 : 8:57:02 PM
|
| How old is that Shark, RP?
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 11628 ~
Member Since: December 09 2013 ~
Last Visit: February 26 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - January 01 2018 : 07:36:50 AM
|
quote:How old is that Shark, RP?
Originally posted by Chops124Â -Â December 31 2017Â :Â 8:57:02 PM
|
Well, considering that it most likely is from 1953 (as assumed from the info presented here- http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7544), roughly 65 years old!
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rp_model_railroads/
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 4669 ~
Member Since: August 11 2017 ~
Last Visit: July 20 2023
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - January 15 2018 : 9:09:44 PM
|
Wow, I'm not sure I've heard of Megow before now. Neat historical piece, and thanks for sharing the history knowledge with the rest of us ignorant brethen of the HO Order. Can't say as how I've got any super-old kits , I do have a few Globe, Varney, and Mantua kits from the 50's and 60's. Somewhere.... since I work at a model train shop, I've seen some old stuff come through, but nothing THIS old yet. But you never know, Grandpa dies, and the family doesn't want his ol' trains, so sometimes they show up at the shop. I've gotten some good stuff over the past few years there. Glad you posted this maker, great post !
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 3974 ~
Member Since: January 04 2009 ~
Last Visit: January 11 2019
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - January 15 2018 : 11:31:30 PM
|
| I paid for the extra access to the MR archives last year. It's amazing the early companies that were around, Megow being but one. I'm developing an appreciation for this early HO. Love to see more of your collection PRR
|
Country:  Canada ~
Posts: 429 ~
Member Since: January 01 2013 ~
Last Visit: April 14 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - January 18 2018 : 5:04:19 PM
|
Aw man I'm gonna have to dig through my apartment when I get out of classes tonight and find some more old stuff to show you guys. One loco in particular sticks out but I'll have to save that for LOTW!
--CRC
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 930 ~
Member Since: January 25 2012 ~
Last Visit: August 23 2023
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - January 19 2018 : 01:54:21 AM
|
Oh, oh, Dan. This is how it starts...a developing appreciation, then
BLAMO- down the slope we go.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 11628 ~
Member Since: December 09 2013 ~
Last Visit: February 26 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - January 19 2018 : 07:33:39 AM
|
Mike
|
|
Country: Canada ~
Posts: 1586 ~
Member Since: December 07 2007 ~
Last Visit: February 20 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - January 20 2018 : 09:39:27 AM
|
Interesting thread, while no longer a kit here is my contribution...
The Varney Carbonic Ice Reefer car....
The first advertisement in Model Railroader magazine for this kit appeared in the December 1941 issue.
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
Edited by - Srenchin on January 20 2018 09:42:56 AM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 821 ~
Member Since: December 26 2009 ~
Last Visit: February 26 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
 Posted - January 20 2018 : 3:21:39 PM
|
hey Srenchin
my dad has a Liquid sign he took off a Liquid cooler hehe
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 14999 ~
Member Since: February 23 2009 ~
Last Visit: February 28 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Forum Admins & Mods
Register
