Rare model train collection donated to Queensland Muesuem after being kept in secret. - Polidicks

[QUOTE]A secret collection of model trains that needed its own house in southern New South Wales and came with a staff bound by confidentiality agreements is being documented at the Workshops Rail Museum, west of Brisbane. Some 11,000 pieces — including locomotives that have working lights or can billow smoke — have been donated to the Ipswich museum. That represents about half the collection from the estate of late Wollongong businessman Marsden Williams. Workshops curator Dr Geraldine Mate said the museum usually focused on Queensland rail history, but that this was a collection they could not pass up. [/QUOTE] [URL]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-28/rare-model-train-collection-donated-ipswich-museum/8100116[/URL] Pictures of the collection can be found here: [url]http://www.collections.qm.qld.gov.au/search.do?highlight=66[/url]

Was just watching a video about this. Very impressive, actually!

I wish it listed a scale. I, being a model railroader, am insanely curious. I'm assuming O-gauge but one never knows.

Impressive though this is, the thing that really struck me about this article was 'Dr Mate'. How Aussie.

[QUOTE=TestECull;51599214]I wish it listed a scale. I, being a model railroader, am insanely curious. I'm assuming O-gauge but one never knows.[/QUOTE] I'm thinking G-Scale, could be a custom scale as well. I'm wondering why the guy kept it such a tight secret though...he even had his staff sign NDAs about it. Probably for security, because model trains can go for a lot of money, defiantly with the bigger scales like O and G, defiantly if they're made out of brass which could make people want to steal and resale them(if you don't believe me take a good look at Lionel's online store or even EBAY, you could buy a used car for what they ask for some of their trains) as well as people being dicks and going in and destroying it, and just stopping people from trying to snoop around to get a look at it. [T]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Train_scale_4-4-0.JPG[/T] The museum said they're going to post pictures of the collection on their website, but so far they haven't. NVM I found it, adding it to the OP right now. It's O-scale.

Do they plan on displaying it in action? That could be an insanely impressive piece if they gave it it's own room with a big custom setup. I seem to recall a museum in Germany that had a set of miniature airports setup in a way that could be really cool if this was similar.

[QUOTE=Zombii;51599567]Do they plan on displaying it in action? That could be an insanely impressive piece if they gave it it's own room with a big custom setup. I seem to recall a museum in Germany that had a set of miniature airports setup in a way that could be really cool if this was similar.[/QUOTE] That would be the Miniature Wonderland in Hamburg and that's more of a tourist attraction than a museum I believe. But as far as I know they're not planning on putting it on public display.

[QUOTE=Bbarnes005;51599478]I'm thinking G-Scale[/quote] Could be one of five scales running on G-gauge track :v: [quote] because model trains can go for a lot of money, defiantly with the bigger scales like O and G, defiantly if they're made out of brass which could make people want to steal and resale them(if you don't believe me take a good look at Lionel's online store or even EBAY, you could buy a used car for what they ask for some of their trains)[/quote] Oh I know it well. I model in N-scale and, even with that tiny-ass shit, people gouge the everloving fuck out of us if they think they can get away with it. A freight car scarcely longer than a credit card will often end up selling for north of 40 bucks for some bizarre reason, just for example, and despite the same exact car with the same roadname being available three listings down for a fourth of that, [b]people still buy the pricey one[/b]. Idungeddit. Is it just because model railroaders are often older folks with sizeable pensions that just don't have any fucks left to give? [quote] NVM I found it, adding it to the OP right now. It's O-scale.[/QUOTE] Yah that's what I thought. O is one of the oldest and most common in the hobby.

[QUOTE=TestECull;51602530]Could be one of five scales running on G-gauge track :v: Oh I know it well. I model in N-scale and, even with that tiny-ass shit, people gouge the everloving fuck out of us if they think they can get away with it. A freight car scarcely longer than a credit card will often end up selling for north of 40 bucks for some bizarre reason, just for example, and despite the same exact car with the same roadname being available three listings down for a fourth of that, [b]people still buy the pricey one[/b]. Idungeddit. Is it just because model railroaders are often older folks with sizeable pensions that just don't have any fucks left to give? Yah that's what I thought. O is one of the oldest and most common in the hobby.[/QUOTE] I model N-Scale as well, where do you get your rail cars? I pay between $8 and $20 bucks for all of my freight cars. And about $89.99 for a locomotive.

[QUOTE=jangalomph;51602671]I model N-Scale as well, where do you get your rail cars? I pay between $8 and $20 bucks for all of my freight cars. And about $89.99 for a locomotive.[/QUOTE] HO is hell because it's at that perfect size where you can fit a real good sized layout on a 4 x 8 but also the perfect size for cars to be $20 and engines to be $120

[QUOTE=jangalomph;51602671]I model N-Scale as well, where do you get your rail cars? I pay between $8 and $20 bucks for all of my freight cars. And about $89.99 for a locomotive.[/QUOTE] eBay, primarily. If you ignore all the overpriced shit you can find some good deals. I just bought an MTL 89' TOFC for 10 bucks shipped, which is gonna carry a 3D Printed M65 Atomic Cannon when Shapeways gets it to me. You just have to learn the tricks to filtering out all the overpriced dreck. Only time I ever spend more than $15 on a freightcar it's because it's either A: Something big and articulated, like the $35 I dropped on an Atlas articulated auto-rack, or it's something so unusual and rare that you're never gonna find it for less, such as the pewter 200-ton flatcars I'm gonna be buying as the railway I'm modelling is a historic one that would need such equipment for shipping undriveable/untowable steam locomotives to their shops for restoration. If you're up for living with Rapido couplers you can often get freightcars for five a piece. I'm....trying to move away from those, but even still, buy that, buy a pair of MTL or Atlas trucks with knuckle couplers, you're still doing better than a lot of people on a per-car basis. If you spend enough time on spookshow.net you can get good quality locomotives off eBay for a song, too. Or if you're willing to tinker. My 4-8-4 Northern may be a 40 year old relic and the worst revision Bachmann produced, but I have my specific example singing like a very noisy swiss watch. And I only paid $40 for it. Got a Life Like EMD E8A undec for the same price BNIB, too. I did eat a pretty penny on my Atlas 2-6-0 Mogul, but those seem to be quite rare indeed. Currently I cannot find any at all, and it runs like absolute pleasure, so I don't feel bad about dropping nearly $120 on it. [QUOTE=mcgrath618;51602722]HO is hell because it's at that perfect size where you can fit a real good sized layout on a 4 x 8 but also the perfect size for cars to be $20 and engines to be $120[/QUOTE] Idunno about that, N scale fits on 4x8 sheets a bit better. Half the reason I went with N was the amount of trackage I could get on a 4x8 sheet + the amount of scenery I could fit around it. Those prices sound quite familiar though :v: On a basis of 'how much stuff we get per unit of rolling stock' HO modellers win out over N modellers every time. Same spend, significantly more material for more detailed trains. They just need more space to move around is all~

Just out of curiosity, what is the attraction to model trains collecting? Is it collecting? Is it the history? What draws you

[QUOTE=Shadow801;51605880]Just out of curiosity, what is the attraction to model trains collecting? Is it collecting? Is it the history? What draws you[/QUOTE] The miniature dioramas people make around the trains themselves. A model store my dad and I would go to had a nice layout with an expansive trestle over a river. The amount of artistic skill and dedication model railways take is admirable and impressive. Trains going in circles is nice enough, but with a little town and people to go with them, you get to make your own little world.

[QUOTE=TestECull;51603775]eBay, primarily.[/QUOTE] I guess I lucked out when I moved out to Albuquerque, NM. [t]http://www.wig-wag-trains.com/A-ADMIN-Pages/New-Store_files/SW-NE.JPG[/t] The only local train shop around is nearly 100% N-scale (In the picture it does show some HO stuff) and has a wall of probably 200+ locos as you can see in the background in that picture + thousands of rail cars and accessories. EDIT:: [QUOTE=Shadow801;51605880]Just out of curiosity, what is the attraction to model trains collecting? Is it collecting? Is it the history? What draws you[/QUOTE] What draws me? Being able to create wonderful diaramas and watching my trains run around, and not only that, but taking really cool photographs of the trains in action. From my layout: [t]http://i.imgur.com/BqVCPBZ.jpg[/t]

[QUOTE=jangalomph;51606357]I guess I lucked out when I moved out to Albuquerque, NM. [t]http://www.wig-wag-trains.com/A-ADMIN-Pages/New-Store_files/SW-NE.JPG[/t] The only local train shop around is nearly 100% N-scale (In the picture it does show some HO stuff) and has a wall of probably 200+ locos as you can see in the background in that picture + thousands of rail cars and accessories. EDIT::[/QUOTE] Lucky little shit. I have to drive 50 miles to find a brick-and-mortar hobby shop [i]of any kind[/i]. [QUOTE=Shadow801;51605880]Just out of curiosity, what is the attraction to model trains collecting? Is it collecting? Is it the history? What draws you[/QUOTE] For me it's the joy of actually running the damned things. A lot of people throw them on shelves or in yards, never to move again...me, I won't buy it unless I have reason to use it. The layout, the scenery is almost secondary for me, more giving them a place where they look right to run as opposed to throwing some track down on a sheet of plywood.