Tear Down & Maintenance of a HobbyTown Drive from the 50's

Brief History and repair on a Globe HO scale plastic models, and Hobbytown of Boston powered chassis. Late 40's to mid 50's.
Who made the first plastic HO locomotive.
How to repair a Hobbytown chassis
How to glue on truck side frames.
How to install Kadee's on a Hobbytown locomotive
How to update to Kadee's on a Globe locomotive.
#classicmodeltrains
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Mailing Address: Classic Model Trains
1507 Old Hardin Road
Billings, Mt. 59101
@classicmodeltrains
My second channel mentioned link below.
@RonsClassicRVs

[@jingles9657]

The frequency of the jokes and the revival of old equipment really brings me to the conclusion that you are the Vice Grip Garage of model trains, I'm absolutely loving it

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks Jingles. I hope I don't seem like I'm copying VGG, But I do binge watch that channel and find him funny to watch.

[@jingles9657]

@@classicmodeltrains It was close enough for me to pick up on it, but you're still your own brand so it works out

[@amyreynolds3619]

My oldest locomotives are United Brass trains from the early 1960s.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello again! Brass trains are awesome. I have yet to ad one to my collection. Soon I hope :-)

[@darrinweaver9782]

I have a couple of those HobbyTown locos, they pull a ton. I remember the Globe bodies in the display case at The Hobby Shop on St.Paul st in St. Catharines. Great video.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks!

[@FLRailroaddog]

Saw a shoutout from Ray and came over, great video history and beautiful display of trains. Great video😊

[@classicmodeltrains]

Helo FL, Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the Sub!!

[@casstelles]

It's good to see a Hobbytown drive being used. As an option, the headlight hole could be drilled out for a headlight installation, and if desired number boards could add also. The number boards were separate pieces in which often come up missing from many shells.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello Cass. This Hobbytown drive had an aftermarket light installed, but the shell was so thin, the whole thing would glow. I seen the number boards are separate moldings, I believe this one's got lost over time.

[@suppylarue220]

those globe castings had separate number boards because the die maker was unable to incorporate them into the original die due to their angle. when Athearn purchased the dies, he had them incorporated, but at an incorrect angle. carefully compare the Athearn or Globe F7 shell with a prototype photo and you will see there are many compromises.

[@suppylarue220]

@@classicmodeltrains interestingly, those bodies are the same thickness as todays, but the earliest were clear plastic, and model's color was mixed into the plastic instead of spray painted making them translucent , later on all Athearn models were cast in black styrene, ending the problem.

[@rebeccajohnson3051]

hi ron, greetings from NV. just found your podcast, really enjoying it. i also restore old HO equipment. been at it over 60 years. there is something i would like to bring to your attention. the blue mantua 440 you were showing v & t , that is the queen of the short line. Reno NV to Virginia City NV. comstock load silver and gold. if you ever get a chance, visit the railroad museum in Carson City. and take a trip up to Virginia City. they are still running live steam. Thanks, Joe.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello Joe! Thanks for sharing some great information. I would love to see a 4-4-0 still in operation :-)

[@13thBear]

Good job, Ron! I'm amazed that you found two old pieces of model railroad history that you managed to return to service. There just can't be too many of these old timers in running condition across America and you have some! And glad to see your fingers are healing up nicely, too. A couple of weeks back you were hurting for certain with them big gouges in yer fingers. Gotta say, I'm looking forward to your new videos each week with the history and mechanical repair work you demonstrate. KZbin has needed a channel exactly like yours for quite some time! See ya next time.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thank you 13thBear! Your words are very kind. Ya, I really buggered up my hands. Broke my thumb, lots of blunt force lacerations. I need to take better care of my "money makers" that's for sure :-)

[@steveandrews-tl2nw]

Looking good. Never seen an engine like this.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks

[@BriansModelTrains]

Very informative. Great video.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thank you!

[@williambruceboisjoli8455]

Well done Ron, I watch your videos and you inspire me to get back to my old Mantua/tycos and get them working again.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello William, Thank you for your kind words. It makes me happy that I'm an inspiration :-)

[@jefflynnalex]

Lots of manufacturers made parts for each other. Globe also made shells that were sold directly by Hobbytown and had "Hobbytown" on the underside of the shell. The same shell was used by Athearn for their "Hi-F" rubber band drive. Globe did come out with their own chassis. That first Globe chassis was truly groundbreaking because it featured a double ended motor with two drive shafts powering a gear tower over each truck. That is, of course, the standard diesel model design to this day. Globe pioneered that.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks for sharing some info :-)

[@Hyrev1]

Bringing history to life! Fantastic job Ron. Always fun to watch. Definitely planning on catching the podcast!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks Jim!! Sunday it is then :-)

[@RayBoebel]

Another fantastic restore job Ron! Thank you for the shout out and I cant wait for Sunday....gonna be a blast!!!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks Ray! Can't wait!

[@MygrandpasTrain]

Oooh! Aaaaah! That's the BIG motor in that guy. Well, not the 7 pole, but I think they used motors that size in O scale engines as well. I think its the Pittman DC90, and the 7 pole was the DC95 but I'm not 100% sure. Probably wont be able to watch the live stream on Sunday, but I will definitely try to catch it later.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello Tim, I found a chat room thread with a couple of guys debating over the particular model of the motor that was used. the back and forth went on for several posts. I could not find anything definitive, but I think this falls into the Pittman DC70 group. But I'm not sure I would bet the next round of drinks on it :-)

[@pavil58yt]

All of that then recently idled equipment used to produce things to fight WW2 was probably pressed into service manufacturing those gears and winding that armature among other parts. "Built like a tank!" Days of immense engineering and manufacturing know-how.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Good times back then..... I hear :-)

[@tableseven8133]

On the O gauge side, K-line used much of MarX molds, and some Kusan KMT molds. The KMT FA's are very under powered but run on 2 rail track and K-line is 3 rail, but the top shells are interchangeable. The more modern late 80's and up diesel motor sets in the trucks appear to be interchangeable with Lionel and K-line. On the motor you demoed here, Yes the 5 pole motor is nice, the brushes look to the same size used in the Lionel O gauge AC motors. I always found it odd how they use a piece of hose to couple the drive systems. I also have seen on KZbin here rubber band drive systems. They are more quiet.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Sounds like you got your O gauge history down pat! Thanks for sharing some good information :-)

[@joeraderblackrockcentralrr]

another great video. you are going to have a ball on Ray's show

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks Joe! I hope so! :-)

[@lowcountryrailroad7701]

Just joined from Ray's channel

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thank you!

[@maltnz]

That grease was dielectric - it may not conduct very well. Possibly putting it on the axle grooves may have added to the high current draw. Otherwise great attention to detail - a craftsman at work.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello Malt, Thanks for your kind words on my video. I found some info online about dielectric grease. Many sites say it's non-conductive, but "dielectric grease interfering with electric conductivity is a common misconception among people. It is because of this misconception many people do not even want to use it. However, the truth is, dielectric grease does not interfere with the electrical conductivity of a material. Dielectric grease fills in all the gaps while acting as an electrical connector. It also squeezes out the roughness of electrical connectors, allowing electric current to flow and preventing the phenomenon of oxidation." I'm looking for better options besides light machine oil, that's why I went down this path. Perhaps my experiments could be good or not so good. :-)

[@jasonmarkum171]

Hey that was a fun episode! Great job getting those truck covers installed. Looks so much better. For some reason I didn't get a notification of the vid being posted,which I usually do. Had to go on KZbin and search for it. Needed my fix of Classic Model Trains!!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Glad you enjoyed it Jason. Now that Ol' girl of yours is a movie star ;-D. It was a lot of fun researching and putting together this video, all thanks to your donation :-)

[@robertpetit57]

Hobbytown drives were the best that you could have back in the day. And Hobbytown is still in business today, it has gone through a number of owners. There were also what they called "MultiDrives" that were just the power trucks, they were driven off ther rear truck of the powered unit. A friend of mine built an ABA set with the Cary Locomotive Works F-3 shells. yea, they could pull like crazy!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Sounds like hobby town had a lot of different upgrades a guy could do. I need to do some more research! Thanks for the info Robert!

[@awesomeaustin5704]

Hey I am a new subscriber and a (relatively) young modeler.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello A A. Thanks for the sub, and also enjoying a hobby a lot of us start in when were "young" It can give you a life time of enjoyment :-)

[@plunkervillerr1529]

Did any of your plastic train shells melt in that heat ? That`s why I preferer prewar Marx tins .

[@classicmodeltrains]

No. I keep all my cars and engines in the cabin. No A/C but it only gets to 85-90 in here in the afternoons. Did you have plastic cars & loco's ever melt in the heat? I just scored some Marx tin. Will be making a video about it soon.

[@gunslingerfromwish4656]

Wow you got yourself some publicity now! I told ya so!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Slowly but surely I'm making a name for myself :-)

[@robertpetit57]

Pull the plaster off the walls! YES, they will!

[@classicmodeltrains]

:-)

[@ccrm10]

I am finishing up restoring a Hobbytown of Boston F-7 unit with a metal Hobbytown of Boston shell in the B&M paint scheme. I cannot wait to run it after seeing your video. Thanks!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello Chris, all metal HT body would be cool to see. During my research I seen they also make body's. heck, there still in business! website looks like its from the 90's, but it was updated just a few months ago. Thanks for your kind words :-)

[@hjmiller2689]

Love the music at the end of this video, where’s it from?

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello HJ, It's called "the devil I know" by Isaac Elliot. I got it off Epidemic sound. A sound service for content creators. Glad you liked it.

[@regisbraga3833]

Excellent work Ron - as always! The size of the old Hobbytown motor is huge.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Greetings Mister Regis! It is a monster. Engineering on it was amazing. It's built to last a very long time. Little noisy, but WOW!!

[@regisbraga3833]

I bet its pull power is imense!

[@classicmodeltrains]

@@regisbraga3833 I was going to film it pulling a large load, but my darn cars kept derailing. Guess I need to tune a bunch more up.

[@regisbraga3833]

Metal wheels or plastic ones? Did you weighted them?

[@classicmodeltrains]

@@regisbraga3833 Metal wheels, NMRA weighted, Kadee's all adjusted. It just boggles my mind. some run great, some derail constantly. But I WILL OVERCOME!! :-)

[@ecidaho]

6 o’clock. Will try to see you live this Sunday! Great video again! Thank once more for the wire gauges for railings! Truck frames look spot on.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello EC, I will post a reminder on Sunday to help my Sub's remember. Glad I could help with your railing project. How did they turn out?

[@ecidaho]

@@classicmodeltrains Have not had time yet but have the right pieces to do it now. Hopefully this weekend. Stripping paint from a second tyco Chessie c-430 shell. That dark blue paint is the devil. The first one I stripped has been repainted for New York Central. I know maybe a bit blasphemous stripping the paint off old Classic Model Trains 😁 but love the repaint and decal process. Again all the best to you and hope you stay as cool as you can!

[@ecidaho]

Sadly did not get to the railings and a family event prevented my see your Live Shoe Grrrr. Have been watching it though! Great discussion!

[@thelazyfishkeeper2730]

thanks for the info may help when i go looking stay well

[@classicmodeltrains]

Glad to help

[@theplumber33]

I love classic trains! Outstanding how you do it. Now i have to chase down a Hobbie town model. I dig the wall display. Thank you for the great content

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks for your kind words Plumber33. It's great knowing there are others out there that enjoy the old stuff also. :-)

[@johnlongssilverrailz5873]

Interesting video. It is swell to see those older models documented and saved and You did good in emphasizing the importance of the small thrust washers and bearings. The brushes appeared on the tube to be American Flyer , Marx or Lionel sized and I wonder whether one or more of those manufacturers used them also.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello John. Yeah them brushed were definitely industrial sized :-). I have some 0-27 gauge repair video's in line for production. I'll bet the motor manufacturer supplied a lot of model makers back in the day. Thanks for your kind words :-)

[@tommysager138]

Great information. I have a B-unit for one of those engines. I got it with a big box of trains I got at a Bid-Board place (A bid Board is a place where people bid on different lots of stuff by writing a price on a card. Highest amount wins, usually things go real cheap). I had no idea what it was, because it was so different. Now I know... Thanks.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Very cool! Do you have the power unit, or the body?

[@tommysager138]

@@classicmodeltrains Nope. Just that unpowered B unit, but now I'm going to be keeping an eye out for them.

[@lazzater]

Very cool to get that all fixed up. You're a funny dude. You make me laugh. I'm glad I found your channel

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello Walter, Thanks for your kind words. :-)

[@RayBoebel]

Walter, wait til Sunday!!!! LOL

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

The globe model you have with meant to be a desktop ornament. It was supposed to show a new unique use of plastic. Plastic keeping the hobby of toy trains to death. Because the cars were lighter the engines could have cheaper crappier Motors plastic frames and plastic bodies loaded full of lead weight so they have any way to pull anything at all. A diecast diesel locomotive with more than a plastic one but it was built solid. Not only for the weight and it was supposed to carry but for the weight it was to pull because most of the cars were diecast or sheet metal before they invented plastic. The plastic cars for cheaper but how many cars can you run on a typical 4x8 layout? Team locomotives suffered the worst. You pick up a plastic steam engine and it just feels cheap and Light. They start plastic was being futuristic and innovative when it really was c h i n z t y and cheap.

[@classicmodeltrains]

A few companies made power chassis for the globe's. Guess they didnt want to stay desktop models for all there life :-)

[@SantaFeBob]

Another great demonstration. Ray Boebel’s channel is a good one. He’s down to Earth and keeps it real. I’m looking forward to the show.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thank you SF Bob :-)

[@donaldlamendola8294]

"Ronny The Engineer!" You did an amazing job with this installment. The historical prespective is dead on, and like all of your videos they are refreshing. Please don't ever change. Love the humor! Have a great day my friend and stay cool!!!!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello Don, thanks once again for your very kind words. I"m glad you enjoy the video's :-)

[@4everdc302]

Well done sir👍🚂🇨🇦🇺🇲🙋

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thank you 4ever :-)

[@Xtream__Attitude]

Great video as always Ron :) never heard of these locomotives before.

[@classicmodeltrains]

I've seen them around, but didn't know there story till I researched them for this video. Thanks for your nice words :-)

[@johnbanicki7232]

Another great video. Good to see this old stuff running again. Looking forward to the show on Sunday evening.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks John, I'm kinda old so yeah, keep the old stuff running :-P Sunday show should be a blast

[@VintageRoadRail]

Another great video Ron. Keep those restorations coming!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks, will do!

[@bradwb6192]

Two models went into the layout one day, and only one came out. A really, really good one...

[@classicmodeltrains]

Your up early today Glad ya liked it! Getting any DRY heat over there?

[@bradwb6192]

@@classicmodeltrains over a hundred before the big wind. Around 80 today...

[@suppylarue220]

👍

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks :-)

[@ronaldsnell1503]

Learn a lot from you 😊

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks :-)

[@FlyingT5150]

Great Channel!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks!

[@rusty.ramrod]

Cool, I had the Farrah Fawcett poster and remember every inch of it... ...I stumble around different HO channels,ugg ......always find your stuff best and entertaining .........you and a kid from Cananadia, 🤓, Harrison, SMT mainline channel

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks Rusty. Yup them F.F. posters............GOOD TIMES!!

[@jimorlando5700]

Another great video! I never knew anything about Globe or Hobby. Thanks for the education!

[@classicmodeltrains]

You bet!

[@joshuacampbell9990]

I know it’s a year after you posted this video but I have to comment. First off, I visited Montana a few years ago and was surprised how many people don’t have central heat and air, but I understand why due to the normally mild weather in the summers. Second, while I’m not really much into HO scale, your rehabilitation of older equipment is fun to watch, even if it’s not exactly my cup of tea. Keep them coming!!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks Joshua. will do! Yup our summers aint to bad.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

To put it into perspective the dollar you spent on that locomotive with the equivalent of three retail issues of Model Railroader magazine. Model Railroader 35 cents an issue.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Yup

[@Iconoclasher]

I talked to Irv Athearn once. In the late 80s I was looking for a Santa Fe TrainMaster. I called the factory to see if they were in production or not. I never expected Mr Athearn to answer the phone. I thanked him for the great models over the years. I asked about the TM and he said they were out of production but thought it was a good idea to bring them out again. I don't know if I influenced a decision or not but a few months later they showed up in the stores again.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal! Right on!! Yes it is weird how modelers all love the S2.

[@GaryDavis-ir6fh]

i love the briliant color of that u p f unit!

[@classicmodeltrains]

Very yellow for sure

[@johnbeck3270]

The locomotive gives a whole new meaning to “rock and roll” but it’s nice to see vintage equipment come to life and remind us of a time, when we could enjoy the simple pleasures and do a lot of hands on modeling.

[@classicmodeltrains]

I hear ya! Ahhhh... the simpler times, I miss them

[@christophermondone6864]

Great Job

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks Christopher :-)

[@joesask857]

thanks man

[@classicmodeltrains]

Happy to help

[@michaelquinones-lx6ks]

Nice rebuilding job.

[@classicmodeltrains]

Thanks 👍

[@michaelquinones-lx6ks]

@@classicmodeltrains And, Thank you.

[@michaelquinones-lx6ks]

@@classicmodeltrains Here's a question that's keeps slipping my mind, Would a Hobbytown chassis fit a varney/life-like body?

[@classicmodeltrains]

@@michaelquinones-lx6ks I'm not sure. seems all the F unit stuff from back in the day was pretty similar. probably fit on but might not "lock" in place.

[@klemenradoman2052]

This are not your hands...

[@classicmodeltrains]

Hello Klemen. Been taking it easy at my normal day job, so my hands look not so beat up here. Thats for forwarding to me all than Mehano literature once again :-)