Model Train Journal

Hello all

Minton Cronkhite began modeling in O scale in the mid 1920's at the dawn of the scale movement.
1928 Minton set up Crovan for building O scale trains in Greenwich , CT. Otto Noack was the main craftsman .
Minton moves to California in 1930 but still has Otto build trains for him.
Minton was instrumental if not The first to install outside third rail in America for O scale use in late 1928.
Minton in 1935 frustrated with the inaccuries of quarter inch scale running on inch and a quarter track decided to create Q gauge 1 3/16" gauge ...proper for 1/4" scale .
Minton is hired by the Santa Fe Railroad to build large portable layouts for fairs in Dallas , San Diego, & San Francisco....1941 building a permanent layout for the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago ...in Q gauge .
See link for video of Santa Fe Berkshire and streamlined passenger cars ...made by Crovan ..cars ran Museum of Science and Industry 1941-60's


https://youtu.be/WUTfJzwZQjU

Cheers Carey Williams

Great video and thanks for sharing. I really like that knob/dial on top to cut off the power. So, I assume this was a go/no go locomotive. Amazing man and when I think of the world as it was back then it is even more amazing. Did he go to outside 3rd rail due to lack of products to insulate the axles and wheels or ??

Outside third was simply easier, much like the track gauge.

I forget which issue, but I did one on Cronkhite locomotives. I had worked in the same engineering group as Cronkhite's son Bruce - actually for several years before I made the connection.

I'm a modern 2R operator, but I have slowly begun to appreciate the older trains for what they were in their era and I really liked the talk you gave on Vintage O Scale Trains 1924-1955 with OSC (O Scale Central). Thank you for taking the time to put it together and share it with all of us.

Others can see it here, which it starts at the 53:14 mark.

https://youtu.be/Wk6Zog8OML4?si=OGOj-jd2pzDmKof6&t=3194

Great video and I've never seen it. I had no idea about model trains in the very early 20th century. Thanks for posting David.

Hello all
thank you for your kind words ...sorry the delay ..log in issues ..

2 rail began by Egolf in 1930 as an option ...but most folks were club member and clubs normally were outside 3rd rail .... so it was a social thing go with outside 3rd

1933 Chicago world's fair Egolf installs IC layout 2 rail ...

the world was happy in all gauges with outside 3rd till...... 1937 Elliot Donnelly introduces his new OO line 2 rail only ...followed in 1938 with A C Gilberts HO ( American Flyer) line all 2 rail ..O scale joined the 2 rail party in 1939 with the big layouts at Treasure Island & NYC fairs ....but most clubs were outside 3rd rail and would be for many years / decades ..but the 2 rail seed was planted

Minton used short sections of outside 3rd rail on his Treasure Island 1939 and MSI 1941 layouts for signaling

My 2 rail layout was built by Muiltiplex late 38 early 39 to secure the contract for building one of the NYC World's Fair layouts ...2 rail

Cheers Carey