TRACTION MODELS OF
MODEL TRAMWAY SYSTEM
&
FAIRFIELD TRACTION
MODELS
by George L. Huckaby
June 15, 2002
Updated May 2, 2008
In
recent years, many of the earlier HO scale traction models imported in the
1950's through the early 1980's have been made available from different
Internet sources, such as eBay and it was noticed that many of the sellers do
not know what the model represented or the source of it. Trolleyville recently
obtained an article written by Jack LaRussa (N. J. International) that he wrote
some time ago for Brass Modeler & Collector. In this article, many of these
models were identified. With
Jack's permission, this article was originally written to pass some of this
information to the current generation of modelers.
Bert Sas or more correctly Gijsbert
Johannes Sas was an influential HO gauge traction pioneer who operated the
Model Tramway System from 1952 to 1966 and then Fairfield Traction Models from
1966 to 1982. Bert imported many
models of United States and European prototypes. Bert was born in the
Netherlands and grew up near the now famous NZH interurban line. He used this
and a city line in The Hague to commute to school and familiarized himself with
the streetcars there. Then he moved to New York where he enjoyed what was left
of the Third Avenue Railway System.
He produced his first stamped zinc models in 1953 and his first brass
models in 1958. The first model was body only since there were no power units
available from Japan at that time. The body sold $15.00 at the time.
This model, as were subsequent ones, was manufactured by Kumata. Below
is a list of those U.S. prototype models imported.
|
Year |
Catalogue Number |
Description |
Quantity Made |
Country of Manufacture |
|
1959 |
375 |
TARS 626-685(body only)* |
200 |
Japan |
|
1960 |
377 |
Boston Type 5 (body only)* |
200 |
Japan |
|
1960 |
325 |
Niagara, St. Catherines
& Toronto 620 (body only)* |
200 |
Japan |
|
1960 |
332 |
Toronto Peter Witt 2580 (body
only)* |
200 |
Japan |
|
1960 |
316 |
Single Truck Birney
(powered) (1)(8) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1960 |
341 |
Boston Laconia Oldtimer
4-axle car (powered)* |
200 |
Japan |
|
1961 |
390 |
Open Bench DT Trolley (body
only) |
200 |
Japan |
|
1962 |
345 |
Brooklyn 2570 w/max traction trks (powered)*(8) |
50 |
Japan |
|
1962 |
345a |
Brooklyn 2570 w/Brill 77E
trucks (powered)*(8) |
50 |
Japan |
|
1962 |
367 |
Double Truck Birney
(Portsmouth 601-605) (powered)*(1) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1963 |
332 |
Toronto Peter Witt 2580
(powered)* |
300 |
Japan |
|
1963 |
355 |
Cincinnati Single End
Curved Sider (powered)* |
100 |
Japan |
|
1964 |
356 |
Cincinnati Double End
Curved Sider (powered)* |
200 |
Japan |
|
1964 |
318 |
Chicago 2700 series Palace
Car (powered)* |
300 |
Japan |
|
1965 |
315 |
Single Truck Cross Bench
(Andeco drive) |
26 |
Germany |
|
1965 |
378 |
New Orleans 800 series car (powered)* |
300 |
Japan |
|
1965 |
234 |
Single Truck Freight Motor
(powered) (8) |
600 |
Japan |
|
1965 |
111 |
Single Truck Standard Brill
Sprinkler (powered)*(8) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1965 |
|
Baldwin 0-4-2T Locomotive
(HOn3) (2) |
1000 |
Japan |
|
1965 |
350 |
CNS&M Electroliner
4-car set (powered) |
50 |
Japan |
|
1965 |
383 |
TARS "Huffliner"
w/fluted sides (powered) |
150 |
Japan |
|
1965 |
384 |
TARS "Huffliner"
w/riveted sides (powered)* |
150 |
Japan |
|
1966 |
317 |
Single Truck Birney
(powered) (1)(8) |
500 |
Japan |
|
1966 |
300 |
CL&A Light Interurban
(powered)*(3) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1966 |
123 |
Philadelphia DT Snow
Sweeper (powered)*(4) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1967 |
379 |
Boston 6000 series CE car
(powered)* - pictured below |
125 |
Japan |
|
1967 |
380 |
Boston 6000 series CE car
(unpowered)* - pictured below |
225 |
Japan |
|
1968 |
370 |
Boston Type 4 (powered)* |
400 |
Japan |
|
1968 |
321 |
Single Truck Birney
(powered) (1)(8) |
600 |
Japan |
|
1970 |
333 |
Brooklyn & Queens 8000
series Peter Witt (powered)* |
500 |
Japan |
|
1970 |
371 |
Los Angeles Railway Type L
(powered) (5) |
200 |
Japan |
|
1972 |
379 |
Brill Master Unit (powered)* (6) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1973 |
361 |
TARS Convertible (powered) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1974 |
235 |
McGuire-Cummings Single
Truck Sweeper (powered)* |
600 |
Japan |
|
1975 |
343 |
Chicago Pullman 101-750
series (powered)* |
600 |
Japan |
|
1976 |
335 |
Pittsburgh Jones Car Single
End (powered)* |
270 |
Japan |
|
1976 |
336 |
Pittsburgh Jones Car Double
End (powered)* |
510 |
Japan |
|
1977 |
344/1 |
Chicago 169 car - One Man
(powered)* |
300 |
Japan |
|
1977 |
345/1 |
Chicago 169 car - Two Man
(powered)* |
300 |
Japan |
|
1979 |
346 |
Chicago Big Brill (powered)* |
275 |
Japan |
|
1980 |
347 |
Chicago Short Brill
(powered)* |
275 |
Japan |
Below is a list of the models of foreign prototypes
imported.
|
Year |
Catalogue Number |
Description |
Quantity Made |
Country of Manufacture |
|
1962 |
501 |
Dutch 2-Window Oldtimer,
open ends (body only) |
20 |
Holland |
|
1962 |
502 |
Dutch 3-Window Oldtimer,
open ends (body only) |
20 |
Holland |
|
1962 |
503 |
Dutch 3-Window Oldtimer,
closed ends (body only) |
20 |
Holland |
|
1962 |
506 |
Dutch DT 4-Window Oldtimer,
open ends (body only) |
20 |
Holland |
|
1962 |
507 |
Dutch DT 4-Window Oldtimer,
closed ends (body only) |
20 |
Holland |
|
1964 |
525 |
Dutch NZH 600 Articulated
Car (body only) |
84 |
Holland |
|
1965 |
550 |
Dutch HTM 250 2-axle Motor
(powered) |
200 |
Japan |
|
1965 |
551 |
Dutch HTM 650 4-axle
Trailer (unpowered) |
200 |
Japan |
|
1967 |
560 |
Berlin T24 Motor (powered) |
150 |
Japan |
|
1967 |
561 |
Berlin B24 Trailer
(unpowered) |
150 |
Japan |
|
1969 |
575 |
Berlin TM36 (powered) |
500 |
Japan |
|
1970 |
520 |
Dutch NZH 400 Interurban
Motor (powered) |
250 |
Japan |
|
1970 |
521 |
Dutch NZH 400 Interurban
Trailer (unpowered) |
375 |
Japan |
|
1971 |
510 |
Rome ATAC 279 Motor
(powered) |
400 |
Japan |
|
1971 |
511 |
Rome ATAC 154 Trailer
(unpowered) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1971 |
512 |
Rome ATAC 027 Work Car
(powered) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1971 |
|
Berlin Stadtbahn Motor
(powered) (2) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1971 |
|
Berlin Stadtbahn Motor
(unpowered) (2) |
50 |
Japan |
|
1971 |
|
Berlin Stadtbahn Trailer
(unpowered) (2) |
250 |
Japan |
|
1974 |
580 |
Berlin TF 13/25 Motor
(powered) |
325 |
Japan |
|
1974 |
581 |
Berlin BF 13/25 Trailer
(unpowered) |
325 |
Japan |
|
1975 |
405 |
Backer & Rueb Stream
tram Loco (powered) |
100 |
Holland |
|
1975 |
526 |
Dutch NZH B20 Interurban
Trailer (unpowered) |
115 |
Holland |
|
1975 |
553 |
Dutch HTM 36 Motor
(powered) |
36 |
Canada |
|
1976 |
528 |
Amsterdam 391 Motor
(powered) |
120 |
Holland |
|
1977 |
475 |
Hamburg Z1 Motor (body
only) |
24 |
Canada |
|
1977 |
476 |
Hamburg Z2 Motor (body
only) |
24 |
Canada |
|
1977 |
477 |
Hamburg Z1B Trailer (body
only) |
24 |
Canada |
|
1977 |
478 |
Hamburg Z2B Trailer (body
only) |
24 |
Canada |
|
1978 |
410 |
RETM 501-502 Articulated
diesel tram (powered) |
70 |
Holland |
|
1978 |
530 |
Amsterdam 476 Motor
(powered) |
250 |
Japan |
|
1978 |
531 |
Amsterdam 716 Trailer
(unpowered) |
350 |
Japan |
|
1979 |
544 |
Brussels Standard Motor
(powered) |
65 |
Holland |
|
1979 |
545 |
Brussels Standard Trailer
(powered) |
65 |
Holland |
|
1980 |
M68 |
Motor unit for Amsterdam
300 (II) (powered) (7) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1980 |
M69 |
Motor Unit for The Hague
HTM 800 (powered) (7) |
300 |
Japan |
|
1980 |
M70 |
Floor Unit 4-axle for the
Hague HTM 750 (unpowered) (7) |
400 |
Japan |
|
1980 |
M71 |
Floor Unit 2 Radial Axles
for HTM 900 (unpowered) (7) |
400 |
Japan |
|
1981 |
590 |
Munich A-1 Maximum Traction
Oldtimer (powered) |
375 |
Japan |
|
1981 |
591 |
Munich X-1 2-Axle Trailer
(unpowered) |
20 |
Canada |
|
1982 |
535 |
Amsterdam Union Oldtimer
Motor (powered) |
175 |
Japan |
|
1982 |
536 |
Amsterdam 3-Window Oldtimer
(powered) |
100 |
Japan |
|
1982 |
537 |
Amsterdam Open 2-axle
Trailer (unpowered) |
175 |
Japan |
Notes:
|
(1) |
Models produced in cooperation
with Ken Kidder. |
|
(2) |
Models produced for another
unspecified importer. |
|
(3) |
Models produced in
cooperation with Pacific Traction. |
|
(4) |
Models produced in
cooperation with Huntington Models. |
|
(5) |
Models produced in
cooperation with S. Soho. |
|
(6) |
Models produced in
cooperation with NorthWest Short Line. |
|
(7) |
Motor and Floor units were
used for white metal European production of specified prototypes. |
|
(8) |
Powered on one-axle only. |
|
* |
At least one model exists
in the Custom Traxx collection |
As a traction collector, my first HO
scale brass traction car was a #378 New Orleans Class 800 class, acquired in
March 1968, and has been running on my layout ever since. It was painted in
1979 with paint obtained from NOPSI while living in New Orleans. There are two
other#378 models currently in the paint shop. I have been fortunate to obtain
at least one of almost every American prototype model that he produced.
My
personal relationship with Bert Sas started in 1971 when I wrote the old Model
Tramway System to inquire about trolley models. The letter finally got to him
and he answered it. Then, I added one of his #333 Brooklyn & Queens 8000
Peter Witt models and had no idea of the paint scheme. Writing him again, I got
my answer. Then we split an old Pennsylvania Scale Models Brill Suburban
Trolley. He needed a body shell and I needed a new power unit. We continued to
write until I received my final letter from him on November 4, 1982. I never
got to meet him face-to-face.
We
still prize every single example of Model Tramway and/or Fairfield Traction
Model imports that we can obtain. Since the original article was written, we
have obtained even more of the prized Fairfield models, mostly from eBay.
Today, the #355 Cincinnati Single End Curvesider arrived. All models are
usually converted to overhead wire operation and the old open frame motor is
replaced with a Mashima can motor from A-line. Another schoolhouse lesson
covers this remotoring subject. After a good paint job, it is Happy Motoring!