Age of Globe Models?

versions used a rubber band drive; I've seen one of the early Athearn GP-9's like this.< The Globe A&Bs are the Athearn F units. They were actually fitted with very good (for the time) geared drives. Then came the cry that the hobby was getting way to expensive and kids couldn't buy trains anymore. Athearn responded with the HiFi drives (rubber bands). I personally know many people who left the hobby because of this cheap stuff! The engines had top speeds of 300smph and bands broke often and starting speed was usually

Many people knock the Hi-F rubber band drive, but they weren't all that bad. One of the fellows at the Illinois Tech Model RR Club in Chicago back in the early 60's had an A-B-B-A set he had reworked with the Pittman replacement motors, additional lead in every nook and cranny, and double rubber bands on every wheel to handle the torque. This set would out pull anything on the layout, including similar diesel sets with Hobbytown drives. I understand the reason was the rubber band drive acted like an automatic traction control system, as it had enough "give" to keep the rest of the wheels from breaking into a slip if one wheel set momentarily lost traction. Gary Q

Two famous model railroaders, Carl Traub and Frank Taylor started Globe Models in December, 1943. They initially offered turnouts and other components. Their first steel box car kit was offered in April, 1948, several months before Irvin Athearn offered his first metal HO box car kit. Globe eventually offered single and double door 40' steel box cars, 40' reefers, a plastic sided stock car, and 1, 2, and 3 domed tanks. The Globe kits were very similar to the old Athearn metal kits, with one difference being that Globe used some plastic detail parts, while Athearn avoided all plastic. The Globe line was purchased by Athearn in July, 1951.

The plastic F-7's were actually initiated by Silver Streak in mid-1953. Silver Streak had financial problems and its assets were auctioned off. Athearn obtained the still incomplete F-7 dies. These were completed by Athearn and initially released in mid-1954 under the Globe name (perhaps to avoid damaging the reputation of the Athearn all-metal line of kits). As noted, they were offered in stripped down UP and ATSF paint schemes, but most often seem to show up in plain gold paint. Athearn offered a geared drive under the Globe name, and many other suppliers also offered drives for the Globe dummy F's, including Kemtron, Hobbytown, Lindsay, and I believe Penn-Line. When Athearn introduced the Hi-F drive in 1957, he began using the Athearn name on the F-7s. Athearn reworked the F-7 dies around 1960, eliminating the extra Globe detail around the underside of the coupler pockets and separate number boards. Gary Q

I had one I believe about 1955.

Stuart Sabatini Palm Coast, FL

I remember when the Globe F7 came out and bought one at the time. I think this was about 1955. I never had a powered chassis for it but I don't think rubber band drive was made that early. Various companies made powered chassis that fit.

I think (but am not 100% positive) Athearn did the F7 under Globe name because he made metal freight cars under Athearn name at that time.

I first saw mention of the F7 on a 15 minute model railroad TV show that ran in Chicago (hosted by a TT'er - Bill Heilion [sp?]).

My Globe F7 was undecorated and I painted it in AT&SF Warbonnet. I thought at the time it looked great but since it was brush painted maybe wasn't so fine after all.

I recall the chassis as being as you mention (bulkheads, etc). I think about time F7 came out Athearn began doing all plastic and dropped Globe name. At least I don't recall Globe name being used on anything else (except some circus wagons???).

I got at about same time a couple of Athearn plastic streamlined passenger cars. I recall these as being molded with seperate sides & ends that had to be glued together instead of one piece body with seperate roof that I guess is used now.

Gary, I hope you recognize that was written somewhat tongue and cheek. However your key comments were;

and cranny, and double rubber bands on every wheel to handle the torque.< Those engines were introduced at around $7.95 at the time and I believe the Pittman motors alone cost more than that. I curious why someone would want to spend more fixing those engines than it cost to buy the gear drive Athearns.

When I was quite young, maybe 8-10 or so, Carnation had a model train offer of one HO scale car for 5 or 10 proof of purchase things from their malted milk product plus a buck or so for shipping. My parents and grandparents were very patient with me as I went through the stuff like wildfire. I eventually would up with about 10 cars which all must have been the Atherns described below. Same thing - separate roof, sides, window glass, ends, and underframe, trucks to be assembled, dummy potmetal couplers, and some stems of detail parts like roof vents and such.

Wonder whatever happened to those trains - after nearly 50 years and 8-10 home relocations, they are long gone...

Ed

snippety

The original dies were cut by Carl Traub of Milwaukee for Globe Models of Chicago sometime ca. 1954/1955, the line and dies were purchased by Athearn ca. 1957/1958, so they were only sold under the Globe name for a few years in the mid to late 1950's.

Another change Athearn made was the addition of the second headlight in the nose door.

A popular drive for the globe units was made by Lindsay, parts for the drive were later available from Kemtron (now Precision Scale).

Don

-- snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net

That's older than I thought, since the Globe units I've had all said "Globe Models, Chicago, IL, while all Athearn units had the Los Angeles address.

FWIW, I've been in Carl's basement. Fascinating, the man was a MASTER machinist.

Don

-- snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net

Same reason people spent $30.00 on Sagami motors for $25.00 Athearns; to make them run better.

As a kit in high school I remember the Globe F7s very well. The A units were $0.98 and the B units were $0.89. Plastic frame, plastic body wheels and trucks and they had a partition behind the cab! I believe they were originally sold in clear plastic bags.

There were several paint jobs, gold, silver, and my favorite clear.

I had a "Hobo" unit. This was an F7 body, I believe it was Globe, on a cheap chassis with a 1.5V motor. No reverse or speed control. You put the battery in and away she went!

It was great fun on operating night at the club. You would sneak it onto the main line somewhere out of sight and watch the operators go nuts trying to turn off its power!

...why does Carl Traub's name sound familiar? Was his work associated with other parts of the hobby at that time?

I wasn't even alive -- let alone a modeler -- at that time, so if I've heard of his name before (and I think I have) it was in a historical context.

His name comes up frequently in modelling circles here in beertown. I THINK he was a member of the O scale club, and may have been associated with Indianhead at one time.

Don

-- snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net