Fleischmann Gondola - US Zone - Western Maryland Rd# WM 54646 - 1950

Description: We try to be Friendly to our international customers especially with our: UPS Standard to Canada,During the war years toy production was prohibited by the German government and Fleischmann made gas masks, ammunition belts, visors, plates and mugs for the military. The Nüremberg factory at Kirchenweg was partially destroyed during the war, but was rebuilt, and toy production resumed in 1945. After the war Fleischmann got a boost from the Marshall Plan. In the US Zone of Germany, the 'tin toys for tinned food' program was devised, whereby the toymakers got their factories operational, and sent the entire year's production to the US, in return for food supplies. This program is the reason that some older Fleischmann engines with 'Made in Germany US Zone' printed on the bottom, can be found in the US. Their first new model train, in 'O' scale (32mm), was produced in 1949, and introduced at the Frankfort Toy Fair. These early products included locomotives and carriages that mimicked the prototypical trains that ran in Germany during this period. Some of the trains were clockwork powered and some of these trains ran on DC powered 2 rail steel track, that was unique in its use of cardboard for the ties, instead of steel. Using 2 rail DC allowed the operator the ability to know in advance what direction on the track the trains would travel in. Fleischmann was the first European manufacturer of 'O' gauge 2-rail DC model railways. A green painted two-axle #400 coach and #401 luggage van comprised the passenger consist. A Shell tank wagon with ladder, but no platform, and a closed wagon with the letters 'DR' on each side made up the freight set. The first Fleischmann HO scale products were introduced in 1952 at the Nüremberg Toy Fair. Like their 'O' scale models, these HO models also utilized 2 rail DC, making Fleischmann the first company to offer such a product line. Initial offerings included a class 01 steam loco & tender, a class 80 tank loco, and a class E44 electric loco. By 1953 a new improved motor type was introduced. In 1957 Fleischmann introduced HO track with solid rails. 1958 saw the release of a newer electric motor with a round form factor. 'O' gauge train manufacture was discontinued in 1959, as HO train sales far exceeded that of the 'O' gauge products. In the late 1950's Fleischmann tried to tap into the North American market by putting American road names on some of their HO products. They also produced an Alco FA-2, a 4-6-2 Pacific and a 2-8-2 Mikado in HO scale specifically for this market. The FA loco was made of cast metal and was sold as ready-to-run for $14.95 as advertised in a September 1957 issue of Model Railroader magazine. It was available in Union Pacific, New Haven or Santa Fe liveries and bore the numbers 1341 for the power unit and 1342 for the dummy. Fleischmann supplied HO passenger and freight cars to Penn Line of Boyertown Pennsylvania for their early sets. The Northern Pacific 60' passenger cars were produced by Fleischmann for Penn Line in 1955 thru 1956 for two different sets. The four die-cast passenger cars were #425 mail/baggage, #357 coach, #586 diner and a #451 Pullman. These Fleischmann cars were phased out by 1960. The use of plastic injection molding techniques for locomotives and freight wagons was being implemented starting in 1959. Construction on the new factory in Heilsbronn began in 1964. To see all our listings, visit: Ika's Train Store Note #1: I will combine shipping for multiple items. Please purchase the items but do *NOT* pay. I will review and calculate shipping as close as to what I have to pay. I will then forward an invoice with the adjusted shipping. If you do pay ahead of this recalculation, I will refund the shipping difference as part of preparing the items for shipment. Note #2: I want you to be happy with your purchase and would appreciate you leaving positive feedback. In the event you are not, please contact me immediately before leaving feedback so we may resolve it. Thank you. Note #3: If not previously stated item(s) come from a smoke-free environment with cats. Note #4: This is a Grandma & Grandpa shop. We have a 4-business day shipping window (this means that if you pay for your order on a Friday, it may not get shipping until the following Thursday). We do combine shipping especially when we are asked about it.If you want combined shipping, please purchase all your items in one order. If you purchase items in more than one order, send us a message so that we know about the additional items and box the orders together. (When items are bought in multiple orders, we do not always notice they were bought by the same person unless we are notified by the buyer.) We refund extra shipping charges when combined shipping is requested. If we ship items separately, we do not issue a shipping refund.For our international customers: YES!! we do combine shipping. The most economical way for you to buy multiple items from us is for you to send us a list of the items you want to buy. Do not purchase them as they are listed!! (This leads to higher than necessary fees & shipping.) Send us a complete list of all the items you want. Then we will cancel the listings for the items and turn them into a special listing just for you (We'll send you the listing named before making it active). It will have your full purchase with the correct shipping box size and weight. This saves you on the international fees & shipping.

Price: 29.1 USD

Location: London, Ohio

End Time: 2025-01-04T14:56:38.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD