I am trying to find information for a train company that does specialty trains. The company is Ak-Sa-Ben hobby company out of Jacksboro, TN. Do they have a catalog or any type of publishing?
I can’t tell you anything about that company but the name caught my eye because most Nebraskans know that Aksarben is Nebraska spelled backwards. I’m guessing that the company has roots in Nebraska. Aksarben is/was a civic organization in Nebraska and I can remember growing up in Omaha that the crowning of the king and queen of Aksarben was a big deal covered live on local TV. Aksarben was also the name of the horse racing track in Omaha that my dad worked during the summers when he taught at Creighton University. I believe the CB&Q had a train named the Aksarben also.
I remember the name very well, but I don’t recall hearing much about them since the 90s…
Where, if I may ask, did you ever come up with the name of this company?
When I was first getting into N-Scale back in the early '80s this company was headquartered in either Omaha or Lincoln, Neb hence their name. They had, I guess, been in the N-Scale parts business for some time.
One of my initial interests in N-Scale was seeing if, somehow or another, it would not be possible to convert one of Atlas’ B-A1A trucked FM C-Liner to a B-B powered unit; with this in mind I ordered a copy of this companies catalog but I shortly determined that I lacked the necessary skills for this type conversion–I hoped to eventually wind up with at least an ABA unit as well as an ABB unit; these conversions, were I able to get them to work, would have required the eventual purchase of nine A-Units which was the only way that Atlas ever offered this C-Liner; in addition, whether you realize it or not, only one truck was powered–I’m not exactly sure if it was the B-truck or the A1A truck but I suspect it was the latter which could have been one of the powerful motivations for my abandonment of this project. I concluded that this project would have cost somewhere in the vicinity of a two hundred and twenty-five dollars; if I remember correctly these units which were out of production were being marketed mail order for about $9.95. Sometime around 1983 or 1984 this company was sold to someone in Jacksboro, Tenn. I ordered a catalog from this new location; surprisingly both the Nebraska and Tennessee owners did a good job of keeping their catalog updated with parts for new models as they were offered by differing manufacturers.
I never did order anything from them and I’m not even sure if I even have a catalog from either address. I don’t remember seeing anything about them since about 1985 or 1986, at least as a purveyor of N-Scale parts, and I have suspected that the
I bought a N-scale coca-cola caboose on e-bay a few months back. And on the JD web site they are the only producer of N-scale for them. As all can tell i go for the odd items in N-scale.
The name caught my eye also. Another native of Omaha here. In fact, I was just there this past weekend. Went to visit my grand daughter and her family. Spent a lot of time playing with my great-granddaughter.
I also went to the Nebraska game and yes I am wearing a brown paper bag over my head in shame.
Tom
There is a company history on a listing for the companies assets on ebay
item #321269556750 - it’s long so didn’t know if I should post it…