My birthday present arrived today and right on my birthday! I found this model while scouring the Net for that ever elusive 4-6-0 Class F-12 I keep looking for. I couldn’t believe it - not only was it a Brill Gas Electric (which I was also looking for) but it was the exact road number!! New York Central #M-10 which served on my new railroad the Putnam Division (see prototype photo below).
Even more amazing was where I found it - in Switzerland. I coudn’t believe my luck. This would not have been possible without the Internet or would have taken an awfully long time. Without the ability to resist, I dropped the big bucks for my first brass model. After exchange rate, final price was $563.00 delivered. I saw the same exact model on e-bay in different road name for $675.00 so I guess I did OK.
The package arrived this morning. I tore it open and ran to my test track. Put it on the test track, turned up the throttle and the engine sounded and lights lit but it went nowhere. Had I been ripped off? I collected myself and took out my old model tools. I found the 6 screws and removed the shell. Lo and behold, a plastic shaft which connects the motor to wheels had popped out during shipping. I snapped it back in, put the shell back on and the engine ran smoothly around the track. Whew, happy ending.
Here are the pics of my new Brill Gas Electric. The first pic is the prototype at Dunwoodie Stn on the NYC Putnam Division in 1938.
Click pics to enlarge
[img]http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2vj37/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilde
Happy Birthday! Wow, that’s a fine model. Us trolley and mass transit types are jealous. Now I can’t wait to see some on-layout pictures.
What’s the history of the prototypes? Would you classify this as an “Interurban” era train, or something else?
Thanks MrBeasley, I’m the big 40 now. Getting old(er). My prototype road (the Putnam Division) was unique in that at one end it was urban (NYC) but at the other end very rural. It had a single track mainline with sidings. It pretty much was working at capacity during it’s peak years. The New York Central maintained it as a high and wide freight line into New York City.
The Brill Gas Electrics were used on the Put as a non-rush hour commuter. Particularly at the New York City end of my layout as New York City had laws against steam engines in the city to cut down on pollution. I know of only 2 that were used on the Put, road numbers M-9 and M-10. During rush hour, the Put used 4-6-0 class F-12 ten wheelers with 2 or 3 coaches. But off hours it was the brill gas/electrics.
I had heard someone say once that the Budd RDC cars would have been perfect for the Putnam Division but the New York Central never assigned them to service on the Put. Perhaps I will assign them someday 
I’m afraid the layout pics will take a little while MrBeasley as the layout is under construction. I will post my progress though as soon as the benchwork is finished. I just can’t believe I got so lucky and found this model. It is my first brass model and I am extremely pleased with it.
What years did they run these?
I grew up on Long Island, out in Nassau County. Most of what I saw was the LIRR, and the lines where I lived were all electrified. Freight traffic was almost non-existent, and the commuter rail didn’t have much variety. I take most of my inspiration from the Boston subway system.
Boston! Beantown! I used to ride the “T” when I lived in Boston and attended Boston College. Great choice. I know the brills were built around 1928 and the New York Central used them into the 1950’s as I have seen pictures of them. The Put was actually electrified in the southern portion and connected to the Yonkers Rapid Transit system at Van Cortlandt Park.
Commuter operations on the Put were actually an accomodation to the local communities. The New York Central maintained the Put for it’s “high and wide” freight capacity. Odd sized freight would come down the Put and connect to the West Side Frieght line in New York City. This ceased however when the West Shore Line (Hudson River) was single tracked and odd sized freight were diverted there.
There were 2 sizeable freight customers on the Put. In the North (Brewster) was the Borden Condensed Milk Factory. This is the original Borden’s factory where condensed milk was invented circa the 1860’s. At the other end of the line in Yonkers was the Alexander Smith Carpet Mill. Alexander Smith Carpet was world famous and had customers such as the Czar of Russia.
Now that’s what I call a cornucopia of operating fun.
The New Haven had some Brill Gas-Electrics too. They were used on the myraids of branchlines for connecting service.
Very nice doodlebug. Who is the brass builder? I have the ATSF M-160 and the matching observation car that are in operation at the Dallas Tx fairgrounds. The 'bug came from Key and the 'obs from CY/Sam. Love them both and plan to digitize/sound and light them some day. Once again, very nice. Are you aware there is a Yahoo Doodlebug group?
Mark
The brass builder is W&R Enterprises. I believe they are a newer entry into the brass market. This model was made in 1998 which is great because the engine runs like a top - smooth - not like some older brass that have jerky engines.
David, you’re right about the New Haven and brills. In fact, the prototype photo above is from a web page called North East Rails. http://www.northeast.railfan.net/self_prop4.html
Hey MrBeasley, the LIRR had brills too - there is a pic of one on link above.
Thank you all for the nice comments. I am very happy with the model. Now I have to get up the nerve to attempt to convert it to DCC sound. Should be interesting.
Thanks for the link Mark. perhaps I’ll join now that I am a ‘doodlebug’ owner. That name ‘doodlebug’ kills me. Anybody know where that term comes from?