OK fellow forum farm fans, figured since I looked all this up for a customer, I might as well share it with you. Perhaps this belongs on the Prototype Info forum, not sure but here it is.
As probably the only forum member to get a John Deere tractor stuck in a tree, I proudly present the production dates for the John Deere tractor models produced by Athearn, available at finer model train shops and overpriced Wal-Marts everywhere:
The Waterloo: 1917 - 1924*
Model D: 1923 - 1953*
Model GP: 1928 - 1935*
Model B: 1935 -1952* (possibly a 1938 version)
Model 50: 1952 - 1956*
Model 60: 1952 - 1957*
Model 520: 1956 - 1958*
Model 4020: 1963 - 1972*
Model 6420: 2001 - present*
*disclaimer: these dates came from several websites, but the one I finally found with what seemed to be the most comprehensive info was at www.tractordata.com
Due to various design changes over the years and me not being the world’s foremost expert on John Deere tractors, I will only claim that these dates are approximately correct. I’d bet the farm on them being correct though. If anyone wants to dispute or correct any of these dates, please feel free to do so.
If this has already been done 100 times I apologize, thought it might be useful info. I’m going to hang a sheet on the pegboard near my John Deere inventory as helpful information for my customers. Hope it is helpful to you also. Now load up a flat car or fill up a dealership or park a classic restored model in the front yard and we’ll just smile and wave sittin’ here on this sack of seeds.
P.S. - if you go to that website above, you’ll need to find the section marked “tractors” and then specifically go to the “John Deere” section. Looked like a lot of info on all types of tractors if you are interested.
Thanks much, I was looking for just this information. The NH flats with model Ds will be right at home on my NH 1948 line. Wouldn’t it be nice if every car and loco had the valid dates right on the packaging? Time to go pick some up… Randy
Now if we could just get someone to produce some Olivers, Minnies, and Allis-Chalmers in HO.[:)] I would love to have a couple of Gleaner combines for my layout.
Thanks for the info, OTM, it pretty much agrees with what I have. Not being too familiar with John Deere tractors, when Athearn first brought them out, I called the local plant to see if they could give me any information on the various built dates. The woman that I spoke with didn’t know, but she did know someone who did. Turns out it was a former employee at this plant who had been transferred to a plant somewhere down in the States. He’s also a collector of old tractors. She got in touch with him, got the information, and got back to me, all in about 30 minutes. All that for some train nut askin’ dumb questions.[:D]
Actually the model 50 & 60 had the same production run "1952-1956, the model 4020 "was from “64-72” And the reason your unsure about the model B is because it was built in an unstyled version from “1935-1938” and then produced in styled fashion from “1939-1952” And that fact is very important to prototypical modelers because an unstyled B looks nothing like a styled B. A very helpfull website I go too for Classic John Deere tractor info is www.ytmag.com it gives serial numbers for all kinds of other makes and models too.
Another thing to keep in mind is “on steel” and “on rubber”. My catalog of Farmall’s shows rubber tires offered as options on models as early as the early 1930’s. I do not know how popular they were. Many states outlawed metal wheels beginning in the 1930’s over concerns for damage to concrete and asphalt roads. By WW II when tires were impossible to get manufacturer’s went back to all steel wheels for a while. I guess the state laws forbidding metal wheels were relaxed. Maybe some forum members can shed light here.
I also would like to see the Farmall’s modeled as certain of these models like the F-12 and F-14 were more popular than the “Johnny Poppers” (Johne Deeres).
OTM,
It’s funny that you brought this up… I just purchased some John Deere tractors from Walmart
the other day. I got one of each of the “older” tractors. They will be on display at a John Deere
dealer on my new layout. This dealer will sell “new and used quality farm equipment”… This way
I can use the various models that I have. I think I’ll weather up the Waterloo and have it sitting
in dis-repair in the backyard of the dealership. The others will be availeable for sale. Dave
I looked at the JD tractors at Wally-World and they appear too large for HO scale? I thought the box said 1/64th scale which would be S scale. Did you find some close to HO 1/87th scale?
Jim,
The ones that I bought were in fact 1/87 scale. I also saw the 1/64 scale that you mentioned… maybe
your Walmart is sold out or never got any to start with. Good luck, Dave
Yes indeed Gilligan I could not find a real clear photo to see if the Athearn model is a styled or unstyled model B. If anyone knows for sure what the Athearn model B is, please let me know before I make up my little green and yellow John Deere chart.
Sorry for my wiseacre comment about Wal-Mart, gotta quit that. It was amusing to read (in another thread) that Wal-Mart was selling their tractors for the same price my store is…and since my store is an overpriced LHS, wink wink, that’s where the line came from. I’m really trying to cut down on the sarcasm. Went through the Wal-Mart toy section this morning, I see they no longer have Athearn HO scale tractors…guess my competitive pricing intimidated them out of the market. Ha Ha…ahem.
The 1/64th scale tractors Wal-Mart has are actually made by Ertl and would be appropriate for S scale. The Wal-Mart closest to my store also had the 1/50th scale tractors by Athearn, which would be real close to the 1/48th O scale. They beat me on price by 3 cents, I’ll have to do better.
I will start checking Walmart Super Centers as I travel. I would like to pick up a lot of these in HO scale. (cheep) I thought about modeling a factory or distribution center. Thanks for the Info.
