What's the story on Eggliners?

23479 Views 50 Replies 25 Participants Last post by Jerry Barnes, Sep 8, 2016

Les

Discussion Starter · Dec 24, 2008

Right after I got into this hobby about a year and a half ago--all primed to see & build realistic-looking stuff--I happened across chitchat re the Eggliner. I'd seen 'em on eBay and just passed on, figuring, "Huh, toy train. Never be seen in LS modelling." I was wrong on that one. Someone even built Eggliners from other pieces, so I assume they're long out of production. So, what were the Eggliners? A fad? Something neat 'n different for the jaded? Since things are a little slow, this won't take up space.

Les

1 - 20 of 51 Posts

dltrains

· #2 · Dec 24, 2008

Les,

Check Aristo Craft for a full line of them

Dave

Les

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 24, 2008

They're still in production?? Holy cow. Was there a prototype of the thing? I forgot to ask, assuming there wasn't. Thanks for the reply.

Les

G

· #4 · Dec 24, 2008

Somebody hacked one from two Streamliner Obs ends. Aristo started making them and they sell so they keep making them.

Go figure...

Paul Norton

· #5 · Dec 24, 2008

When Aristo-Craft first made their streamlined observation passenger car, the shell was bright aluminum but the end was plastic. As I understand, later versions of the new observation cars were all aluminum, leaving lots of plastic end pieces left over. Someone at A-C took two of these end pieces put them together and mounted them on a motor block. The Eggliner was hatched.

Despite howls of protest from the nitpickers, it was an instant success. Aristo-Craft continues to make new paint schemes and they sell well.

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Mike Reilley

· #6 · Dec 24, 2008

Les....I have several of them. Nothing in the GRR world excites a 3 year old more than seeing a bunch of Eggliners running around a loop of track. They are great trains to let the little ones runs...they can lift them...they can get them on the track...they look good running. Priceless fun.

Semper Vaporo

· #7 · Dec 24, 2008

As a garden railroader I'm "dyed-in-the-wool" Live Steam 1:32 scale ONLY (1:32 is the only CORRECT scale for Gauge 1 Track... 1:20.3 is just a scale model of a scale model... narrow gauge trains are just an extra large scale model of a Standard Gauge train!).

BUT...

I have no idea why, but I find watching the "EggLiners" to be strongly appealing. They are even better than most of the toy electric steam engines on the market.

Several modelers have bashed them into some even neater cars beyond what AristoCraft have come up with.

Spule 4

· #8 · Dec 25, 2008

A friend told me he was going to get me one at a trainshow the other week.

I told him if he did, he would soon find out how far I could place-kick one.

My father (HO modeller since the early 1950s) always bings them up to refer to my LS interest as playing trains Vs. models.

Torby

· #9 · Dec 25, 2008

I asked Lewis. His story went along these lines...

We stuck 2 ends of the streemline observation car together and put a power truck under it one day and had it sitting around. Then somebody asked, and we made one for them. A few months later, somebody else asked about it, so we made another one. Finally I decided it might as well be a product. The silly thing is our biggest seller and the nuttier I make them, the more they sell.

Careful, they're not allowed at Cozad's

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Stan Cedarleaf

· #10 · Dec 25, 2008

Posted By Torby on 12/25/2008 7:47 AM

Careful, they're not allowed at Cozad's

Power them with batteries, Tom and they'll run all day long at Marty's. With the new, smaller R/C receivers coming out, don't be surprised that they'll be running with R/C and full sound.

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NTCGRR

· #11 · Dec 25, 2008

I use the 12 gauge on them at my house. Cute,, I'ss hate that word!!!

Les

Discussion Starter · #12 · Dec 25, 2008

Okay, Guys, thanks. I just picked Marty' post for a general reply because it was at the end of the string, and, anyone who owns guns can't be all bad.

I admit, they're cute. (sorry Marty). And I imagine they'd look good running a loop. I like to look at the whimsy trains on another board. And, I think there's a risk of taking a hobby too seriously. When I discovered the vertical-boilered critters, I was lost. Gone. I wanted something different from 027, and those are sure enough different.

Well, a long-simmering question has been answered. Thanks to all who posted, and Merry Christmas! May your fondest modelling dreams become real during this next year.

Les

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Stan Cedarleaf

· #13 · Dec 25, 2008

Les....

A good friend, Jerry McKenzie, who belongs to the ABTO (Arizona Big Train Operators) runs 6-8 Eggliners at a time on a rasied, portable 4 x 8 oval layout at different shows. He's run at the Big Train Show, Dan Hoag's open house in Phoenix, etc. There's an "ON" push button control for the kids to push and run them. They chase each other for as long as the button is held down. The kids love them. It's a real hoot to see them run....

Jerry Barnes

· #14 · Dec 25, 2008

I got some end caps and made some 'coaches' for mine. They light up at night also. Jerry

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Semper Vaporo

· #15 · Dec 25, 2008

Posted By NTCGRR on 12/25/2008 8:42 AM
I use the 12 gauge on them at my house. Cute,, I'ss hate that word!!!

"12 gauge".... wow, that size would be big enough people could ride IN the EggLiners!

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Semper Vaporo

· #16 · Dec 25, 2008

Take a look at the first photo in the post by Dennis Paulson on the 2nd page of this thread:

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/8/postid/67213/view/topic/Default.aspx

Are those "European" style "EggLiners"?

Del Tapparo

· #17 · Dec 25, 2008

For some real fun, and something the kids just go nuts over, turn your Egg Liner into a Rail-Bot. It just cruises around your layout avoiding collisions with the other trains. Throw your hat on the track, and it will stop and wait for it to be removed.

Distance sensors front and rear. Coupler is plugged up so it acts like a bumper, in case it gets too close.Rail-Bot Info

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Torby

· #18 · Dec 25, 2008

See, I told you they weren't allowed at Cozad's!

Spule 4

· #19 · Dec 25, 2008

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 12/25/2008 11:00 AM
Take a look at the first photo in the post by Dennis Paulson on the 2nd page of this thread:

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/8/postid/67213/view/topic/Default.aspx

Are those "European" style "EggLiners"?

Mixnitz locos on part of the StLB network in Austria. They have an actual prototype still working on a limited basis on the Steiermärkischen Landesbahnen :

http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/at/private/StLB/narrow_gauge/electric/pix.html

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Mike Reilley

· #20 · Dec 25, 2008

Posted By Stan Cedarleaf on 12/25/2008 9:55 AM
Les....

A good friend, Jerry McKenzie, who belongs to the ABTO (Arizona Big Train Operators) runs 6-8 Eggliners at a time on a rasied, portable 4 x 8 oval layout at different shows. He's run at the Big Train Show, Dan Hoag's open house in Phoenix, etc. There's an "ON" push button control for the kids to push and run them. They chase each other for as long as the button is held down. The kids love them. It's a real hoot to see them run....

This is EXACTYLY what I was referring to that I'd seen. If you have little ones in the house...or grandchildren...this is a GREAT idea. I may have to power just one loop of my layout for this exact concept.

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