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Lil Miner Ho Scale Locomotive Locos and rolling stock
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Regular poster 106 posts gopernoper Regular poster 106 posts
gopernoper

Hello everyone,

I recently came into posession of a rather unusual locomotive. I found it at a yard sale in a box of train stuff, all for 5 dollars. I brought it home and found the little thing nestled in the bottom. I took it out and had a look. There were decals on the side that read "lil miner" (They were already disintegrating, and fell off almost immediately) and the engine is very small. It is quite heavy, i assume it is brass or something similar. the loco is HO scale and runs fine on my layout. I can't find any information on these things. Who manufactured them? Are they rare? Is it a good engine?

I will post pics in a second.

-William

 I thought my window was down, but I found out it was up when I put my head through it.

 
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gopernoper Regular poster 106 posts
gopernoper

(No subject)

B1%5D(1).JPG 

-William

 I thought my window was down, but I found out it was up when I put my head through it.

 
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gopernoper Regular poster 106 posts
gopernoper

(No subject)

4%5B1%5D.JPG 

-William

 I thought my window was down, but I found out it was up when I put my head through it.

 
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gopernoper Regular poster 106 posts
gopernoper

(No subject)

5%5B1%5D.JPG 

-William

 I thought my window was down, but I found out it was up when I put my head through it.

 
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pschmidt700 Prolific poster 2,583 posts
pschmidt700

Looks like. . .

. . . it might be an old Ken Kidder product, an early brass import from 50 to 60 years ago. "Good" is a subjective word. But these weren't exactly prolific on most model railroads back in the day, I'll put it that way.
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ctxmf74 Super User 15,927 posts
ctxmf74

Lil Critters

are cute but the problem with most of them is poor electrical pick up due to short wheel base and lack of contact surface.They have problems making it across frogs and other special areas. That one looks like it wasn't used much since it still has those NMRA couplers. I think these sold in the old days due to their relative cheapness and a desire to own something brass? .........DaveB 

1990.jpg 
Read my blog
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gopernoper Regular poster 106 posts
gopernoper

Response

I have been running it occasionally and it doesn't seem to cause any problems when running across frogs or switches. It pulls a few small minecars well. Anyone know the rarity or value of one of these? I'm just curious if it's worth keeping.

-William

 I thought my window was down, but I found out it was up when I put my head through it.

 
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Jackh Prolific poster 2,038 posts
Jackh

Ken Kidder?

Paul's guess is mine too, but not at all sure they made HO standard guage stuff. I have an HOn3 version that I picked up through mail order around 1969. Cost about $12 then and in a Gazette article a couple years ago they were going for around $100. If it is a smooth runner then it has been remotored as the originals were 2 speeds, fast and stop. It was also heavy enough that on an incline test track it went write up about a 30% grade at full speed of course. The gears were also brass.

Jack
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Graham Line Prolific poster 1,165 posts
Graham Line

FED

Some of these were also brought in by NWSL's "Far East Distributors" venture.  I have a similar engine that runs at reasonable speeds using a conventional MRC 1500 power pack. The motor is a vertically mounted laminated square plate motor that drives theaxles through a worm gear and connecting rods.
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jeffshultz MRH Staff 7,972 posts
jeffshultz

I'd have to go over to my father-in-law's house...

It looks like one of the very small locomotives he picked up in Japan when he was stationed there during the latter part of the Vietnam War. 

orange70.jpg
Jeff Shultz - MRH Technical Assistant
DCC Features Matrix/My blog index
Modeling a fictional GWI shortline combining three separate areas into one freelance-ish railroad.
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Warflight Prolific poster 3,008 posts
Warflight

ATT in Japan

It was imported by ATT from Japan... and yes, it is brass. (I wouldn't mind getting ahold of one myselfl)
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Warflight Prolific poster 3,008 posts
Warflight

Oh, and as for value...

There's one up on eBay right now for... $69? I think? (I'd have to look again)
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BN7890 New member 14 posts
BN7890

According to the Lenahan's book......

"Lenahan's Locomotive Lexicon" 3rd edition vol. 2 published in 1985, page 36
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DougL Frequent poster 648 posts
DougL

Why not keep it and enjoy for a while

Hey, if it runs and you like it, then it is worth keeping.  It is so cute I would create a micro layout within my current layout -

Maybe a UK style estate RR, moving 2 coal tips from here to there

--  Doug -- Modeling the Norwottuck Railroad, returning trails to rails.
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Warflight Prolific poster 3,008 posts
Warflight

I would.

Keep it, that is. I would totally keep something like that. It's cute, and even when it wasn't running, it would make a nice curiosity on the shelf!
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