Cagney Electric Train Set

Discuss park gauge trains and large scale miniature railways having track gauges from 8" to 24" gauge and designed at scales of 2" to the foot or greater - whether modeled for personal use, or purpose built for amusement park operation or private railroading.

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Glenn Brooks
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Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by Glenn Brooks »

A fellow on Facebook has just posted the rarest Miniature train set in the world- an electric/mechanical Cagney amusement park loco. I’ve never seen photos of this before - indeed these photos maybe the only that exist!

Apparently Cagney only made three of these, although they did advertise mechanical (gas powered Pacific’s) for several years in the 1920’s. This current ride reportedly ran at the Point Pleasant Beach Boardwalk.

Here’s the link - it’s listed on FB sale pages.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 877607592/

Also, here are the photos, in the event the listing disappears.
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

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Marty_Knox
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by Marty_Knox »

That's 'Tiny Tim'! It ran at the Pine Creek Railroad on Rt 9 north of Freehold NJ in the early sixties.
Keith Taylor can probably tell you more about it.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Hey, thanks Marty!

J.R. says it’s not an actual Cagney production loco, but a kiddie ride built by Bob Parr, who was the last Cagney employee.

Apparently it operates teathered to an electric cord connected to a light pole in the center of a small circle of track. Traditional pre WW2 kiddie ride, likely mid 20’s to early 30’s. No engineer, just an operator collecting tickets at the gate and turning on a switch.

it’s been listed on EBay several times over the years and never sold...
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Here’s a photo of the Tiny Tim (courtesy of J.R May) while still in operation. And a pic of the Cagney Pacific. Notice the similarities in the cylinder castings...
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Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Harold_V
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by Harold_V »

The Tiny Tim you speak of is supposed to be the same engine that appears above, colored red and blue?
Assuming that's your intention, unless the engine has been seriously altered, I don't think it's the same one. The blue and red one has a dome near the cab, and a stack, with a bell between them. The black and white photo clearly shows two domes, neither of which is the same height, a stack, and a bell, which is set forward as compared to the blue and red engine. Note, also, that the window on the side is not the same, the black and white photo showing a three segment window, wider than the single segment window on the blue and red engine. Note, too, that the cab at the bottom front, is not the same. There may be other differences---those jumped out at me immediately.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Good call, Harold. Yep, they do look like different engines. Same design but different builds. I missed the details looking at my postage stamp size pictures. Seems like there may have been three of these built as amusement rides.

Also, I received an email this AM that suggests the Pacific above was 18” gauge and these Tiny Tim’s were built with left over Cagney parts. So perhaps the differences in each ride where due to using up whatever was on the shelf. The more widely known Class D Cagney’s were 15” ga, and their Class E Pacifics were 18” gauge. So still more fascinating pieces of the puzzle to uncover.
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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LVRR2095
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by LVRR2095 »

There were several “Tiny Tim” class locomotives. Yes they were built by Bob Parr for Charles L. Cagney and later owned by his widow Lillian Cagney and operated at the New Jersey beach resorts. They were named after Charles Cagney’s son Timothy who was in turned named after his grandfather Col. Timothy Cagney, one of the famous Cagney Brothers.
You will notice in the pictures that the drive for the engine is a narrowed Model T Ford differential!

Keith
Tiny Tim at the Pine Creek RR at Marlboro, NJ
Tiny Tim at the Pine Creek RR at Marlboro, NJ
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LVRR2095
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Another Cagney

Post by LVRR2095 »

The Cagney Brothers also imported an 18” gauge Pacific made by a firm in Breslau, Germany. It had a boiler that operated at 250 PSI!
Originally it ran at Leonardo, NJ and later at a park in Connecticut.
GermanCagney.jpg
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Keith, thanks much for the info. Both are interesting bits of the Cagney legacy that are not well known. Pretty cool to tie all this together here on Chaski.

Any idea what ever became of the 18” ga loco? Does it still,exist, do you know?

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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LVRR2095
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by LVRR2095 »

Glenn Brooks wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2019 6:00 pm Keith, thanks much for the info. Both are interesting bits of the Cagney legacy that are not well known. Pretty cool to tie all this together here on Chaski.

Any idea what ever became of the 18” ga loco? Does it still,exist, do you know?

Glenn
Glenn, the last I know the 18” gauge steamer was still in existence in a garage in Connecticut.
Keith
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RussellCofIdaho
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by RussellCofIdaho »

LVRR2095 wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2019 6:47 pm
Glenn Brooks wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2019 6:00 pm Keith, thanks much for the info. Both are interesting bits of the Cagney legacy that are not well known. Pretty cool to tie all this together here on Chaski.

Any idea what ever became of the 18” ga loco? Does it still,exist, do you know?

Glenn
Glenn, the last I know the 18” gauge steamer was still in existence in a garage in Connecticut.
Keith
I think it’s here with all the other lost trains...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=y ... NoieY&t=90
Russell Courtenay
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JR May
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Re: Cagney Electric Train Set

Post by JR May »

The Tiny Tim electric Cagney set did sell via the facebook market place posting and is back in NJ. An antique shop that focuses on antique amusement park, circus, and fair equipment and bought it and will no doubt list it for sale here at some point. You can find it at:

https://www.obnoxiousantiques.com/

They have a decent search function and you will find the Tim plus some other trains to include a couple of live steamers. Price wise they always start high, but seem to come down if a potential buyer is serious. As I had expected, getting it out of the basement was a tough job so these guys do deserve to make a buck on it when they list it for sale. Nice to see it back in NJ.
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