Fairfield Traction Models - Japan
Info's found on the website trolleyville.com
TRACTION MODELS OF MODEL TRAMWAY SYSTEM & FAIRFIELD TRACTION MODELS
by George L. Huckaby
June 15, 2002
Updated May 2, 2008
In recent years, many of the earlier HO scale traction models imported in the 1950's through the early 1980's have been made available from different Internet sources, such as eBay and it was noticed that many of the sellers do not know what the model represented or the source of it. Trolleyville recently obtained an article written by Jack LaRussa (N. J. International) that he wrote some time ago for Brass Modeler & Collector. In this article, many of these models were identified. With Jack's permission, this article was originally written to pass some of this information to the current generation of modelers.
Bert Sas or more correctly Gijsbert Johannes Sas was an influential HO gauge traction pioneer who operated the Model Tramway System from 1952 to 1966 and then Fairfield Traction Models from 1966 to 1982. Bert imported many models of United States and European prototypes. Bert was born in the Netherlands and grew up near the now famous NZH interurban line. He used this and a city line in The Hague to commute to school and familiarized himself with the streetcars there. Then he moved to New York where he enjoyed what was left of the Third Avenue Railway System. He produced his first stamped zinc models in 1953 and his first brass models in 1958. The first model was body only since there were no power units available from Japan at that time. The body sold $15.00 at the time. This model, as were subsequent ones, was manufactured by Kumata. Below is a list of those U.S. prototype models imported.
List of imported US prototype models |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YEAR | CATALOGUE # | DESCRIPTION | POWERED / UNPOWERED |
QUANTITY MADE |
COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE |
| 1959 | 375 | TARS 626-685 [9] | body only | 200 | Japan |
| 1960 | 377 | Boston Type 5 [9] | body only | 200 | Japan |
| 1960 | 325 | Niagara, St. Catherines & Toronto 620 (body only) [9] | body only | 200 | Japan |
| 1960 | 332 | Toronto Peter Witt 2580 [9] | body only | 200 | Japan |
| 1960 | 316 | Single Truck Birney [1][8] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1960 | 341 | Boston Laconia Oldtimer 4-axle car [9] | powered | 200 | Japan |
| 1961 | 390 | Open Bench DT Trolley | body only | 200 | Japan |
| 1962 | 345 | Brooklyn 2570 with max traction trucks [8][9] | powered | 50 | Japan |
| 1962 | 345a | Brooklyn 2570 with Brill 77E trucks [8][9] | powered | 50 | Japan |
| 1962 | 367 | Double Truck Birney (Portsmouth 601-605) [1][9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1963 | 332 | Toronto Peter Witt 2580 [9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1963 | 355 | Cincinnati Single End Curved Sider [9] | powered | 100 | Japan |
| 1964 | 356 | Cincinnati Double End Curved Sider [9] | powered | 200 | Japan |
| 1964 | 318 | Chicago 2700 series Palace Car [9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1965 | 315 | Single Truck Cross Bench | Andeco drive | 26 | Germany |
| 1965 | 378 | New Orleans 800 series car [9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1965 | 234 | Single Truck Freight Motor [8] | powered | 600 | Japan |
| 1965 | 111 | Single Truck Standard Brill Sprinkler [8][9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1965 | Baldwin 0-4-2T Locomotive (HOn3) [2] | powered | 1000 | Japan | |
| 1965 | 350 | CNS&M Electroliner 4-car set | powered | 50 | Japan |
| 1965 | 383 | TARS "Huffliner" with fluted sides | powered | 150 | Japan |
| 1965 | 384 | TARS "Huffliner" with riveted sides [9] | powered | 150 | Japan |
| 1966 | 317 | Single Truck Birney [1][8] | powered | 500 | Japan |
| 1966 | 300 | CL&A Light Interurban [3][9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1966 | 123 | Philadelphia DT Snow Sweeper [4][9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1967 | 379 | Boston 6000 series CE car [9] | powered | 125 | Japan |
| 1967 | 380 | Boston 6000 series CE car [9] | unpowered | 225 | Japan |
| 1968 | 370 | Boston Type 4 [9] | powered | 400 | Japan |
| 1968 | 321 | Single Truck Birney [1][8] | powered | 600 | Japan |
| 1970 | 333 | Brooklyn & Queens 8000 series Peter Witt [9] | powered | 500 | Japan |
| 1970 | 371 | Los Angeles Railway Type L [5] | powered | 200 | Japan |
| 1972 | 379 | Brill Master Unit [6][9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1973 | 361 | TARS Convertible | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1974 | 235 | McGuire-Cummings Single Truck Sweeper [9] | powered | 600 | Japan |
| 1975 | 343 | Chicago Pullman 101-750 series [9] | powered | 600 | Japan |
| 1976 | 335 | Pittsburgh Jones Car Single End [9] | powered | 270 | Japan |
| 1976 | 336 | Pittsburgh Jones Car Double End [9] | powered | 510 | Japan |
| 1977 | 344/1 | Chicago 169 car - One Man [9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1977 | 345/1 | Chicago 169 car - Two Man [9] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1979 | 346 | Chicago Big Brill [9] | powered | 275 | Japan |
| 1980 | 347 | Chicago Short Brill [9] | powered | 275 | Japan |
List of imported models of foreign prototype |
|||||
| YEAR | CATALOGUE # | DESCRIPTION | POWERED / UNPOWERED |
QUANTITY MADE |
COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE |
| 1962 | 501 | Dutch 2-Window Oldtimer, open ends | body only | 20 | Netherlands |
| 1962 | 502 | Dutch 3-Window Oldtimer, open ends | body only | 20 | Netherlands |
| 1962 | 503 | Dutch 3-Window Oldtimer, closed ends | body only | 20 | Netherlands |
| 1962 | 506 | Dutch DT 4-Window Oldtimer, open ends | body only | 20 | Netherlands |
| 1962 | 507 | Dutch DT 4-Window Oldtimer, closed ends | body only | 20 | Netherlands |
| 1964 | 525 | Dutch NZH 600 Articulated Car | body only | 84 | Netherlands |
| 1965 | 550 | Dutch HTM 250 2-axle Motor | powered | 200 | Japan |
| 1965 | 551 | Dutch HTM 650 4-axle Trailer | unpowered | 200 | Japan |
| 1967 | 560 | Berlin T24 Motor | powered | 150 | Japan |
| 1967 | 561 | Berlin B24 Trailer | unpowered | 150 | Japan |
| 1969 | 575 | Berlin TM36 | powered | 500 | Japan |
| 1970 | 520 | Dutch NZH 400 Interurban Motor | powered | 250 | Japan |
| 1970 | 521 | Dutch NZH 400 Interurban Trailer | unpowered | 375 | Japan |
| 1971 | 510 | Rome ATAC 279 Motor | powered | 400 | Japan |
| 1971 | 511 | Rome ATAC 154 Trailer | unpowered | 300 | Japan |
| 1971 | 512 | Rome ATAC 027 Work Car | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1971 | Berlin Stadtbahn Motor [2] | powered | 300 | Japan | |
| 1971 | Berlin Stadtbahn Motor [2] | unpowered | 50 | Japan | |
| 1971 | Berlin Stadtbahn Trailer [2] | unpowered | 250 | Japan | |
| 1974 | 580 | Berlin TF 13/25 Motor | powered | 325 | Japan |
| 1974 | 581 | Berlin BF 13/25 Trailer | unpowered | 325 | Japan |
| 1975 | 405 | Backer & Rueb Stream tram Loco | powered | 100 | Netherland |
| 1975 | 526 | Dutch NZH B20 Interurban Trailer | unpowered | 115 | Netherland |
| 1975 | 553 | Dutch HTM 36 Motor | powered | 36 | Canada |
| 1976 | 528 | Amsterdam 391 Motor | powered | 120 | Netherland |
| 1977 | 475 | Hamburg Z1 Motor | body only | 24 | Canada |
| 1977 | 476 | Hamburg Z2 Motor | body only | 24 | Canada |
| 1977 | 477 | Hamburg Z1B Trailer | body only | 24 | Canada |
| 1977 | 478 | Hamburg Z2B Trailer | body only | 24 | Canada |
| 1978 | 410 | RETM 501-502 Articulated diesel tram | powered | 70 | Netherland |
| 1978 | 530 | Amsterdam 476 Motor | powered | 250 | Japan |
| 1978 | 531 | Amsterdam 716 Trailer | unpowered | 350 | Japan |
| 1979 | 544 | Brussels Standard Motor | powered | 65 | Netherland |
| 1979 | 545 | Brussels Standard Trailer | powered | 65 | Netherland |
| 1980 | M68 | Motor unit for Amsterdam 300 (II) [7] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1980 | M69 | Motor Unit for The Hague HTM 800 [7] | powered | 300 | Japan |
| 1980 | M70 | Floor Unit 4-axle for the Hague HTM 750 [7] | unpowered | 400 | Japan |
| 1980 | M71 | Floor Unit 2 Radial Axles for HTM 900 [7] | unpowered | 400 | Japan |
| 1981 | 590 | Munich A-1 Maximum Traction Oldtimer | powered | 375 | Japan |
| 1981 | 591 | Munich X-1 2-Axle Trailer | unpowered | 20 | Canada |
| 1982 | 535 | Amsterdam Union Oldtimer Motor | powered | 175 | Japan |
| 1982 | 536 | Amsterdam 3-Window Oldtimer | powered | 100 | Japan |
| 1982 | 537 | Amsterdam Open 2-axle Trailer | unpowered | 175 | Japan |
References:
[1] : Models produced in cooperation with Ken Kidder
[2] : Models produced for another unspecified importer
[3] : Models produced in cooperation with Pacific Traction
[4] : Models produced in cooperation with Huntington Models
[5] : Models produced in cooperation with S. Soho
[6] : Models produced in cooperation with NorthWest Short Line
[7] : Motor and Floor units were used for white metal European production of specified prototypes
[8] : Powered on one-axle only
[9] : At least one model exists in the Custom Traxx collection
As a traction collector, my first HO scale brass traction car was a #378 New Orleans Class 800 class, acquired in March 1968, and has been running on my layout ever since. It was painted in 1979 with paint obtained from NOPSI while living in New Orleans. There are two other#378 models currently in the paint shop. I have been fortunate to obtain at least one of almost every American prototype model that he produced.
My personal relationship with Bert Sas started in 1971 when I wrote the old Model Tramway System to inquire about trolley models. The letter finally got to him and he answered it. Then, I added one of his #333 Brooklyn & Queens 8000 Peter Witt models and had no idea of the paint scheme. Writing him again, I got my answer. Then we split an old Pennsylvania Scale Models Brill Suburban Trolley. He needed a body shell and I needed a new power unit. We continued to write until I received my final letter from him on November 4, 1982. I never got to meet him face-to-face.
We still prize every single example of Model Tramway and/or Fairfield Traction Model imports that we can obtain. Since the original article was written, we have obtained even more of the prized Fairfield models, mostly from eBay. Today, the #355 Cincinnati Single End Curvesider arrived. All models are usually converted to overhead wire operation and the old open frame motor is replaced with a Mashima can motor from A-line. Another schoolhouse lesson covers this remotoring subject. After a good paint job, it is Happy Motoring!
Source & copyright: trolleyville.com/tv/school/lesson7_1/
