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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/
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