WELCOME COLLECTORS & OPERATORS

This blog was created to have a place for anyone interested in Dorfan trains to come together to share. E-mail me your Dorfan pictures, links, trains you have for sale or questions. I will add your pictures or links to share with everyone. psychotrains@verizon.net
Please leave a comment to let me know you were here.


THE HISTORY OF DORFAN TRAINS

Julius and Milton Forchimer work for their cousin in Nurnberg Germany untin 1923. The company was Joseph Kraus & C0. They made toy trains named Fandor after Milton's and Julius's mothers, Fanny and Dora. In 1924 they moved to the US and started their own toy company. They reversed the name and called it Dorfan. They made toy trains starting in 1924 but the company could not survive the depression and ended in 1933. Trains were produced in both wide gauge and a narrow gauge equal to "O" gauge. The locomotive bodies were cast with Zinc-alloy which had not been perfected at that time. Most of the castings have crumbled with the passing of 80 years. Few of the locomotives are intact today and it is rare to find one that still runs.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

WORLD'S GREATEST HOBBY



   I went to The world's Greatest Hobby show in Long Beach California. There were Tons of vendors selling new trains, old trains, accessories and scenery. Every make of toy and model trains were there, (except one). You guessed it, no Dorfan's. There was nothing, not even a screw.   I bought a pre-war, clockwork, narrow gauge, cast iron, steam loco. I have no idea what make or how old it is. I had to rescue it for only $5.00.


 I spent several hours digging in boxes marked junk under the tables.








I still had fun looking at other scales and makes.









Ok now someone PLEASE! send me pictures of your Dorfan trains.
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Thursday, January 28, 2010

Jim Kelly said...
Nice! Just ran my repro 3930 Floridian croc and MTH cars on the SGMA modular layout at the World's Greatest Hobby On Tour show last weekend. Video is on the Tinplate Train Times blog at toycollector.com CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO
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Monday, January 25, 2010

WATCH MY ENGINE RUN

Click on the arrow to watch my engine run. Not bad for 80 years old!
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MY LATEST DORFANS


I just bought these great cars on E-Bay. I love it. You just point, click and soon my wife picks up my package and I find more trains on my kitchen table when I come home from work.







Soon I will have no more room for any new trains in my train room.

I may have to take out a wall or build a basement. What's more important, a kitchen or a second train room?

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

MORE OF MY DORFANS


This is my #600 gondola. It was made between 1926 and 1930. It is currently missing a ladder and a coupler but I will find parts to fix it. If you have parts for sale please E-mail me.
 
This one is my # 603 boxcar. It was made between 1926 and 1930 also. This one is missing a brake wheel.

I'm not sure what number this yellow boxcar is. Any ideas?

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Monday, January 11, 2010

My first Dorfan

This 157 steam locomotive was my first Dorfan engine. It took me several weeks working on it but it runs fine now. I bought the 160 tender later. The loco was made between 1928 and 1930.
Here my completed set runs on my layout. I have nine separate lines in G,O,HO and N scale. I also have a Schuco monorail running in the layout.

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