Posted 3 years ago
K45389
(63 items)
Penn Line produced a line of model railroad products starting in the late 1940's. They were known for their line of HO Scale steam locomotive model kits that represented those found on the Pennsylvania Railroad. One of their earliest models however was one that represented the famous Reading Railroad's Reading Crusader. These Penn Line streamlined model locomotives were only produced for a few months and then production stopped. Estimations of as little as 200 were produced. Making these models very hard to aquire, both then and even more so today. How many survive to this day? Not a whole lot! In my years of collecting, I never saw one in person. I acquired these two just in the last 3 years. I can count on one hand the others I had seen in online collections. Evidently many of the original Crusader models didn't survive from the production year of 1948 til now, 2021.
That is the most streamlined streamliner I have seen. Very neat.
Hello. I was interested in your post. I have inherited a couple sets from my father from the 40’s and 50’s. I have that blue box for one. No other info on the sets but wanted to seen if you knew what they are? Would love to connect and rack your brain a bit. Thanks
Hi Brian, Can you post a few photos of what you inherited? Most likely they can be identified for you. Just start a new posting.
Sounds good! I appreciate it
The Holy Grail, of HO steam locomotives! Very nice, with the original box, outstanding. I've seen a very few of those, and they usually fetch well over a thousand dollars.
Yep, I realize the value of the Crusaders. Not shown due to a limit of only four photos allowed are the contents of the box. The end label specifies the Reading Crusader, the contents includes the instruction sheet, an advertisement for their then new PRR T1 model, and some original wrappings. Also included is a hand written letter on company heading from the owner of Penn Line to the original purchaser of the kit. They talk about proper decals that he was sending to the modeler. And it's signed by Bob Faust, dated November 1949. Months after the owner probably built the model and in need of the decals. Cool stuff all ties together the history well.
The box also includes the insert with cutouts that held the various parts of the kit during the packaging of the model.
Just wanted to add that about 10 years ago I sold an original Penn Line Crusader to the son of one of the early owners of Penn Line and who never received one as a child. Apparently he was not interested at the time. . . . (You know how kids are.) We met at a restaurant in Boyertown, PA and he handed over 20 one hundred dollar bills. I was certainly glad it was going to a good home!