Rare Bird Model Works, CA
Rare Bird Model Works, CA
I'm curious, has anyone come across Rare Bird Model Works out of California before?
I have a 5" gauge (I think that's 1.5" scale?) Class A Shay which is said to be built from the drawings of Rare Bird. I was interested to research the history of the build and the builder - I've Googled but haven't turned up anything about the company.
Grateful if anyone can shed any light at all!
All the best
Darren
I have a 5" gauge (I think that's 1.5" scale?) Class A Shay which is said to be built from the drawings of Rare Bird. I was interested to research the history of the build and the builder - I've Googled but haven't turned up anything about the company.
Grateful if anyone can shed any light at all!
All the best
Darren
- Bill Shields
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Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
5" gauge is non-usa standard for a 1/12 scale model..we call it 1"
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
The only possible light I’m able to shed for you is, that in the Mid-1980s there was a start up hobby shop in Martinez California called Rara Avis trains. They originally started out as a garden railway hobby shop specializing in G gauge. The owners were Bill and Joan, their last name escapes me. They were developing their own line of ModelWorks under the name Rare Bird , if I remember right. I have a G scale stamped steel windmill kit that was branded Rare Bird models that I purchased from them. I do not remember any live steam development or castings, but that was 35 years ago. The Hobby shop moved to another location, Concord Ca. They changed names several years later to Just Trains, which still exist today, and now serves all scales. Joan no longer owns the the hobby shop, it was sold to a gentleman by the name of Jim Anthony at least 10 years ago. He is still the current owner.
Vic
Vic
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- Dick_Morris
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Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
A Google search didn't turn up very much beyond verifying that they were a model train shop and that the name was Joan Bradford.
Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
Vic, you are correct.
All the Rare Bird products were for garden railways. they did a few items, including a neat little station and the windmill that Vic is talking bout (I still have mine). They stopped producing anything, well, gotta be 25 or more years now at the least.
They also were a Maxitrak dealer in the US and sold a few of them and also were a dealer for the Sessums track and tie setup. They did not produce anything in 1" scale that I ever saw.
All the Rare Bird products were for garden railways. they did a few items, including a neat little station and the windmill that Vic is talking bout (I still have mine). They stopped producing anything, well, gotta be 25 or more years now at the least.
They also were a Maxitrak dealer in the US and sold a few of them and also were a dealer for the Sessums track and tie setup. They did not produce anything in 1" scale that I ever saw.
Matt Mason
Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
Ah! Thanks for putting me straight BillBill Shields wrote: ↑Mon Sep 05, 2022 7:02 pm 5" gauge is non-usa standard for a 1/12 scale model..we call it 1"
Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
Thank you very much Vic. You're a mine of information! I really appreciate itVO4454 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 06, 2022 7:55 pm The only possible light I’m able to shed for you is, that in the Mid-1980s there was a start up hobby shop in Martinez California called Rara Avis trains. They originally started out as a garden railway hobby shop specializing in G gauge. The owners were Bill and Joan, their last name escapes me. They were developing their own line of ModelWorks under the name Rare Bird , if I remember right. I have a G scale stamped steel windmill kit that was branded Rare Bird models that I purchased from them. I do not remember any live steam development or castings, but that was 35 years ago. The Hobby shop moved to another location, Concord Ca. They changed names several years later to Just Trains, which still exist today, and now serves all scales. Joan no longer owns the the hobby shop, it was sold to a gentleman by the name of Jim Anthony at least 10 years ago. He is still the current owner.
Vic
Darren
Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
Dick_Morris wrote: ↑Tue Sep 06, 2022 8:32 pm A Google search didn't turn up very much beyond verifying that they were a model train shop and that the name was Joan Bradford.
Thanks for taking time to look Dick, I appreciate it. You did better than I managed to!
Kind regards
Darren
Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
Thanks for the confirmation Matt.mattmason wrote: ↑Wed Sep 07, 2022 10:57 am Vic, you are correct.
All the Rare Bird products were for garden railways. they did a few items, including a neat little station and the windmill that Vic is talking bout (I still have mine). They stopped producing anything, well, gotta be 25 or more years now at the least.
They also were a Maxitrak dealer in the US and sold a few of them and also were a dealer for the Sessums track and tie setup. They did not produce anything in 1" scale that I ever saw.
I'm picking up the loco on soon, so I'll do some more digging around what comes with the loco and report back. It's entirely possible that whatever notes have been scribbled down, have been mis-remembered. If there are any plans with Rare Bird on them, I'll have a bit more certainty!
Kind regads,
Darren
- Benjamin Maggi
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Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
Wow, if no one here can help that locomotive of yours must really be a rare bird...
"One cannot learn to swim without getting his feet wet." - Benjamin Maggi
- Building: 7.25" gauge "Sweet Pea" named "Catherine"
- Building: 7.25" gauge "Sweet Pea" named "Catherine"
Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
I bought my fist live steam train kits from them, by the way. That was in 1987.
A Maxitrak Congress and pair of 1" Railroad Supply (old Nelson Gray trucks). Taught me a lot about prepping and putting castings together as well as electrical work because back then you got a bag of parts nd had to solder everything together.
Still got it and fly around the US with it from time-to-time.
A Maxitrak Congress and pair of 1" Railroad Supply (old Nelson Gray trucks). Taught me a lot about prepping and putting castings together as well as electrical work because back then you got a bag of parts nd had to solder everything together.
Still got it and fly around the US with it from time-to-time.
Matt Mason
- Dick_Morris
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Re: Rare Bird Model Works, CA
I remember the ads in Live Steam advertising the former Nelson Gray items, but don't think they were from
Railroad Supply.
Railroad Supply.
Last edited by Dick_Morris on Thu Sep 08, 2022 6:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.