# 1962 Penn Line- A.J.Foyt Indy 500 HO Set ?



## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

How many of you remember, or have ever heard of the 1962 "Penn Line" A.J. Foyt Indy 500 HO Slot Car set ?









1962 Penn Line AJ Foyt Indy set magazine advert









Box cover Art for Penn Line Indy 500 set









Penn Line Indy Set w/contents









Penn Line Indy Set -Cars, Controller and Track, and IMO, the Track looks like MARX HO Track !?









Penn Line Indy Cars looks Sweet, and like none I've ever seen before, but they look rather Large, maybe even bigger than 1/64th scale ?









Penn Line Indy Set- Specs. And I believe that Penn Line, was predominantly an HO Train Manufacturer ?

More pix > http://img.inkfrog.com/click_enlarge1.php?image=gindy2.JPG&username=timmerg&aid=053701133


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## RjAFX (Oct 26, 2014)

Wow that is insane cool......I remember Penn Line, but not that set.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

FYI, more pix of the set cars, and their Chassis can be seen here > http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Vintage-P...rue&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557#ht_156wt_456
Could someone please post a pic of their chassis, as I'm having Computer troubles, and cannot access the pix from the link to ebay I just posted. Thank you


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I wonder what 3 5/8" scale is? 1/43?


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I did a conversion on line, and 3 5/8" comes out to 1/43...


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Joe D., thank you very much for posting those pix :thumbsup: Awesome ! Their gear drive set up looks very much like what Atlas, Marx, Lionel and Eldon used. Except they chose "O" Scale even before Aurora did. From what I've been reading, this was Penn Line's one and ONLY venture out into the Slot Car world. And btw- the reason I started this whole thread, was because I found the Box lid to this set in an Antique Mall, and I loved it, but was dumbfounded as to the Penn Line Slot offering, although I do remember their trains.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

Ralphthe3rd said:


> Joe D., thank you very much for posting those pix :thumbsup: Awesome ! Their gear drive set up looks very much like what Atlas, Marx, Lionel and Eldon used. Except they chose "O" Scale even before Aurora did. From what I've been reading, this was Penn Line's one and ONLY venture out into the Slot Car world. And btw- the reason I started this whole thread, was because I found the Box lid to this set in an Antique Mall, and I loved it, but was dumbfounded as to the Penn Line Slot offering, although I do remember their trains.


GREAT "Cave-Art" R-3 !!!!
I have several "Cave-Art" boxes ( & their sets) need MORE "CAVE-Room"
now :freak:
TY 4 Sharing..

Bubba 123 :wave:


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## TUFFONE (Dec 21, 2004)

The cars are actually probably somewhere between "O" scale and HO scale. The track is wide, similar to Aurora's wide track. I have a couple of the sets and some boxed extra track pieces. I love the artwork on that set! I am not sure what led to their quick demise. The lack of compatibility with any of the other manufacturers cars or tracks may have had something to do with it.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Penn Line Manufacturing was a serious contender for the HO railroad market in the late Fifties. Most of the models were based on the equipment of the huge Pennsylvania Railroad, arguably the dominant railroad in the US, and many say, the world. As I recall, Penn Line products were quite well made, but on the expensive side. The Wikipedia entry on the company seems to blame entry into the slot market for Penn Line's bankruptcy in 1963, but my guess is that conclusion would be controversial.

As for the scale, I think that 3_5/8" scale is just the smallest size Penn Line could make an Indy or Formula racer body, and still get it around the available motor while avoiding the Helium Burrito Effect that bloated up Aurora's, Marx's and other HO manufacturers' Indy cars.

I do love those simple, crisp box-graphics.

Thanks for the beautiful pictures.

-- D


.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Dslot, thank you for the follow-up on the Penn Line Company History etc, I found it very interesting :thumbsup:


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## Rick Voegelin (Oct 27, 2006)

What a great find, and a wonderful post! I didn't know about these cars -- they look great.

Thanks,
Rick V.


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## ajd350 (Sep 18, 2005)

My entry into HO was one of these sets given to me by a neighbor in about 1964. The track was spaced right to run TJets on and that's all that was usable. The remains of the cars and several others that I have accumulated since then backs up the story I've heard about Penn Line's demise. Although the design doesn't look bad, the wheels spin on the non-knurled axles, and the gears failed to mesh properly rendering the cars useless. The losses on returned sets must have been staggering.

I still would like to try and correct these issues on a couple of them and see how they run as-designed. They are really cool.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

ajd350, Wow man, that is awesome that you had(have?) the set ! If you can, please post some pix of your cars next to a T-Jet Indy car


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## TUFFONE (Dec 21, 2004)

Ralphthe3rd said:


> ajd350, Wow man, that is awesome that you had(have?) the set ! If you can, please post some pix of your cars next to a T-Jet Indy car


Here are a couple of comparison pictures taken on a piece of Penn Line track. As you can see, my white #1 car is missing the front axle and wheels. If anyone has parts I would be interested. Thanks.


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## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

You could probably shrink it 19% then take a little out behind the nose and have sa match for a TJET.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

TUFFONE, that's awesome, thank you very much for the Comparo pix :thumbsup:


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## bdsharp (Sep 27, 2012)

Just as a point of interest, the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator says that $30 Indy 500 set would cost $237 today.


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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

Those Penn line racers are nice...............


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