A quiz for vintage train lovers: What do you find uncommon in this picture?

[Reza]

What do you find uncommon in this picture? (do not read other people's answers )

 

 

Edited December 13, 2017 by Reza

[Man with a hat]

hmm... I never had any battery cars myself. But what I find odd is the left red battery car without top on the third? row. Why does it have a black switch and grey rubber band? I can't remember anything like that, but I may be wrong.

Apart from that it's quite a collection of battery cars. And what do you do with those?

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

As already said by man with a hat the black switch is uncommon ...the rubber band on the wheel is only strange (but everyone can do that)

[dr_spock]

Maybe the silver colored magnet?

 

[ALCO]

Oh! I have one with a black switch! Now if only I could figure out how to login to it via my mobile....

the other side of it has the black lever.

Edited December 12, 2017 by ALCO

[Reza]

17 hours ago, Man with a hat said:

hmm... I never had any battery cars myself. But what I find odd is the left red battery car without top on the third? row. Why does it have a black switch and grey rubber band? I can't remember anything like that, but I may be wrong.

Apart from that it's quite a collection of battery cars. And what do you do with those?

The answer is "black switch".
I found this on Ebay of UK. Having seen the black switch, I thought it was a light problem on photos :-)
I checked every link on google but couldn't find a photo of a similar battery wagon. So I bought it. At the time, I had already two red battery wagons for 7722.
The rest I got as part of big lots. Specially I don't like the blue one. 7720 is not a good set in my opinion. But 7722 looks good at least. (so do 7710, 7715)
I should sell them and will put them on bricklink with low price.
 

8 hours ago, dr_spock said:

Maybe the silver colored magnet?

 

It is a magnet like others. Indeed there is another magnet detached of a magnet holder that is attached to the main magnet of that battery wagon. Otherwise it has the same color as other other magnets.

[Jetflap]

Interesting, the 7722 set I got as a child in the US has the black switch. I believe it was in 1990. Maybe it was a late production run thing. I think I have another red wagon with black switch as well, so I doubt it's rare. In fact, when I first saw your photo, I was wondering why you had so many of the red wagons with red switches, I thought that was unique to the blue wagons. It's less likely but maybe it is a US thing to have the black switch? More likely its a late run variation though I would guess.

Edited December 12, 2017 by Jetflap
Spl.

[Carrera124]

Nice find

[Reza]

17 hours ago, ALCO said:

Oh! I have one with a black switch! Now if only I could figure out how to login to it via my mobile....

the other side of it has the black lever.

Based on this photo, you could claim that the switch is blue! 

[Reza]

10 hours ago, Jetflap said:

Interesting, the 7722 set I got as a child in the US has the black switch. I believe it was in 1990. Maybe it was a late production run thing. I think I have another red wagon with black switch as well, so I doubt it's rare. In fact, when I first saw your photo, I was wondering why you had so many of the red wagons with red switches, I thought that was unique to the blue wagons. It's less likely but maybe it is a US thing to have the black switch? More likely its a late run variation though I would guess.

Actually the black switch is rare. I have googled and checked all photos.Also I have followed many sales in Canada or US, then in UK, Germany, France and Netherland for this train. Only found two battery wagons with black switch, both in UK. I bought the first one. Having seen the second one on Ebay, I only got upset because I realized that mine wasn't unique! :-)
You should be correct that the black switch was a late variation. I wonder why they decided to change the color of switch?! They could worry about many things rather than this one! This is how Lego makes the life of collectors hard and more expensive!

[ALCO]

5 hours ago, Reza said:

Based on this photo, you could claim that the switch is blue! 

Guess I need a photo of the other side of the wagon then.

[Reza]

44 minutes ago, ALCO said:

Guess I need a photo of the other side of the wagon then.

That would be nice.
Any way, I believe you :-)

[Jetflap]

Reza- I just checked mine, and turns out I only have the one that is black, the one from my youth. I think in my mind they were all black as I played with this train so much when I was little. When I saw your photo, I knew instantly that mine was, and really never noticed that some were red. Anyway, here is photographic proof!

IMG_20171215_192733581 by jet_flap, on Flickr

[Reza]

20 hours ago, Jetflap said:

Reza- I just checked mine, and turns out I only have the one that is black, the one from my youth. I think in my mind they were all black as I played with this train so much when I was little. When I saw your photo, I knew instantly that mine was, and really never noticed that some were red. Anyway, here is photographic proof!

IMG_20171215_192733581 by jet_flap, on Flickr

Thanks for sharing this photo. Your battery wagons are in neat condition.
Where does the other one come from then?

[Reza]

Carrera124 asked me about the bottom of my battery wagon with black switch. Here is a photo for comparison: (I separated the shell-less magnet from the blue wagon since it confused dr_spock)
There were three types of battery wagons, the last type came with train 7722 in two different variation (red or black switch). You can see and compare all types in these photos.

 

Edited December 17, 2017 by Reza

[Jetflap]

22 hours ago, Reza said:

Thanks for sharing this photo. Your battery wagons are in neat condition.
Where does the other one come from then?

Oh, just from a lot of parts I purchased at some point. I collect vintage sets, and occasionally buy nice vintage assorted lots of parts to have on hand for sets I am restoring. I keep a few hundred thousand parts on hand at all times for this purpose. I find it easier than trying to buy off Bricklink as they don't differentiate most old parts from new, and I insist on all period correct parts for sets in my collection.

[Reza]

On 12/17/2017 at 2:02 PM, Jetflap said:

Oh, just from a lot of parts I purchased at some point. I collect vintage sets, and occasionally buy nice vintage assorted lots of parts to have on hand for sets I am restoring. I keep a few hundred thousand parts on hand at all times for this purpose. I find it easier than trying to buy off Bricklink as they don't differentiate most old parts from new, and I insist on all period correct parts for sets in my collection.

Jetflap- I have plan to add the second variation of this battery wagon on bricklink. Do you have in mind if you got your battery wagon with black switch together with train 7722 or separated in a service pack 5075? Do you remember what year you bought it?

[Jetflap]

It definitely came with 7722, I never had the service pack when I was a child. I believe I got it in 1989 but I may be off a year. I am just headed out of town, but I can study some old photos when I return and see if I can pin it down exactly. Also, I know it was ordered from Shop-at- home. Here is a photo of it going around my childhood layout a couple years later. A bit blurry with the old film camera, but you can make out the black switch!

Layout (2) by jet_flap, on Flickr

Edited January 20, 2018 by Jetflap

[Reza]

Thanks Jetflap.
My request to add this rare battery wagon is now accepted on bricklink:

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=x488c03