the middle of the boiler on the train seems to say Majestic, National (I can't read the middle word) Tour
the rail car has "Majestic Radio" on the side
It looks a little similar to the MGM trackless train, but the rail car has a few small differences http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/m/mcgee/mcgee.htm
"As pictures of the ‘second’ locomotive appear to be identical to the original McGee-built vehicle, it is anyone’s guess if an entirely new locomotive was recreated. However no simultaneous appearances of the ‘Trackless Train” are recorded, and I believe the original locomotive built in 1924 was simply refurbished and presented as new."
Jerry-Lee has misdiagnosed. Perhaps it was the cow catcher that confused him. The car is a Cord L29 Cabriolet, designed by Alan Leamy of Auburn Cabin fame. When E Cord decided he wanted a car bearing his name Leamy was given the chore of coming up with something. The styling was a hit, but the engineering was a flop. Wanting to do the project on the cheap, Cord decided to use an Auburn 8 for power, tied to a transmission and differential, turned backwards, to give the car front wheel drive. Long story short, it didn't work well. Brooks Stevens tweaked a L29 Cabriolet for Frank LLoyd Wright which was stunning.
ReplyDeletethanks, the source link states its an Auburn. Jerry Lee? what's that about?
DeleteI was hoping you were going to do your magic on that trackless train. I already knew all that about the Cord, I've posted them, and photographed them in person, before. But this trackless train? I didn't come up with anything definitive, just a mention that there was one similar at about the same time that Coachbuilt.com wasn't sure about
DeleteJerry Lee is the party that posted the Auburn ID to the linked site.
DeleteRegarding the train, my guess is this rig was owned by the Majestic Radio Company (see markings on trailing car) to promote their products. According to one source, the HO McGee Mfg. Co. built 16 of these rigs. Thus, it’s not unreasonable to believe the posted image represents one of those. Radio, as a consumer product, was starting to take off in the early thirties. This over the road strategy was likely inspired by the MGM trackless trains (mid 1920s) that appeared all over the world, promoting the film industry in general and MGM in particular. Taking your promotion to the road was a strategy still employed by the likes of General Motors (Motorama) well into the 1950s.
That was what I absorbed from the Coachbuilt site. Never noticed Jerry Lees name... but I browse quick to get pertinent info, and ignore a LOT. I didn't see that McGee made 16! Dang! This is so close to the MGM trackless I was thinking it might be that, after MGM sold it. The Coachbuilt link talked quite a bit about the MGM touring. Thanks RLK!
DeleteYour Auburn is a 1929 Cord L29 front-wheel-drive.
ReplyDeletethanks, the source link states its an Auburn
DeleteI’m thinking the same as you...MGM might have sold it to Majestic.
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me of a time I was at the Auburn, Cord, Dusie Museum in Auburn, Indiana, sometime in the early 1990s. Parked outside behind the museum was a sad looking, beat up and abused, rusting hulk that resembled a bus. After inquiring I learned it was the remains of the General Motors Futurliner 10. The guy helping me explained it had been donated to the National Auto and Truck Museum and they were going to restore it. Over the years since they've done just that. Painted on the side of the rusting body was the name of a Cadillac dealer who used it for promotions of his own. I’m guessing he was the beneficiary of the vehicle after GM was finished with it...or even one of a number of owners since the Motorama days.
For the real hard core car nerds reading this, may I recommend a visit to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana if you're ever in the mid west. The first floor is where the ACD Company displayed their products, but did not sell them. The second floor consists of the company executive offices. I recall one occasion using the rest room stand-up apparatus on the second floor. Another guy came in and stood next to me and observed, “Just think, these are the same urinals that Errett Cord and Gordon Buehrig used to pee into.” What a life changing moment I thought.
The National Auto and Truck Museum is right behind the ACD facility.
https://natmus.org/
https://automobilemuseum.org/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItMrSyPbChAMVlzHUAR0mnQcJEAAYASAAEgJ82_D_BwE