Southern California Railway Museum - Rare Linecasters

[Dave Hughes]

It looks like the Southern California Railway Museum has several containers of linecasting machines they are looking to find a new home for.

They include three Intertype Fotosetters and mats, a special low-height machine for use on ships, a machine from 1890 and more!

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[Dave Hughes]

More details of this huge collection of machines is emerging. Jim Gard has posted some great photos of the collection on Flickr:

Sky Shipley has attempted to list the machines found in these eight shipping containers:

Forgot to mention that Sky Shipley made a nice list of the machines at the Southern California Railway Museum as found stored in the sea-cargo containers from right to left:
Ludlow, Model unknown (not shown on plate), s/n 12309
Linotype Model 29, s/n 54662
Linotype Comet, s/n 3765
Linotype Model 15, s/n 19645
Linotype Model 8, 42-em, s/n 47155
Linotype Model 5, s/n 20192
Linotype Model K, s/n 1
Linotype Model 8? partially dismantled, s/n unknown
Linotype Model 31, 42-em, s/n 70118
Linotype Model 31, 42-em, s/n 69L007 (sic)
Nebitype
Intertype Model C4, s/n 35023
Linotype Model 33, s/n 53098
Linotype Model K, s/n 1646
Linotype Model X, s/n 735
Intertype Model A, s/n 457
Linotype Model 18, s/n 24345
Six Linotype or Intertype machines, tarped, unidentified and virtually inaccessible
Intertype Model C4, s/n 25213
Intertype Model G4, s/n 32907
Intertype Model ?  s/n 6664
Intertype Model ?
Intertype Model W, s/n 13375
Linotype, German-made, s/n 7865
Linotype Model 48 (British-made?), s/n 10943
Intertype Fotosetter
Intertype Fotosetter
Intertype Fotosetter
Linotype Model APL

Yes, that's three Intertype Fotosetters!

[Charles Holden]

Are these machines available for free?

[Dave Hughes]

Are these machines available for free?

Yes, I believe they are. Some are said to be more suitable for display in museums.

[Geoff Quadland]

I would love to know the story of who collected this equipment, what companies used it originally, and how it got to where it is now. It is amazing what still turns up after all these years!

[Jim Gard]

Machines and equipment are available at their scrap-value.

They were collected by Ray Ballash, one of the founders of the museum and a letterpress printer himself.

He passed away a couple of years ago and the railway museum wants this collection to be found a new home.

See Obituary: Raymond Alan Ballash