These two guys were bought at a Rhode Island train show around 1973 or so. I was stationed at NAS Quonset Point at the time. I saw an ad for a local model train show and decided to go as I did not have the duty that day. I no longer remember what, if any, trains that I might have bought but one seller had these two spools on his table amongst his train stuff. They were marked a dollar each (about $6.75 today) so I got both. They have oddly managed to stay together over the years and moves so when I found this odd two-position rack, I thought that it would be the perfect place for them.