1950 773 Hudson

Hm. Honestly I would pray it's a factory error. One of a kind. It's more than likely a factory error or the previous owner added a red rhinestone. I'm still trying to track down one of these beauties myself. However others who actually own 773's could answer this better than I have.

Mine has green stones.

Madison thing? 

Madison thing? 

Doesn't matter, unless you can document that the folks at Madison put it together.
Some folks do believe that a Madison sticker or stamp adds value. (I don't)

As Joe wrote, it's likely that either the owner, or the shop he used for service put those red jewels in. The jewels are readily available in green, red and yellow. And they are very inexpensive.

Some of the stuff Madison (had) made is interesting. Not everything is documented. The most recent issue of the TCA quarterly has an article on the custom painted 2 dome tank cars they sold.

By the way, according to the Lionel service manual the 773 uses a 736--24 boiler front, same as a 736. The manual  indicates green jewels for both engines.

Berkshire boiler front doors were hinged with either rivets or pins. I do not know when the change occurred. The service manual section on the 773 only lists the pin. The section on the 736 Berkshire lists both.

That boiler front was available for a long time, right up into the Modern era. I don't know whether any modern era locos used that boiler front with red jewels.

C W Burfle posted:

Madison thing? 

Doesn't matter, unless you can document that the folks at Madison put it together.
Some folks do believe that a Madison sticker or stamp adds value. (I don't)

As Joe wrote, it's likely that either the owner, or the shop he used for service put those red jewels in. The jewels are readily available in green, red and yellow. And they are very inexpensive.

Some of the stuff Madison (had) made is interesting. Not everything is documented. The most recent issue of the TCA quarterly has an article on the custom painted 2 dome tank cars they sold.

True! I don't know the gentleman I got it from got it from an old timer... He was in his late 70s so he did ask when I asked him...!? So who knows maybe they ran out of green att that time?? Then put red again I don't know I don't want to tamper with it rather leave it alone... I have seen a few only a few of 773 hudsons with red??!! Again it is still a mystery 

Are you certain it's an original boiler front?

Yes I am....

Well regardless how it came to be,  it's a beautiful engine and in my opinion the red stones make it more unique. Enjoy the engine.

Yes I agree thank you again.. ��

I bought my one and only 773 in the 70;s when I was just back into trains. Stuff was being sold so cheap then because real collecting was just getting going. I paid all of $35 for my 773 and it was in fantastic shape. In that time a few companies were starting to make a few parts for the collectors. One of things I notice was someone was selling the red and green marker "light" stones. A lot of people liked the red ones and you started seeing many collectors or runners with red marker lights on their engines. They were something a little different. I bet that's what happened to your 773. 

By the way, when the new one hour Betamax came out I had to have one. I sold my 773, A-A mint Southern F-3 for almost enough to buy the VCR. I still think about that. Don

Wow great time then... Thank you for sharing don like I said I'm not sure but I still am researching and see what I can find on this matter...  Keep the info coming in learning something new everyday...from everyone here...  Thank you 

One of the few engines that I have seen that came with red marker lights was the scale or semi-scale Lionel 0-6-0 switcher. At that time there was so much out there that every month I would buy as much as I could afford. I ran an add in a penny saver paper that came out every other week. I couldn't buy half the stuff that was offered. One I really wanted not long after I sold the 773 was a scale Hudson with the wood base. The guy wanted $400 but went down to $350 and I just didn't have the money then. We never thought this all would end. Tons of stuff people wanted to get rid of and not many adults buying. I even had a few mothers give me stuff. One was a nice Berkshire set. Fun times. Don

Both of mine are green as well.

Really nice to hear don thank you for sharing...  I have seen 773 with red shine stones... Some but again I don't know Madison hardware? Possible maybe?

Ok nice Bob... 

Marker jewels are an easy change so I would think that's how they got there.

Are the marker lights that hard to change out on a 773?  I have put in many jewels over the years including green, red and amber.  I would think you could put in whatever color jewels you could find.

Was talking to a man this weekend at a train show who claimed to have a one of a kind 1950 773 Hudson with spoked (see through) wheels.   After a few minutes he admitted the engine came from Madison Hardware instead of the Lionel factory.  I suppose that would explain how the engine got the spoked wheels.

That's odd! Spoke wheels? There suppose to be closed off on the 1950 Hudson!... Interesting I guess my Hudson came from Madison Hardware?? Mine has red jewels on the side green in front!

Madison sold sets of replacement spoked drivers for the 773 (in the 70's I believe). It was specifically mentioned in a CCT article talking about a damaged Hudson that was restored many years later using those drivers.

The article was is a 1991 issue I believe. The author received it for Christmas and proceeded to accidentally run it right off his layout. Years later, as an adult, he purchased the drivers from Madison but never installed them until the late 80's or so.

Wow interesting...

I have seen catalog pictures with green rhinestones pointing forward and red ones pointing to the side.

I have seen that as well!.. Thought I was wrong about it? Ok thank you I have seen few as well has to be a rare variation 

Spoked drivers for the 773 would probably be 763 wheels. They would look nice, but the magnitraction would not work.  

RoyBoy posted:

I have seen catalog pictures with green rhinestones pointing forward and red ones pointing to the side.

Really? Hmmm like i said in earlier posts seems rare to me just my opinion not going to sell what. I have but just that I knownfornmyself most of all these trains meaning diesel, alcos, or etc whatever it may be sometimes have numbers or hear Stamp pressed double just it's fascinating to hear and see trains like this I like the red with the green as well as all the green I see mostly which is the proper jewels...  

Correction I meant heat stamping 

RoyBoy posted:

I have seen catalog pictures with green rhinestones pointing forward and red ones pointing to the side.

Modern LIONEL or 1950s catalogs?

All the 50s catalogs are basically drawings...hard to get much from that.

My 773 has green on all. But I think it's a newer version...at least the tender is.

I looked at my Postwar Lionel catalog archive. The color 1950 consumer catalog shows green jewels. The second 1950 consumer catalog is in black and white.

Question: Did any Postwar Lionel steam engines come with red marker light jewels?

Wow interesting... In still trying to find out!! Thank you good to know still learning...

Thank you good to know still learning...

I'm still learning too.

Yes good to know as well....

here's a 225E catalog pic showing red stones

Very nice Dave! Thank you for sharing!...��

In 1968 I purchased a 773 at Madison Hardware. The engine had drivers with drilled holes to simulate spoked drivers. The upper guides on the steamchest were missing leading me to believe the engine was of 1964-65 vintage! The tender was the scale 700EW with a traditional Lionel dummy rear coupler.The engine and tenderbcost me $190. A friend of mine added 700e detail parts--valve gear, steamchfst piping, waterpump, drawbar etc.

Very nice...!!  

 

Question: Did any Postwar Lionel steam engines come with red marker light jewels?

The 1656 switcher came with red jewels.

My first 1950 773 Hudson bought in York at the Billy Budd had the red jewels on the side and green towards front.

Wow very Interesting...

Most main line engines like a Hudson have green marker lights.  Some yard or switcher engines had red marker lights.

EBay has sellers that sell supposed to be Lionel green jewels used for marker lights for a few dollars for 6 or so.  I find it easier to by them than to try to find used junk jeweler with green jewels.  Red jewels are much easier to find.

Charlie