@Landsteiner posted:Lionel made two O gauge tinplate sets, one freight and one passenger about 12-13 or so years ago. Labeled Lionel so probably not made by MTH. So-called prewar celebration although I’m not sure that Lionel used that term.
To provide a complete answer to your question, 13-15 years ago Lionel offered four traditionally powered Prewar Celebration O gauge sets as follows:
6-51009 "269E" freight outfit. Equipped with Trainsounds. Unfortunately, it was painted with flat paint.
6-51010 "246E" passenger outfit. Equipped with Trainsounds. This set was painted with glossy paint
6-51014 "291W" Red Comet passenger outfit. Equipped with air whistle. Glossy red paint. Nice outfit.
6-31771 "267W" Flying Yankee passenger outfit. Equipped with air whistle. Glossy gray gunmetal paint (that is actually gunmetal!) and chrome plating.
It can be said that the team at Lionel at the time went through a learning curve. From my recollection of discussions with Matt Ashba, there was (still is) a belief that MTH tinplate is too bright and too glossy relative to the originals. Regrettably, they went too far the other way with the 269E freight outfit. All four sets run nicely with their conventional motors. The Red Comet and Flying Yankee are very creditable reissues with good sounding air whistles.
In Standard gauge, the series also included a lovely set of reproduction "101 Electric Rapid Transit" Summer Trolleys (one powered, one unpowered) with a very artfully made reproduction of the motor found in the originals. JLM later made an accurate set of reproduction passengers to go with. Nice running, handsome, stately looking outfit.
Parenthetically, it might also be fairly stated that a distinct minority (which includes Mike Wolf, himself) prefer to have their modern tinplate powered conventionally as the originals (no smoke, no cruise, no electronics) with an authentic 'feel'. Time will tell, but the modern traditional tinplate may prove to be the more repairable over the long haul.
Hope this helps.
Bob
