Buy/Make Anything Cool Lately (Tinplate Version)

Warning- Lionel purists- turn away! At the TTOS meet today I found this snappily repainted A-A New York Central 2333 Lionel F unit pair. They had a decided "old school" look to them, with a lot of very nice hand striping work, which I'm guessing was done many years ago. I also didn't have any of these earlier pre-Magnetraction F's, the others I have being the 2343 and 2344. All these early Lionel F units were so nicely done that no doubt many hi-railers repainted them more to their liking. In this case the "Built by Lionel" label, the GM insignia, and the gray trucks were dispensed with, presumably to create a more "prototype" appearance. Some photos on the layout including a few of them alongside my Lionel 763-E semi-scale Hudson, enjoy!

Will posted:

New control panel for my prewar Christmas layout. My dad's switch controllers and knife switches. Eventually some label, name plates and more appropriate bulbs. I debated incorporating a prewar rheostat but decided against it.

 

Hi Will:

Great little control panel!! Are the switches original or new? I'm looking for reliable vintage looking knife switches and other Prewar Lionel switches.

Thanks, Michael

Leroof posted:

WILL, great little prewar type control panel! Did you make this out of wood? Or is it tin? Really like the look of it with vintage knife controls and switch controllers! 

like the way it is in the corner pocket of the board.

leroof.

Send more photos of any updates on it. Thanks.

Leroof, yes it is wood with a good old Rustoleum satin green finish. The knife switches and switch controllers are my Dad's original Lionel, and the bulb sockets are from old signals. Needs some cool number plates and if I can find a Lionel plate for under the controllers. Like I said, I thought bout a step transformer and rheostat, but decided on my ZW. So the "dispatcher" can control this little panel and the engineer the throttle.

This may also get a little fence or wall around it. The layout will eventually get a Lionel logo and molding trim. It is in the spirit of the 1920's catalogue layouts. I'll post photos along the way. At this point it will be next Christmas before it is finished.

BTW anyone using 012 switches is in for a masochistic experience. I think I took one apart about 20 times.

Will

Lirr Fan1 posted:

Will posted:

New control panel for my prewar Christmas layout. My dad's switch controllers and knife switches. Eventually some label, name plates and more appropriate bulbs. I debated incorporating a prewar rheostat but decided against it.

 

Hi Will:

Great little control panel!! Are the switches original or new? I'm looking for reliable vintage looking knife switches and other Prewar Lionel switches.

Thanks, Michael

All original from my Dad. The switches are a 012s, a nightmare to get working with the tiny wires from the solenoids which are always breaking. It took 4 switches to make 2 and the chrome motor cover is def a bit rust pitted. It was tempting to just have loops and no switches.

One of the wraps I made for my Christmas trains this year. The basic car bodies were drawn in MS Paint and imported into MS PowerPoint for lettering. With a little editing, this can be reprinted turn this Marx Pennsy boxcar into a New York Central Pacemaker car. The reddish brown Jerusalem & Northern gondola wrap can easily be changed to Norfolk & Western and reprinted as well.

change a Pennsy car into a Central???? Not sure of that's even leagal......you just might get some coal in your stocking....

Plain heresy! 

Tom 

MNCW posted:

Plain heresy! 

Tom 

"change a Pennsy car into a Central???? Not sure of that's even leagal......you just might get some coal in your stocking."

Hey, I could make it Penn Central ya know.

Pay no attention to those black helicopters circling your house.....

...or something like another Spanish Inquisition (ala Monty Python). 

Tom 

Was stunned to find this at Sunday’s TTOS meet, new in the box. 

Steve

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Was stunned to find this at Sunday’s TTOS meet, new in the box. 

Steve

some days the star's just aline,it is a beauty 

The box probably isn't nearly as exciting as what is inside...lets see it already! Lol

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Was stunned to find this at Sunday’s TTOS meet, new in the box. 

Steve

Wow!! Wonder why they sold?!  True find for sure!

Joe Gozzo

Trainlover160 posted:

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Was stunned to find this at Sunday’s TTOS meet, new in the box. 

Steve

Wow!! Wonder why they sold?!  True find for sure!

Joe Gozzo

The guy has been selling for months. It was mostly his dads collection. Tons of great stuff, luckily it’s stuff I already have. Sure wish he had the cars to go with it.

Steve

POC914NUT posted:

The box probably isn't nearly as exciting as what is inside...lets see it already! Lol

Maybe Friday Eric. Neuro tomorrow an IVIG on Thursday plus getting the place ready to host a layout tour on the 27th. Maybe I’ll run it at the Jan SW meet.

Steve

Not exactly tinplate but it is going on my Standard Gauge layout so I guess it counts. I bought this Hubley 494 at a train show recently for $12.00. The cab was white and red and the dump bed was green. The paint was chipped and worn. I redid it in Almond, Blue and Black, now it looks as good as new ( and I like the colors better).  After seeing wjhat these go for On that auction site I'm almost tempted to list it and make some money.

Last Sunday I went to a train show in Montvale NJ.

Did my rounds and saw this 253 with a price tag of $45.00.
The engine looked to be in rough shape as the pick-up needs to be replaced, wheels need to be replaced and one frame shell mounting tab is broken off. Plus it needs new headlights whistle and new brass trim on the top.
Replacement wheels and pickup are around $55.00, so for $45.00 is was not worth it plus the wheels were so swollen I could not spin them. Now here the wire comes off the field it was all gummy with this black go, thought that the motor may be bad/burnt too. Any way, as I made my way doing several rounds within two hours , I noticed that the dealer was dropping the price $45/$40/$35/$25 then $20. When I saw it listed at $20.00, I asked him if he would take $15.00 and he did

Once home, I took it apart cleaned the black goop of which was some type of old electrical tape. Un-soldered the old wire and soldered some new wires to the motor, spread the wheels a little so it would spin and tried it with power, it ran and the motor does run good.
I have a bunch of new wheels and will re-wheel it will get a new unassembled pick up (from Henning's) and apply the old badge (after I remove it and clean it) to it.
The reversing switch is good.
Now all I need is a donor 253 chassis/frame.
The fun part is the hunt and I m sure that there is one out there.

Question on the motor brush and springs, the brushes in this motor do not have a slot on the top but there is a hole on the side of the brush where the spring goes in, is this typical? I have not seen this before.

Ron,

The brush spring is common for that motor and might be original. If reusing the old parts be careful to get the brush aligned as it was. They sometimes wear unevenly to the commutator face and won't make good contact if rotated 180. If you need an old frame let me know, have one around somewhere.

John

POC914NUT posted:

The box probably isn't nearly as exciting as what is inside...lets see it already! Lol

I think I will need an engineering degree to unpack this animal😱