Lionel 1964 773 Tenders

To the extent that I've researched it, none of the later postwar 773s had a tender with 6-wheel trucks.  Some folks might have felt that the Hudson deserved a larger or more deluxe tender, so they swapped the 6-wheel trucks, chassis, or even the whole tender from a 1950 Berkshire.  My $.02.

Yes, Thanks for the reply. There is one on E-Bay now from a major buyer/seller of trains stating it came with the later version of the 773 with a 2046W box. So I do not know if this is a homemade version. My understanding is the 6 wheel 2671W was only made in the early 50's and usually came with the 681 turbine. I bought a 2671W-6 Pennsylvania shell in the early 70's off Stanly Orr or Al Cox but it has the brace in the middle inside which prevents it from being installed on the air horn Lionel versions. Is this an Lionel MPC creation? Or late Postwar version? Has the 2671W-6 in the small number box on the backside of the tender which is usually blank.

Yes MPC made a bunch of 2671 tender shells in the 70's. There were so many originals with broken steps that they sold quickly. You can just trim out that plastic that interferes with the whistle. It serves no purpose.

The 1950 773 came with a 2426 Lionel Lines tender and had the steamchest that supports the linkage on top without the linkage.   The 1964 Steamchest is minus the top detail and came with 736W, Pennsylvania and 773W New York Central.   The 773W is harder to find at a good price.   

Tenders and engines are often mixed. 

A '64-'66 773 and its tenders.  773/736W Pennsylvania, 773W NYC and the 773W with condensed NYC lettering.  They all have the numberboard oval.  I understand the condensed NYC version is questionable Postwar.  I bought a '64 773 at York in '73 and it came with that tender.  The heatstamped lettering matches the lettering on the MPC NYC long haul tender.

Thank You for the replies and picture. Nice layout.

Did they make some without the oval number board that came with the 773?

No 6 wheel tenders came with the 773 from the factory?

As far as I know authentic Postwar 773 tenders will have the blank numberboard.  In answer to your second question six wheeled tender trucks were long gone by '64.

No six wheel tenders after 1951, so they would never have been sold with the '64 version of the 773 (except for maybe one of Madison Hardware's unpredictable and one-of-a-kind combos!!).

While it's remotely possible one of the six wheel 2671 tenders could have been sold with an early 773, it would have been a substantial downgrade from the correct die cast 2426.

Jim

Thanks for the replies. I bought a 773 awhile back and the Pennsylvania tender that came with it does not have the oval number board below Pennsylvania and no markings on the frame. Maybe it is a repo shell? I looked at my 736 Berkshire and the tender with it is a 736W marked box and has the oval number board below the Pennsylvania markings. That was bought in the early 60's in a master carton.