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I've been tinkering with a Lionel 8702 Southern Crescent Locomotive that I picked up as a project. The wheels and collector rollers don't show signs of the engine being run very much, but the mechanism seems to have been made very sloppy, with lots of play at almost all the bearings.


With such sloppiness in the mechanism, the engine does not run very well.

 

What are other people's experience with these engines? Does yours run well?

The other MPC era steam engines I've handled have had tighter mechanisms, and ran better.

Maybe it is just wear.

Last edited by CharlieS
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OGR's Ed Boyle actually did a throwback look over of this engine in the February run of 2009.

 

Ed commented how the tolerances on the Crescent's gears and bearings were made too tight, and required constant oiling and greasing. That might explain the engine's overall poor operation characteristics. This was fixed the following year with the 8801 Blue Comet.

Mikado 4501 beat me to it. The 8702 was made with tolerances too tight and had to be constantly oiled and greased in order to run well. The ultimate solution for those of us who are "screw driver only repairmen" is to replace the current guts with a later model mechanism from the 8801 Blue Comet or the still later Chicago & Alton.

 

Those two steamers run very well and have for over 30 years. The Southern Crescent still has her great looks though.

 

Ed Boyle

Partner

Special Projects Editor

O Gauge Railroading magazine

 

 

I took another look at mine.

The rear drivers, where the magnetraction magnet is located, are tight, and do not turn easily. I still think the rest of the mechanism is sloppy.

 

As I posted previously, one of those wheels was rubbing on the frame. I will have to look for another bind.

 

I don't see replacing the entire mechanism as a viable option for me. The shell and tender are nowhere near the condition that would warrant such an expensive part.

I bought the engine to tinker, so tinker I will.

Last edited by CharlieS
@Fc posted:

Hi

I have the Lionel 8702 southern crescent.

does anybody know where I can get the whistle , sound assembly for the tender?

somone had taken it out!

Thanks

Fred

Yes, I have several available for sale. This engine did not come with the whistle, only the sound of steam.

I have collected MANY sound of steam boards over the years, and had many repaired by a gentleman who can actually repair these.

Please message me.

Last edited by ZWPOWER13

I have the 8702 Southern Crescent loco,..   I've always loved it even with it being noisy and needing maintenance.   Growls and squeaks,.. steam sound is terrible, basically static but runs ok.   I had been eyeing the loco so one Christmas back in the 70s my wife got me the loco and a set up passenger cars.  Later I ended up with another full set of the passenger cars so it made a nice long train.    Recently I've converted all the passenger cards to LED constant lighting and while I like the 8702 I purchased a new LionChief 1401 to head up that train.  On note, in the June/July O Gauge Rail-Roading there is an article about the 8702 which states the postwar 2046W whistle tender chassis is a good fit.   

@ZWPOWER13 posted:

Yes, I have several available for sale. This engine did not come with the whistle, only the sound of steam.

I have collected MANY sound of steam boards over the years, and had many repaired by a gentleman who can actually repair these.

Please message me.

Mark

Thanks for your reply.

I might be interested in buying.
do you have a instructions

Fred

I just ran mine the other night, I recently updated the original sound of steam board, with the 8002 sound of steam board with whistle since I have an abundant supply.

Mine works perfectly, never had a  problem or ginding noise, proper lube and grease and this thing runs well, along with all of the same size engines from MPC.

The Lionel Fundimensions era Southern Crescent small Hudson  I ached to own back in the 1970s but at the time it was well outside of my budget range.  I used to go up to Nicholas Smith's when it was located in downtown Philly on my lunch hour and actually lust after that engine.   I would look it over from every conceivable angle and from a cosmetic standpoint at least could not find any fault with it.  What a magnificent color scheme.  To this day I still don't have one largely because I have been scared off by so much  talk of its apparent poor running characteristics.  Actually, I was never really aware that extra lubing and greasing would alleviate some, if not all, of its problems.  I wouldn't care if I had to lube and grease this thing 'till the cows come home because I would still like to have one.  I know they come up on the bay quite often so they are readily available.  I just might take the plunge based on what has been posted on this topic.  

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