I just acquired a Lionel American Freedom Train set in HO from my father in law. It is the one with the FA unit not the 4449. It has never been ran and still all boxed up. I will never run HO stuff, but might display it. Is there any value to this set?
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I don't believe the American Freedom Train was ever pulled by an FA. A PA-1 pulled the Freedom Train of 1947, but no cab unit pulled the American Freedom Train of 1976 (an E-9 pulled the Preamble Express). The complete Freedom Train is a good train to model because it only had seven cars vs. the AFT's 26. Hopefully someone on the forum can answer you value question, but if the engine is an FA then it would not be correct for either train.
Ron
It might have some collector value, on a table it probably would be just be another H O train.
I don't think they have much value. The better set was the 4449. I had a number of the Freedom Train steamers and as I recall they were less than $30 at the time. The Alco were very cheap. I don't think Lionel even built them. They farmed them out. Keep them for display, they look good. Don
Attachments
Not sure why, but I think Bachmann may have actually been the manufacturer.
Fred
It was a all built and built for Lionel set. The body is from the 1960's Alco tooling (actually 1950's hobbyline dies). Lionel made the power chassis for the diesel. Kader (Pre Bachmann) made the 4-8-4 and passenger cars. Kader made the Lionel HO line starting in 1977 before they went to Bachmann.
Thanks guys. It would make a great display. I might have to find the set with the 4449 to add too it.
Fred, I think your right. I think in 1975/76 you could pick up the Freedom Train steam engine wholesale for about $25. Remember this was when Lionel was making a "full commitment" to HO. They stated they were in it for good. That didn't last long. I don't think they ever understood HO. They looked at it like just another toy train. Lionel never carried any weight in HO. Athearn made their first stab at HO with their rubber band drive. It sounded like a terrible idea but in reality at the time worked well. The steamers though didn't have the detail of the O gauge engines. They were just half the size. Don
There's one on E-bay for $34 now. Don
Athearn made their first stab at HO with their rubber band drive. It sounded like a terrible idea but in reality at the time worked well.
Maybe yours did. Mine were nothing but trouble, and I dumped them for geared locomotives as soon as possible.
There's one on E-bay for $34 now. Don
Whats the link to the auction?
Athearn made their first stab at HO with their rubber band drive. It sounded like a terrible idea but in reality at the time worked well.
Maybe yours did. Mine were nothing but trouble, and I dumped them for geared locomotives as soon as possible.
You got that right. In no time at all the bands would wear out on my old F-7. I used rubber bands that I used with my braces.