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Lionel Sets from 1970-2000

Putnam DivisionPutnam DivisionOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
We are now in the digital age. I was a PostWar kid. In between are 30 years of MPC, the Richard Kughn era and the early Lionel LLC. A lot of great sets were made that get ignored because of lack of scale detail and/or lack of sophisticated electonics. However, there are a lot of neat sets out there from the MPC era and the early RailSounds/TMCC period. I am lucky to have a few. I invite everyone to show theirs.

I will start off with the set that got me into Command Control...the 1996 NYC Geep Command Control set. A lightning stripe NYC postwar-style Geep with command control and RailSounds...with 4 postwar-style freight cars. The set included a Cab-1 remote.







What a value! It listed for $299.95. Yes, it lacks a lot of detail and yes, it is basic TMCC with only RailSounds 2....but it rounds and sounds today like it was just out of the box. in fact, I'll put the RailSounds on this engine against any more modern one! Drawbar pull is about a pound...that means 12-15 modern cars, no sweat. I like this engine so much that I got its brothers the NYC 2383 and Pennsy 2028.
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B breezinupOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
Those Geeps, which Lionel produced over the course of a number of years in different road names, are known for their great sounds, which are still considered excellent today.

Lionel made gradual additions as production went on (the more recent versions added diecast fuel tanks and pilots, cab interiors with crew figures, electrocouplers, RailSounds improvements and additions [like crew talk] as those became available, etc.

These engines are about as bulletproof as you can get, and from even a short distance away it's pretty hard to tell a "scale" version Geep from these so- called traditional Geeps (which are scale sized as well, of course).

They're also fun because it's possible, and easy, to swap shells with earlier Geeps, such as MPC versions, to get additional road names, and make an easy conversion to TMCC and R/S.
ed hed hOGR Forum Member
quote:
What a value! It listed for $299.95.


Even better, the large Lionel dealers had them priced around $229 which was an excellent price considering all the features. I still have a few of these engines, including the Canadian Pacific GP-9, the 1997 Centennial and 1998 Centennial GPs. If I recall correctly, the 1997 Centennial engine was advertised with electro-couplers but was not made with them. However, at the time you could call Lionel and they would send out an electrocoupler kit for free.
SantaFe158SantaFe158OGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by JC642:
quote:
I will start off with the set that got me into Command Control...the 1996 NYC Geep Command Control set.



A very nice set in its day.
Want to know the very best part of owning those sets today?
Hint.. It's not just the color of the box...
Joe


As I was putting one of my tank cars away on Thursday, I noticed that same label on the box. It made me a bit happy Smile
ed hed hOGR Forum Member
quote:
was there a such a thing as a #1250 set with the #8206 4-6-4 hudson and cars from 1970 ?


yes, actually made in 1972. The second Lionel SSS (Service Station Special Set). The 1971 and 1972 SSS
sets are quite difficult to locate with original boxes. Many Modern Era collectors are not aware of the 1971 and 1972 SSS sets, most think 1973 was the first year.

1972 SSS with set box. Note the generic type boxes used for the 1971 and 1972 sets. Just a label to identify them as SSS sets.



1971 SSS (Illinois Central GP-9)

J JC642OGR Forum Member
quote:
No offence but the single motor f3s mpc made cant pull 10 cars the detail was horrible .. Long live postwar and legacy..



LOl, In case you haven't noticed, you;ll find very few PW, MPC or early LTI O gauge trains still operating on layouts today.
I'd imagine most of whatever survived now retired is displayed somewhere on a wall of fame. Living a static life in infamy. Smile
Joe
SL Silver LakeOGR Forum Member
One of my favorites of this time period was the device station set with the NYC GP9 led mixed train. The set had two passenger cars (one named "silver lake") and freight cars. It had two of the 6464 boxcars from the overstamp series. I have almost all of the overstamp boxcars that showed transitional paint schemes of the merger era.

The overstamp 6464s sell pretty well and are fun to collect. I have the Pacemaker/PC, the Reading/Conrail, the PC/Conrail, and the Pennsy/PC. There is also the Jersey Central/Conrail and LV/Conrail. Fun stuff.

I have and run some MPC growlers. They just need some attention after 30/40 years of sitting "appreciating" in value.
ed hed hOGR Forum Member
Tiffany - I think the 1971 SSS may have included a small transformer, as Ive seen a photo of a set box that has one.
Its possible in the 1971 set photo I posted, the transformer may be under the styrofoam shaped like a building.
Maybe another forum member can confirm this ?

To find a truly mint set, I think it would be very tough. Reason I say this, is because in 20 years of collecting, Ive only seen a few complete boxed sets for sale. One of the Greenbergs books estimates the production well under 1000 pieces of each set, which seems very probable. Since very few seem to come for sale, hard to say what the value would be. Whats interesting about these sets, is that most of the pieces were regularly cataloged items, so a large portion of the value is in the set box itself.
SantaFe158SantaFe158OGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by JC642:
LOl, In case you haven't noticed, you;ll find very few PW, MPC or early LTI O gauge trains still operating on layouts today.
I'd imagine most of whatever survived now retired is displayed somewhere on a wall of fame. Living a static life in infamy. Smile
Joe


I think you're wrong about that. I know a lot of people run Postwar, there are quite a few running MPC too. Postwar is probably more common that MPC when it comes to running though. They were built to last (same goes for prewar trains)
M mlavender480OGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by SantaFe158:
quote:
Originally posted by JC642:
LOl, In case you haven't noticed, you;ll find very few PW, MPC or early LTI O gauge trains still operating on layouts today.
I'd imagine most of whatever survived now retired is displayed somewhere on a wall of fame. Living a static life in infamy. Smile
Joe


I think you're wrong about that. I know a lot of people run Postwar, there are quite a few running MPC too. Postwar is probably more common that MPC when it comes to running though. They were built to last (same goes for prewar trains)


I run MPC, LTI, some modern, and a little postwar. I don't want anything command-equipped and actually don't even have much interest in sound. Most "new" O-gauge just doesn't have that O-gauge "feeling" to me. They're just bigger versions of HO models, which is fine but not what I'm looking for.

To each his/her own.
SantaFe158SantaFe158OGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by mlavender480:
quote:
Originally posted by SantaFe158:
quote:
Originally posted by JC642:
LOl, In case you haven't noticed, you;ll find very few PW, MPC or early LTI O gauge trains still operating on layouts today.
I'd imagine most of whatever survived now retired is displayed somewhere on a wall of fame. Living a static life in infamy. Smile
Joe


I think you're wrong about that. I know a lot of people run Postwar, there are quite a few running MPC too. Postwar is probably more common that MPC when it comes to running though. They were built to last (same goes for prewar trains)


I run MPC, LTI, some modern, and a little postwar. I don't want anything command-equipped and actually don't even have much interest in sound. Most "new" O-gauge just doesn't have that O-gauge "feeling" to me. They're just bigger versions of HO models, which is fine but not what I'm looking for.

To each his/her own.


I have my moods when it comes to the different era's of train production. Sometimes I put away all my command engines and run nothing but postwar, or conventional modern stuff, some days I just want to run command stuff with sound and the postwar stuff get's put on the shelf. I like both equally, but either might not be for some people. That's their decision to make, not mine Big Grin
cjackcjackOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
quote:
Originally posted by Putnam Division:
I will start off with the set that got me into Command Control...the 1996 NYC Geep Command Control set. A lightning stripe NYC postwar-style Geep with command control and RailSounds...with 4 postwar-style freight cars. The set included a Cab-1 remote.



What a value! It listed for $299.95. Yes, it lacks a lot of detail and yes, it is basic TMCC with only RailSounds 2....but it rounds and sounds today like it was just out of the box. in fact, I'll put the RailSounds on this engine against any more modern one! Drawbar pull is about a pound...that means 12-15 modern cars, no sweat. I like this engine so much that I got its brothers the NYC 2383 and Pennsy 2028.


Very timely. I just bought one of those engines and I too like the sound. One thing it didn't have was electrocouplers. I have some of those in my parts bin and installed a front and rear, fit perfectly, and plug right in to the board (almost...I had to separate the two leads from each one and put one lead from each into a two pin plug, and the other lead from each one to a "ground" tab).
PC9850PC9850OGR Forum Member
Just added "The Hulk" to my collection:



I always liked these colorful big diesel unit trains from the MPC and Kughn Eras.

Here's a set from very late in the game. Right before Lionel moved overseas, they introduced the Baltimore & Ohio EM-1, and in the next catalog brought out a rather scarce set of hoppers specifically made to compliment the engine. To this day I have not found any other photos displaying the engine and cars together as a set:

J JC642OGR Forum Member
quote:
I have my moods when it comes to the different era's of train production. Sometimes I put away all my command engines and run nothing but postwar, or conventional modern stuff,


Yea, I'm the same way. Took this guy off the shelf a few days ago and cleaned it up. One of my few remaining MPC engines. It ran perfectly..
Its been awhile since I heard that loud buzzing E-unit & pulmor.
Joe

CarGuyZM10CarGuyZM10OGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBERMEMORIAL SUPPORTER
I often talk about how "when I have company, I run my postwar engines, because they never give me trouble." Well, I have 3 sets from the 1990's, and they are just as reliable. They are:

Lionel Union Pacific Steam Freight Set (my first set from 1993)




Lionel Amtrak Alco Passenger Set (I have the add on cars which gives you a 7 or 8 car train, and a dummy diesel with a horn)

http://www.grzyboskitrains.com/detail10241.aspx

Lionel Navy Set

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lionel...A-Made-/310346769007


Obviously, those are not videos or pictures of my sets. I just posted them to show you what set I meant.
Andy HummellAndy HummellOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
I'm with Skip on this one:




This was our first MPC era set. We would later get the Southern Crescent and Blue Comet sets, but they were nowhere near as much fun as this freight set. It was the desire to set this train back up around my Christmas tree that started me on the path got me back into the hobby. Smile

The box on my set still has the original price tag on it. My dad bought the set in '75 or '76 and paid $149.95 (before sales tax). It doesn't seem like a lot now, but that is roughly equal to $595.00 in today's money.

Andy
L LiamOGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by CarGuyZM10:
I often talk about how "when I have company, I run my postwar engines, because they never give me trouble." Well, I have 3 sets from the 1990's, and they are just as reliable. They are:

Lionel Union Pacific Steam Freight Set (my first set from 1993)




Lionel Amtrak Alco Passenger Set (I have the add on cars which gives you a 7 or 8 car train, and a dummy diesel with a horn)

http://www.grzyboskitrains.com/detail10241.aspx

Lionel Navy Set

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lionel...A-Made-/310346769007


Obviously, those are not videos or pictures of my sets. I just posted them to show you what set I meant.


I happen to own a lot of sets from 1970 to the late 90s actually that is what makes up most of my collection. The video of the Union Pacific Express train set is actually mine and that is one of my favorite sets I like it because it was so deluxe and I liked the cars and the 4-4-2 and I thank you for posting it. Recently I have been upgrading a lot of my postwar and MPC items with new led light bulbs from dans drumheads and they look great. This time was one of my favorite eras of Lionel and K line. Good Thread
J JC642OGR Forum Member
quote:
my favorite eras of Lionel and K line.

Liam 98



The sets were nice but over the years I've tried to pick a favorite engine from the Made in America modern era. (1970-2001) Unable to ever get it down to just one. My favorites seem to change with the weather.
If I had to choose today, you don't hear or see it around very often these days but I think the 13 car Disney set from the 70's has to be near the top..
Also, at the time I loved the JC Penney silver shadow Hudson.
Joe
CarGuyZM10CarGuyZM10OGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBERMEMORIAL SUPPORTER
quote:
Originally posted by Liam:
quote:
Originally posted by CarGuyZM10:
I often talk about how "when I have company, I run my postwar engines, because they never give me trouble." Well, I have 3 sets from the 1990's, and they are just as reliable. They are:

Lionel Union Pacific Steam Freight Set (my first set from 1993)




Lionel Amtrak Alco Passenger Set (I have the add on cars which gives you a 7 or 8 car train, and a dummy diesel with a horn)

http://www.grzyboskitrains.com/detail10241.aspx

Lionel Navy Set

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lionel...A-Made-/310346769007


Obviously, those are not videos or pictures of my sets. I just posted them to show you what set I meant.


I happen to own a lot of sets from 1970 to the late 90s actually that is what makes up most of my collection. The video of the Union Pacific Express train set is actually mine and that is one of my favorite sets I like it because it was so deluxe and I liked the cars and the 4-4-2 and I thank you for posting it. Recently I have been upgrading a lot of my postwar and MPC items with new led light bulbs from dans drumheads and they look great. This time was one of my favorite eras of Lionel and K line. Good Thread


It is a great set, and was a great way to get started in the hobby. I wish the big companies would still make cheap(er) sets of quality, with 5 cars and all the extras.
Larry NealLarry NealOGR Forum Member
Speaking of Service Station Sets, how about the 1990 set with the green 2400 series cars? The locomotive was strange with the light gray color and stripes, but the cars were a faithful reincarnation of the 2400-01-02 cars.

I have this set, which may be brought out for the Christmas layout.

I have collected the original MPC "banner Box" cars for the last few years, since many were carry-overs from postwar Lionel.
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