Lionel Tugboat

I always wanted the PRR version and twice in the past 5 years came across one at a show at a good price but passed. I just don't have the room to do a harbor scene properly. The best I can do is the Rockville bridge and a small beach scene.

-Greg

Really admired this since first announced...

Eighteen years ago saw a 'Sale!' ad by an eastern shop in one of the mags.  Price?  Said: "Call".

I did.  $79.00.

Bam!

Now....if I could just figure out how to work it into the layout!

Just too cool to part with.

KD

(One of the very best and truly happy surprises in the accessories category from Lionel in the past 25 years....IMHO, of course!)

Encore!  Encore!

YES!  Have the PRR Tugboat.  I also have the Lionel swinging bridge and always intended to set up a scene with the boat approaching  the bridge.

Ron

I needed a tugboat for my harbor scene and considered the Lionel units, but they seemed too large for my limited space.  I purchased a kit and constructed a tug with assistance of my grandkids (did some painting and named it with 3 different names! You can see 2 of them in the photos). I'm up in Canada for the summer and away from details, but I'm fairly sure this is from Sylvan Scale Models (actually here in Canada).  I do not have access to their website to confirm.  BTW, I love the tug!

Michael

Like dkdkrd, I liked the tug when I first saw it.  While at a show I saw one for less than I had seen anywhere else, so I grabbed it. It is pretty big but I fit it in anyway.  During a rebuild, I removed it and it spent a number of years in it’s box.  I decided to add a small harbor to my new layout and set it up.  I like it.  As built it has no volume control so I added one, those seagulls really get on your nerves after a while.

I made sure to get the PRR version as soon as it came out.  Have plans to place alongside some barges (which I think I have to scratch build) is two waterfront scenes on my future basement layout.  One barge setup will be open top for cargo (coal, scrap) next to the TMCC Gantry crane.  The other will be alongside a carfloat scene (another scratch built progect I'll get to someday).  I'm thinking the carfloat/tug combo will actually be top of a roll away section, with car storage shelves below, a sorta of poor man's yard storage.

I picked up the B &O tugboat when a local hobby shop when out of business and incorporated it into a river scene with the Lionel lift bridge and bascule bridge in the background.  Even though the boat's sounds are anemic, and the smoke output is wispy, I still like it. I had considered (very briefly) repainting it into Milwaukee Road colors, but that was a ... um ... bridge too far.

Jim

Here's the future planned layout, with harbor scene in the upper right, carfloat in the bottom center.  Carfloat entrance in not optimal (off the dual main line), but I don't have much room to work with.

Having been in the Merchant Marines for 50 plus years as a licensed Master & 1st. Class Pilot certainly had to have one of Lionel’s Tugs. It is too large for my layout but is on display on a train shelf next to it.

Excellent graphics by Lionel with appropriate lighting and markings. 😊😊

@Michael Pags posted:

I needed a tugboat for my harbor scene and considered the Lionel units, but they seemed too large for my limited space.  I purchased a kit and constructed a tug with assistance of my grandkids (did some painting and named it with 3 different names! You can see 2 of them in the photos). I'm up in Canada for the summer and away from details, but I'm fairly sure this is from Sylvan Scale Models (actually here in Canada).  I do not have access to their website to confirm.  BTW, I love the tug!

Michael

Michael!...

Yes, that's Sylvan's tug.  I built the same model...

Also had George at ITT Products put together a custom sound chip for their module that has appropriate sounds...sloshing water, chugging engine, seagulls (ubiquitous!), that nautical single chime tooter, et al.  Lots of gung-ho at the time.  Now a shelf queen.  Same problem as with the MUCH larger ATSF tug...where to moor on the layout?  Named for one of my favorite Golden Books of yore.  (In which Scuffy was made quite aware of his smaller size by the larger tugs in the harbor!)

BTW...That guy standing at the bow of your tug with his back to us?...He's not doing what I think he's doing...is he??...  The water looks polluted quite enough!

I'm getting re-inspired!  Gotta get those tuggers on the layout! 

Thanks, Michael!

KD

Paying further homage to "Scuffy's" story, I thought someday when they're on the layout () to add some printed eyeball inserts in the front two windows of the tugs. .When the 'kids'...big and small...come over!

Captain John, that’s a beautiful boat, Lionel did a great job on the series of I believe 4 different road names of these tug boats. Here’s a picture of the way Dr. Jack Fisher placed his tug boat on his layout In Nashville. Great thread Arnold. Great pictures. Happy Railroading Everyone

@Danr posted:

Like dkdkrd, I liked the tug when I first saw it.  While at a show I saw one for less than I had seen anywhere else, so I grabbed it. It is pretty big but I fit it in anyway.  During a rebuild, I removed it and it spent a number of years in it’s box.  I decided to add a small harbor to my new layout and set it up.  I like it.  As built it has no volume control so I added one, those seagulls really get on your nerves after a while.

Dan I thought your harbor was well done and was sized appropriately for the tugboat. Your water also looked very realistic. I enjoyed seeing it along with your layout during our club meeting.

I have had warm memories of Scuffy as well. Those and the fact I have focused on New York Central were my motivation for getting one. Lionel’s bears a close resemblance to a prototype that was on display in Massachusetts for many years posted in an earlier thread.

Pete

I also had the Lionel tug but could never fit it in due to its size.

I found a plastic kit roughly HO size which served well on the old layout.

The uncertainty about the success of the rides goes back to my very early days in Astoria playing in the shadow of the Hellgate Bridge. I witnessed a tug lose power under the bridge during the worst tidal conditions and swirl around a bit in the infamous currents and whirlpools there.

Jim

Hi Jim. Hope all is well.

I too have the NYC tug. It is big.

Jim's use of the HO is great Idea.

KD, nice job with the Sylvan tug. No, the deck hand on the bow is not doing what you think.  Got to keep it "A" rated for the grandkids. And yes, the harbor water is deliberately murky, as typical harbor water is.  Also did that pour with my grandson. That was great learning experience.  Blew on the surface of the wet pour to get rid of the bubbles, but could get rid of all of them. Then decided we like the look - appears as natural surface bubbles after the movement of the tug. Could not have achieved that if we tried!

Michael

OK, Arnold...

Your turn!  Tell us your story...please?

The first two boats offered - the NYC and Pennsy - didn't have operating navigation lights. Has anyone added those to one of these? If so, how did you do it? The later offerings did have operating lights.

@leapinlarry posted:

Captain John, that’s a beautiful boat, Lionel did a great job on the series of I believe 4 different road names of these tug boats. Here’s a picture of the way Dr. Jack Fisher placed his tug boat on his layout In Nashville. Great thread Arnold. Great pictures. Happy Railroading Everyone

Thanks, Larry, one of my joys in life has become to dream up new Forum topics that others find entertaining. Arnold