New Member here..

Welcome Jaime, this is a fun group and you will find that it has loads of very knowledgable people (I've lost count on how many times I've asked and received tons of answers).  There are a ton of great guys and gals on this list and you will enjoy it.  Don't be afraid to ask questions, I'm sure you'll get dozens of answers in return.  Welcome aboard.

Welcome Jamie H! As  J. Motts said, the forum is full of wonderful people with knowledge to share. On a side note, the 681 was my grandfathers first Lionel set. Also, don’t worry about crummy pictures as your not the only one who takes them sometimes! As for your 681, I usually lubricate my postwars before operation, and don’t forget to add smoke fluid or pellets so it doesn’t harm the smoke unit if it works. 

Pics look good to me.  Welcome aboard. 

Welcome aboard, nNICE SET that. Time to check under the hood.😎

Welcome to the forum! There are lots of good friendships and a wealth of knowledge available here, so step right in and have fun in this greatest of hobbies.

Welcome! This is a good place. Nice trains you have there! 

Welcome and enjoy the ride.

Welcome aboard!

Your set looks like a Lionel 2167WS from 1950 or 51. Nice set.

Hi Jamie,

J. Motts posted:

Welcome Jaime...I've lost count on how many times I've asked and received tons of answers).  There are a ton of great guys and gals on this list and you will enjoy it.  Don't be afraid to ask questions, I'm sure you'll get dozens of answers in return.  Welcome aboard.

I have also received many great answers to my questions over many years.  During this time,  the division of the Forum into specific Topics has also made it much easier to follow your specific interests, and to post questions that are very likely to be answered by knowledgeable hobbyists.  As to reading to learn more, our oldest son, my "Train Buddy" has purchased a home, and we are planning to build a garden railroad on his property with my "stored" LGB equipment.  So, I am now studying an excellent book by Allan Miller (who kindly welcomed you, supra.), to learn what we really need to do.  

Bottom line, what J Motts says is very true, and a compliment to the many fine people on the Forum. So, "Don't be afraid to ask questions..."

Welcome!

Welcome!!!  If you need help just ask.  These GUYZ know all about how to fix em.

Better safe than sorry, a good lube job and a check of motor brushes should be done ASAP, though it looks to be in real nice shape. Search for threads or start your own if motors are a mystery to you.

   It had me smiling before I read line one fully

...oh yea, welcome

Jamie, welcome back to the hobby and to the forum. A wealth of information to explore here. Nice pics......Paul

Welcome!.  No end to the possibilities; Just wait till you see Lionel Legacy engines - sucked me right in.

This video set me on my path:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2ap0c6DWCM

Welcome.

Welcome!!! In the past I was on maybe 6 internet forums....I am down to this forum on a daily basis......great place for info. Very well managed and most part civil. 

Welcome Jamie H. Pics look good to me. Don't worry if you misspeak, no worries there. Don't be afraid to ask questions about anything. Someone will be sure to answer any questions you have, and others as well. Don't forget if you need advice, there are plenty of great people to offer on every subject. I have found from my experience that it may take a bit(depending on what you're asking) to get an answer. Don't get discouraged if your topic(s) don't get a reply right away, some of us get on odd hours and timezones sometimes come into play.

P.S., love the Turbine.

laz1957 posted:

Welcome!!!  If you need help just ask.  These GUYZ know all about how to fix em.

Yep, the fellas on this forum helped me repair a Vision Line Big Boy (I destroyed the smoke units by either over filling or under filling them - there is much info on the forum for the right way to fill them).

Uh, did anyone tell you about the “Forum Initiation Rites” yet??

Seriously, welcome! Lots of fun to be had here plus help with questions. Perhaps folks could recommend some beginner’s books for you?

Knowing  the basics makes reentry into the model RR world a LOT easier. Well worth picking up a good intro book, IMO. And there are some great videos available, too. Take you right through the early stages step-by-step. 

Welcome aboard Jamie!!

Welcome Jamie,

I have that same 1950s set you are starting with.  It still runs great but is a shelf queen now because I love the new command control stuff.

Dennis

Welcome from a fellow newb. You'll find a wealth of knowledge on this site.

Welcome.

I got my start with a 229 prewar set, so I can relate.

I would certainly have your S2 checked out, but those die cast engines were well built.

I've been in the Lionel game since 1980, when I finally talked my Dad into fixing the 229. Since then, the o scale world had transformed, and anybody can model their own favorite region. 

Where do your interests lie as far as era, region, favorite trains, locomotives, etc.?

Welcome to the Forum! Hope you enjoy getting back into the hobby.

Welcome and that's a nice set to start out with.  You'r dad was a lucky kid! Those trains are practically indestructable so run em and they should last another lifetime. You may find at some point the modern starter set transformer isn't quite enough for the turbine but you still have the old one so you can also use that. Don't be afraid to ask anything.  We'll pull you down the hill to old train madness!

Thanks for the friendly replies and information! I think the only book I have is an intro book from the 80s, so the new control stuff will be missing. 

I live close to where a short line started in the early 1900s that once ran for the sawmill industry. Id like to go that route, keep it steam. 

and i want to say i was told the old transformer didnt work....so im a bit hesitant to plug it in.....

Welcome Jamie!  Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Curt

Welcome aboard, feel free to ask for help and enjoy your trains! Looks like you have some nice ones there.

Hi Jamie and welcome to the Forum. You'll probably need a pro to work on the transformer, but newer and better ones of equal or greater power are out there for (mostly) reasonable prices. There's a few guys here that do repair work and sell any parts you may need. 

Your photos look fine. 

Welcome aboard, like many others have said the folks here are a great group of helpful folks. I could not have gotten my small layout up and running without them.  I have your engine's cousin, 2020 from my childhood. Runs just fine after after sitting for 41 years in a box in my parent's old home at the coast and given a little lubrication and cleaning.

Run Trains and have Fun,

Kevin

Great little train set.  These trains don't hold a candle to the new stuff, but I love them.  Given the technology of the time they are fantastic.  I find myself gazing at them with a sense of warmth.  The pleasure that they gave the kids of that time is immeasurable.  Try finding that sense of family with the toys of today.  Your sense of imagination was an open prairie  with these wonderful toys.

I enjoy them as well as the new command stuff.  There's no need to categorize yourself.  If they give you pleasure you're in the right category.

Alan

Welcome Aboard! Sit back and enjoy the ride!

Jamie_h posted:

Thanks for the friendly replies and information! I think the only book I have is an intro book from the 80s, so the new control stuff will be missing. 

I live close to where a short line started in the early 1900s that once ran for the sawmill industry. Id like to go that route, keep it steam. 

Lumber is the perfect industry to model with Lionel. The latest version of the postwar sawmill has command control and sound.

Then there's the lumber loader, the log dump car, and the Moe and Joe flatcar with boards that unload, and a forklift platform you can use to load lumber on flatcars.