I’m a senior grandma…with a 1969 Lionel…doesn’t say what model…steam engine with smoke.
The elaborate platform my husband built was in an unheated garage for 33 years.
The track, of course, is rusted…as well as the connectors from the transformer…whistler horn controller and the battery compartment, the uncopler and the track lockon (I found these names from the little instruction sheet about hooking the train up)
The transformer and the engine and the boxcars were stored in the house and fine. The transfrmer did work when my son tried it out.
So what do I do now to get this running for my grandchildren?
I need new track and new connecting parts if available to use this train.
I was going to buy a whole new train set and then the kids could also put the old engine and cars on it, but when I read what you said about transformere I got so very confused.
I was going to buy the NASCAR set from wholesale trains…a bargain…or the logging set elsewhere…but I see posts about transformers and I am now so very confused.
It sounds like the Engine for your Train set would be Model# 2029 as they were the only Engine Lionel made in 1969 that smoked. What City or Town do you live in? There are Hobby/Train Shops in most Metropolitan Areas & out in most Suburbs as well. There should not be much wrong with your Trains Transformer as long as the Power Cord has no Frays or Cracks on it. Just do a visual inspection to make sure this is the case. As for Track, Most Train/Hobby shops should have New Track in stock for you to buy. If you have an ebay account you can buy track there as well. This should give you a start & if you have any more questions, Just ask. Take Care.
I was wondering just how rusted the track is on that layout your husband built. Sometimes with a green scouring pad and a little 3-in -1 oil the track will clean right up. Maybe a son//daughter could give you a hand cleaning things up. I would get a new lock-on and new wires though. Might be worth the effort. I dont know, maybe after 33 yrs. its too far gone. I’ve had good luck with ebay buying used track in good condition. See what you can do. Good=luck.
I’m with Paul, I’ve also had good luck buying clean used track, usually at about 50 cents per section. A new lockon will cost no more than $3. New O27 tubular track runs a dollar or two per section depending on where you buy it.
Old Lionels tend to be durable and resilient, so I don’t expect it will take a lot to get that layout going again.
Is the 1969 the year purchased or the number on the side of the engine? Also, a little lubrication and perhaps cleaning is all that is necessary. What part of the country are you in? If a club is nearby usually there is a nice person who will get you lubed up for no charge.
Before I purchase a bunch of track or anything else I would pick up a CTT magazine (sponsor of this forum) and check the mail order prices (you mentioned you were on a budget). Please note that Wholesale trains does often have low prices so you are probably o.k. there. Please note that traditional tubular track (like you have) is reasonablly cheap. O27 tubular is the least expensive…031 tubular is a tad more. . However, new sets come with fastrak that is much more expensive. For just getting a train running any set can not be beat (no matter what transformer). They will have a little transformer that will run the set. I like the CW-80 transformer (in Lionel sets) but some of the cheapest sets have a “powermax” that is very low power (ab
Just to add to what’s been said above, if you’re in the market for a new train set, you can’t really go wrong with one of the Lionel steam sets. For longevity I would not recommend the NASCAR sets, and for piece of mind I would recommend buying through a reputable local dealer. If you don’t have a good local dealer, then I’d recommend Trainz.com as a good source.
To get what you have up and running, clean the track with a plain old Scotch Brite scouring pad from the kitchen. DO NOT USE STEELWOOL!!!
If you can remove the track, you might want to give it a spin the old dishwasher too. Just make sure it gets completely dried before using. Placing it on the cookie sheet in the oven set to “WARM” with the door cracked open will dry it out quickly.
To clean the wheels and rollers on the engine and tender you can use a Scotch Brite Pad too.