The modern stuff, no real duplication of effort. Postwar F3s? I collected variations for quite a while. some of the common ones like 2343 and 2344 I probably have more than twenty sets of each, a dozen more 2333s and multiples throughout all the PW F3 series.
No wonder I can’t find any! [;)]
I have tried to keep from having any duplicates in my collection of American Flyer Prewar trains but I do have multiples of the body style of the steeple cabs, but only one real duplicate and that is the black 1218. I also have 2 3115s. In steamers I only have duplicates of the 3322, and I have two of those. I don’t think that is too bad out of a total of 52 Prewar O gauge engines.
Enjoying the World’s Greatest Hobby
Northwoods Flyer
There is so much variety today in locomotives, but most of it is on the scale side. Not much for the 027 operator. So I have quite a few of the Lionel Industrial Switcher, the small Lionel steamers, and the K-Line MP-15, Alco FA, and S-2 switchers.
I do a lot of repainting though, so I can make the variety and little modifications to the locos to make them all look a little different. So like with the K-Line S-2 below, you can see added marker lights, an actual headlight, an added metal ladder on the side, added horn to the top of the cab roof, added details to the hood of the loco, and filled in pilots.
On this loco for variety, I removed the included side handrails and substituted a handrail along the upper side of the loco which is painted yellow. Plus you can’t see it here, but I cut a window into the back door of the cab and often paint the handrails and window visor different colors.
Since this photo was taken, I’ve also highlighted the edges of the metal handrails front and back with yellow paint along with the edge of the bottom sheet metal step. In my mind, highlighting just the side edge of the front/back handrails looks better than having the whole thing painted.
For the money, it’s hard to beat the K-Line S-2 for perfomance, reliability and especially looking at home on a small layout with semi-scale or 027 types of rolling stock. I’ll be looking forward to the RMT version of this loco if it ever gets made.
The only engine I have 2 of is the 2025. The price of the 2nd one was too good. I modified one of them by putting a coupler on the front for double heading.
J White
Wow!, J. White, I would like to hear how you added a coupler on the front of your 2025. The only steam engine I can double head is my postwar 1615 steam switcher (which I think is the only postwar steamer with a coupler on the front).
My only mupltiple engine is a Lionel postwar 205 Missouri Pacific Alco diesel. Usually I use the dummy engine as the second A-A unit but I purchased a second powered unit so that I could run 2 powered alcos when I want to haul a long or heavy load (just like a real railroad would do).
I have purchased the powered and unpowered units of the same loco
On different occasions I purchased 646 and 2056 postwar Lionel steamers, each time because they were cheap, in good condition and they appealed to me. Only when I brought the second purchase home, and then did a little research, did I realize that they were the same except for on having magna-traction and the other not, and that they also share a shell, though not drivetrain, with my 736. But they are both good runners.
It would be nice to double head them if someone could provide a nice, easy, and good looking process for adding a front coupler. Couldn’t someone develope a conversion kit that would work with most Lionel postwar steamers? With the tendency towards operating longer trains on bigger layouts, I think there would be a strong market.
runtime
I have four SD-45’s; three by Williams, one Pennsy and two Reading Lines and one Reading Lines SD-45 by MTH. Also have two Lionel 224’s, one is a 224E and the other is a 224, both steam engines. There is also the A-B-A set of Williams F-7 diesels for the Santa Fe with six El Capitan passenger cars. I am trying to sell a set of Pennsy F-7’s, A-B-A, by Williams at a train show this month in Deerfield Beach FL.
Lee F.
There were two companion articles, titled “Doublehead those steamers!”, on page 86 of the January, 1999, CTT on how to add front couplers in ways that did not permanently alter the locomotives.
Thanks again for all the interesting replies [8D]
jwse30, I too would really like to hear about how you did this. Could you inform us?
Thanks
I have several and I am sure more than I can think of at this time. A couple of turbines (PW), several 2025s, 2026s, 2037s, SW1s, and a couple of FMs. The 2025s and 2026s are for projects that I plan. Also, I have a couple that I got because I just forgot that I had one just like it in a closet, or under the layout. One day, I will make a list of everything, but then, I would be afraid my wife would see it.
Dennis
Thanks, Bob. I purchased that issue for that very purpose, however, I thought the solutions possibly beyond my capabilities, and additionally, I was unsure of their esthetic appeal. I would prevfer something which would switch out the stock cowcatcher for one with an integral coupler. Can’t some nich mfgr offer something like that?
runtime
I have a couple of Lionel Fundimension Southern Crescents.
If I win the lottery tonight I will have several…LOL…
Guilty as charged, I have two AF 312’s, 1 SIT, 1 SIB. I also have two 293’s, one I had to buy because it had taken a nose dive and had a bent cow catcher. A little patience, and I was able to straighten it without breaking anything. I also have singles of the 336, 342AC, a 360-365 diesel, and a Franklin 88. Now if i can just build a layout large enough to use them all!
George
A quick look around the shelves yielded this count:
1- 21165, 5- 21160, 3- 303, 4 – 302, 2- 21085, 2- 312, 1- 293, 1-21107, 2 – 21088, 1 – 356, 2- 290, 1 – 300AC, 1- 322, 1 – 332, 3 – 283, 1 – 310, 2 – 350, 3 – 282, 1 – 342AC.
Jim
I have a Prewar and a Postwar 1666, a 675 with Baldwins, and a later oe with the sintered wheels.
Dave