Lionel "The General" Baggage Car with whistle?

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

I picked up a Lionel “The General” baggage car today with an eye towards mounting the shell on a switcher chassis and making it into a box motor of sorts. However, it seems to be a bit odd in that it has a whistle unit (not working) mounted in it. The unit consists of a square chamber with a motor and circuit board mounted on top, The unit isn’t working, although it whistles when current is applied to the motor leads.

Any idea as to what I have here?

VTY,

-MMM-

2

Hello MMM! There is nothing unusual about your General Baggage Car. Lionel mounted the Whistle Unit inside the Baggage Car as there was no room in the Tender to do so. This was the only way for the General Sets to have a whistle sound. Hope this helps. Take Care.

3

Thankee! Wonder if it can be repaired, then; the whistle doesn’t work and it appears to be short circuiting…

-MMM-

4

Hello MMM! Yes. Your Whistle Can be fixed alright. If you’re unsure or not able to fix it yourself then contact Dr.Tinker’s Toy Train Parts Website & the good Dr will be able to help you out with your situation for sure as he has years of experiance & the parts to fix your Whistle. Or if you have a Lionel Train Shop nearby they should be able to help out as well. Take Care.

5

Great! Thankee!

-MMM-

6

You’re very welcome sir- I like your “Thankee”[;)][:)][8D] Take Care.

7

I don’t believe Lionel ever mounted a whistle in a 1866 0r 1876 baggage car. The whistling car was the 1875W passenger car.

8

Hello NYC Fan ! Most likely a previous owner took a whistle out of a 1875W Car & mounted it in the Baggage Car in this case as they have the same exact frames plus they are of the same size & length as well. It could also be a Factory error that the Baggage Car has a Whistle unit in it as Lionel was known to mix & match different components during its manufacturing history. Take Care. Hope this helps.

9

The Headend Car in a Passenger Train was usually the Baggage Car immediately behind

the locomotive. Why Lionel put the whistle in the normal production Coach Car (#1875W)

that would be normally placed farther from the engine is not logical, because 'the sound of

the whistle’ comes from the engine upon which the whistle is mounted. Lionel did a lot of

things that were not logical, sigh …

10

The placement of the whistle was probably selected for the best sound…