Inspired by the 726/736 thread. What is the better running engine? A new Berk for $400 or an old one for probably more" Is it just the attraction of postwar era or do the older ones perform better?
Is the new $1,200 any better?
I am not discounting the attraction of collecting certain things, as I have quite a bit of collectable items in various interests.
Now who is the only one that can aswer that question? It’s all up to you and your preferences.
A new $400 Berk is going to have an electronic sound system and most likely a command control system capability. A post war Berk will have an air whistle and an open frame motor.
Is the new $1200 one any better? Here’s my way of thinking on that. If it turns out to be a lemon, I’d rather pay $400 for one than $1200 for one. And is it just me, or are there more $1200 lemons than $400 ones?
Want the best of both worlds and affordable to boot? Buy a Williams 726 for $250 -$300. Brand new post war train with a modern style can motor. Quiet. Almost totaly maintenance free. Strong as a bull.
Jim
Yeah, Jim has pretty much nailed it. It’s personal and only you can answer that question.
for me personally, a lot of running toy trains has to do with the magical experience of running a vintage 50 year old toy that has history. I really like antiques and vintage stuff and that’s why I run trains.
It’s really a personal decision. I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.
Mike S.
I agree. there is just something about these old Lionels. wondering about the joy that was on the child’s face when it was opened Christmas morning.
The Williams is very nice for the price.Looks like post-war but,I think,pulls better.Good bell and whistle but the whistle is always the same[_ _ . _].
I like the postwar engines because I can ALWAYS repair them. There is a certain satisfaction about taking a very old engine apart and getting it to work, sometimes even better then it was new.
The new can motors are very nice and very reliable, but I still like to take an old Lionel motor apart for cleaning and re-lubing. Circuit boards in the new engines generally require replacement if the failure is anything more then a broken wire or cold solder joint.
I have been in the hobby for close to 60 years and have never had to buy any parts for a postwar engine, other than an occasional light bulb that had burned out. By contrast, I have had to return several modern engines to the manufacturer for repair when the repairs exceeded my capabilities. The modern engine repairs always required one or more circuit boards to be replaced.
The educational value of working on postwar engines is priceless. Shucks, I remember the exhilaration I had as a child when I actually hooked up the transformer to the track and the train worked!
Earl
Exactly how I feel! If I had the choice, I’d take the postwar Berkshire, at least I’d have a better understanding of what I was buying. With the new China made stuff I’ve had problems in which I don’t have the necessary skills to fix, ended up sending out for repairs, only to have a 3-5 month wait. Who whats that?
With postwar, yes I’ve had much fewer problems, most I can remedy myself, and even enjoy taking them apart and fixing them. In the case of not having the part, all I have to do is pick up the phone, call a postwar part dealer and I’ve have it in just days!
Nothing is more pleasing to me than running a postwar engine with the smell of ozone and smoke pellets at the same time. Nice!
I must say here that the people and posts on this forum seem to be more friendly than over at ORG Land.
I would go for a postwar origional with correct tender. They are simple, reliable, and easy to maintain. Plus owning an origional feels better than owning a repro.
I learned alot from searching these forums for info on the 726 and 736, plus looking over ebay for a while. For me, the 726 remains the best choice of the three I was looking at. That is, if price is no object. Among 726s, I am intrigued by the 1946 variant, which has a motor that drives two drivers instead of one. However, I ended up getting a 736 with a 12-wheel tender because the going rate was about 30% cheaper. After looking over the Century Club “726”, I was put off by the look (oversize number on the cab, huge tethers to the tender) compared to the original. No one will confuse the CC version with an original. Williams looked nice(r), but I’ve heard some bad things about the jack rabbit starts from its can motor. I’ve seen other Williams steamers that do the same.
Your mileage may vary.
NH Chris
These old engines are like the old cars. they are nice, and might run smooth but, come on… how can you compare them with today’s new $1200. Lionel engines? Compare a 1950 Olds with todays Lexus. There is your answer. Oh, I was raised in the early fifties and I would see the different Lionel engines. Whether you can afford todays expensive Lionel or Mth engines or not, today’s locos with all the features are best.
Welcome Lenny the Lion. [#welcome].
As to the old vs new question…I have a bit of both. I am somewhat of a cluts with repairs so I prefer the new stuff. I do not like having to send them in for repair (only one engine… a Lionel T1 Duplex that regularly stopps chuffing). Still at least when I get them back and open the box it is like gettting a new engine all over again. I run my older stuff, but just find the new stuff runs so much smother. With a new ZW and TMCC remote I can get very slow starts from any modern engine (got to get my 60HZ setup running here in England!). I try to have a little older stuff on the layout for the nostolgia (including my original set from 1964). People are amused by all the sounds and remote couplers in my new trains…and then when I say some pieces are 50 years old they become impressed at the same time.
Perhaps if I was a better train fixer I could keep all my old stuff running better. As it is my new stuff is alot more reliable and takes a lot less power.
In conclusion, I think it is best to have both! But if you force me to pick I would go for the Williams.
Jim H
If I may ask which $1200.00 dollar berkshire. I’m looking at the (#2289WS Berkshire Freight Set) in the Lionel 2007 Catalog the list price for the set is $749.99 yes it has TMCC.
I have 3 berks 1 736 2 726RRs easy to fix simply running and they have the classic clank sound.
Scott
Late model cars are expensive to maintain. A minor repair is an easy $500 compared to $100 for an old car if it is a popular model (parts availability). The new trains are falling in the same bracket.
Good question…Two years ago I was looking for a 1950 model 736 with the correct tender…The new Santa Fe Berks with Trainsounds were going on eBay for less than half of what I would expect to pay for a good 736…So I bought new one; and the following week I bought a second one…Now I had two new locomotives with Trainsounds for less than I had planned on spending on the 736…
Well, I absolutely hate the “crew jabber” on those locomotives, but I do like the bell…!! Yes they good lookers and run nice, but they still are not a 736, which is still on my wanted list…and quite frankly, I dislike traction tires on any locomotive…, but the new Berks will be sticking around.