Cab repair on Prewar Lionel 265E

[jd-train]

I've seen a number of cast cabs come up for sale on eBay for Prewar Lionel 265E's.

Has anybody replaced the cab on these engines?

How are the attached?

Is it a relatively easy repair?

Thanks,

Jim

[ogauge]

 Two screws and four tabs.  Careful on the tabs as they tend to break off if bent to far or to many times.  Just bend them enough to get the cab off.  Depending on the cab, these can tend to need some filing to clean up casting flash and even some filler. before paint.  With some effort you can make a very nice repair and a 265E with a repro cab is better than a 265E with NO cab!!!

[ivesboy]

 

 

    Olsens cab is nice. As previously stated the cab is easily removed. They sell the bracket for the drawbar too. This is often missing if the cab is decayed. Just buy a good part and the right paint. As a general rule and i mean general...Thick nickel rimmed engines take cabs w/o the firebox and thin rim engines take cabs with the Firebox. I can tell you for certain if i knew a little more about your engine. Usually it was only the black engines from 35' that took the plain cab.

[ogauge]

 Ives, The '35 red comet takes the  early cab as well (of course the red comet is a 264E)  Guess thats just extra info....

[ivesboy]

 

  True and neither does the black 35' 264e which came in frieght sets. There is also another little known difference b/w 35 and 36-40 locos. The 35 engines did not have the nickel trim ring around the opening for the headlight. Also the early locos did not have weights added to the steamchest.

  Also some left over black 265E's with thick rims and plain cabs made it into 1936 catalogued freight sets.

 The 35' version of the black 264E is very rare....Much scarcer than any of the family.

[ogauge]

ivesboy

here is also another little known difference b/w 35 and 36-40 locos. The 35 engines did not have the nickel trim ring around the opening for the headlight. Also the early locos did not have weights added to the steamchest.

Yep, forgot that one, but your right, I noticed that when I ended up with one of each earlier this year.

Also, If I am not mistaken, only the 36 engines had the 265 W or T tender The 35 engines had the 261T small tender.

 

[ivesboy]

 

  The 265e that headed the silver streak pulled a 261tx. The x denoting a drawbar. Both 264e's had 261t tenders and the black 265e's that headed the "Commodore Vanderbilt" set with 600 601 602 in blue and silver had a 265t/w waffle top tender. The 265e's in feight sets also had the larger streamlined tender.

[ogauge]

 As I understand it the 261T tender was used in 35 and the 265T/W in 36...  Could be wrong on that, but have always thought that was a general rule.

[ivesboy]

The big 265W tender was designed along with the 265E as it's companion. They came in most 35 sets together. Only the "Silver streak" and "Red COmet" used the cheaper 261T in 35. A list of sets and their components is below. 

The 265E was catalogued in 3 sets in 35'.  The first was 279E which included the 265E 261TX 619 and 618 Flying Yankee style cars. 

The second was "The Commodore Vanderbilt" and was set 274E. It included the 265E with 265T or W. 600, 601, 602 pullman cars in blue and silver. 

The third set was a freight set 234E. It included the 265E 265T/W and 654 655 653 657. 

The 264E was only in 1 set. "The Red Comet." It used the 264E, 261T, 603 603 604 cars. It also came with it's own matching transformer in red.

Some uncatalogued sets using the 264E were also issued containing dif. arrangements of the 1685 cars. These sets always used the big 265W tender. 

[lord vanderbilt]

Does it matter which Cab I put on my restored 265E...FIRE BOX OR NO FIRE BOX ..that is the question.

Thank  Lord Vanderbilt

[Gizmog]

I am resurecting this older thread because I am  also interested in the issue of which cab should go on my 1935  265e. The cab that is currently on my loco is deteriorating and does not have the added firebox detail. The loco  came with the 261tx tender so I am pretty confident that it is the 1935 version. I had been told that the 265's all came with the firebox detail while the 264's  got the plain backhead. The decaying cab on mine has the plain backhead but I am pretty sure it is a repro since the windows to the cab are solid metal on the inside while showing the 4 pane moulding on the exterior. I doubt that lionel would have let an unfinished cab thru inspection. I have read somewhere that in 1935 ALL the cabs had plain backheads and that the firefox detail was added in the 1936 versions of the 265e. I have a plain cab on head and a bachhead enhanced one on order so I would really like to know which one is right for my Silver Streak set (#279e)

[conditionkid]

I have a 1937 uncataloged set that contains a black 264E/265T with red 603, 603, 604 passenger cars....almost a Red Comet set!  The cars have fish bellies rather than air tanks.