Hi, I was looking for a 70's Lionel 8801 Blue Comet for a long time and I recently was able to buy a less than perfect one in my price range, It was being sold without an original box and a postwar whistle in the tender, I plan on running alot it so a few small paint chips dont bother me and the price was right.
I bought it from a train shop based in NJ who was selling at the Allentown PA train meet this weekend. I can post some photos soon.
After I got it home and did some more research on these engines I have some questions about it. I'm trying to figure out if it is rare, common, a junk box mutt, or factory prototype before I do anything that would mess it up.
-1st question is this, the driver wheels have no white stripes painted on the tires, all the ones I have seen have white stripes, it is a MPC era chassis, with no lionel tag or marks on the center rail collector.
-2nd question is, mine has red class lights on the boiler front, I have seen green lights but never red before. I also have chrome flag stanchons on each side of the pilot, never saw that in photos of others. It only has a gold pinstripe on one side of the steam chest, the other side shows no evidence of ever having a stripe, is this a common MPC era factory error?
-3rd question, the tender has a used original but clean post war air whistle installed, I'm 99% sure the whistle was an owner installed modification but the tender frame is the correct sound of steam chassis with cast metal MPC era 6 wheel trucks installed, I have only seen tenders with the plastic 4 wheel trucks on these before. Did any of these come with 6 wheel trucks from Lionel? The trucks look original and match the 70's style madison style cars that complete the set.
-4th question ,is there any way to add a smaller modern aftermarket "sound of steam" unit in the tender and keep the air whistle that uses conventional control only? I have only post war transformers and no command system. I'd like to see this one have chuff sounds again but dont want to loose the air whistle.
What do you guys think? does it sound like it was customized by a previous owner, factory error, prototype? The seller said he took it as trade in the current condition it is in. What kind of value is one of these engines worth with no box? I dont plan on ever selling it, just curious if I got a good deal.
Thanks for any insight on this engine - Jason
Hi,
I have my complete Blue Comet set for sale with all the original boxes and paperwork, and is in like new condition at a great price. Now to answer your questions.
1) Wheels have white painted rims.
2) Lionel tag is between the rollers.
3) class lights are green.
4) No stations on pilot.
5) Gold pinstripe on each steam chest.
6) tender has electronic sound of steam with 4 wheel trucks.
Hope this helps.
Pat
It sounds like you got a modified 8801, modified by some former owner.
I say this as I have 8603 C & O steam engine that someone had a field day with.
To start with the tender, MPC began to use 6 wheel metal trucks on tenders with the Chessie Berk that was released in 1980. Your 8801 should have a tender with 4 wheel plastic trucks, and the Mighty Sound of Steam sound board.
The Mighty Sound of Steam proved to be a love it, or hate it thing, so it sounds like a prior owner
found a 6 wheel tender with the traditional air whistle.
MPC did make an electronic whistle to go with the MSOS, it came with the 8206 baby hudson, it was then pulled for some upgrading,and then came back with the Chessie Berk.
It sounds like the engine itself as modified with red marker lights, the wheel striping removed (it was painted on, only early 8603's had the wheels grinded), and some other "enhancements".
When you can, please post some pictures, it may help put the puzzle together.
Ken
Red is an unfortunate light choice, since it means that the locomotive is at the back end of the train.
Bob Nelson
I hope you enjoy running your Blue Comet. I bought mine new and I seldom run it. It looks nice on a shelf though. The MSOS just dry rotted away, so the air horn might be an upgrade if it works properly. I like the cars because of the 6 wheel trucks, which were nicer than the ones used on the Southern Crescent which came out a little earlier.
I have a Chessie Berkshire with the MSOS. Never liked it but tolerated it. Then the train went into storage for some years and the sound board died. So, I pulled it and put in an air whistle (required some internal modifications to the shell but this is a runner in very nice condition, but no show queen, so I wasn't worried. So good guess on the tender coming from someone who has done the same thing.
Is there a part number for the green or white marker lenses? Any good sources for the MPC era stuff? I usually check the Olsens train parts library but they only have postwar repair manuals listed as far as I can find.
After doing some quick research, I see Lionel made the $50 Lionel steam sound commander 2 sound boards, Its exactly what I'm looking for....unfortunately they are discontinued , I dont want to spend $100+ for a sound tender or sound boxcar I have to tear apart.
Does anyone have a source for a simple a/c transformer (conventional control) steam chuff board? I dont want to go full command control or has anyone posted plans or a schematic the lionel static generator circuit that could be home built with modern electronic parts? I dont want to hunt down an original 1970s board and gamble on it lasting a short time.
Thanks for the replys!, I forgot to charge the camera batteries, I'll get some photos soon.
-Jason
I now consider myself lucky..... my MSOS systems are living on.
I have the 1977 Southern Crescent set, the Blue Commet ans the Chessie Berk set and all the MSOS systems work fine, and these trains were RUN!
I have the old 71/72 Rock Island and C&O Atlantics, and thier MSOS run well too, at leats they did last time I ran them.
Can you even get these (MSOS) systems fixed anymore?
Good God! my spelling was atrocious on that last post! my apologies
The only problem I've ever had with the MSOS is that foam pad under the board in the tender wears away and the board shorts out. If you have one thats working, pop the top off the tender and replace the foam pad.
An easy fix to prevent a problem.
Ed
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