I have added this special early model Lionel 726 to my collection that will get run at shows with our new group we are starting. This old girl has the special red brush capped "High Stack" motor. This was a special model for display layouts in store windows or hobby shops, designed to run cooler when left running for hours on end. A special taller winding stack and matching larger armature that was more precisely ballanced, along with line boring the snout of the motor body like is done with a engine block for an automobile. The double worm drive while being slower and a bit more noisy, is more durable in my opinion than the single worm drive that relies on the side rods to drive the rest of the wheels. The early 726 Berk and 671/2020 Turbines mixed the more scale like speed of the prewar engines like the 700e/783 Hudsons and B6 switchers. with the toy train style that dominated the post war era. The body being a reworked from the 226e tooling. Mike
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Sweet! Can't wait to see it in action.
Great find man! Best of luck with it!
Great engine! Did you get the tender as well? I have the 2020 from the class of '46 with the smoke bulb and double worm drive. As you say, somewhat noisier, but smooth running just the same. You have to move a jumper to cut in/ cut out the E- unit....
Paul
No, I didnt get a tender. So, when the train budget improves, I will be looking for one. They are not a cheap one to purchase and go fast when they pop up for a decent price. I lack a layout at the moment, so no huge rush. I have other tinplate on its way to enjoy including my Moskabel Russian set.
It's a great looking engine , these early ones without the Eunit lever sticking out the top. I would think the tender would be rare indeed! very very nice!
Here's a chance for me to learn something.
Is there something unique to the tender that goes with a 726? I've got a 736 that came with its original tender but it'll use any Lionel post-war tender I've got on hand. I've got several I've repainted and decaled for different 'roads and the 736 doesn't care which one's attached to it.
Flintlock,
many of the early postwar engines were carried over from the late prewar years. As Mike mentioned, the 726 was retooled from the prewar 226e. I believe it also had it's tender: a sweet die cast job with handrails, steps , and 6 wheel trucks. It's a real beauty!
I have the prewar 224e, but not the correct diecast tender that should go with....
The correct tender is a 2426w, which was the 2226w in the prewar years from behind the 226e. This tender was also used with the 1950 version of the 773 Hudson. Diecast body and 3 axle trucks. Super clean ones command quite a price to this very day. I will be looking for one when funds permit. They turn up from time to time online and at shows.
Thanks for the response gents! But I should refine my question a little.
Is it possible to use any post-war tender with a 726, or are the dimensions and coupling (to the locomotive) just too different?
Yes, one could use any postwar or even up thru the early LTI era tender behind the 726 or 736 Berkshire. Lionel even offered a 2426 style tender with Railsounds 2.5 in it as a stand alone set up to put behind any engine. So one could get a solid postwar Berk and build their own Polar Express engine that is much more durable and stronger than the starter set versions but cheaper than the full scale version.
Well there you go. It'd be a shame for your 726 to sit on a shelf for lack of a tender. Slap anything on it's tail and run it, that's what it's made for!
Then keep looking for the right one or as close as you can get.
By the way, if your 726 is like my 736 a Williams Berkshire tender will work just fine with it as well, trust me, I've tried it.
I am working on getting him a tender before the show in November that I plan to run trains at. Need to sell/trade off two of my Bassett Lowke O gauge engines first as those 2426w tenders are not cheap. Need to get track as well, working that angle as well right now.
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