Lionel PRR Little Joe Electric Locomotive

[Anonymous]

Will a Lionel PRR 8551 Little Joe Electric Locomotive negotiate 027 curves? This is an older production, perhaps late 60's early 70's model.

[iguanaman3]

When Lionel made the original in the 1950's it was an O or Super O model.  Still, it will take O27 curves but it won't clear O27 switches because of it's length.  There will be quite a bit of overhang around curves too which might hit trackside structures so be careful.

Neil

 

[lionelsoni]

For what it's worth, the 8551 is not a "Little Joe", but an EP-5, not that the trucks would be correct for either prototype.

[chuck]

November 2001 CTT has an article on the "Jet".  Only new tooling for this model was the frame and the shell, everything else is based on the internal mechanics of F-3/GP-7 (inlcuding the Blomberg style trucks and F style pilot cowling), the pantographs are from the GG-1.  Unit's only six scale feet short of  a true scale EP-5 even though a lot of the details (like the Blomberg trucks) are wrong.

[1688torpedo]

Hello All!   The "Little Joe"  Designation for this engine came from the time period in which it was made in the 50's when the Real Life versions of this engine were made & exported to Russia while Joseph Stalin was in charge. Take Care.

[ADCX Rob]

The 1975 version you have should run well on 027.  Mine has fared well the last 31 years on a 027 layout w/ 24 1122/1122E switches.  Aside from "O" straights & curves, pins & fiber pins, 027 was the only system offerred by Lionel in 1975(TruTrack had been abondoned already).

Rob

[lionelsoni]

The "Little Joe" was the EF-4, which was built for Russia but never exported, not the EP-5 "Jet".  See http://www.highironillustrations.com/railfan_specification/spec_littlejoe.html