Trains.com

Lionel F3 Restoration

10509 views
22 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Lionel F3 Restoration
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 14, 2007 8:21 PM
How do you restore a Lionel 2343 F3 Santa Fe diesel that apparently was burned in a fire and then buried in mud for twenty or more years? I have the answer!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 14, 2007 9:06 PM

  Any more pictures? What is the answer? Is it done yet?

  I am sorry for my impatience. I get excited about the resorations of everything once junk into something again opperational.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 14, 2007 9:07 PM
 BTW, where did you find it?
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 14, 2007 9:30 PM
This restoration has a surprise ending. It was found in mud next to a trash heap at the future site of a shopping center by Boy Scouts while working on an Eagle Project to build a garden for growing vegetables to feed needy persons. This is in the Philadelphia, PA suburban area.
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Southern MD
  • 315 posts
Posted by USNRol on Monday, May 14, 2007 9:37 PM

I could have guessed as much!  Only in Southeastern PA would people be unearthing Postwar Lionel Santa Fe's from the mud...nowhere else in the world would that ever happen. 

By the picture she actually looks to be in decent shape...I've seen worse sold for hundreds on eBay recently.

Anxiously awaiting the "rest of the story"
Roland

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Southern MD
  • 315 posts
Posted by USNRol on Monday, May 14, 2007 9:42 PM
 Gonut1 wrote:

..Can't help but think how neat it would be to give this shell and frame another shot at gliding around a Christmas tree on tubular rails...after such a horrible and presumably permanent demise for a toy train...please post the video!!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 1:53 AM
wow, now i cant complain about rust on my 2025...yes please details......
  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Philly
  • 107 posts
Posted by trainboy414 on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 5:18 AM
I know how it ends i'm Gonut1 son i "Restored"It
__________ !_o_ !_ o _! !____!____! o OO = OO o
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 7:22 AM
Everyone, get out your metal detectors, were goin' train hunting!!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 11:11 AM

No fair telling Trainboy 414! I'll try to post an "after" shot or two tonight.

 

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Philly
  • 107 posts
Posted by trainboy414 on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 2:34 PM
I'm not going to tell.
__________ !_o_ !_ o _! !____!____! o OO = OO o
  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: Southwest Georgia
  • 5,028 posts
Posted by dwiemer on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 2:46 PM

OK, so lets see it!  and please do tell the story of what needed to be done. 

Dennis

TCA#09-63805

 

Charter BTTs.jpg

  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: Oyster bay branch, LIRR
  • 341 posts
Posted by billbarman on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 2:55 PM
whoa, i think your gonna have on heck of a job to do there! good luckSmile [:)]

"No childhood should be without a train!"

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New England
  • 6,241 posts
Posted by Jumijo on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 3:05 PM
Somehow I don't think it's a runner any more...

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 7:13 PM
 After the soap and water, brushing and scrubbing, what was left was a frame with no paint, a twisted, buckled, paintless body, some details like the roof screens, headlight and windshield, the battery cover and not much else. Fortunately there was no leaking battery damage! My son surfed ebay and other places and found out there isn't much out there in the way of motors, horn, or relays. About the only thing available is the reverser. Well it sure would be nice to see it run again but that wasn't very likely. At least not without spending a lot of time at train meets. Then the other night my son said, "Dad I fixed the F3". It might even run. Like I mentioned this is a surprise ending...
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 7:32 PM

your killing me here.......is it alive or?

 

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 7:59 PM

Zeke, (Your'e not my S Gauge Cousin Zeke are you?) The F3 sure is alive! But not quite the way you imagine. Keep in mind my son is 14 and rather creative. In fact the F3 may well be running in circles under the tree next Christmas, along with my restored basket case 2026 and other older Lionels.

 

Now it would be nice to see it on three rail track but that will take a lot of costly and hard to find parts. Who would ever have thought that a standard Lego motorblock would snap directly into a Lionel chassis? Plus a Lego headlight kit fastened right into the front of the shell? I couldn't believe it when he showed me! This morph even runs great!Looks kinda funky, not much left of the Warbonnet!

Now for a replacement shell, motors, horn, reverser, a few other details etc. we're good to gofor three rail.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • 3,176 posts
Posted by csxt30 on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 8:59 PM

That's pretty neat !!  I figured that to go into a scrapyard scene or something !! Good to see the younger ones being so creative !! Smile [:)] Thumbs Up [tup]

Thanks, John

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • 815 posts
Posted by EIS2 on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 9:22 AM

That has to be the #1 creative idea I've ever seen on any of the train forums.  CTT, hint, hint, that would make a great article in your magazine.

Earl

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Philly
  • 107 posts
Posted by trainboy414 on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 5:10 PM
The f3 actually has the original steps,one horn, the battery cover with the rivit still in place, and the windsheld.
__________ !_o_ !_ o _! !____!____! o OO = OO o
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 5:31 PM
 Gonut1 wrote:

Zeke, (Your'e not my S Gauge Cousin Zeke are you?) The F3 sure is alive! But not quite the way you imagine. Keep in mind my son is 14 and rather creative. In fact the F3 may well be running in circles under the tree next Christmas, along with my restored basket case 2026 and other older Lionels.

 

Now it would be nice to see it on three rail track but that will take a lot of costly and hard to find parts. Who would ever have thought that a standard Lego motorblock would snap directly into a Lionel chassis? Plus a Lego headlight kit fastened right into the front of the shell? I couldn't believe it when he showed me! This morph even runs great!Looks kinda funky, not much left of the Warbonnet!

Now for a replacement shell, motors, horn, reverser, a few other details etc. we're good to gofor three rail.

 

Sorry i dont have any family, but hey with them cool toys you can adopt meBig Smile [:D]

 

i think that was extremely creative...definatly two thumbs up.....something like this ...well makes a dad proud...( i think).. now get this boy an erector set and a chemistry set or something..you never know what he can do!

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Philly
  • 107 posts
Posted by trainboy414 on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 6:51 PM

My dad and i have About 2 and a half erector sets from the 50's but no chemestry sets yet.

__________ !_o_ !_ o _! !____!____! o OO = OO o
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Southern MD
  • 315 posts
Posted by USNRol on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 8:07 PM

 Gonut1 wrote:
  My son surfed ebay and other places and found out there isn't much out there in the way of motors, horn, or relays. About the only thing available is the reverser. Well it sure would be nice to see it run again but that wasn't very likely. At least not without spending a lot of time at train meets...

Check out this seller on ebay...
eBay Seller ju52
He's always selling parts for PW F3 units.

Here's a Repro horn...
2343 Diesel Horn

..and relay from the same seller...save on shippingWink [;)]
2333 Horn Relay

 

Roland

 

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month