Lionel Standard Gauge 385E & 1835E!!

[lionel2]

Hello,  How can you tell the difference between these two locomotives??  Besides, that they have numbers on the front on the boiler front.  How can you spot an original 1835E or 385E??  I am looking at an 1835E with Black rimmed drivers, copper or brass piping and detail.  Says 1835E on the front of it.  But, I read in my train book that they never had copper or brass piping detail.  They all had black detail and piping.  Could you let me know if this is true.  The tender is a 384T.  Thanks.

[mdainsd]

They are effectively the same loco. They can be found in black with copper piping and in grey with nickle piping. Im not 100% sure, But if I recall a 1835 comes with the Ives style tender and the 385 comes with the 384T tender

[O-27]

I have an original 385E in grey that has the Ives tender and nickle rim drivers. The 1835's  that I have seen up close (only a handful in my limited experience) were all black with darkend piping. Also I dont think the 1835 has the chugger that the 385E has. Hope this helps.

                            Seth

[lionel2]

Would an 1835E with copper or brass piping and detail be original?  It also has black rimmed drivers.  Yeah, I am pretty sure the 1835E does not have the chugger.  The 384T tender that is with it, has no whistle.  Its a nice loco, my hobby shop is asking $500 for the loco and tender.  I am wondering if it is a good buy?  I mean, I think it has been restored, but not sure.  But, it looks nice.  Thanks.

[ivesboy]

Okay first ill answer your questions, then some history. 1835E's never came with copper trim, the engine is restored. 500 is way too much. i would say 350 is more like it. The 384T tender is correct for th 1835E but only for 1934 production....

    Lionel catalogued the 385E from 1933-39, and the 1835E from 1934-39. They are the same engine as far as basic tooling goes. The 1835E was a low priced loco and the 385E was more expensive. In 1933 the 385E was made in dark gunmetal with copper trim and a 384t tender. It had a nickeled bild a loco motor and red wheels with solid front pilot wheels. In 1934 the loco was the same except it had nickel trim with black wheels and some came with the new 385T ives style tender.This year lionel switched to the blackened bild a loco and the brushplatre now read STANDARD-LOCOMOTIVE. on most 1934 models the front pilot wheels were also solid. In 1935-37 the locos remained the same except now they had a chugger and a whistle in the 385TW and the pony wheels were all spoked. In 1938-39 the chugger disappeared and the LL keystone plates were now chrome instead on brass. Sometime between 36-37 Lionel replaced the nickel trim with noticeably brighter chrome.

  The 1835E is essentially a 385E with painted trim and no chugger. The boiler was assembled complete with all trim and then painted satin black. The only brightwork on the boiler is the LL keystone and the nickeled handrails. The engines follow the same timeline as far as wheels and motors go as the 385E, and the tender linearity is similar as well. The engine in question has copper trim because thats what it is under the paint and somepeople dont realize it was painted from the factory or they just like the look of it better. Always inspect the diecast somponents for cracks and warping.

    Ray Ellen has a nice buy on one on his website www.trainmarket.com. Ray is a super nice guy and is very pleasent to do business with. Give him a try he wont sell you junk! good luck with the buy. Have Fun!