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Lionel Traditional Classics Pass. Sets

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Lionel Traditional Classics Pass. Sets
Posted by cktuna on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 6:48 PM

I just got the Burlington and 2056 sets, the engines are superb but the passnegere cars are a real dissappointment, I assumed they would be like the 027 cars of the 50's but are lighter due to no metal truck plates, closed vestbules and puny push in interier lights plus the repro 2056 set box says Freight Train on it!

 

Anyhone else feel this way?

  

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Posted by Kooljock1 on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 7:03 PM

 These are the closest to the Post War 2400 Series cars released yet.  The original tooling was destroyed under agreement with the TCA back in 1975 after the release of the Bicentennial Set, the last time the original 2400 Series tooling was used.

Jon Cool

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Posted by cktuna on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 7:09 PM

Okay,understand that.

I have some Williams 2400 series type that seem more equal to the Lionel originals,

guess they reverse engineered them then?

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Posted by ADCX Rob on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 7:30 PM

cktuna

I have some Williams 2400 series type that seem more equal to the Lionel originals... guess they reverse engineered them then?

 

You got it.  Williams has established nearly their entire business model on it.  Before they were "Williams Electric Trains" the company was "Williams Reproductions, Ltd.".

Rob

Rob

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Posted by Brewman1973 on Thursday, January 28, 2010 11:36 PM

Hi,

thanks for the heads-up about the box,  mine came the same way. A few of the set boxes that I have received for the conventional classics have had cuts from box cutters on the top. They are two slices that criss-cross the top in a big X.

I have never owned the cars from the 2400 series, these new versions are very nice runners with both trucks being the "lighted version.  The trucks look to be well made. I don't think all of the 2400 series cars came with both trucks being the "lighted" version, so I think they will not flicker much going over switches which is a plus.

 The whistle in the tender is awsome and the steam engine is a great runner and looks great! 

Dave B from Tacoma, WA
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Posted by Kooljock1 on Friday, January 29, 2010 2:57 AM

 All the trucks I've seen on these cars are die-cast metal.  If yours are plastic, then you have a collectors item!

Jon Cool

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Posted by sir james I on Friday, January 29, 2010 9:21 AM

We need to keep in mind that our new classics are made from todays tooling. There are a number of differences between then and the new classics. It  just nice and fun to have something close without paying collector prices. The cut box issue ran close to four pages on that other forum so if you would like to read the same whine over and over check it out.

"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks 

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Posted by phillyreading on Friday, January 29, 2010 12:53 PM

Guess that explains what WRL means on some of my Williams engines, Williams Reproduction Limited. I have a New York Central B unit with WRL on the bottom of it and cab # 110 on the side, was just an unpowered B unit without a light, I installed a True Blast 2 diesel horn it and added power jumpers on the ends to make it fit between two powered SD-45's. Might be an odd combination but at least I have a diesel set with a horn.

Lee F.

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Posted by alank on Sunday, January 31, 2010 8:47 PM

Sir James,

     Why is it that we have to keep in mind that our new classics are made from today's tooling?   When you look at the catalog, and you see and feel the nostogila that being able to buy a new Post War classic of a 50s passenger or freight train, you hope that they do their best to deliver that quality of a product.   Your paying dear enough for this stuff, and I venture to guess others would also being willing to pay the extra to have those cars be like the post war cars.   Certainly if Williams can do it, Lionel should also.   Its the quality of Lionel Trains that will keep them alive, and us buying.

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Posted by sir james I on Sunday, January 31, 2010 9:02 PM

We are all free to choose, buy it or don't buy it. Your choice. How much do you think a new classic would cost if new tooling had to be made? Williams tooling has been around long before todays prices.

"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks 

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Posted by tim o'm on Sunday, January 31, 2010 9:18 PM
sir james I

The cut box issue ran close to four pages on that other forum so if you would like to read the same whine over and over check it out.

HeeeHeee. The last I saw, it was 8 pages. Here is my 2056 passenger set. The trucks look metal to me. Even though I am upset over the cut boxes, torn plastic and mismarked "authentic" box, I love this train. I am also happy about the other 3 Postwar Conventional Classics I bought. Some I like more than others. But I never had interest in the real Postwar trains. This, for me is a good introduction into what made these trains neat in the first place.
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Posted by RockIsland52 on Monday, February 1, 2010 7:22 AM

Tim......I like what this set brings to the table.  Go check out the prices and try to replicate the Hudson and the 242X cars with Lionel postwars in a C6 or better condition.  Think that will put your mind to rest, and quickly.  I run the exact same consist in postwar with both 242X and 243X passenger cars, but for obvious reasons the cosmetics can't match these.  Nice set.

Jack

IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.

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Posted by trainsfan on Monday, February 1, 2010 10:39 AM

How long were these passenger cars?  They look kind of short?

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Posted by RockIsland52 on Monday, February 1, 2010 11:02 AM

They are short in length as well as height as you can see from the pictures matched up behind the 2056's tender.  Mine are recently packed away in a clothes closet, so I can't get at mine easily.  Will report later when I get a chance to measure.

Jack

IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.

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