I have recently been getting intersted in postwar engines. As of now, I do not own any but I do plan on purchasing a some in the near future. I have read a lot of posts about the Greenberg's Price Guide, so I plan on getting that so that I do not spend too much on a particular engine. That would be a good place to start right?
Where would be a good place to purchase some postwar engines? I have seen some on eBay but kinda reluctant becuase I dont want to buy something that I cannot fix just in case it is not in the condition the seller says. Is Trainz.com a good place to buy from for postwar? Are there other places like Trainz that sell postwar engines and do a service check on them?
I plan on just cleaning and doing some basic/minor repairs, restoration and maintenance. What is the best place to start for that? I have seen the "Greenberg's Manual to Lionel Trains 1945-69" been mentioned alot. Are there any other books that would be useful for "BASIC" repairs and servicing to these older locos? I am a total newbie at this so the more basic the better.
I do not want to be overwhelmed, but I do want to start a hobby of getting some postwar locomotives running on my layout. Any help is greatly appreciated.
I've had great dealings with Trainz.com. Also Mizell's & Caboose Hobbies. H&R in FL, too.
Check those that advertise in Classic Toy Trains.
wyomingscout
Hi
I would check out some local train club shows and swap meets
The guys there are very friendly and helpful
There is always a test track so you can check out your purchase
Found some great engines there for a good price
Good luck
Larry
Postwar is great. While I have gotten into more modern pieces with Legacy, I have not gotten rid of any of my postwar. Perhaps I am an exception, as I notice a lot of folks selling off their older items for the new ones. There are several auctions besides eBay.
www.TheTrain-Station.com has one, as does www.ChooChooAuctions.com The train station checks all their items and tells you any specific problems, as does Trainz. Choo Choo mentions things if there is a noticeable issue, but may not check everything. Note: I have never had any problems with either. Another thing to keep in mind with auctions, you will be paying shipping for them, so figure at least $10 added to any price.
I certainly would get the Greenberg's Repair manual. It has lots of information and beyond any major items, you should be able to tackle all the small ones. Also, in your area, you are bound to have some train stores that also do repairs. Where I am, the closest hobby store is 3 hours away.
Regarding the Greenberg price guide, the prices in there are for very good samples. You shouldn't plan on paying that much unless it is as you see in the guide. A little advice, check the completed auctions on eBay to get an idea of current pricing. You should be able to get some very good deals between auctions and train shows. Another thought is that you may want to join the Train Collector's Association and attend meets either local or the one at York, PA where some very good deals can be had.
There is plenty out there and at first, it is tempting to get some of everything. One plan that I went with was that since my first set was passed to me from my dad, it was a 1949 2020 set. I ended up collecting one of just about everything from the catalog for that year. You may want to do something along the same lines, or perhaps, you could focus on a particular road name, etc. The most important thing is to have FUN! It is a great hobby and it is meant to be enjoyed.
Dennis
TCA#09-63805
Trainz is good. Lou palumbo's Underground RR Shop in New Castle is great.
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
Greenberg is a must for ideas on repairs and part numbers. I have had luck on ebay with engines. However, I have a lionel repair shop within an hours drive for more difficult repairs. I think you may find diesels a bit easier to repair, so that might be a good starting place.
1. (A TCA membership so you can gain access to: .... )
2. Y-O-R-K (4+ buildings of PW; and be sure to use the test tracks to try before you buy)
3. Warman's "Lionel Train Field Giude by David Doyle." (The real start begins w/an offer of say 60% of book, or one grade+ cheaper - only after operational is demonstrated).
(4. And take your time ... I started w/PW 15 yrs ago and only have scratched the surface).
Be sure 'enjoying the ride' is your only priority.
Enjoy
I like the PW Lionel S-2 turbines (671 681 2020) They are good runners and hard to kill. Easy to work on too. Diesel I always had a soft spot for the GP-9's.
Thanks for all the replys. All good info.
PhilaKnight I like the PW Lionel S-2 turbines (671 681 2020) They are good runners and hard to kill. Easy to work on too. Diesel I always had a soft spot for the GP-9's.
I too like the S-2 Turbines as well as the K-4 Pacifics. Those are the first PW engines I plan on looking for. I too have a soft spot but for Warbonnet Diesels, some day I would like to get a couple of those.
I will check out the other sites mentioned.
I also have been thinking about Williams Golden Memories for some of the engines that I find in PW that are out of my price range. It seems that alot of people have these and seem pretty happy with them. I was also thinking of the Lionel CC series but I am not sure if getting the Lionel name is worth the extara $100 or so more than a WBB Golden Memory engine. Any thoughts on that?
Absolutely Williams (over others) for PW Memory class items. Why? Because Williams offers a no quibble "lifetime/return to factory" warranty and the others don't. Both features: priceless (as the commercial goes). (Lionel is actually made by the same factory in China that owns/produces the Williams name, so by all means: buy the train & not the name).
Good luck.
Do you want postwar trains or postwar-looking trains? I personally like the "real" stuff because some kid played with it in the '40s and early '50s. But I'm 68, so it's a nostalgia thing for me.
I'd stay away from eBay unless you can return it. I agree that TRAINZ is a very safe on-line dealer to buy from. I think you live near Allentown, but their next BIG show is not until November. Join the TCA and drive the approx. 2 1/2 hours to York...the largest train meet in the world every April and October.
Hi!
I'm 65, had Lionel trains in the '50s, sold them in the early '60s, and then started collecting postwar in the mid-'80s - a familiar story on this forum. I collected most all of my "stuff" when prices were near their peak. But as I collected them for my personal enjoyment, and not as an investment, that is OK.
There are a lot of service manuals out there, and mine all came from Ebay. I also suggest subscribing to Classic Toy Trains, and getting as many back issues as you can. The various "value" books by Greenberg or Touhy are fine, but don't place a lot of store on the numbers as they can seriously vary depending on timing, location, perception of condition, etc., etc.
As far as collecting is concerned, I suggest you get the highest quality pieces you can. Of course you can get "place holder" pieces, but the high quality stuff will have a much more lasting and stable value. Oh, don't forget the boxes........ While they can be a pain to store and preserve, they add significant value to any piece you have.
Ha, wish you lived near by, we could maybe make a "deal"!
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Joe Hohmann Do you want postwar trains or postwar-looking trains? I personally like the "real" stuff because some kid played with it in the '40s and early '50s. But I'm 68, so it's a nostalgia thing for me.
I do want some Lionel postwar trains but I am not going to limit myself to postwar. I am 35 and did not own any and my father had an American Flyer, so the nostalgia part is not why I like them. I like to run conventionally and will never (should say problably never) have any of the more advanced technology like Legacy or TMCC. I like the simplicity of the pw trains and the longevity of them too. I think that is would be really cool to run a train that is 50 years old. I also am getting into pw so that I can start doing some restoration projects in the future with some of these pw locos. I enjoy working on classic cars and did some work on restoring a few cars and really would like to do the same with some pw locos.
I am also interested in Williams due to their simplicity and realibility. I dont know if I will ever get to buy any PW F3s so that is why I would think about buying some williams or may purchase a steam loco or two.
It may not matter to you, but cosmetically 'restoring', by painting, most genuine PW which is in say condition 6 or better, will significantly LOWER its value. Of course, if it's already pretty shabby, it woun't matter, unless it's a rare piece, and you may enjoy the process and the result.
I endorse the suggestions which let you see and touch the trains before you buy. You will find that some quite attractive and good running PW Lionel steamers in nice condition don't command high prices, possibly because they are relatively common.
runtime
Another good book to get is Doyle's Standard Catalog of Lionel Train Sets 1945-1969. Lots of info on what Lionel made and when it was made. I second the above comments on Trainz. I've had good luck with them.
Mike
Doyle copied enough of his book from Ambrose's Greenberg book that Ambrose successfully sued him over it. I gave away my copy after discovering numerous elementary errors in it.
Bob Nelson
LHR,
The best advice I could give to someone starting out in PW Lionel is to take your time and don't rush into anything. I have Doyle's PW Lionel book and his Flyer book, and as Bob noted there are too many errors for me to be confident in any of the info.
lionelsoniDoyle copied enough of his book from Ambrose's Greenberg book that Ambrose successfully sued him over it. I gave away my copy after discovering numerous elementary errors in it.
Thanks. Good to know.
runtime It may not matter to you, but cosmetically 'restoring', by painting, most genuine PW which is in say condition 6 or better, will significantly LOWER its value. Of course, if it's already pretty shabby, it woun't matter, unless it's a rare piece, and you may enjoy the process and the result. runtime
I agree with you 100% I was thinking of restoring only some PW engines that I would purchase that have already been re-painted and or below like you say condition 6. I think it is like repainting a classic muscle car, I would try to keep them original as possible but if they are a basket case and I can bring them back to life then I think that would be the most satisifaction to me.
green97probe LHR, The best advice I could give to someone starting out in PW Lionel is to take your time and don't rush into anything. I have Doyle's PW Lionel book and his Flyer book, and as Bob noted there are too many errors for me to be confident in any of the info.
Thanks for the advice, I do plan on taking my time. I have a couple of books but nothing about PW so I will look into all of them. I am on a relatively humble budget, so I know that I will be making big purchases (something like over $100 is big to me) like once or twice a year. Going to budget myself to $20/month and whatever I get for my birthday and Christmas. And what ever old hobbies and other stuff that I can sell on eBay to put into the train fund.
The quality of Post War diesels peak around 1952 with few exceptions like the FMs, steam didn't change too much over the years other than tenders came with increasingly less detail. Later diesels came with stamped vs cast frames and more cast on vs applied detail. I find the best deals at local train shows vs online dealers. Also check your local train stores. They may charge a bit more but you will know it works when you get it.
One nice thing about Williams is they copied the best version Lionel produced. NW2s and Alcos have diecast frames. F3s have all the grabs and screens of the early F3s. Steam engines have 12 wheel vs 8 wheel tenders when Lionel used both plus all the grabs of the early versions.
Pete
I am glad to hear you have not ruled out American Flyer, below I have added a couple websites to check out. The first one is a great site showing about everything AF ever made, and you can pick out models you like. The second site is the NASG, lots of information about S-Gauge and some photo's and videos of our train show displays, and member layouts, and upcoming shows that may be in your area.
As for purchasing, I have had great luck wih eBay, study the photo's read the listings very carefully, and ask questions of the sellers. Search for completed sales of the same item you are looking at for additional guidance on prices.
Greenburg also puts out AF price guides, and I have a book, called standard catalog of American Flyer Trains, by David Doyle. tHis book shows photos, discusses variations, and provides prices as well.
http://www.geocities.com/theupstairstrain/index.html
http://www.trainweb.org/acsg/index.html
Welcome to the PW train hobby, and happy rails.
George
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