I bought this set at an antiques store yesterday, because I could not resist the price. The train does not appear to have ever been used, as the track is perfectly clean, all plastic accessories are still wrapped up, and the only visible wear is very slight wear on the wheels of the locomotive...as if it had been tested. I'm assuming it was only sold through Toys R' Us - the side of box art work shows the set with a Great Northen car, but the top of the box shows it with an operating box car with the Toy's R' Us logo and Geoffrey the giraffe bobbing in and out of the top. There is a disclaimer stating that Geoffrey has been substituted for the Great Northern car. Also in the box was a 1988 Lionel catalog, a club membership application, the service center list and the warranty registration card. Of course, there were no instructions on how to use the operating Geoffrey car. That brings up question number one:
Is there anywhere to look for guidelines for setting this up? The car car should go around the track until it reaches a hanging obstable, and then the giraffe ducks inside the car. I'm pretty sure all of the hardware is there, but I'm not sure how to put it together.
Now, the locomotive. It is a Rio Grande 2-4-2 with an oil type tender. The tender has this crazy roller that runs along the center rail and makes "mechanical steam sounds". Didn't sound very real to me, and when I picked it, all of the loose media in it sounded like it was broken. However, it isn't. The locomotive, on the other hand, only goes in one direction. According to the box, it should have forward, neutral and reverse. My initial thought is that it has sat so long that the reverse mechanism is stuck. I'll be honest, this is the only "old' train I have so far, so I have never attempted to repair one. Would anyone have any tips about what I should look for before I open this up? Other than that, it seemed to run very well, though it clearly did not like turning through my Fast Track 0-36 switches.
Any help would really be appreciated.
Lionel made many sets for Toys R Us. Several were standard Lionel Traditional sets with the Giraffe Car replacing the sets normal box car. You should be able to get a copy of the operating manual from the Lionel website (www.lionel.com). Check under "Customer Service" and then "Owners Manual". Search on "giraffe".
A penny saved is a penny earned. But every once in a while it is good to treat yourself to a gum ball.
Thank you! That was just what I needed. It doesn't look like it will work on my basement layout, due to the Fast Track, but if I choose to I can always run it on my Christmas layout. Now, I just have to get up the nerve to open up those parts baggies. They have been sealed up for an awfully long time.
It surprises me that the engine does not like Fastrack turnouts, since it was meant to run on O-27 track. A few things to look at: Make sure both wheels of the leading truck rest on the rails, and that they roll freely; also make sure they are in gauge--if they are spaced too narrow or too wide, there may be problems. Adding weight above the axle might help too.
As far as reversing, be sure that the reverse unit is not "locked out". There should be a lever somewhere on the engine that is moved to the side when one wants the engine to go in only one direction--find it and move it to the other position and see if that changes anything.
Does your engine have an electro-mechanical reverse unit ("e-unit", the lockout switch will be chromed metal and probably located on top of the engine) or an electronic reverse unit (the lockout switch will be a small sliding type and probably located under the cab)?
Well, the box says electro-mechanical, but the switch was black. Black, very thin, and well hidden. Thanks to you, I now have reverse. This little guy does not run bad at all. It still doesn't like my turnouts. It is fine going straight through them, but if it is turning, it jumps right up in the air. I'm thinking a few cars behind it should settle it down some, but still....
I'll play with it some more tonight after baseball practice, and see how it goes. Thanks again for the advice.
Sounds like it is an electronic reverse unit, then. That was about the time Lionel was phasing out the old e-units, but I guess the change was not reflected on the box art. The other telltale of the electro-mechanical e-unit is that it hums when the engine is powered up (some hum more loudly than others). And when power is cut, you will hear a faint click. The electronic reverse unit is silent.
The reason that your engine don't like the curves on the Fastrac switch could be in the design of the engine. A lot of 2-4-2's were scout engines, and the gear on the side of the wheel could be causing you trouble with the Fastrac switch. If it isn't the gear then it could be your engine is too light, not heavy enough.
Sometimes when Lionel said it was made for 027 track, it was because the engine was less expensive or had differant style center roller wheels than it's O gauge conterpart. In more recent years I think it is because the 027 engines are lighter than the O gauge engines and derail easier.
Sounds like a nice set, but sometimes the older engines have problems with the newer track or switches. The giraffe car probally needs to have a trigger or trip piece installed onto the track like the cop & hobo car, and certain accessories are mainly meant for 027 track. However read the instructions for that car, as I am taking a guess.
Lee F.
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