Will a Lionel FM Trainmaster shell fit on an MTHTrainmaster frame?
One other question, has anyone heard of the O gauge FM Trainmaster made by "Custom Trains" of Wilksbarre, PA? I spotted one on E-Bay, but I've never heard of it before. I need a running frame for a Lionel shell I painted and I want to pick something up cheaper, but I'm hesitant to buy one of these two brands.
Custom Trains FMs were made by Williams' contractor Samhongsa following the end of that arrangement and used QSI reverse units and horns. They are very similar to early Williams/WRL but have flywheel motors. They are good runners.
Rob
The Custom Trains FMs were some sort of joint venture between Mike Wolf (MTH) and Frank's Roundhouse in Wilkes-Barre, PA. I've also heard stories involving Jerry Williams somehow or other.
They don't all have flywheel motors -- there were two production runs. The first did not have flywheels; the second did. When examined closely, there were also differences in the plastic shells. I have some of each; the first (no flywheels) I actually bought at Mike's Train House in Columbia on Feb. 2, 1992.
Many (most?) people aren't aware of the two different runs because the boxes were identical, as were the instruction sheets (except for paper color -- first blue, then white). I've heard that the flywheel engines are virtually identical to the early MTH Train Masters; I can't vouch for that, but it makes a lot of sense.
Martin
Will an oem Lionel shell fit on a Custom Trains or MTH frame?
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