My first Lionel steam engine was a 2025. I came from a Gilbert American Flyer home and when I went 3 rail it resulted in being teased about the 3rd rail constantly.
Right on about oiling the car wheels. It amazes me how many guys don't ever do it. It can make a big difference.
Roger
An important factor in getting these engines to pull well is oiling the car wheels it's really a must do. I'm not sure though that it will pull your entire list of cars all at once unless you have a large layout with wide curves.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
Well this engine obviously has quite a bit of power in it. Maybe it will get a special place in my fleet pulling the hotshots on a permanent layout (when I get the time to build one).
The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.
-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.
Here's a 2025 pulling 18 mixed vintage cars on our modular club's layout. I think it pulls about as good as any other postwar engine. They fit nicely with just about any postwar car.
J White
Personally, I like the spoked Baldwin drivers on the earlier postwar 2025. One can be surprised at what these can pull if, as Jim pointed out, your track and wheels are clean and all of the moving parts (cars too) are properly lubed. Wider radiused curves would certainly be a benefit. I love the postwar steam engines.
Jack
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
The largest diameter curves that I have are 0-27 style 0-54 pieces. The next largest is a loop of Lionel fastrack in 0-36 diameter, followed by 0-27 diameter curves from my first Lionel set.
Good idea, You can also consider if you are using lionel 027 track marx 034 curves or lionel 027 and O 42", 54" or 72" curves
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
How tight will your curves be? 027 curves are very tight, and 031 not too much better. On level ground a good working order 2025 will pull the 10 cars but that's a bit much I think. If your layout will be small in size even 8 cars may be too much. If you want really long trains I would look for something with magnatraction.
If I were you I guess I would just hook them up and GO. Then add or remove from there. I have a 681 and it is pulling 11 heavy 1050s cars with out a blink. happy training. My 1666 won't do so well but still hauls the freight.
As of right now, I don't have a layout dedicated to a lionel collection, but I am gathering quite a few cars.
Here is a general list:
5 6464 boxcars (-50, -25, -150, -425, and -475), a 6436-1 hopper, a 25000 hopper, a 6454 Baby Ruth Pennsy car, a 6415, a 2442, a 6442, a 6443, a 3462, a 2472, a 2419, a 6012....... and that's it.
So I guess that my question is, would it be able to walk away with all of these cars? I plan on running trains with no more than 3 passenger cars per train, and 10 freight cars per train (shorter if it includes an operating car). Since I don't have a dedicated layout yet, I guess grades aren't really a concern right now. If they are an issue, I'll just shorten the train.
How many cars are you wanting to pull? Do you have inclines? All are factors when using a non- magnetraction engine like the 2025. My tracks are all level and I pull 8, 6464 and similar cars behind mine. I also pull coal hopper cars that have coal loads in them, usually 6 at a time. If you want a pulling work horse you need something with magnetraction. Like the 2046, 681, or 2037, 736. I own 3 2025's and they get run the most of all my trains.
Cobrabob8 I have a 675 from the late 1940's and I feel that it is an excellent puller. I regularly use it to pull some long trains on my layout and for having the nickel plated rims it does quite well. It runs smoothly, needs very little maintainance and I think that it is a nce quality built piece. Cobrabob. Below is a photo of my 675 pulling a long train of coal hoppers.
I have a 675 from the late 1940's and I feel that it is an excellent puller. I regularly use it to pull some long trains on my layout and for having the nickel plated rims it does quite well. It runs smoothly, needs very little maintainance and I think that it is a nce quality built piece.
Cobrabob.
Below is a photo of my 675 pulling a long train of coal hoppers.
Toy Trains, they are not just an adventure, they are a way of life !
The early 675/2025 is very heavy for it's size. I had mine running earlier tonight, and it'll walk away with a decent size consist with very little voltage.
The wheels and track must be kept clean and internals oiled sparingly. Keep the commutator free of oil and dirt, and be sure to lightly oil both ends of the armature shaft.
Makes sense I guess, and the engines don't have that heft that the 6-8-6s and 2-8-4s have, let alone the Trainmasters. That's why I'm considering adding traction tires.
I have two 2025s. One is the O gauge early post war model 2-6-2 without magnetraction, and the other is the later 2-6-4 and I think it has magnetraction. It has been stored for many years. The 2-6-2 is NOT a good puller. It has the nickel plated rims and they are slick. The reason it doesn't pull well is apparently the nickel plated rims.
Thank you everyone. I feel great after hearing that it is a good puller. I have some heavy cars and need that amount of muscle. I am considering adding some Frog Snot traction tires to my engines so that they have a much greater draw bar.
I have an early 675, from '47 IIRC, great runner, quite. I also have a later 675 good runner, but noisey.
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
The early 675/2025 is tough to beat in smoothness or quality. They are heavy and well balanced, and are decent pullers. They were made before Magnetraction, but they have much tighter tolerances than the later 2035/2025.
I have a 675 from the '47 run with the unpainted stack and stamped bolierfront, and it's a great runner. Smooth and very quiet.
2025/675 are good runners and pullers.But don't expect them to pull like a modern day engine that has traction tire. The 2035 uses the same body shell but has Magnatraction for more pulling power.
I am considering adding an early postwar Lionel 2025 to my postwar fleet, and am wondering what this locomotives draw bar is.
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