Early 70s Steam Freight Outfits?

[cheapclassics]

To all,

The 1081 Wabash Cannonball was a plastic bodied manual reverse 2-4-2.  It does have a place in my heart as it was a gift from my kids' piano teacher and will go to the oldest child as she has done the most with music.  

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[BigAl 956]

Two great references for questions like this...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/standard-catalog-of-lionel-trains-1970-2000-david-doyle/1018008473?ean=9780896895775

http://www.amazon.com/Greenbergs-Lionel-Trains-1970-1988-Supplement/dp/0897781171

[Tommy_F]

Thanks for referencing my article!   I was the general manager at Trainz for most of the 2000s.  I fondly remember those articles; they were one of my favorite projects.  

That particular article dealt with the larger engines (4-6-4 and bigger) and not the starter set engines.  As far as the starter sets go, I've actually been researching those a bit recently.  Many of these sets, particularly the 1970 sets, are extremely difficult to find in excellent or better condition with their boxes.  They are quite interesting and are home to a lot of the oddball freight car variations from the early MPC era.  

There were 10 catalogued 2-4-2 sets during the MPC era:

1081 Wabash Cannonball (70-72)

1083 Pacemaker (70)

1084 Grand Trunk Western (70)

1183 Silver Star (71-72)

1385 Blue Streak Freight (73-74)

1461 Black Diamond (74-75)

1762 Wabash Cannonball (77)

1962 Wabash Cannonball (79)

1963 Black River Freight (79-81)

1252 Heavy Iron (82-84)

plus who knows how many uncatalogued sets.  At least 9 or 10.  

[David Barker]

I agree the early MPC was not all top quality, but they did save the hobby.

[Papa_D]

There are a couple type of MPC steam engines of the scout type I'd recommend you avoid. First are those with plastic shells. Second are those than ran only on DC. Ones that you might look into are the 1081 Wabash Cannonball set (70-73), 1084 Grand Trunk & Western set (70), 1284 Allegheny set (72),  1386 Rock Island Express set (73), or 1387 Milwaukee Special set (73) to name a few.

[Prairietype]

Although the link I have pasted below does not exaclty address your question, it may provide useful additional information about Lionel-MPC  era steam engines. These pages were once on the Trainz website, but I can no longer access them from the Trainz main page (I can't explain this), but I did bookmark it several years ago and this is this is the link:

 

http://www.trainz.com/t-lionel-mpc-era-engines.aspx.

 

 

[sir james I]

By 1970 Lionel was being made anew at MPC in Michigan.

Throughout the 70s many 027 train sets were made.

Some were pretty good, some were not.

Sets with metal engines were by far the better ones.

1970s Lionel catalogs would be a good place to start your search or find some books about the MPC era.

S.J.

[pgtr]

Would anyone have a list of steam freight outfits from the early 70s, particularly O27s headed up by Scouts? Cataloged or otherwise.

Thanks!