We've all done it. Parted with a cherished childhood object in our youth, only to regret the action decades later. What if you had the chance to reclaim what was once disgarded? Here's my tale.
When I was in grade school, my grandfather purchased a second-hand Lionel boxed set (probably a 1501S) from a family friend, who was well known for his basement 3-rail empire. Not only did I get one, my cousin Rick got one, and my grandfather also bought one for hisself. The engine was the 2-6-4 configuration 2026, and the set came with a non-whistling tender, Sunoco tank car, Lionel gon, and a Lionel SP-style caboose.
For a good 5 to 7 years, we would each put up a 4x8 platform in our living rooms during Christmas. Nothing fancy, green grass mat, some Plasticville kits, and brick paper as skirting (of course). And like it does, time came when it was too much a "chore" to mess with the trains any longer. They stayed packed away in some closet or back room, ready for action, yet neglected just the same.
Now I never got totally disinterested in trains, just in toy trains. Came the day in my late teens, when I wanted to "trade" in those old, unwanted, unused, O-27 dust collecters, for some exciting new Athearn HO. (Hey, those baby blue boxes were eye-catching.) So I ventured down to a nearby train store (they were in each zip code back in the 80's...) and parted with what remained of the set (I had spray painted the caboose green a few years prior, don't ask why) my grandfather had given me years before.
Flash forward to this past Thanksgiving. I was building 2 (two) Christmas layouts for my grandson and nephew, out in my one-stall garage. Maybe it was the chilly nights, maybe it was the solitude, but I started to reflect back on the time I spent running trains with my grandfather. Then, finally, some 3 decades later, regret started to set in. I always see on videos and toy train articles how guys still have their first set, and all I could think was how cool it would have been to share that with my little engineers.
So, it's Father's Day weekend, and I head to the big train show in Timonium. Actually, it wasn't that big, I had already made my way 2 and 1/2 times when I stopped by a familiar face's table, who happened to be the co-owner of the train store I had traded that old Lionel set. Gone, sadly, was his partner, whose estate he was now helping to sell. Don't exactly know why I walked back to his table again. I even quipped about my being a "tire kicker" today. I look down in the center of his table, and there, covered in a thick layer of yellow dust, is a somewhat familiar looking 2026, with matching 6466T tender. He told me that his partner had it at the store a long time ago, and he took it home to service it for re-sale, but it wound up sitting on a shelf for over 20 years. I studied it's familiar lines and heft, sniffed the undercarriage smelling that familiar Lionel steam engine aroma, and then heard, "I'll take 50 for it..."
I couldn't get President Grant out of my wallet fast enough.
This was no 1 in a million shot this was my childhood engine, we're talking American Pharoah kinda odds now.
I was waxing nastalgic all the way home, told my wife the story, and the hair was standing up on my arms while orating the sequence of events. "Does it run?" I hadn't inquired. I only remotely cared. I spent the next hour or more removing all the dust, returning the engines luster, lubricating the rods, pins, axels, and lightly greased the gearing. Took it down to my basement empire for the moment of truth. Annnnnnnnnd, the E-unit hummed, the headlight came on, a press of the direction button, and it growled forward, and started smoking as if it had just been turned off moments earlier. YES!
Even if this is not the same engine I gave up, somehow a feeling of absolution has filled me. It will be loved and cared for just the same.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY EVERYBODY.
Beautifully written! Congratulations on finding a long-lost but not forgotten love!
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Very cool story really enjoyed it and actually see it happening.
one question thou should I come across a SP type lionel caboose painted green should I let you know I doubt it but would be cool if one on here did
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
I went out about 3 years ago and replaced one by one my original set I had and this time it is not going any where it along with a steam set I more or less was given most of including original boxes including set box I just had to get the engine and tender for it are my 2 that will never be sold theres something about this set as have many with all there boxes but I'm attached to it for some reason not sure if maybe I had this engine when younger and don't remember it as I had to because of room and hardship sell all mine back in 87 any way loved that story.
Great story Fife, I know where you are coming from. Several years ago I purchased the same first set I got. The Lionel 1957 1569 UP ALCO 202 diesel set. Although I still had the original engine it had been fitted with a Santa-Fe 218 shell. So when I saw the set with all of the original stuff, I threw out a high bid and went for a trip up north. When I got home I found I had won it for even less than I thought it would go for. Someday it will belong to the grandson Jordan.Lionel Train Set 1569 O27 Gauge 1 - 202 New Alco Diesel with Headlight. Orange with Black Markings
1 - 6014 Box Car1 - 6111 New Flat Car with Logs 1 - 6112 Gondola with Canisters1 - 6017 Caboose
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
tinplatacisAt least you had a nice set... Mine was a used MPC Cannonball Express from 1986, all I have left is the hopper and the tender.
Don't be to hard on the set you had mine was used also my first set. And I have seen some of them Cannon Ball set come with a lot higher price than I would think on the bay + shipping. They are a set some seem to really like. At least you got a set when you where young and had something to run. Thats the way I look at a lot of thing I least I got to have it.
Be happy you have that left that means you have 2 less pieces to find to rebuild the set if you ever decide yes it would be nice to rebuild it and set it on a shelf as a reminder where my start in Trains was and where I'am now.
Great story fifedog, and who knows, maybe it IS your original 2-6-4.
Fife,
Great story. If in your heart it is your original then IT IS!!
Glad to say I still have my original John English loco and an assortment of cars Dad bought used in '55, the year I was born. Christmas morning the loco was dead and Dad went to the local Hobby Shop the next day and bought a new Gilbert HO 433 that is still in use.The John English has suffered zinc pest. I have aquired a couple of others and making it run again is on my bucket list.
Mom & me watching it in 1955
Also with Dad's passing in January his 254E and cars are mine. He and his three brothers received them used for Christmas 1929.
Dad and Grandson and Train
Banks, Proud member of the OTTS TCA 12-67310
Great story. I still have my dad's 248 and R transformer - see the Madison Hardware sticker? !
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Wow! Interesting stories, pics, and memories! I'm jealous. My Dad had purchased a used layout and trains. I remember playing with a truck from one of the cars, and rigging up a pully system on some elevated track. Vague memories of operating the engine. But long gone! After their divorce, auction and relocation to Calif, all is left is a couple of faint memories. But, I have those.
Don
Was in Hanover, PA yesterday, at Toy Trains Unlimited. They have the 1501s rolling stock on the shelves, but I didn't pull the trigger. This outfit is just so bland, which may have lead to my parting with it in the first part. I'm thinking a solid unit train of tuscan ore cars, with a bright red Lionel operating brakeman caboose on the end, would be a show stopper.
cnw1995 - Wow, that's a keeper!
Banksie - You were a cutie-pa-tootie. What happened...? Great pic of Grandad.
great stories.
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
fifedogWhat happened...? Laugh Great pic of Grandad.
That's Dad (mine) and his great-grandson. He was proud of that train. He was really tickled when I got the repo wheels and made it run.
.Notice the transformer
When the original burnt up he built it in High school shop class and added a rheostat for speed control sometime in '37 or '38. Still works fine but I make a special effort to make sure it is not left unattended.
When I went to Vo-Tech ('70 to '73) I found a box full of the wood blanks and iron sheets to build them. We had lots of magnet wire on hand for winding motors. I kinda wish I'd have built one of my own now.
That 1955 photo reminded me of something...
Anyone remember how in the old days the tinsel would fall off the tree and short out the tracks? I've disliked tinsel ever since just for that reason!
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