NVSRRThe one above in Phrankenstign pic is the one pictured for sale. The blue is brighter in this pic, But that could be just exposure. He has just the tender though. Makes me wonder where the rest is. Add Quote to your Post
It would help if you share the ebay link here so we can check it out. The Boys train was produced only as a prototype in the late 50s. After the girls train failure Lionel scrapped the idea of a boys train. A few samples were sold but they are so rare I doubt someone would have just a tender for sale.
About 10-15 years ago Lionel produced a modern era boys train as part of the archive collection. Without looking I'm guessing so please post the link to the auction in question.
I've been in this hobby close to fifty years. I don't think I ever heard or saw a 6026 style tender called a coffin tender until this thread. On the other hand there is no official dictonary of toy train collecting in existence.
In case I wasn't clear in my earlier post, I looked at all the "boys train" tenders / shells that were listed on EBay, every one was a repro.
I've never heard of the term "coffin tender" until now, but you know, looking at those shots of the pre-war tenders they do kinda-sorta look like coffins.
At least the fancy all-bronze coffins I've seen in those photos of the big gangster funerals in the 20's and 30's!
By the war, the blue prewar Commodore Vanderbilt set:
was produced to take advantage of all the national hype being created by the Rexall Train of 1936:
There was a great article about it in the Summer 2017 issue of Classic Trains. http://ctr.trains.com/issues/2017/summer-2017
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
As mentioned above, it depends on which era you are dealing with. In the Prewar trains, the 1689 & 2689 tenders were referred to as a "Coffin" style tender, with or without a whistle. These are the rectangular box shaped tenders of Prewar. In the Postwar era, the Santa Fe style, (6026, 233, 234, & 243), were referred to as a "Coffin style" tender. The Postwar tenders looked like a coffin was sitting on top of the tender, thus the Coffin name seemed to fit the description. The name "Wagon top" is something that, that person came up with, without knowing what to call it.
NVSRR......
Can you post a pic of the coffin-style tender you mentioned? I've never seen any other type of tender associated with the Boys Train.
The blue tender shell shown in phrankenstign's photo has been reproduced. I see the repros offered on EBAY from time to time.
I see four on EBAY right now. Some say repro right in the title. Others say repro in the details.
Always read the descriptions carefully!
I have always heard those type reffered to as the wagontop tender. I wonder if it has something thing to do with regional name thing?
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Depends on "WHO" you listen to. But for post-war that style tender is what coffin style would be for me. Have also seen it called "Santa Fe style" tender. Pre-war what Penny shows is what I know as coffin style for pre-war.
I have seen them both called coffin style. So no right or wrong.
http://www.davestrains.com/ap2055x6026W.html
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
The one above in Phrankenstign pic is the one pictured for sale. The blue is brighter in this pic, But that could be just exposure. He has just the tender though. Makes me wonder where the rest is.
That's the one that's generally reffered to as a "Santa Fe type" tender. What I think of when someone says "coffin style" is the 1689W or 1689T type like this one:
There's also the "Waffle Top" version, which is what would more likely have been painted blue, like this one here:
Or...
...the modern re-issue version.
I was under the impression the Boys Set came out in the 50s.
Here's a picture of the third Boys Set to have come to light. (I remember learning of the existence of only 2 sets. I was surprised when I found this third one after doing a quick search.)
Perhaps one or a few Boys Sets remained in the factory until they closed their doors in 1969. Lionel Corp. may have sold any items left over at that time to the locals at that time. That may be why the person selling it may have attributed that year as the year of production.
btw I don't recall any tender being described as "coffin-style". Is the one in the picture above a "coffin-style"?
The blue "Boy's Train" used a standard small(?) streamlined tender with a plastic shell. There were blue tinplate tenders from the prewar era but I'm not familiar with any using the simple "coffin style" shell.
skimming through ebay. I saw a dark blue coufin style tender. It was identified as a 1969 production rare blue boys tender from the boys set. Is it a gimmic or an actual rare piece from an equally rare set. I am thinking gimmic to run up price
Wolfie
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month