Started to look at 225e again for parts. Noticed the bottom drawbar seemed bent. Turning the shell over, it broke off. Also noticed other slight bends and bows. Tender is the cast iron black one. Seems ok. No bends. Been looking at shells on eBay. Black and gunmetal.
Did the gunmetal engine shell always go with the tin gunmetal tender?
Did they ever use the gunmetal with black cast tender?
Thanks for any advice.
Northern
Northern,
In my experience Lionel never mixed loco and tender colors. Most experiences with that occurring were likely due to a repair/replacement or mixing by a hobby shop.
I checked my Greenburgs and did find anything to suggest otherwise. If you have followed the history of how trains are documented over the past many decades, this is how things are validated.
A real pairing of different colors would have to be documented by lots of recognized/experienced collectors - these types of validations are usually based on verified accounts of opening sealed sets. So many sealed sets (more than 1 or 2) would have to be unearthed to allow the experts to proclaim this was a legitimate pairing.
If the issue is seen once or twice it is simply labeled as a "factory error". Thus there is little overall difference in value.
My is to get the black loco shell.
edit - to your question about pairings with sheet metal tenders for the gunmetal versions - Greenburgs does say gunmetal 225s were paired with 2235s cast tenders, and lists this pairing as a much higher value, meaning this pairing was uncommon vs the 2265 sheet metal tender.
Regards, Roy
Thanks.
Very interesting. I think I will stick with black.
mixing colors would look funny.
Tom
Spent more time with the shell studying it In good light. The rest of the drawbar bracket broke off clean. Drawbar bracket was only thing bent. Rest of boiler looks ok, no bulges and looks straight.
The 225e drawbar to tender connects in the cab on a post. The trailing truck mounts on a screw. Only thing I can think bracket was for is to keep trailing truck on tracks better??
Thinking if I sand the two breaks on the bracket and touch up with flat
it will look good. Now just have to find a boilerfront...
two choices for boiler front, Go to Ebay and theres a guy who has one for $47.50 and theres 3 bids on it, or goto www.ttender.com and Jeff has a repo for $25.00 part number 226-68
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
Thanks
There should be a tab on the back of your rear truck that rides in the slot created by that bracket. It is part of the truck casting. So the bracket supports the back of the rear truck. If the break was clean, you might be able to glue it back. That is what I'd do if the loco was mine. I like JB Weld epoxy. I would use a small amount to minimize ooze. As far as your boiler front goes: With a damaged body, I cannot see going for an original boiler front. I'd go for a quality reproduction.
your 225E will run fine without the bracket. Mine does.And my boiler front came from Jeff Kane, looks great.
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
Sounds good. Thanks.
Those flags look great also! What kind of tender is that?
Thanks! the flags are pieces of white paper glued on straight pins. The tender is home made by me. Prewar freight car frame, Postwar short streamlined tender body, and Lionel six wheel trucks. Mostly from junk boxes.
Really cool. Junk boxes are the most fun at train shows.
forgot, a piece of PVC pipe
That's a helluva job on that tender! A pre-war Lionel expert might not think so, but to me it looks like it belongs there, and always belonged there. I'd proudly run it on my layout!
well thank you kindly!
I second that. Very impressive and realistic looking. Never guessed that was pvc pipe
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