Lionel 4-4-2 "U.P."

[Anonymous]

I just got this Lionel last night from an old friend who's had it up to here [:0] with this train. Basically this is a good train, I know it's newer (90's?), it has manga traction, smokes and the tender has a wheel in the bottom that makes the train sound like it's chugging, oh and on the side of the engine towards the back there is a little toggle switch, what that's for he didn't know and I didn't take it out of the box myself yet. The engine has a yellow stripe on it's sides and the tender has "Union Pacific" in yellow on it's sides, sorry, at this point I know nothing about it yet. Anyway...[:D]
According to my friend this thing doesn't smoke worth a [:0]. He was using a smoke fluid that I think is by MTH, it's a blue liquid.
Is there a certain brand that's better then another when it comes to getting these to smoke?
Can anyone tell me anything about this engine with the little info I have?

[ChiefEagles]

[#welcome][#welcome] Glad to have you here. I have found that Lionel smoke fluid really puts out. I know there are several others and Tom [Spankybird] has a brand that he says is outstanding. He will probably welcome you and will tell us. [he was suppose to email me the brand name, remember Tom [;)]] If you just want to chat and get to know the gang, go to "The Coffee Pot Is Always On".

[Jim Duda]

There are MANY who like this brand: www.megasteam.com
I think Tom uses this, but not sure - he'll confirm. I also think he likes the "Bayberry" and "Christmas Pine" scents. I like "Grampa's Pipe" myself...

[ben10ben]

Welcome to the forum! That engine sounds a lot like one I have, except that mine doesn't have magnetraction and has an air whistle rather than the rolling wheel.

The fluid that he's using sound like LGB brand fluid, which really should not be used in smoke units of this type. It's great for Seuthe type smoke units, but not for the ones that are used in Lionel trains.

Lionel fluid works great in Lionel engines, but MegaSteam(as referenced by Jim and Chief above) works even better.

[spankybird]

Well you guys got it all covered.

Ben – I got to agree, sounds like LBG fluid.

Chief and Jim Duda know me well, I like the Magasmoke. Jim gave you the web address for it.

tom

[ChiefEagles]

Yes, Jim did and I already ordered. Remember Tom, mind is not the first thing to go!!! [;)] [you were suppose to email me the link]

[Anonymous]

You guys sure have al the bases covered here! Thanks for the info on the smoke; I think I'll be placing an order tonight when I get off of work.
Can anyone tell me where or how I can get more info on this unit? I called my buddy and he's going to bring over the rest of the train tonight because he wants his first one back so he's going to be digging on eBay. But he doesn't have any of the paperwork or the original box anymore. And aside from telling me it’s freight set he doesn’t have a name for it either.

[Anonymous]

Well my friend never made it over last night so I didn't get any more details on the rest of the set, but the engine is marked with 8622, so can anyone tell me more about this engine and set? Especially what that little switch is for?

[spankybird]

Just a guess, the switch is to turn the smoke unit on or off.
tom

[1688torpedo]

Hello TME1972 ! The switch in the rear of the engine turns on/off the electronic reverse unit. If you want the engine to only run in forward just flip the switch and it will continue to do so and the reverse unit will not sequence at all.The engine you have is based on the prewar lionel 1684 made from 1939-1942 and after the war the casting was used to make the scout engines from about 1948-1966.After General Mills took over Lionel the casting was modified many times.The First versions did not have a feedwater heater like yours has just above the Headlight.( It's a round cylinder) and they also had a Pullmor Motor with a 2 position reverse unit while yours has a 3 pos reverse unit with a forward-neutral-reverse sequence.Hope this helps out.......Keith.

[Chris F]

Your engine was part of the Costco Union Pacific Set, No. 11785, an uncataloged set offered 1990-91 thru the Costco chain. The set consisted of the following:

18622 4-4-2 Steamer with tender
16226 UP boxcar
16336 UP gondola
16408 UP Hopper
16528 UP caboose

The locomotive featured headlight, smoke, mechanical Sound of Steam, and a three-position electronic reverse. It's considered a starter-set locomotive; it's highly unlikely that it has Magnetraction.

FYI, the 2005 Greenberg price guide values the set at $175 (exc. cond.) and $200 (new cond.).

[Anonymous]

Chris,
Your right about the Magnetraction, but I know it has something on there to help it start rolling right away. I have posted a picture of the engine at the site below. If you go and look at it, you’ll see that there is something black on the back drive wheel, that’s what I was calling Magnetraction. Also, do you have any pictures of this set your telling me about or do you know where I can find any?

1688torpedo,
You said that this thing should have a feedwater heater just above the Headlight, again, if you check out the picture, there isn’t any and it really doesn’t look like anything has been busted off and according to my friend there wasn’t anything. So hopefully now that this can be seen instead of me describing it I can get all the facts straight.
I’ll post pictures of my 260 Lionel and my Marx Mercury soon

http://www.angelfire.com/clone2/jcpbg/Trains.htm

[lionelsoni]

That's a "traction tire", in my opinion a poor substitute for magnetraction. Magnetraction uses magnets inside stainless-steel axles or fixed close to the wheels to make them adhere to steel track, both increasing traction and reducing the likelihood of derailing. Traction tires work with any kind of track, but don't help derailing and tend to come off the wheels after a while.

[Chris F]

I don't have any photos of this particular set (pictures of uncataloged sets are fairly rare), but Michael Solly's "Greenberg's Guide to Lionel Trains, 1987-1995" shows examples of "Columbia" locomotives with and without feedwater heaters.

Regarding your picture, verrry interesting! The Greenberg book indicates the boiler has a feedwater heater, a cylindrical tank mounted on top of the boiler front. Your 8622 clearly does not have this feature. According to the book, the heater was added to the boiler casting in 1990, the first year your set was offered. I speculate that the Costco set used boilers left over from the previous year.

Another Greenberg book, "Lionel Trains, 1970-1991, Vol. II", indicates the set also included the following:
12730 Girder bridge
12706 Barrel loader building kit
12714 Automatic crossing gate
Steam shovel kit
Telephone poles (5)
Road signs (14)
5013 Curved track (12)
5018 Straight track (8)
90-degree crossover for figure-8 layout
4045 Transformer (45W)

I hope your friend saved these items, too![:)]