Went to the fall show in Peru, Indiana, seen lots of trains with some very nice prices for the buyers. Found this pair of 2343's for $50! Non powered looks really nice, the powered is dirty but I think it will clean up as nice as the other unit. I did a double take on the price tag. And the show had been open for over an hour when I spotted these on my 2nd or 3 round of the tables. I got the coaches toward the end of the show, really clean postwar 2500 series, $100 for the set. They will look great behind the F3s
Opened them both up, tons of that white mold on the inside. Neither looked to have been opened up in decades, not even screw driver marks on any of the shell screws. Both motors have no wear, brushes look nearly new, and very little brush "dust" on the frames. I would say these saw very little overall use. Both shells cleaned up nice for ones that have been "kicked around" a bit. Powered up nice on test leads, have to dig out my O gauge track now and find a D battery. Was two middle age ladies selling nearly 4 tables of Lionel. Guessing it was someones daughters disposing of dad's estate of trains. Prices were very good on nearly everything. I still cannot believe they only wanted $50 for the 2343's.
What a deal on some low mileage F-3s you did very well!
Thank you. I am still beside myself at their price. Now its decision time. I have only a 4x7 table to work with. So its either a small loop of 031 inside my loop of 42" OO track. OR, go back to using my original Lionel OO track on either its own table as a second level or in the middle of a larger loop of 031 postwar track that I have. The nice part being, I have the rubber roadbed for all of my O gauge track. Hummm.
Score!
I'll be laying out an O31 figure 8 inside my Standard Gauge oval soon using a prewar flyer track plan that calls for a 45 degree crossover to minimize the length of the layout. Standard Gauge is about the same as O42 bit I have a 5 by 7 space to work with.
Same me, different spelling!
VintagesteamerThank you. I am still beside myself at their price. Now its decision time.
Hey, they're happy, you're happy! Great score Mike!
You know, you don't HAVE to tear apart your burgeoning OO empire. You can always do the traditional thing and save those F3's for under the Christmas tree.
Speaking of train show finds, our club meeting theme this last Thursday was "Train Show Treasures." Here's the Facebook broadcast which everyone may find interesting.
https://www.facebook.com/virginiatraincollectors/videos/423002636697302/
Right now I have a tight 031 loop inside of the OO loop. I will combine the layouts somehow. We dont have the space for a full size tree in our tiny house. I just put a small 3' tree in our bay window. So no place for an under tree layout for us, nor would the F3's like all the dog hair that tends to be on the floor even with daily vacuuming. When we had our dog crate still up for the youngest of the 4, I put my mini OO layout on top of it with that 3' Christmas tree. I wish CTT still had a local club section in the magazine/website. My friend and I are still trying to get a local 3 rail group started to set up "loose lay" layouts at shows.
If I could set this up every holiday, I would only use my OO during the holidays and shows. But I have yet to figure out a spot to set them up like this again like I did in 2020.
A bit of video of the new set running on a small loop of 031 I put down inside of the OO loop.
Beautiful! Runs like a deer!
Very smooth runners indeed!
Holy smokes, what a deal!! It's really fun seeing the O and OO side by side, maybe I need to try something similar with my HO. The only trouble is there's no room on my current test layout for an HO loop!I can only assume the reason those 2343s didn't go faster is because the table was full of great deals, and nobody perusing at the time was a scalper. Congrats on your new goodies -Ellie
"Unless bought from a known and trusted dealer who can vouch otherwise, assume every train for sale requires servicing before use"
The show was well attended, I think the dust and crud on the powered unit might have not made folks even glance at the price tag. But having been a service tech for a Lionel shop for over a decade, I can tell what I can clean up and what needs a total repaint. I was totally floored when I saw the price tag, had to verify it with the ladies doing the selling. Everything on the table was common postwar with a few boxed MPC era and a couple LTI items, nothing that really was highly sought after, just common stuff. If I wasnt out of $$, I would have bought some more. They should be at the upcoming Danville, Indiana show on the 19th. Maybe a few freight cars might come home. I am actually thinking about selling/trading off the OO and building up a long Super Chief set up to pull. Possibly up to 12 cars plus twin B units. Would be for running at shows, a 3 or 4 car consist with just the AA pair is enough at home. Will need a healthy ZW for show set ups as well. Love long passenger trains of the Santa Fe, WP and CB&Q.
Speaking of F3 sets, the program for our VTCA meeting last Thursday was "Train Show Treasures." One of our members scored a Santa Fe F3 streamliner set at the York train show! Here's the link, his presentation starts at 12:30. Mine's the first presentation.
https://www.facebook.com/virginiatraincollectors/videos/423002636697302
I wish I KNEW about the Super Speedliner set at that boy's age let alone KNOWING that he should BUY one!
And what's the rest of that pizza story?
pennytrainsAnd what's the rest of that pizza story?
Beats me. Maybe we don't want to know?
Oh yeah! Young Mr. Lucas has a great eye for collectable Lionels! Lucas is such an impressive young man I gave him a "N&W 611, The Thoroughbred" sweatshirt I'd had since 1990. It was in perfect shape too, I only wore it for steam excursions, at least until it (ahem) shrunk. He was thrilled to get it and I was happy to know it's gone to a good home.
Glad you liked the video! Next month the program is "Holiday Trains."
ANY holiday! It should be interesting. At least MY part will be!
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