Your Greatest Train Finds

[macdannyk1]

I personally haven't found anything, but other people have found stuff for me. My brother rescued a Lionel B&O Geep, hopper and crew car from a garbage can. The engine just needed a new reverse unit. My father found a post-war set while cleaning out his sister's house (she had just passed on). It's a complete set, #1503WS from 1954. Came with a 2055 Lionel Lines Hudson, 6026W Whistling tender, 6462 black NYC gondola, 6456 maroon Lehigh Valley hopper, 6465 Sunoco tank car and 6257 caboose. All in excellent condition with original boxes and paperwork.

[Anonymous]

My greatest find is not of a collector lionel,A.F., etc. it is a more recent purchase of a Weaver Pennsy M1a on ebay. The engine was mint and UNUESD!!!!! , and what a bargain $375.00

[Anonymous]

Several years ago a person from work contacted me (He knew I is was into trains). He said his wife's grandpartents had passed away and he had some trains he wanted to sell. I met him at their house. It was in a rather bad part of town. We went up into the attic after climbing some stairs that were not in good shape. There was a layout that had been there since the 1950s. It was quite dirty and all of the engines and mororized units had a piece of tape placed on them with a id number. I offered a little more than half of the book value which is more than a dealer would have given him. I brought the stuff home and after many hours of cleaning and repairing i had quite a few nice items. I sold the items that I did not want and recouped my original investment. I ended up with a santa fe 2383 ABA , 682 steamer, 68 inspection car, several common cars and caboose, 193 water tower, gateman, banjo signal, several crossing gates, and 6 lighted bumpers. All for the investment in time.

[MACADO]

In the late '50s I delivered morning newspapers in a small S.W. Pa. town, that had a rummage pick-up once a year. Most of which ended up in the local trash dump, or some local polititions house. While looking thru someones trash can I found some Lionel rolling stock. The best piece was a 2855 tank car. It was in sorry shape. The home owner chased me for about a block before he winded out. I came back later and what was left, was smashed. He didn't want it, or anyone else to have them. This car has been restored and sits on my display shelf.

[philo426]

One of my greatest finds happened at a local garage sale about 2 years ago.I walked up to the table and spotted a mint Lionel no.133 Passenger station with the narrow sticker.I asked the lady how much she wanted for the station and she replied"three dollars".My wallet came out so fast it nearly flew across the garage!Needless to say it was a very good day indeed!

[Sturgeon-Phish]

A friend gave me an AF 342AC that was his fathers. The "cost" was the challenge to get it running again as it was in need of TLC and let him see it. Total cost, a few hours and lots of fun.

[sanman0516]

I found in the garbage a lionel desiel switcher 616 are the numbers,
3 other cars and caboose. I brought the eng into the shop and they
fixed it for 30 bucks. not bad i though it would be more.
I work for N.Y.C Sanitation.
i gave it to my dad he liked it to run on his lay out

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer


I also found a Lionel ATSF FA stuck nose first into a commode in a mens room at church,in the early '70s.This engine also runs as the motor was high and dry[:)]!

Are you serious??????!!!!!!!!!!!!! That has got to be THE most amazing train find story ever!

However, this also begs the question as to what kind of a complete sicko would do something like that to begin with! And in church of all places!

Anyway, the great thing is that you rescued an engine that now has a happy life with you!

[Anonymous]

My greatest finds are:

1. A postwar Lionel military set with a 45 mobile missile launcher, minuteman missile launcher, exploding boxcar, satellite launcher, submarine flatcar and Rescue Unit work caboose in excellent condition with the original box. It was bought at an antique shop for around $300 Canadian.

2. An extremely rare Bing Canadian Pacific boxcar that I got on ebay with three other cars for only $27.67.

3. A prewar Bub clockwork set that I got at an antique shop for only $21 Canadian. If that isn't amazing enough, the store had just lowered the price from $35 only one hour before I came to the store because it had been sitting there for a year and no one had bought it yet! Needless to say, I would have been just as thrilled with the original $35.

I've had lots of other great finds over the years, but these are the greatest in terms of both rarity and price.

[espeefoamer]

Around 1966 I found a Lionel Jr.Streamliner loco in a bin of toys at the local Goodwill store.This train was built in the mid '30s and came with two cars,a coach and observation.This was intended to look like an articulated train,but it actually wasn't.I got this loco for 10 cents. I cleaned it up a bit and it runs.[:D]!
I also found a Lionel ATSF FA stuck nose first into a commode in a mens room at church,in the early '70s.This engine also runs as the motor was high and dry[:)]!

[railfan23]

My greatest find was done by my wife who is an ebay trading assistant for a local pawn shop. I called 2 years ago on New Years day to let her know that I was done working for the day and to see what time she was getting off. She said that in her hand at the moment that I called she had an loco with the numbers 2332 on it and it had 3 passenger cars and was I interested in them. With no thought I said work out a price and bring them home. The engine has the commom strip wear but the cars are near mint. Oh yeah, they all came with very good boxes and inserts. All this for $75.00. What a way to start the year 2003.

[3railguy]

Probably a postwar Lionel Milwaukee Road EP-5 electric in excellent condition was my favorite.

[Anonymous]

Hello All: A Lione Frontier Set the one with the log cabin, !00% mint in the box, bought it at a show for $10.00 Can. (It helps whwn you have your Kid's with you) Regards Steve

[Anonymous]

Great,

I just found an old Prewar Hellgate Bridge in a box at the top of my shelfs in the closet, with baby pictures of me watching my Aunt Denises Train Running around the tree.

One Photo had a picture of a Hellgate Bridge exactly like the one in the box.

Well, I asked my Aunt, and she said, that hwen I was little, I showed so much joy in the train, that she hoped that one day I would have a big colletion, and to start it off, she said, she gave me the Hellgate Bridge.

I faintly remember seeing the train wizing around the tree and plunging into one side of the Hellgate Bridge and screeching out the other.

Bert and Mary Poppins aka Nick

[flyingyankee616]

[^]Mine was, I should say my wife's find was a box of trains she found at ayard sale about five years ago,and in the box was a 1934 Flyingyankee616. It was just a pile of rust with the front wheels crumbling off. I cleaned and played around with it for a few weeks and finally got it running and the rest was history. That was the straw that broke the camels back,in fact I never miss a yard sale now. I now have several old A.F. Marx, and other Lionel purchased the same way. Thanks Chuck

[Anonymous]

1949 American flyer 332 DC and 4 green madison type 652 653 654 cars in mint condition. It was sold to me by a fellow who had it for years on the self and he knew he was dieing and wanted a good home for it.
Dave.

[TonyGG1]

Nick, while they may not be my "greatest finds", these two Lionel items are the rarest that I've been lucky to find:

1. #6447 Pennsylvania N5C caboose from 1963, cataloged in only one set and not offered for separate sale.

2. #7520 Nibco Plumbing boxcar from I think 1982 which was the add-on car to a limited run promotional set of the same name.


Tony Sincius

[Anonymous]

Hey Ya'll,


After reading my old issues of CTT, I saw that Greatest Find articles.

My greatest find was the "Baby" Blue Comet from my uncle's attic. he hadn't any idea where it was, and told me it was bought second hand when he was born for him.

He gave it to me and I had it restored, it now runs great, looks great, and I love it.

What are your greatest finds?

Bert and Mary Poppins aka Nick