Poll: my very first Lionel was a?

[statistician]

Hi guys,
Just out of curiousity, how many of you still have your first Lionel set/engine... the one that started it all?

I grew up in the mid-1980s, so for me it was the Lionel Black Cave Flyer set; it cost $50.00, was all plastic (including the rolling stock wheels!!) had dummy couplers, no functional headlight (glow in the dark stickers only) and an underpowered motor that ran only one speed - way too fast for tight cuves!!

Still, I loved that thing to death!! I still remember the TV commercials for that particular set. It's funny how the memories I had of that train are, in ways, better than owning the "scale masterpieces" that I've accumulated over the years. Wouldn't trade those memories of that cheap set for anything, not even my scale ATSF Northern!!

[MartyE]

Here is MY first Lionel...



This is a picture I took about a month ago!

[mitchelr]

My first set was a set from 1955, I still have it and run it occasionally. The set has a 0-4-0 1615 Yard Goat Switcher with a 1615T slope back tender. One of the marker lights is missing from one too many high speed accidents. The set also includes a red 6462 NYC gondola, a gray 6560 Bucyrus Erie Crane car, and a red 6119 D L &W work caboose.


Mitch[swg]

[tsgtbob]

726rr set my uncle gave me in 1968.
He had girls, who didn't give a darn about trains.
Thank goodness for female cousins!
Still have it, runs GREAT after new axle bearings, and E-unit fingers!

[jlrocks]

Mine was a Lionel 2226 set from the 1950's sometime.

[Anonymous]

A steam 224 in 1946. Don't have it, but bought one to replace it. Joe

[Locomotive681]

My very first lionel was a 1954-56 1130 2-4-2 loco from my father it has a slope back tender.I love that thing to death.[:)]Thanks Dad[:)]Loco681

[spankybird]

671 from 1949 or was it 1948.



still have the whole set, including boxes and still run it

[FJ and G]

Got a used Scout in 60s, ran it on my dirt basement floor; lubed it with 3:1. Used to love to watch the sparks fly and suck in the 3:1 oil. Brings back great memories.

Back about 1999 I got my 2nd LIonel; an RS-3 stinker with 1 loco that couldn't pull 3 cars without spinning. But it piqued my interest and been running toy trains ever since (recently converted the trains to R/C 2-rail, but what the hey, they're still the toy trains with the oversized flanges and couplers).[:D]

[wrmcclellan]

The #250 2-4-2 Pennsy set of 1957, followed closely by a #218 A-A Alco SF with two 2400 SF Blue Stripe cars. Still have it all although I repainted most of the 250 set except the NH 6464 boxcar. Got the SOO LINE operating car for Christmas as a bonus.

[tcripe]

. . . 1110 Lionel Scout set put on a 3' x 6' plywood board in a figure 8 design. Dad eventually had to have the motor replaced and I ran it so much I burned out the 45 watt transformer, too.
Terry

[Anonymous]

My first set was a Lionel Micro racers set from K-Mart that my dad bought used at a hobby shop for me for christmass. The thing was missing all the race cars that were suposed to come with it. I started buying more track and more cars but up untill about a week ago the little 2-4-0 was the only loco on my roster. I would hook every car i had behind that poor little loco it would slip the drivers like crazy to get the whole thing moving but she would move it. I think the record was 16 cars. (11 freight cars and 5 cabooses!) I have been watching how much fun you guys look like your having with your trains and picking up CTT for a while and finaly talked myself into buying another set. So last week my Copper Range set arived at the house so the first thing to do was clear the floor int the living room so that i coudl set it up and run it. (but only during comercial breaks because my wife couldn't hear the show she was watching over the track noise and whistle.)

Kevin G

[BR60103]

Christmas, 1952, one of the first run of the Pennsy N5c caboose. Not sure why this particylar model; my Hornby O gauge set wasn't reliable. I recently dug it out and started cleaning it up -- I need a lot of parts to restore it.
The next May I got a whole train set with a 2055 loco.

[Demon09]

mine was a 4-4-2 Seaboard freight set, I got it from my grandma for Christmas in 1995.... I played with it constantly the first year or so, then started growing up heading into high school.... I still used it around Christmas year to year, but lately I realized that I'm basically just a big kid still, so I built a layout with a few more trains.....

[Anonymous]

1862 General Set. Still have all of except for the original transformer. Still works fine. I got it for Christmas in 1961, I was 5 years old two weeks from being 6!

[Anonymous]

Std gauge lionel 8E. Still have track, bridge, station & 4 cars. Engine was stolen about 15 years ago. Still have a lionel 252 that i run at christmas time. Have a 675 & two 671's still going strong. doug

[thatboy37]

my first was the black diamond freight set that came out last year

[Jumijo]

My first Lionel was a 1972-74 set. Not exactly sure of the year. It had a loco that looked like a 2026, but with a 4-4-2 wheel configuration, and Sound of Steam. One of the cars was a Wheaties boxcar. The tender had the Rock Island livery - I think.

Torpedo1688 Keith would know what set I had. He's told me before and I've forgotten which one it was.

Jim

[otftch]

A brand new 2026 which still runs my layout occasionally.Purchased as a family tradition the day I was born.I've never not had lionel trains.
Ed

[dwiemer]

First bought for me was a early 70s Sears set with the plastic 8040 engine. Then my Dad gave me his set that I had played with since before I could remember which was the 1949 freight set with the 2020 engine. Still have and run them all.
Dennis

[cnw1995]

I never had one - my brothers did though and now I'm 'holding' their trains (MPC-era) for them. My first was a Ballyhoo circus train I purchased myself in 2000. I consider though my dad's 248 (and matching cars) from the late 1920s to be 'my' first now.

[pmilazzo]

Mine was my father's 2025 set he purchased in 1947 that he gave to me in 1969. I still have that set and it runs like a swiss watch...It has has a few minor scratches / rubs from being played with hard, but it still one of my favorite post war engines with it's distinctive aluminum smoke stack.

[lionelsoni]

A new 2243 set in 1955. I gave all my Marx to a little kid across the street. The 2243 still runs perfectly.

[BillP1]

610 Erie switch engine.

I took one truck off of a Marx tank car and replaced it with a Lionel truck so that the 610 could pull my Marx freight train.

----------------------- Bill

[1688torpedo]

Jim's (Jaabat) First Train was the Allegheny Set Lionel made in 1972 with a 4-4-2 Atlantic that was made from the old 2026 tooling & even the rear Diecast Trailing Truck came from the 2026. It had the Wheaties Boxcar, Short red Santa Fe Flatcar,Green Burlington Northern Gondola, (Some sets had a Blue Republic Steel Gondola instead) & a Yellow Cheasapeake & Ohio Caboose. The Engine & Tender also had the roadname Cheasapeake & Ohio in Gold Letters. In 1973 this Train was changed to the Rock Island Express with the Same engine,tender,& freight cars setup only that the roadnames on the freight cars was changed at that time & the Engine # was changed from 8204 to 8304. My First Lionel was the Broadway Limited from 1974 with the 9500 series passenger cars & sound-of -steam. I've still got it at home. Take Care. P.S. - Some of the Allegheny sets from 1971-72 had a Ford Autolight Boxcar instead of a Wheaties version.

[Jumijo]

You nailed it, Keith. I had the 1973 set, and I certainly do remember the Wheaties car and the Burlington Northern gondola. Thank you so much.

Jim

[Frank53]

interesting that everyone who has 30-40-50 and older Lionel trains all report they still run them and some report they run "like a swiss watch".

WOnder if the same will be said for today's electonic trains come 2055 or so.

[FJ and G]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Frank53

interesting that everyone who has 30-40-50 and older Lionel trains all report they still run them and some report they run "like a swiss watch".

WOnder if the same will be said for today's electonic trains come 2055 or so.

Actually, I think that the answer is yes and no. The likely will still be running but the circuits will be blown. You can snip the wires to the circuitry and keep the motors powered and I believe that they will still be running.

The only difference is that with the old Lionel, you could repair the motors yourself but with the newer motors, I think you have to get a replacement. So, with a possible remotoring and no circuits, you could still have them running indefinitely.

[Anonymous]

My first lionel was a Hornby Train!
[:D]

[cnw1995]

I'll be my 248 will still be running in 2055 when it is about 127 years old. Reminds me of watching 'Back to the Future' last evening on VH1, they were going far into the scary future: 2015