lionel 2671w vs williams

[northernpike]

Does anyone have the williams s2 tender w/true blast and bell, and if so, what are your thoughts?

I need a tender for my 681.  Should I go original or repro?  How are the modern electronics vs the old relay and air whistle?  Need honest opinions.

Thanks

Tom

[Jumijo]

I have both the Lionel 2671 and the Williams repro. If you have a Lionel 681, I think you would be better off buying a Lionel 2671 tender (Pennsy, not Lionel Lines). Why do I recommend the original over the Williams?

It will more closely match the engine. The Williams tender will look too new and shiny compared to a 50+ year old loco.

The Williams electronics are very reliable, but you get the same whistle sequence every single time. You can vary the sound and length of the sound with the Lionel air whistle. (The Williams tender does have a bell. Lionel's does not.)

Matching the vintage 681 with a vintage 2671 will increase the overall value of the set.

I'm not knocking Williams in any way. I have the Williams 671 S2 and love it. But if you are going to get a tender for a vintage Lionel, I think it should be a correct vintage piece as well.

Jim 

[msacco]

Have to agree with Jim for all those reasons. I bought a 2671 Pennsy 12 wheel a few years ago off of ebay in excellent plus condition for about $160 or so. Expect to may in this range for a really nice one.

 

Mike S.

[bfskinner]

northernpike,

There are a LOT of potential issues here.  Basically I agree with what has been said above. Another major consideration is what transformer/whistle controller you intend to use. I will skip most of the rhetoric, but my bottom-line solution has been to use a generic (stand-alone) Lionel RailSounds tender (with very "low mileage" and like-new appearance) with my new Williams small Hudson. I get chuff; whistle with any sequence I chose; and bell. Runs and sounds great with modern CW-80 transformer or post-war ZW, KW, 1033 or whatever.

In my opinion, the modern electronic whistles are inherently more reliable than the post-war Lionel air-whistles, although I have managed to re-hab some old ones to perform quite well, especially if the tempermental electromagnetic relay is replaced with a modern one; and/or if modern diodes replace the PW copper-oxide rectifiers; and/or Lionel Sound Activation Buttons or equivalents are employed. Mixing-and-matching modern electronic and post-war electro-magnetic components is a somewhat chancy business. Among other things to consider are whether the train will speed up or slow down when the whistle is sounded and the amount of power draw from the fan motor in an air-whistle.  It is roughly equivalent to a second loco, so if you are already short of power....

For some, the old PW air-whistle sound is essential; for others, the modern electronic sounds are more to their liking. Personally, I love my Williams loco, but I do not like having only a single-sequence ("grade crossing") whistle available. (Can't even do three short blasts!)

The downside to my solution is that my substitute RailSounds tender cost a good deal more than my new Williams loco-and-tender together.