What should I look for when purchasing a 38 water tower?? What controller goes with this accessory? Do the hoses go bad or does it rust? It should have a funnel right? Make sure the nipples are all good too. This is all I can think of. Any input will do. Thanks.
I don't own one, but they have some pretty serious issues with tanks and tubing going bad. Replacement tanks are out there, but they're pricey-I just ran across one on Ebay for $125(tank only).
Any simple momentary push button controller, like a 96C, should work.
Personally, given the rarity of the accesory itself and the rarity of replacement parts that you'll need, this is one of the few situations where I'd choose a reproduction over an original. The originals are $200+, if you can find them. Lionel reproduced it a few years ago, and they're all over the place for $150 and under.
Ben is right about the controller. It came with the Lionel 96C Controller.
This accessory is rarely functional as there was a significant problem with two of the materials used to build the tower. The location where the black plastic tubing attaches to the styrene tank is the area with the problem. In almost every case, the styrene tank appears melted at the connection point with the black tubing. The problem is a chemical reaction of the black tubing and the styrene tank material. Locating a 38 Pumping Water Tower that is intact and all original is almost impossible.
Is that what you mean with regard to the nipples?
I think Ben is right about buying the recent repro Lionel made if you want to use it on a layout.
Why not a #30? It operates the same way except you don't see the water level going down. Maybe a cool effect, but I don't remember ever seeing that happen. The originals were wooden, maybe metal later.
wyomingscout
lionel2,
Bachmann-Plasticville Water Tower Kit-#BAC-45978, prices vary, I paid about nine dollars, years ago.
You put it together, no worry about water damage and messes to clean-up, especially near electricity, it's realistic with steam engines and their tanks and it dresses up a railroad. So, you don't see the water level move.
Actual water tower tanks were not see through, there were gauges to read, which would indicate the water level.
Ralph
You have answered all my questions, thank you very much. Yeah, it is hard to find a 38 water tower in perfect working order.
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