Wanted: Inexpensive Scout Cars with Scout Couplers

[M. Mitchell Marmel]

http://cs.trains.com/ctt/f/95/t/229950.aspx

Since I have the makings of a Scout consist anyway, does anyone have any 100x series cars with Scout couplers they want to get shut of?  If so, let me know! 

Thanks! 

Mitch

[phillyreading]

What are Scout couplers? I had a Lionel 235 Scout engine & set from the 1960's but it has regular Lionel knuckle couplers.

[lionelsoni]

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/mistrk/mistrk7.pdf

Scroll to the bottom of the page, to the 500-1 truck.

[cwburfle]

What are Scout couplers? I had a Lionel 235 Scout engine & set from the 1960's but it has regular Lionel knuckle couplers.

 

While collectors and operators tend to call many engines, including your 235, a :"Scout", technically they are not.  Lionel only made a couple of scout engines in the late 1940's  to early 1950's, and there were only three cars, a boxcar, gondola, tank, and caboose. The genuine Scout engines are 1001, 1101, 1110 and 1120,

[lionelsoni]

Scouts had two serious shortcomings:

o  The couplers were not compatible with other Lionel couplers.  They may have meant the Scout design to be cheaper to manufacture; but I am not convinced that they saved much money with it.  I think a simple dummy version of the regular coupler would have been a better and more economical choice--unless they imagined a marketing advantage to incompatibility.

o  The 2-position reversing mechanism, integrated into the motor, was very unreliable.  If the contacts of a traditional separate e-unit fail to complete the circuit (as they frequently do), it is possible simply to cycle the unit until contact is made.  Since the Scout uses the magnetic circuit of the motor field as a relay to move the contacts, once an open circuit occurs, there is no hope of stepping the contacts around for another try.  Instead, you must work the reversing mechanism by hand until it makes contact, which can mean retrieving a locomotive that stopped at a far corner of the layout. 

[M. Mitchell Marmel]

(nodnods) And the Scout loco mechanisms, to be charitable, tend not to hold up all that well anyhow.  Since I already have a tender, black gondola and beat up caboose with the goofy couplers, I figure getting a few more cars with the goofy couplers is a fun way to make up a consist for one of my Marx 666's...  ^.^

Here's a rather graphic representation of the Scout cars and couplers:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Postwar-Lionel-Scout-Set-1117-Cars-1002-1004-1005-1007w-Boxes-Scout-Couplers-/250956483598?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3a6e2c0c0e

I'm not sure if these were molded with light grey plastic or whether they're just oxidized beyond belief, but it does give a good idea of how they deviate from the Lionel norm!  :-)

And here's some nice closeups of the Scout coupler:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIONEL-Postwar-Trains-No-500-1-Lionel-Scout-Trucks-1948-Original-NICE-/301185948688?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item462014dc10

Mitch

[cwburfle]

Contrary to popular opinion, Scout style motors can be serviced, but the drive wheels have to be removed, and having a copy of the correct service manual pages are a must. There were several revisions made to those motors, which were used right up through 1969.

When those motors get stuck, flipping the reversing control switch while the power is off will usually get the engine going again.

[ADCX Rob]

M. Mitchell Marmel

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Postwar-Lionel-Scout-Set-1117-Cars-1002-1004-1005-1007w-Boxes-Scout-Couplers-/250956483598?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3a6e2c0c0e

I'm not sure if these were molded with light grey plastic or whether it's just oxidized beyond belief...

Use of a very warm hair dryer on those plastic parts will return them to the original black.

[lionelsoni]

That's what I meant by, "...you must work the reversing mechanism by hand until it makes contact, which can mean retrieving a locomotive that stopped at a far corner of the layout." 

[wyomingscout]

o  The couplers were not compatible with other Lionel couplers.  They may have meant the Scout design to be cheaper to manufacture; but I am not convinced that they saved much money with it.  I think a simple dummy version of the regular coupler would have been a better and more economical choice--unless they imagined a marketing advantage to incompatibility.

The Scout couplers worked with a Scout uncoupler.  This was a metallic, mechanical device that you inserted into a piece of track.  As the train passed over it, you pushed down a small lever to uncouple the  cars.  After all these years I can't remember how it went into the track; probably an owner's guide somewhere out there.

My first toy train is a Scout 1110 that I got in 1950.  It still runs & I have the original consist and an uncoupler.  My folks didn't have much to spend for Christmasses back then & I never even heard of a catalogue (other thans Sears & Roebuck & you can guess how I used that), so I knew nothing about all the fancy stuff Lionel made.

Kinda like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, it was the best gift I ever recieved.

wyomingscout

[thesiding]

There was four types of cars boxcar gondola tank car caboose

I have some but after seriously getting back in to collecting in 96 I have found every Scout I encounter has paint or something on the trucks some do not but most that I have do

If interested will consider a sale

[M. Mitchell Marmel]

Sure! What kinds do you have, and how much?

[thesiding]

Pretty much all four most have the paint

which do you want?

[M. Mitchell Marmel]

Well, I have a black gondola and a beat up caboose, so I could use a boxcar, blue gondola, tank car and caboose...  :)

Mitch

[servoguy]

The scout loco I got for Christmas in 1950 had a real E unit and was diecast.  Later plastic locos had the funky reverse unit built into the motor.  

[cwburfle]

The scout loco I got for Christmas in 1950 had a real E unit and was diecast.

 

Do you remember the locomotive number?

[thesiding]

will let you know what I have   and where are you located?

[Firelock76]

Looking for Scout cars?  My advice is to start haunting any thrift stores and antique shops or malls in your area, flea markets too.  Don't know about where you live but they seem to be relatively common here in the Richmond VA area.  I have no interest in them so I pass them by, but I do see Scout stuff often enough.

Usually in rough shape too, but that's another story.

[M. Mitchell Marmel]

thesiding

will let you know what I have   and where are you located?

Springdale, AR!  Thanks!

Mitch

[Bob Keller]

This thread skirts pretty close to the line of no buying or selling on our forum. I've let it run because of the worthwhile discussion of Scout cars and couplers. For buying and selling, take it to e-mail, please, since we don't want the forum to become a train sales market. 

Thanks

[thesiding]

send e mail address to [e-mail]   and I ll do the slling there

sorry if I upset anyone

[rtraincollector]

next time you might tell them to privately message you threw the forum so you don't give your email to the world and open to spammers