In need of repair!

[oldline1]

Well, I have an old 239E Lionel engine I use under the tree every Christmas and I think this will be the last year for the old girl unless I can get it worked over. I'm an HO guy so my information on Lionel repairs is zero!

Does anyone know of a reliable shop that can rebuild a 1937 (?) Lionel engine and do it right?

Thanks,

Roger Huber

[rtraincollector]

First off I can not find a 239E engine for prewar, ( 1901 - 1942) could it be a 238E? o5 a 259E ? the only 239 I can find is postwar (1945 - 1969) and that one is a scout motor. makes a better paper wait ( not worth fixing) You would spend more if you can find someone than it's worth. A picture would help a lot. 

[Firelock76]

Best thing to do might be to start locally.  Google "find a hobby shop" and several sites should come up.  I looked at one called "Hobby Shops find Near Me" and selected Arkansas.  Looks like there's one in Fayetteville which is 29 miles from where you live in Huntsville.

18th Street Train Shop

2105 W. 18th St.   479-521-2091

 

There's other places listed within 75 miles of Huntsville but this is the only one with specifically "trains" in the name.  If they don't repair Lionels maybe they know someone who does.

[oldline1]

Yep......you're right...it's a 259E. I can't seem to attach any photos to the MR site no matter how much I try. I have some good shots of the engine I could send to your email if that's possible.

Roger

[rtraincollector]

to post pics you need a host site like photobucket.com 

What is wrong with your engine?

it may just need to be cleaned and relubed

[oldline1]

Well a search on google or bing bring up nothing close. There are no hobby shops in Huntsville and nearby Fayetteville. Hobby Lobby, although a nice place to buy glue, isn't a hobby shop.

The closest HS would be in Branson, MO and it's definitely NOT what I need to fully restore an antique Lionel train.

I was hoping to get a lead on a for real Lionel shop that can handle my needs. 

Thanks,

Roger

[oldline1]

The engine is very old and has tons of miles on it. The gears are sloppy, the brushes are getting pretty worn and it's just time for some serious maintenance. Last year I lubed and cleaned everything I could. I have no parts. I don't have a clue where to get any parts. I don't have any idea if or where a qualified shop might be for this old engine. 

I also don't know how to do photos on to MR. They don't make it easy as far as I'm concerned. I don't have any trouble sending/loading/sharing pictures anywhere but MR.

Roger 

[dougdagrump]

This is from the Lionel site, as to their work quality ?

18TH STREET TRAIN SHOP

2105 WEST 18TH
FAYETTEVILLE, AR 72701

[phone]
[e-mail]

[oldline1]

Yep, I've heard of that one. It's actually been open once in 6 or 7 attempts. It isn't very impressive, it's sort of dirty, run down, barely has enough light to see what he's got and the guy there isn't too friendly. It certainly doesn't appear to be a place someone would want to take a childhood treasure to for anything.

Are there any long time repair shops around that you would trust with your trains or recommend?

Roger

[KRM]

 

Nothing special or childhood treasure about a 259E. There are parts around and are readily available at a low cost if you look, I just gave one away to a friend.

 So I would not invest to much in repair.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIONEL-PREWAR-259E-STEAM-ENGINE-/322368485567?hash=item4b0ea8b8bf:g:fJYAAOSwJ7RYXZHk

 Posting pictures off of sutterfly is easy, Here is the one I gave away. Cut and paste.

 

[oldline1]

KRM,

Well, if the engine was given to you by your Grandfather as a Christmas present in 1955 and it has been used around the tree every year since then I have to say that is IS SPECIAL and A TREASURE. Maybe not to you but isn't that what makes our old trains desirable and precious to us?

If the parts are easy to find and all that I'm glad. NOW.......where do I find them? That was my basic question. If you have another worthless 259E around you want to give away I'd be glad to send you my address.

Thanks (?),

Roger

 

[cheapclassics]

Good evening all,

Oldline1, I understand your pain.  There was a good place that was in Indianapolis, but the store closed and I do not know where the repair person went.  I also understand the sentimental value in wanting to get it fixed.  I had an old Marx set that needed some work.  I spent far more than it is worth to get it running and I would do it again in a heartbeat.  I hope you find some place soon.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[8ntruck]

Do a search on Google using 'Lionel parts'  That will bring up a bunch of possibilities for the parts you would need to refurbish your locomotive.  I've had good luck with The Train Tender and Olsen Toys.  But there are many, many others I out there that I have not tried that would probably be good sources as well.

Good luck and welcome to the forum. There are a bunch of good guys here.  Chances are there is somebody on the forum that has already done what you want to do, so just keep asking questions. 

[LL675]

Jeff Kane at The Train Tender is great for parts.

http://www.ttender.com/

 

Olsen's have a great library, but they are a small family business so they aren't the quickest sometimes.

 

http://www.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=778

 

Dr Tinker sells parts and works on trains. Used to work for Lionel and write a column for O Gauge RR

 I would trust him with my trains.

http://drtinkertrains.com/

 

Hennings has parts, and also does very nice work, I would also trust them with my trians.

 http://www.henningstrains.com/

And I second being willing to take any beat up old trains...

[rtraincollector]

Sent you a email with a repair Guy I have used before. I do not post name/phone number/ address on the web when it's his home info

[dougdagrump]

Even though I am on the west coast my "repair Person/shop" is :

Chuck Sartor

‘O’nly 3 Rail :

2531 W. 62nd Court
Denver, Co. 80221
303-638-8357
[e-mail]

 

 

[KRM]

Roger I understand what your saying just that at some point you got to decide if it is worth it. My first Lionel 202, the only thing left of it is the shell & frame.

Watch e-bay for parts or motors you could swap into it as well as all of the other places stated here.

[rtraincollector]

You could always look on ebay. You will find some who think what they have is worth it's weight in gold but here is one with like 8 hours left going for like $29 + $8 shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIONEL-PREWAR-259E-STEAM-ENGINE-/322368485567?hash=item4b0ea8b8bf:g:fJYAAOSwJ7RYXZHk

[Penny Trains]

Olsen's also has diagrams of many Lionel items.  Here are 2 concerning the 259E: http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=778 that's the loco diagrams and here are the motor diagrams: http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=817.  If Olsen's doesn't have the parts at least you'll know what you're looking for.  Henning's and Trainz are the other 2 parts dealers I recommend as well.

Don't forget that the E-Unit also has parts that need cleaning from time to time.

[oldline1]

Penny Trains,

Thanks for those links. Should prove helpful!

Many thanks to those who offered good advice.

Roger

[Firelock76]

Henning's Trains has been mentioned, and while I haven't had any repair work done by them I have visited the shop several times and they're great people, they did't know me from Adam, as the saying goes, and still treated me like a regular customer.

I bought a restored post-war 2055 Hudson from them my last visit and it runs like it's brand new.

Oh, and oldline1, that old blockbuster of yours looks too cool NOT to be brought back to life, if it looks like the one in KRM's pictures.  I say go for it!  Hang the expense!

[Anonymous]

oldline1

If you go to the MTH website, you can search for MTH repair shops within x radius of your zip code.  Most have websites and many deal with both MTH and Lionel.  Some may do train repairs.  (nearest MTH is 492mi..)

http://mthtrains.com/authorized-service-centers

You might also just look through the MTH Find a Dealer (under Dealers at top of MTH home page).  While not all dealers are MTH repair facilities, some may have knowledge you seek.

http://mthtrains.com/dealer-search

Lionel:

http://www.lionel.com/dealers

[oldline1]

Firelock76

Oh, and oldline1, that old blockbuster of yours looks too cool NOT to be brought back to life, if it looks like the one in KRM's pictures.  I say go for it!  Hang the expense!

Well, my engine actually looks better than the one KRM included in his post.  The mechanism is somewhat sick though but it looks very nice. The headlight died last year and also needs replaced. It has no number on it so I didn't know what to look for until the links to the drawings and P/N's was thankfully supplied.

I checked out the offerings on feebay and they range quite a bit in price. The lowest priced one is pretty trashy compared to mine and has a lot of corrosion. I'll see about a shop first before I buy some junk hoping for decent parts.

Being it's a very important item to me, the money isn't as much of concern to me as keeping it spinning around the Christmas tree for my 2 young Grandsons. They are about the age I was when it was given to me and they love seeing it go.

By the way, it is the only Lionel item I have or have ever had. It pulls an American Flyer O-Gauge tender, baggage car and 2 coaches and has since it was presented to me so many years ago. I only wish my Flyer S scale stuff ran as well as this old thing! I have converted a few of the Flyers to DC motors in hope of improving their performance but they aren't much better for it. Sad as I prefer the AF 2 rail to Lionel and 3 rails.

Thanks to everyone and a very happy New Year to all!

Roger

 

[LL675]

sometimes sentiment overrules cost. when Dad passed his trains onto me, I started looking for a place to get his 6110 Scout running. After several "it's not worth bothering with, Dad, who was living in Michigan at the time, found Brausser's. We took it there, and Dean had it running better than new and it looked great, and it didn't cost much at all.

[KRM]

I see all the points here better than one may think, Always seems to be room for some point counter point.

 My 202 Lionel set came to me right before my mother died in 1959 before I was seven years old, So I know about what something can stand for. My dad never quit buying trains up till he passed in 1991. My point is it is not the iron as much as the memory and the love of it that put it and the hobby in your heart. So be your own judge of things, save what is close to you.  You can’t be the motherless child I have been for almost 60 years without being motherless. Not that it is you’re your problem or you should care. So move on. My point about when to give up on something has been lost.

 I am the small guy in the front of the picture.

Have a wonderful new year.

 

 

 

[Firelock76]

Hey, I spent a lot more restocking and rebluing my grandfather's old Springfield (Sears) 12 gauge side-by-side shotgun than it was worth, but you know what, I didn't care at the time and I wouldn't care now. It's Grandpa's, and that means a lot more to me than any collector book value.

Handling that old side-by-side is like shaking hands with him one more time.

[alank]

Nice picture.   I have a couple similar.

I had the opposite when it came to knowing my mother.   She died at age 96.   My mother is why my brothers and I were into trains.   She felt if we were in the basement working on our trains, then we weren't out on the street getting into trouble.   My trains and my mother both mean a lot to me.  Our first train came with a 2026 Lionel engine.   It came at Christmas 1948.   

Over the years this little engine saw a lot of use.   Because it didn't have magnetraction it left the rails from time to time.   Subsequently it lost a marker light and showed the wear of play and running.  

Also over the years now, as I have been into trains a long time I always wanted to fix up this engine to a better condition for display.   Before I gave it to my nephew a few years back, I had aquired 2 more in better shape, and an additional body having both markers, to try to spruce it up, or make it more.   In the end I did a complete disassembly, cleaning, reassembly, etc., and that little engine always ran well, and smoked well.  Of what I had it was my favorite because it was there in the beginning and came from my mother.   

Why did I give it away?   In reality it was my older brother's, I just had it because of the five of us, I payed the most attention to the trains and for the longest.   I wasn't going to get rid of the others I aquired, so when my nephew got involved, I gave it to him, with my brother's blessing, so we could share and enjoy the trains.  I didn't need to be hoarding.   My mother will be gone now 6 years the end of this month, but right now I wish I could go over to her basement and run my trains.   Keep your memories alive.   Happy New Year and enjoy your trains.