Anyone have one of these if so how do you like it. Just made a deal for one that's about as close to new as you can get for used .
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Lomg horn Jack posted:Anyone have one of these if so how do you like it. Just made a deal for one that's about as close to new as you can get for used .
An item number may help.
Sorry item number 6-28075
Item number or not, I can say that these USRA 2-6-6-2 Mallets are one of the best things Lionel ever did. I have 3, but not the C&O version. Very good and accurate detailing. Detailed "enough". They capture the look very well. One of my top 5 Lionel locos of all time. Of course, I'm a table-grade modeler, not OCD.
Excellent low-speed abilities. The sound is...meh. OK; just fine. 2 chuffs, but, oh well. I did change the RS 4.0 chips in mine to other large steam (GS-4, as I recall...), as the "syncopated" exhaust is incorrect for a compound locomotive. Much better.
One of my TMCC units has the old "Odyssey jerk" (on initial operating session startup - once only per session), the other does not. Built in the same year. Odd. My third one is a Legacy unit (got it new but damaged - pretty cheap - and re-assembled it); better sound, but it doesn't run any better than the TMCC locos - and doesn't need to.
If I "had to sell" most of my stuff, I'd keep these (and the NYC locos).
I don't have one, but a close friend of mine does.
These are great engines. They don't have whistle steam or Legacy, but the sounds are still really good (especially the whistle, in comparison to the Legacy-version whistle) and are excellent pullers.
My brother had the 2001 Lionel C&O 2-6-6-2 and it pulled better than his Lionel B&O EM1 upgrade. A good locomotive.
These are great locomotives. I have the Nickle Plate road version. They pull and sound great. I think my only frustration with these, is replacing the traction tires on the rear set of drivers. They are located on the front pair of wheels behind the steam chest, and a real pain...
Thanks for the ino I think it will fit right in on the M-n-J worn out and rusty railroad.
@J Daddy posted:These are great locomotives. I have the Nickle Plate road version. They pull and sound great. I think my only frustration with these, is replacing the traction tires on the rear set of drivers. They are located on the front pair of wheels behind the steam chest, and a real pain...
To revisit this old discussion: how did you get on with the tire replacement...any tips? 🙂 I have all 4 to do...😳
Mark in Oregon
I have one and love it!
I have the C&O and the WL&E versions. Excellent engines. Mine run great and use them a lot at shows. They say minimum 054 but will run on 048 fastrack.
I would buy the N&W one if the price is right.
I do have the Legacy version, but with this one, you can update it to 4-chuff per revolution. I did this for all my "2" chuffers. Just get the ElectricRR Chuff Magnet with reed switch. Then remove the wires from the existing chuff switch and connect them to the reed switch. Quarter the magnets on one of the drive wheels and set up the reed switch.
I know it sounds like a lot, but once you've done one, the rest go easily. Here is my Berkshire that I updated from 2 to 4 chuffs.
I also did this with my PRR Mountain. And sorry for the shakiness of the video.
Nice work Allan! Where can the "ElectricRR Chuff Magnet with reed switch" be purchsaed?
Sure - go to electricrr.com and then get the chuff upgrade under the Accessories. It is $10. I believe it only comes with 2 magnets, but I then cut them in half with wire cutters to install them. Just make sure they are set with the correct magnet pole next to the reed switch. If it doesn't chuff, then just turn it the other way.
I forgot to mention that on electricrr site, the RailSounds Commander Instruction Manual shows how to do this on the tender truck. Do the same thing on the driver with the wires for the reed switch going to where the current chuff sensor goes (you can leave the chuff sensor in place, just remove the wires).
@C&O Allan posted:I forgot to mention that on electricrr site, the RailSounds Commander Instruction Manual shows how to do this on the tender truck.
Good to know: now if I can just find a tender...🤔 🙂
Mark in Oregon
Didn't know you needed a tender. You can probably get the parts to make one from Lionel (I would wait for the 1/2 off parts sale at the end of the year). Use your part number to get most of the parts and then get the rest from here (the legacy version). Anything missing from both can probably be made or purchased from somewhere else.
Good idea. I guess the reason I was able to pick this up for a hundred bucks was partially due to the lack of a tender.
If I'm not able to find one (or a reasonable substitute) by then, I will look into that option. I don't really need any of the "bells and whistles"; just something to connect the engine to the rest of the train...🙂
I am glad to read such glowing praise for this model; it is pretty cool, even without the tender! 😁
Mark in Oregon
Until you try to get a prototypical tender, any one on the auction site should work. You may have to adjust the arm so it doesn't hit the IR sensor, but everything else should work.
@C&O Allan posted:Until you try to get a prototypical tender, any one on the auction site should work. You may have to adjust the arm so it doesn't hit the IR sensor, but everything else should work.
Hmm...I do have a spare PRR E6 tender of similar vintage; I wonder if the drawbar hole on it would accept the engine's drawbar. 🤔 (I initially tried a Williams tender, but that's a completely different animal...)
The Pennsy tender would look ridiculous, but at least it would be SOMETHING... 🙂 Lemme get back to you...and thanks!
Mark in Oregon
@Strummer posted:To revisit this old discussion: how did you get on with the tire replacement...any tips? 🙂 I have all 4 to do...😳
Mark in Oregon
I've done it on two friends locos where the rubber tires are on the front axle. Go slow and have patience, it's a "pita" job. Don't know why they didn't place the tires on the rear drivers. Dental picks help.
Mark,
So long as the PRR tender has the same IR "Box" on it the drawbar, the tender shouldn't have any connection issues.
Great loco. Have two. USRA & C&O. Looks great on smaller curves with out the typical shrub clearing over hang. Smooth and quiet running gear.
@C&O Allan posted:Mark,
So long as the PRR tender has the same IR "Box" on it the drawbar, the tender shouldn't have any connection issues.
Well... actually, mine doesn't. It's for the slightly earlier (I guess) #6-28005, which has the flexible tether.
Still, I'm gonna take a look, because you never know; if not, then the search will continue.
Thanks for sticking with me on this. 🙂
Mark in Oregon
I just found a Williams brass tender on eBay; it's a larger 12 wheel NYC which obviously was off one of their Hudsons. I got a good deal on it and it should do for now, after making some minor alterations to the drawbar.
It's far from being "correct" for this particular engine, but at least it'll allow me to pull a train.
Will post some pictures when it arrives, so you can all make fun of me. 😄😄😄
Mark in Oregon
Update:
The Williams tender arrived today. There are a few minor repairs that will need to be made, but that's what I like doing, so it ain't no thing.
A few things do stand out: this is constructed of much heavier brass than the tender of my #4949 Pacific. Also, where as the side frames of the 4-6-2 are plastic and don't really look like any type of truck in particular, this has thick heavy brass side frames that look like... well, like tender trucks.
Even though it's far and away from being the smallish tender this 2-6-6-2 is supposed to have, it'll serve its purpose until, maybe some day, I can find a "correct" Lionel tender.
I can take some photos after repairs, but I can't imagine there's much interest... 🙂
Mark (recovering nicely) in Oregon 👍
Mark,
That's great to hear. I'm checking regularly to see if I can find a tender for you on the bidding site. I'd love to see how this tender looks once you get it going. 🙂
@C&O Allan posted:Mark,
That's great to hear. I'm checking regularly to see if I can find a tender for you on the bidding site. I'd love to see how this tender looks once you get it going. 🙂
Thanks Allen; I appreciate your support and willingness to, as my Dad used to say, "keep on eye peeled" for me. 😊
I have been checking "the bidding site" daily; I found this by searching for a "coal car..." 😁
Will attempt to get a photo tomorrow...
Mark in Oregon
...and for better or worse (😊) here it is:
Again, it's not in any way "correct", but it's more than acceptable until I can somehow find an original tender... 🙂
Mark in Oregon
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The tender doesn't look bad at all.
Mark,
The tender looks very prototypical in size. If you can’t find the exact matching tender, any wireless tethered tender of similar size with Railsounds 4 or 5 will do.
Allen and Ted:
Thanks guys; this was the first time I'd had a chance to see them together myself; I'm rather pleased with how they look. 🙂
Luckily, there's a retired millwright two houses down the street from me; he's helped me before on a couple of things. He's not at all into model trains, but he's willing to help, he's "got the touch" (and the tools) and I think he kind of gets a kick out of it. 😊
I'm going to ask him to make a drawbar for this Williams tender that will fit this Lionel engine; I'll be sure to post a picture or two so you can see what he comes up with...
Mark in Oregon
Meanwhile... 🙂
I have to say I don't like the look of the overly shiny wheels on the Williams stuff. I tried "gun blue" which works great for somethings, but not on these wheels.
As I posted elsewhere, I'm working on replacing the stock wheels on some K-Line hoppers with the Intermountain brand:
...so now I have some extra wheels from the K-Lines. As it turns out, these are a drop-in replacement for those bright Williams wheels.
Before:
...and after:
...🙂...👍...
Mark in Oregon
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The wheel change really makes a difference. All Williams Brass had the shiny wheels (I have 2 of them).
Thanks Allen; I'm very pleased with the look and it allowed me to use those K Line wheels...👍
Mark in Oregon
@Big Jim posted:Nice work Allan! Where can the "ElectricRR Chuff Magnet with reed switch" be purchsaed?
It may be easier is to install the Chuff-Generator and program it for four chuffs.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:It may be easier is to install the Chuff-Generator and program it for four chuffs.
You are right. It just didn't exist when I upgraded my engine (and several others). 🙂
@C&O Allan posted:You are right. It just didn't exist when I upgraded my engine (and several others). 🙂
I got tired of screwing around with glue, magnets, and reed switches, that's why I decided to make the Chuff-Generator.
Final(?) post on this.
My millwright neighbor is out of town, so I decided to try to make the new drawbar myself.
Here it is:
It's not perfect, but it works! 😊
Mark in Oregon
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Mark,
The drawbar looks good on the tender. Now that you can run the engine/tender with some cars, you can look around for a railsounds wireless tether tender that might cost you $75-$100 on the average. This way for the cost, you will have complete railsounds including chuff, whistle, bell. Instead of tinkering around with adding to the Williams tender, buy a complete Lionel tender.
