Same casting, different drive mechanism and wheel arrangement.
Originally Posted by Tranz4mr:
Isn't the 2046 casting the same as the 736 2-8-4 Berkshire casting?
MIch, I understand what it says on the web site but not sure if mine is marked correctly or it has a differnt wheel set. I also can't tell by the pictures if they are the same or not Jumijo, be some thing to look up. If I could fine a breakdown diagram it make it a little easyer I think.
Sorry Jumijo, didn't see that your post was above the pictures. Thanks.
The short is very likely caused by the old, cracked insulation on the wires hitting the frame. Replace the wires and clean the armature and drop in new brushes on the whistle.
Rob
I just bought a 2056 at a train show. It has a 2-6-4 wheel arrangment and a 2046W tender. It runs OK but the tender shorts out the track from time to time. I plan on dismantaling it and cleaning it up, any tips? I have old Marx engines but this and a 2020 S2 tubine I just got are the only old Lionels I have.
Thanks Rob. Wire I have and cleaning.........but were do I find brushed that would work for this whistle?
Originally Posted by Jim Policastro:
I mentioned that in my first post - that's the way I've always heard it. But, I'm not sure why it didn't affect the diesels which had magnetraction from the first 2343 in 1950 on without interruption. 
Jim
Yes. In addition to the 2056, 1952 also saw the 726 RR replace the 736 and the 671 RR replace the 681. The RR suffix appeared as sublettering beneath the cab number and denoted the lack of Magnetraction. The RR engines were identical (other than the lack of Magnetraction) to the counterpart 1951 engines. Therefore a 726 RR is not like a 726. (no Baldwin disc drivers, just those UGLY sintered iron things, without the benefit of Magnetraction.)
Originally Posted by drodder:
I just bought a 2056 at a train show. It has a 2-6-4 wheel arrangment and a 2046W tender. It runs OK but the tender shorts out the track from time to time. I plan on dismantaling it and cleaning it up, any tips? I have old Marx engines but this and a 2020 S2 tubine I just got are the only old Lionels I have.
That is the correct tender but did you mean a 4-6-4 wheel arrangement?
Re the tender shorting, check the wires that run from the center rail pickups into the inside of the tender body to see if they have any insulation missing which could allow a bare wire to touch the underframe. If not then you will have to open it up and check the wires inside the body.
HTH & Merry Christmas,
Bill
Shorting in tender: Sometimes the small spring on the pickup rollers collapses and allows the top of the pickup roller mount to short on the truck. I just put a piece of electrical tape over it, problem solved. If one of the pickup rollers has little or no resistance to movement(up/down) that is the cause.
Bill, I think either the front wheels were broken and replace or the cab was remarked. Not sure and I will be checking this out. Dave, thanks for the thought, I will be checking this out to.
Originally Posted by Jumijo:
Same casting, different drive mechanism and wheel arrangement.
Originally Posted by Tranz4mr:
Isn't the 2046 casting the same as the 736 2-8-4 Berkshire casting?
The 2046 shares the same casting as 646 and 2056 which all evolved from the 726. There were slight variations of the 2046 during its production years. The 1950 version had a metal trailing truck, the cab number was rubber stamped in silver and the 2046W tender had staple end trucks. The 1951 version had the cab number heat stamped in white. The 1953 version had a plastic trailing truck.
I have a 2056 three window which I understand is a rare loco, the four window is the more common. I have read Lionel specs and it says it has magnetraction.....then I read another article and it says it doesn't ???? Always thought it had magnetraction. I saw the 2056 and the 2046w tender sell on e-bay for $640.00 didn't know if that was a good price or not. Also saw the other box sell for $60.00, would like to know the best outlet to sell two sets that I have ?
The 2046/56 is a nicely proportioned loco which just plain "looks good." And, as noted by many, is a darn nice runner, too.
The 2056 does not have magnetraction, supposedly due to Korean war, and was only produced in 1952. The Buy/Sell forum is the best place to sell.
