226E Question...

I don't have the 226 but have the 225 which I believe is made in the same time period. The stanchions on my 225 are varied from all silver to a mix of half black or tarnished to silver.

I looked in all my prewar guides and in the photos they all look silver and the guides also do not mention any production changes of the stanchions.

Hopefully we can get some more feedback from 226 owners.

franktrain 

Welcome to the, Tinplate Forum!  I cannot find anything that matches your description, as poor as it is. Surely you can give us more information to go on? As it stands now, the best answer I can give is another question. I sure hope you didn't pay much? LOL! So.. The best answer you can expect to receive will only be as good as the information you provide.

thanks Frank for the reply.......,,....more info,HP?  I'm looking to find out if anyone else HAS 'BLACKENED stanchions  on their 226e's???????Straighforward question..Thx for that warm welcome and reply...

I don't know whether this will be any help:

The turned stanchions on the 1946 726 Berkshire that I have out appear to be blackened brass. I can see the brass where the blackening is worn away.

A good clear question and I will try to provide you with a good clear answer.  I have a 226E which I purchased several years ago at York and it does have black stanchions.  A couple of the tips are slightly oxidized leaving a slight brass like coloration but not silver.  I have a 224E and a 225E but both have silver stanchions.  

I checked David Doyle's Standard catalog of Lionel Trains for 1900 to 1942 and found three photographs of a 224E, 225E and a 226(without the E suffix) in which these three engines appear to have black stanchions.  The same publication has several other photos of these same engines where the stanchions are plainly silver.  I could not find any references addressing the color of the stanchions.  Hope this helps.

Thanks so much guys. Mine also show a 'brass' coloration at some of the tips..I feel better about it. Your replies were VERY HELPFUL!

The 224 and 225 do not have turned handrail stanchions.

The 226E and 1946 version of the 726 do have them.

 C W, you are absolutely correct.  I should have specified that the handrail stanchions on the 224E and the 225E were different than the ones on my 226E.  Also, you are right on the money about the 1946 version of the 726 having turned handrail stanchions.  I have two of them and both have the silver turned handrail stanchions.  Thanks for catching my mistake.

  Late in prewar production, just before and during the war, Lionel blackened most of the previous nickel trim on their trains. Probably just a very late 226E. Enjoy it!

Sorry for the incorrect information on the 225e I thought the bolt on stanchions were all the same. I have been looking for a good deal on a 226e for a while. I hear they are great runners.

Here some photos of my 225e stanchions.  The handrails are not original.

My earlier post was WRONG.

As Frank's picture shows, the 225E does indeed have them.

They may have been replaced, but his are the correct style.

My 226 are blackened

Thanx again for all the info...(OG Hiker-I knew whatcha meant..I have a 224E as well-I couldn't use that as an indicator but appreciate the response). After decades of collecting PW and examining EVERYTHING(sad, uh?)for possible alterations, I did the same with the 226. Have always wanted one of these beauties. Noticed the discrepancy with the stanchions. Again-appreciate the wealth of knowledge and help here/..

Yep, I went back and took a closer look at my 225E and it does have the turned handrail stanchions in silver.  I was right about the 225E but wrong about the 224E.  1 outta 2 ain't bad.

  Nothing wrong with staring at details, thats completely normal. Just a symptom of trainitis!

WARNING: 'Trainitis' can be stressful! (:-)