6-8406 783 Hudson pilot truck question

I’ll trade you.....I have plenty of the smaller wheeled ones......emails in my profile....

Tom Densel posted:

I was recently given a Lionel 783 Hudson (6-8406) from 1984.  It appears that a previous owner swapped the original pilot truck with a scale truck.  While I like the looks of the scale truck, it constantly derails on my layout.  I am looking to replace the scale truck with an original truck, but can find no information as far as a part number.  Does anyone have any idea where I might find an original pilot truck or the part number for one?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Tom

This doesn't answer your question, for which I apologize.  But I wonder what kind of track you are using with your 783?  FasTrack?  And what is your minimum curve radius?  I ask because I wonder if a closer-to-scale pilot truck might work on my FasTrack layout.

773-783-785 Pilot Truck

Balshis posted:

Tom Densel posted:

I was recently given a Lionel 783 Hudson (6-8406) from 1984.  It appears that a previous owner swapped the original pilot truck with a scale truck.  While I like the looks of the scale truck, it constantly derails on my layout.  I am looking to replace the scale truck with an original truck, but can find no information as far as a part number.  Does anyone have any idea where I might find an original pilot truck or the part number for one?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Tom

This doesn't answer your question, for which I apologize.  But I wonder what kind of track you are using with your 783?  FasTrack?  And what is your minimum curve radius?  I ask because I wonder if a closer-to-scale pilot truck might work on my FasTrack layout.

I'm using Gargraves track with Ross switches. 042 curves.

Tom

ADCX Rob posted:

773-783-785 Pilot Truck

Thanks, Rob.  Exactly what I am looking for.

Tom

I was just reading the instructions that came with the scale pilot truck upgrade that Lionel offered for the 783.  It says that the minimum curvature with the scale pilot truck is 0-72.  

David Johnston posted:

I was just reading the instructions that came with the scale pilot truck upgrade that Lionel offered for the 783.  It says that the minimum curvature with the scale pilot truck is 0-72.  

Thank you, David.  Do you (or anyone else) have the part number of the scale pilot truck?

 I do not have the part number.  The number on the sheet is 71-2800-250, but I think that is the instruction sheet number, not the part number.   I saw the truck being sold on eBay last night, new with the instructions. Search ‘Lionel 700e” and just go through the listings until you find it. I believe it was new.

Hey guys,  Thanks for your assistance on this one.  I picked up a pilot truck at a train show in Springfield, OH today.  All is good.

I didn't know that Lionel offered a scale pilot upgrade.  I wondered where it came from.

Tom

Take a look at the following:

Lionel 601-2800-000 (Exact Replacement):

https://www.google.com/search?q=lionel+601-2800-000

Potential Substitutes:

Lionel 8043-63:

https://www.google.com/search?q=lionel+8043-65

Lionel 700E-249 (Scale):

https://www.google.com/search?q=lionel+700E-249

Lionel 763E-249 (Semi-Scale):

https://www.google.com/search?q=lionel+763E-249

Thanx for the pointers, folks.  I just sent for one.

For those who are contemplating the switch to a 700E pilot truck, I can add this information:

I purchased one and installed it on my 783 (on which I've alread installed 700E valve gear).  It was an actual 700E-249 truck, not the drop-in replacement for the original 783 noncale-wheel truck.

I had to do a bit of creative engineering to get it mounted on my 783, since the 783 and 700E have different truck mounts.  But I got it done without any major reconstruction, and it's running fine on my FasTrack layout.  There have been no derailments on the FasTrack switches, and it goes around the two 048 curves on my layout with no problems.  I have no idea how well it would run on any other track system, or on curves tighter than 048.