A unique Postwar Lionel 726 (1948 version)

Weird. It needs a good repaint job.

Interesting, some one went to a lot of trouble to paint the details like that.  Almost like the effect you sometimes see with black and white artist touched up prints done to highlight the detail.  I'm not sure it I would leave it alone or not to be honest.

I've seen it before. It was sold on ebay about a year ago. Someone here on the forum posted a link to it.

Hope you didnt pay much for it.

Personally I would have to repaint it.  Just my opinion.  And you know what they say about opinions, they're like a--holes, everyone has one.....LOL

I thought that looked familiar.interesting....not sure what I'd do with it.

Words fail me, and that doesn't happen very often!

Looks like someone tried to give it a pre-war steamer look.

I think it looks pretty cool.  Was mine I'd leave it be.  I'm no "purist," thank goodness.  More fun that way.

Pete

stands out ,for sure

Different!

Peter

Reminds me of PW steamers my dad and I picked up in the early '70s from a certain seller/operator in Houston.  He was a wonderful gentleman, but, on some of his PW Lionel he had painted the window struts red, the smoke box outer plating silver to simulate the graphite painting performed by some railroads.  But, they are very good running engines and in a variety of cab numbers. And we acquired them at very good prices... for back then, in the early '70s.  Each to his own when they own them... they were manufactured as toys, after all.

Would touch it up quite a bit if you like the effect (the silver has bled over onto the boiler in most areas) or get out the bead blaster....   

We all have different tastes but I think I'd have to pass on that one.

this reminds me of the muscle cars that had the wild paint jobs from the late '60s/early '70s. time comes to restore them...do you leave it as is, or repaint it to look like another row of carbon copy cars at the show. It's your locomotive, do what makes you happy.

First, I'd like to thank everybody for their replies. I understand that many, if not most of the folks who have bothered to reply would not like to have an engine decorated that way, and would repaint it.
But it is the unusual decoration that caused me to purchase it.

If I was to repaint the locomotive, all I would have would be a restored 726 Berkshire. Not exactly rare or unusual. As it is, it's a one of a kind piece.

I wonder what the original owner was thinking when he did his customization. I wonder whether he painted the rolling stock to match. What did he have?

One thing I find interesting about the locomotive / tender is that from what I can see, the tender was in very nice condition before the work was done. The black portions appear to be the original Lionel black paint, and I don't see chips, scratches, or any other flaws in the paint. The engine does have some of the black areas repainted, but that may have been done to get a glossy finish.

Mattr mentioned seeing it on EBay last year.
That seems familiar. The next time I see the fellow from whom I purchased the engine/tender, I will have to ask him if he bought it on EBay.

Sorry-ugly is ugly, no matter. Paint job is pretty poor and the colors certainly aren't  thrilling but it is a pretty loco. That is the pity of it all. Hope to get an early 726 some day.

 Sorry-ugly is ugly, no matter. Paint job is pretty poor and the colors certainly aren't  thrilling but it is a pretty loco. That is the pity of it all. Hope to get an early 726 some day.

The paint job is better than I could do, so I am happy with it.

I guess the nickel rimmed Berkshires are harder to find than the ones with sintered iron drivers, but they are out there. Lately there has even been a lot of 1946 smoke bulb Berkshires on EBay.

as long as you like it that's all that matters. 

To each his own!

Too bad the only way some folks can be happy is by dumping on other people's stuff.  Do I detect disguised envy?

Enjoy your Berk, Charlies.

Pete

I like it...in a special sort of way. I think it looks kind of cool. 

Would I paint my 726 (RR version) like that? No, but if I saw your engine on a table at a show, I'd certainly give it consideration. It reminds me of the steam locos in Cuba. Lots of gaudy silver, red, yellow, etc. I wonder if that is what the painter was trying to replicate? 

That looks a bit like some of the foreign engines I have seen in photos (India, China, etc); is it possible that that's the sought after effect?

I have a PBS show taped around here somewhere...believe it was made in South Africa. They dress their locomotives up, and hold competition for the best looking. 

I like the boiler front.

My first impression of your engine was of a litho Marx engine .

Them old 726 engines usually run pretty well.

I think this may be the thread Mattr mentioned:

https://ogrforum.com/t...n-who-has-everything

The listing is still there, but the photographs are gone. Too bad. I would have liked to have seen whether it was the same one.

CharlieS posted:

I think this may be the thread Mattr mentioned:

https://ogrforum.com/t...n-who-has-everything

The listing is still there, but the photographs are gone. Too bad. I would have liked to have seen whether it was the same one.

Yes, I believe it is. Either that or someone painted two of these!

That is cool-take a nice, classic  early Lionel Berkshire and create a repro  Marx lithograph tin plate !!

CharlieS posted:

I think this may be the thread Mattr mentioned:

https://ogrforum.com/t...n-who-has-everything

The listing is still there, but the photographs are gone. Too bad. I would have liked to have seen whether it was the same one.

Oh yes, it's the same one.

I saw it at York a few meets ago. It gave me the shudders.

I've also seen a pair of 2037's in an antique store spray painted silver and gold.

People are strange.

Great find. No doubt a lot of love and attention went into that project. Glad it landed in your hands. How does it run? 

Great find. No doubt a lot of love and attention went into that project. Glad it landed in your hands. How does it run? 

I did not get a chance to try out the locomotive until this morning.
As purchased, the engine rolls without power very nicely.
With power, the engine runs smoothly, and has a nice quiet e-unit.
The smoke unit works fine.
No whistle in the tender.

I probably will look in my stash to see whether I have the right whistle for it.

I am quite happy with this purchase

It does have the look of an African steam locomotive.

HA! Congrats!!!!!!!!! I saw that sitting on the guys table. and he had that loco at that same show

last year. Have fun!!!!!!!!

HA! Congrats!!!!!!!!! I saw that sitting on the guys table. and he had that loco at that same show

last year. Have fun!!!!!!!!

I missed last years Utica show, I had to be elsewhere.
The seller had the loco at the last Albany show too.  I did not ever consider buying it there.
I guess that I decided I liked it at the Utica show.