Acquiring a long awaited Tin Plate Pre-War original.

Great Looking piece!

The crane is my favorite car!  

Hellgate,

   The Crane Cars are my favorite rolling stock also, when I was a kid the big 2810 Crane Car from my 263E work train, was my favorite Christmas toy, no matter what other Christmas gift I was given, nothing ever topped it.  I always wanted one of these Mini 2660's to go with my big Cane Car.  Now it will be on permanent display in our formal living room, will definitely be looking for a 44" or longer display case.

PCRR/Dave 

very nice! I've been wanting a 2660 for a while now. need to get serious and get one.

Very nice Dave!

Steamer,

   If you are serious about purchasing one, be very careful of the stuff on e-bay,

most of those 2660's are not original, most are full of replacement parts.

I suggest going to the train shows and taking your your time as you search for a complete original.  They are out there but hard to find.

Mike,

   Remind me and I will bring it along to our Breakfast get together.

PCRR/Dave

thanks for the info Dave, I'm fine with one that's not 100% original, as long as the price matches.

Is there a way of telling repo parts? Besides the boom, what parts should I be looking at?

 Trainz had one listed a few weeks back that I had bid one, that was a 2660 on a 2650 frame.  when I pointed this out to them they pulled the auction. I like the tinplated that has been "previously enjoyed". I look at the scratches, and think about the enjoyment a chils had 60 or so years ago putting them there.

Steamer,

    What to look for.  The original base is definitely critical as you pointed out.

The Crane boom will be the correct Lionel green color, and have unpainted metal stabelizers (note the 3rd picture), and the Lionel ident, embeded in the boom.  The Crane Hook is metal not plastic.  The 2660 ident tag will be on the back of the Crane Cab.  The Crane Car should have auto couplers and they should work properly.  The boom operating crank wheels are metal not plastic.  The trucks are original Lionel metal, and the correct O Gauge size.   The Lionel Red and Cream colored paint, matches the Lionel full size 2810 Crane Car colors exactly.  There are no plastic parts to the original mini Pre-War 2660 Lionel Crane Car.

PCRR/Dave

didn't some of the late Prewar cranes have the nickel number plates replaced with black decals?

Steamer,

    Yes, however they are 2nd generation, produced right before the War, and put in

what we now call RTR Tin Plate Train sets.

PCRR/Dave

Steamer,

   Drop me some private e-mail, I think you might be intrested in a Crane Car I

have found.

PCRR/Dave

lewandoskidavid40@gmail.com

thanks!

Dave : you mentioned doing some touch ups. You paid a premium price for this piece being all original, leave it alone.

Jim,

   You are right and that is exactly the decission I came too, sat it on the work desk, looked her over and said to myself, I really don't need to touch this baby, and put her back under the display case, with the 263E engine and tender.   I ordered the 2652 Red Gondola Car that matches her today from Legacy Station, now I need a longer dispay case for sure.  I will also take my time now and look for the pre war 2652 Lionel Original at the train shows.

PCRR/Dave

Glad you decided not to touch up your crane. It is tough not to touch up some pieces, but once touched up, etc, you can never claim that it's an original piece again. Smart move.

Gentlemen,

   Received my new MTH/Lionel tin Plate 2652 Gondola Car from Legacy Station this morning.  Very disappointed, the Gondaola car has a broken auto coupler, with a metal piece of the auto coupler missing and the Gondoala car is not the traditional red color shown on the Legacy Station web page.  This car is actually terra-catta in color.  Contacted Legacy Station and was advised on how to return the car.   Bummer

PCRR/Dave 

that's too bad. hope they take care of it for you.

Dave,

Sorry to hear that.  I hope you have better luck next time and that this issue gets resolved

Mike

That crane car is nice!

I'm waiting myself, purchased a Lionel Standard Nr.10 engine on E bay last week. Just can't wait till the postman arrives. I bought it in France. Lucky me, next day lots of snow there..road and air transport in trouble and delay. In my dreams I see a little Renault postal van, stuck to it's windows on a French autoroute, my package freezing in the back, and Louis le Postman shivering at the wheel.

The item seems to be a repaint, but a very old repaint. I don't think I am gonna change it. It's done well, nothing smeared or something. Only a coupler is missing.

Made me wonder, did dealers do repaint jobs, or even Lionel itself? I read something that it wasn't unusual sending battered or broke items back to them.

The purchase was a thrill, in that way nobody seemed to have much interest. Well, Standard isn't that popular here I guess. I'll try to make pictures and post them.

The place where I will put it is already there, on an old wooden little trunk, from the maintenance department of KLM Airways. I found that one evening on the street, somebody dumped it for the garbage truck next morning.

I'll look at it every evening, feeling happy. I cross my fingers, it's still not here..

Kieffer

Kieffer,

   Congrat on your #10 engine, real nice find on your part.  Looks like it's going to be a while till you take delivery however, post some pictures when you get her.

PCRR/Dave