Are these 0-8-0 engine shells and tender shells interchangeable?

Almost certainly; now, Lionel also has offered a much better, high-end, USRA 0-8-0 (which both the low-end and high-end models represent) which will not "interchange" parts with the low-end, I'm sure. 

The 0-8-0 motors are different even on the low end. For instance you can't trade out the NYC 0-8-0 starter motor for one in the Polar Express Freight set.

Scott Smith

Interesting Scott. I replaced the NYC starter set motor (left in the pic) with one from the scale 0-8-0 (right). Does the Polar Express use one of those or a third type?

 

Pete

I don't know the answer to that. All I know is we ordered several of the ones that work with the NYC for the museum and we found out they wouldn't fit the Polar Express freight engine.
Scott Smith

Gee, if that larger motor would fit in place of my Hogwarts Express small motor, I'd sure think about trying it!

 

What's the part number of the two motors?

 

John, it was by no means a drop in swap. The Starter set engine has a motor mount that appears it would hold the RS385 motor but in fact it had to be opened up a bit. I used the motor listed for the Lionel NYC Scale switcher 6-28080. It doesn't matter what RS385 you pick as the shaft diameter is different from the small motor. The gears had to be removed from the both motors, the small motor gear bored out and then pressed on the larger motor. In addition the flywheel had to be machined down to fit in the engine. It started out as a cylindrical in shape. The starter set engine had only one traction tire. I machined the opposite driver to accept a traction tire. The idea was to give similar performance as the scale engine and it comes close but its lighter so that won't happen.

 

Pete

That's kinda' what I figured, never mind!

 

Gentlemen, maybe I didn't make my intentions clear enough. I simply want to known if the engine shell on the 0-8-0 Strasburg rtr starter set loco can be put on the frame of an 0-8-0 LionChief Plus engine wthiout any modification to either the Strasburg shell or the 0-8-0 LC Plus engine frame. The frame, motor, and all the rest of each loco's internal makeup would remain untouched and intact. Could such a swap also be done for each engine's tender?

I think the only way to answer that is to have the two and do a trial fit.  I can't imagine anyone is going to just "know" that without having seen both of them.

     I was hoping, even if only a slim chance, that a tech repair forumite such as yourself, gunrunnerjohn, might either be familiar with these two locomotives from having worked on both or be privy to tech parts drawings from Lionel Service which aren't available to the general public and would be able to do shell comparisons from checking those schematics.

     As mentioned, I have the Strasburg loco but don't want to purchase an 0-8-0 LC Plus only to discover the shells can't be swapped and then I'm "stuck" with that LC Plus engine with a road name I don't use and would likely take a substantial financial "hit" selling.

I would be surprised if Lionel made three different 0-8-0 shells, Starter Set, Scale, and LC Plus. Based on the fact that most LC engines are based on previous semi scale engines (eg NW2) I would think it would be the same as a starter set engine. You could probably take your SS engine down to the LHS and compare it.

 

Pete

That type of documentation doesn't exist to techs.  Plus it would have to be a case where you specifically looked at it for post alignment.

 

I have swapped JR Berk shells from conventional to TMCC and it worked fine.

 

I do know the PE is the same because I specifically was swapping shells around.

 

You might find variations in the tender shell especially a low end plastic verse middle cast.  I did for the JR Berk.

 

Only way to find out is too try it.  G

 

I like the idea of going down to a local shop and seeing if you can get someone to take one apart.   The LC+ steamers I've disassembled have been very easy to open up.  Failing having actual manufacturing information, I don't see how you can know for sure they'd fit with no issues without actually looking at them.  It can probably be made to fit if it's not an exact match, or it might just drop on.

 

I've never actually had the two 0-8-0 engines in front of me to be able to say if it would work or not.

 

In this day and age I do not see them creating an entirely new casting to accommodate more features, unless it was a permanent change to the original die for the 0-8-0.  More than likely, there may be some extra machine work for castings slated for the upper end pieces, and once you know the difference there should be no reason why those changes, if they exist, can’t be duplicated at home. 

I have a MTH Railking 2-8-0 and I bought another RK boiler shell from one of our fellow forumites a few years back, wasn't the same.

 

A few months ago I bought another RK boiler shell and was the same as the 1st one.

 

Like John said, ya gotta get one and see if it fits.

 

The mounting holes were in a different location and inside the die cast boiler had to be dremeled out in a spot or two to get it to fit the original chassis I had.