I noticed that in the new Lionel catalog they show a CSS & SB gondola. Looks like the old Weaver ones, just curious.
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Lionel bought the dies for the American made products that Weaver offered. Many of their recent cars plus their engines came from the Orient and some of those dies and tooling was bought by Atlas. But now, Atlas lost their primary supplier over there, Affa Tech, and the continued production is a bit up for grabs.
I'd sure like to see our manufacturers work hard to get production back in the USA once again.
Paul Fischer
I don't see any LionScale Gondolas in Lionel's new catalog, which cars are we referring to?
I hope that Lionel releases the former Weaver models RS3 and GP38's. They should be made here in the USA just like Weaver models did and just add the electronics..... just like Weaver models did.
MONON_JIM posted:I noticed that in the new Lionel catalog they show a CSS & SB gondola. Looks like the old Weaver ones, just curious.
The CSS is a Lionel PS-5 gondola, has been out for about 15 years now.
Like Paul mentioned, Lionel does have the old Weaver USA based molds.
prrhorseshoecurve posted:I hope that Lionel releases the former Weaver models RS3 and GP38's. They should be made here in the USA just like Weaver models did and just add the electronics..... just like Weaver models did.
I would certainly go for a purchase if Lionel pursued those models.
PRRHorseshoe: In their final version, Weaver's GP38 and RS variations, were only assembled in their final stages in the U.S. At one time, those engines were made with a large, horizontal motor and chain drive assemblies here in the States. This was a good drive system for two rail scale engines but not very good for HiRail purposes. As time went on, those diesels were equipped with vertical shaft motors, typical of 90% of today's diesels. The motors, gearboxes, frames and most details were actually made in the Orient with final assembly in Northumberland. Only the shells were made here. Lionel did not buy the rights to those models in their deal with Weaver.
Paul Fischer
Really Paul? Lionel didn't buy the rights? That's foolish since all they need were the truck blocks, motors, pilots, and fuel tank. The Weaver GP truck sides were plastic and made here.
Lionel could use a scale GP38 and scale RS3 in their lineup. Someone must have purchased that tooling.
During Lionel's presentation at the April 2016 York Meet, Ryan Kunkle mentioned that Lionel had acquired Weaver's tooling for the GP38, FA-2, RS-3, and maybe--he wasn't sure--the RS-11. This was tooling that Weaver had in the U.S. At that time, Ryan said that Lionel hadn't yet made any plans for what they might do with this tooling.
To my knowledge, Weaver only produced two gondolas, a UARA wartime gondola now produced by Atlas and a 40; wood-sided gondola based on their USA produced 40' steam era flatcar. I would like to see this one and the flatcar produced.
Jan
Wonder who owns the Weaver die cast C1 PRR 0-8-0 switcher tooling that Weaver produced a long time ago. The loco was not popular with PRR crews but the Washington Terminal RR used them for many years.
ns1001 posted:Wonder who owns the Weaver die cast C1 PRR 0-8-0 switcher tooling that Weaver produced a long time ago. The loco was not popular with PRR crews but the Washington Terminal RR used them for many years.
I don't know about that specific tooling, but, in general, Lionel acquired the Weaver tooling that was in the U.S. (most of their rolling stock, diesel locomotives) and Atlas acquired the Weaver tooling (diecast steamers, some rolling stock) that was in China.
