Some of you may have read my recent thread(s) regarding the purchase of what turned out to be a Lionel Long Island 2-8-0, item # 6-38036. I bought it off eBay because I thought it looked kind of nice, and my offer was accepted, so here we are. Now, I am not into 3-rail per se; like most of us, I had one as a kid, and did a bit of post war collecting in the mid 1980s, just about the time Classic Toy Trains came out and the prices went through the roof. I have long since sold most of that stuff, keeping only a few items. I thought this loco would make a nice display item.
Anyway, you all were very helpful in identifying this model, and sharing your expertise. It arrived today, and I must say what you didn't prepare me for was how stunning (and big!) this model is. Here it is next to my venerable 1666:
I've known that the more traditional Lionel was (almost) S scale in size, but still, it's hard to believe it's Lionel, both in the details (which are as fine as any brass HO engine I've ever owned), and in the "rat's nest" of wires and circuitry that's stuffed inside!
I put it on a length of track, and powered it up. The light came on, and it seemed like it wanted to run in reverse, but not in forward much. In reverse, it would go a little, then bind up. In forward, it would move very slowly, if at all.
I figured out how to remove the body, and found the remnants of some sort of magnetic ring, stuck in various places to the drivers. Those were causing the bind; I don't think that ring was part of this engine, so after removing all the pieces (see photo) I fired it up on the bench. This time it ran fine, in both directions. The smoke unit works, too!
So there you have it: my first venture into "Scale 3 Rail" (?), I guess you'd call it. Now for a confession: as a sometimes 2 rail O scale guy, I have often wondered about why you guys would have such nice looking rolling stock that runs on 3 rail track. I hope the title of this thread speaks for itself!
Mark in Oregon
PS: should anyone come across a suitable tender... 
