Let us see your Homemade Lionel (or Other) Style Cars or Engines you have Made or Modified

@Lionelski posted:

Looks great Tom.

I'm going to take this as a challenge and create something by combining 4 different cabooses!

Do it! Kitbashing is the best!

I always wanted somebody to do an inspection engine ( a coach body mounted on top of the boiler of a small steam engine ) that was popular in the early 1900's. The Jersey Central RR had #900

and the Reading had #102 and #100,

all built by Baldwin.

I had a spare Atlas 4-4-2  ( which most reviews say is "undersized" or 027 scale ) chassis so I modeled it on #100 using a repainted #610 Lionel coach with the vestibules cut off and moved inboard

and an American Flyer S scale Atlantic boiler with a broken cab roof ( I went out of my way to not use good pieces since I was cutting them up and modifying them.  )

The result is a bit long since the body had to be shifted back a half window length ( compare to Reading photo ) to get the smoke stack to pop out the front of the roof in the right area.

I had to fabricate an extended drawbar for the Lionel cast tender to get it spaced properly relative to the cab deck. I still have to figure out how to make the curved front stairs, but it runs well and still smokes and sounds ( the speaker and sound / e-unit electronics were moved to the coach roof )  like an Atlas 4-4-2.

Update:   I found O gauge brass stairs in the Precision Scale Co. catalog ( #2105 Ladder/Step, Short, for use on Skyline Casing Version SP )  and I sectioned them into smaller pairs for each side.  The steps that arrived weren't straight and had to be "massaged" in a machinist vise to get them into a useable condition ( don't know if it was shipping damage or just the effects of cooling on thin brass castings, but if I wasn't cutting them into smaller sections I would have sent them back. ) The rise of the brass steps scale out to 12 inches, so the steps on the real engines must have been somewhere between 6 and 9 in. ( easier for out of shape "brass hats" to climb ?      )

The front deck is .032 x 3/4 in. brass and everything is held together with #00-90 brass Flat head and Fillister head screws and nuts.

The hanging bell is a brass MTH part from a Northern Pacific VO-1000 Baldwin diesel that I cut apart with a razor saw, inverted the bell and yoke assembly, and soldered it back together. The roof whistle is for a Lionel 700E

The railings are .050 in brass ( same diameter as the original AF Atlantic railings )

@JET posted:

I always wanted somebody to do an inspection engine ( a coach body mounted on top of the boiler of a small steam engine )that was popular in the early 1900's. The Jersey Central RR had #90 and the Reading had #100, both built by Baldwin.

I had an Atlas 4-4-2 chassis so I modeled it on #100 using a repainted #600 Lionel coach with the vestibules cut off and moved inboard and an American Flyer S scale Atlantic boiler with a broken cab roof ( I went out of my way to not use good pieces since I was cutting them up and modifying them.  )

The result is a bit long since the body had to be shifted back a half window length ( compare to Reading photo ) to get the smoke stack to pop out the front of the roof in the right area.

This is very cool. Isn't that the pre-war tender that went with the 262E? It would be fun to do a full on prewar version of this with a shiny tinplate coach.

Looking at the prototype photos, did these have a very small boiler, and did the inspectors sit on top of the boiler?!

From the photos and book entries I've seen ( no inside photos but views from the front through the front door windows ) there were single seats on either side of the boiler top, which must have been heavily lagged ( insulated ) and covered to keep the heat bearable.

The tender came with a few lionel engines, one apparently being the 262. The Atlas tender trucks mounted perfectly to the Lionel frame ( used the original holes. )  I only had to bend up the rear frame valance panel for coupler clearance.

@JET posted:

From the photos and book entries I've seen ( no inside photos but views from the front through the front door windows ) there were single seats on either side of the boiler top, which must have been heavily lagged ( insulated ) and covered to keep the heat bearable.

The tender came with a few lionel engines, one apparently being the 262. The Atlas tender trucks mounted perfectly to the Lionel frame ( used the original holes. )  I only had to bend up the rear frame valance panel for coupler clearance.

i see there is one surviving in US at Missouri Museum of Transportation.

Here's a little bobber caboose I made that goes good with a logging train.  It's made from the back part of a work caboose and an O gauge 3-rail truck.  The chimney, windows, steps, handrails, and figure were added.

Painting Three Black Lionel 2-4-2 Plastic Locomotives to Color Up the new Layout

I stared my layout in Kingston Jamaica in 1976 and owned one train set, a Marx  freight with a Marx 999 locomotive a 2-4-2.  When we went back to the states for two weeks to visit family I would check the local news papers wanted ads looking for trains to buy.  I had already decided my layout to be built would be able to run two trains on two loops, using isolated track sections and relays, so I needed least four locomotives.

When in Beaumont, TX, visiting my brother and his family I  saw a news paper ad for a garage sale that had Lionel trains.  I purchased four 2-4-2 plastic, mostly non scout engines, like Lionel 248 and 249 with coal tenders for a great price $10.  The non scout engines, with open frame motors and 2 way e-units run great although they are limited to pulling only 4 or 5 lighter cars  which was just fine as I did not have any heavy operating cars like the milk and cattle cars yet.  These four engines were the start of the idea for a turntable.  I am a dedicated garage sale goer and rarely find Lionel trains but have found a few.

The pictures of the three of the  2-4-2 plastic Lionel engines that inspired the turntable are below.  They were all black and I painted three of them in the 1980s.  This was my start at modifying and painting cars and engines.

I think they turned out well by using spray can paint and a few decals.  I probably should have started this topic with these engines and coal tenders as they started it all.

Charlie

I love the SP and the WP. And I like the very early SW1 diesels. One day, my young son told me that he thought we could take a Lionel 623 Santa Fe NW2 diesel and sort of modify it to a WP SW1. We had to shorten the body and change and add some details. Then we painted and lettered it. The original 623 was in very rough shape, so modifying it was not a bad thing. These Lionel diesels are a little bit larger than scale size, but  they make neat models anyway.

So here are photos of a regular Lionel 623 NW2 and another one that we modified to be a WP SW1. The photos were taken on our little  4 ft x 4 ft 027 layout.

John

Great job on that Western Pacific SW 1 diesel.  Did you have to shorten the frame of the engine?

Years ago I had a spare Lionel SW 1 body that I shortened to fit a Marx 1998 switcher frame with motor and trucks but missing the body.  Mine turned out looking a little stocky or say a little too short but it really runs good.

Charlie

Reviving 1930s Lionel 238 Streamlined Torpedo Locomotive and Tender

I have owed a Lionel 238, Loewy’s 1936 designed, torpedo streamlined body and old style metal coal tender for several years, origin unknown.  It needed a motor and I found an old Marx four wheel one from a Marx 999 that seemed to work and fit.  The Marx motor did not have the mount and two front wheels like the 999 does.

I have looked into adding a pair of wheels on the front and on the rear to make a 2-4-2 but could not come up with a something that would work but believe if I can find as mount and set of wheels from a 999 they would work.  They can be added later so for now I am going with a 0-4-0, which will run with no derailments of front or rear wheels.

I made a metal mount for the rear and front of the motor into the engine and J B Welded them in.  I also made a small metal tube to hold the head light which is a 12v mini Christmas tree bulb,  bulb holder, wire and socket.  A small hole was drilled into the top of the metal hole to let hot air out and added a small piece of red clear plastic to make a little red glow on the stack.  I made a locomotive coupler and installed.The coal tender had a set of Lionel trucks, one with a Lionel coupler, were installed and a tender coupler was added to the front.

Picture of rear motor mount that was added for Marx 999 motor

Picture of Marx 999 motor added to Lionel 238  torpedo streamlined body and rear coal tender coupling to right

I painted the engine and tender with flat darkest gray spray primer and then covered all with clear glossy paint.  A small metal strip was labeled with L I O N E L letters and sprayed with clear.  This was installed were the original engine had a strip labeled Pennsylvania.  I decaled the engine and tender as Pennsylvania and used the side strip to show Lionel as the manufacturer not the fictitious Lionel Lines as Lionel had done.  The decals were sprayed with clear glossy paint to seal them on.

Picture of smoke stack red glow from boiler fire

I wanted to pull my Marx tinplate cars as they are lighter and more typical of 1930s trains.  The Torpedo tin coal tender got Lionel old style couplers so I made a tiny adapter from a paper clip shown below.  It simply has a loop to be held by the pin of the coupler and the hook sticks in a Marx spade coupler hole.

This shows it hooked up.

This is my tinplate train being pulled with the new to me Lionel 0-4-0 Torpedo stream lined steam locomotive.  This is an easy pull with the low powered Marx 999 style motor in the Torpedo.

This was a fun project and is my first Torpedo Locomotive.  I now have a late 1930s streamlined torpedo loco and tender.

Charlie

Making progress on my conversion of this Lionel observation car. It was originally lettered for Empire State Express.   When finished it will be Ft. Worth & Denver Railroad “Silver Tray” on the Texas Zephyr.
The windows were removed for the black trim to be repainted white. Decals simulating venetian blinds were added. Clear green film was placed over the LED light strip to make the windows appear green tinted, and a few passengers were added.  Yet to be done: blank out 1/3 of the windows on the forward left side where the kitchen was located, add roof vents over the kitchen area, and apply custom decals.
The real Silver Tray was sold to Chihuahua-al Pacifico when the TZ was discontinued. It was part of the Vista Train which ran over the Sierra Madre mountains between Chihuahua and Los Mochis, and still served as a diner observation car.
This car will not be an exact replica of Silver Tray but still mighty close.

That's a great project you have going there, Rob. I don't mind modifying things myself, but I doubt I'd have the guts to operate on such a nice piece of equipment.  Show us how it develops along the way.

Here are a couple of my remodels. This car started out as a generic Weaver 80' obs. I reconfigured it per the Pullman plans to match the window sizes and locations of the 1938 Island series cars built for the 20th Century Limited. I also changed the skirt configuration, added the rooftop antenna and additional details, and repainted it in the 1940 color scheme.

These are Lionel 2353 Santa Fe F3s remodeled and repainted after the Boston & Albany passenger engines built for the 1948 Lake Shore Limited. I did these long before MTH and Lionel introduced their scale cab diesel models. Details here include high fans, steam generator equipment, "chicken wire" screens, flat porthole lenses, assorted grab irons, fixed pilot with air hoses and scale couplers, and widened windshields with wipers.

Cheers,

- Mike

Rob and Mike

Great professional quality work by both.  Wonderful attention to details most cars do not have.

They make my toy like cars and engines mods, well - TOY LIKE

Charlie

I've built an entire train out of Legos but that has it's own thread. So here's a UP Auxiliary tender made out of Legos mounted to (currently) a Lionel truck on the coach side and an MTH ETD device truck minus the ETD on the engine side. That is a temporary measure as my Big Boy's coupler is more flexible than the coupler on a K-Line Railmate/Roadrailer so it works out better this way (I run a combined train of container cars and roadrailers, the MTH car with ETD was basically car 4 of a 10 car train).

@Mike Casatelli

Nice work, indeed.  In keeping with your comment about the Boston & Albany F3's I will take great pains to recreate something in hopes that a manufacturer will do it better later.

FW&D 270  Silver Tray

Glad you liked my work, guys.

@Choo Choo Charlie, the Torpedo has always been among my favorite prewar Lionel engines, but I'm sorry to say I've never owned one. Yours is pretty slick, a terrific revival of one that was in bad shape. And that paper clip coupler mod is really clever.

@Rob Leese, there may come a day when some manufacturer "will do it better," as you say, but you'll never get the personal satisfaction from a store bought model that you get from your own work. Today there are many choices for scale, super-detailed F units and 1938/40 Century cars but, for me, nothing will replace mine. Your work seems great to me.

Here's another project from my deep past. I'm not sure that the Pennsy ever had Tuscan Red F3s, but a friend of mine asked me to redo a pair of his Santa Fe 2343s. This was the result, including trainphone antennas, cab lifting eyes and jeweled marker lights -

Cheers,

- Mike

@midnightwrecking posted:

Out of curiosity would you have one of the ends of that tank car to spare and/or sell? I need one for my Shell tank car, and attempts to repaint replacement parts with a matching yellow color have all failed. 

Rob,

I'm really intrigued by your mod of the NYC Obs to represent Silver Tray. I'm a Q fan as well and would be interested in more details on what you did. Any chance you can prove more details? What are you going to use to blank out the windows for the kitchen? Once done, will you repaint it in silver or a chrome finish? I'd be interested in knowing where you got the decals for the blinds.

Good luck,

RAY

@BenLMaggi posted:

Out of curiosity would you have one of the ends of that tank car to spare and/or sell? I need one for my Shell tank car, and attempts to repaint replacement parts with a matching yellow color have all failed.

Sorry, I haven't found them but they may turn up. I have more boxes to look into.

This is a first generation MTH RK Mohawk that came to me wearing those big Santa Fe numbers on the tender and ATSF under the cab windows and a bent cab roof.  I posted a thread about straightening the roof and getting some proper lettering on the sides.

Bashing is alive and well in three rail!  Some of these have been posted in other photos in the past.  These are just a few of my creations, and include relettered boxcars, bashes, scratch builds, and kit builds.

Colorado Hirailer,

Nice work. What did you use for the C&S caboose, the meddle one in the photo with 3 windows and side door?

RAY

@Ray of sunshine posted:

Rob,

I'm really intrigued by your mod of the NYC Obs to represent Silver Tray. I'm a Q fan as well and would be interested in more details on what you did. Any chance you can prove more details? What are you going to use to blank out the windows for the kitchen? Once done, will you repaint it in silver or a chrome finish? I'd be interested in knowing where you got the decals for the blinds.

Good luck,

RAY

Re: blanking out the kitchen area windows.  I think a strip of styrene about 0.020 to 0.025 cut to fit over the existing windows will work well.  The more I dink with this model (mainly removing lettering) the more weathered and realistic it appears.  The few photos I have found of Silver Tray show four large and unusual roof vents over the galley area, and I have not yet found anything suitable to represent them. 

This Everett DeGolyer collection photo of Silver Tray at Dallas Union Station gives a good look at the roof vents and blank window band area.

Repainting:  My wife is a successful studio artist that can match paint with ease, so I plan to paint the styrene in a matching color before applying it to the window band.  The car came out-of-the-box with a pleasing color, so no repainting is being planned.

Decals: Silver Tray had venetian blinds on most windows and light-colored curtains on the seven rear windows.  www.circuscitydecals.com makes the venetian blind decals.  I have not found a source for curtain decals.   For the remainder of lettering and naming the car, making and printing decals of lettering, logos, and tail sign artwork is something I have been doing for years.  I have printed and applied a neon tail sign to the drumhead but I don't like it and think I can come up with something better.

My progress may slow from here as I am also restoring a demolished Ajin drover caboose and doing a "Silver-Tray-type" treatment to a Lionel Texas Special obs to represent a similar obs which ran on the Frisco Meteor.

It seems I cannot want anything that is commonly manufactured, so I have to make it myself.  I recently scrolled through all 14 pages of this thread and rediscovered how many times I have posted various projects.

This is a custom 3d printed caboose with trucks, the frame and other parts from Lionel cabooses. White Pass and Yukon rotary caboose #907.

Ray of Sunshine....that C&S caboose was built from a kit, that hard to build series, that l can't now remember the guy's name, for a Burlington side door. C&S was subsidiary of the Q, and used same caboose.  I found the prototype in that little RR museum in Wisc. close to the circus museum.  I see an inspection engine and a steam dummy posted. I've done each on a Marx chassis and will post if l can find.

Nice job all, been working on Williams Passenger cars, repainted inside of the shell, added clear plastic window, And added metal seats along with led light.

Had to add my New Haven, was stripped, repainted after HO Lionel 1959 that was my dad's.

Got this from a guy in Maryland ...dated 12/53,flanges cut down..good runner

Here is a MPC passenger GP done a long time ago before anyone made one.  Got on top of the 07 after work one day to look at the piping.

I really like remodeling and customization projects, and there is an awful lot of great work turning up on this thread. I regret not having followed it sooner.

Here are some more of my efforts. This picture shows the 1940 Twentieth Century Limited RPO that matches the Obs I posted above -

A twin to the Weaver postwar NYC baggage car shown on top is where I started. The RPO shown in the middle in 1940 paint is the result. For comparison purposes, the car shown on the bottom is the Lionel-Smithsonian version of the same car in 1938 paint.

The next pic shows a generic Weaver diner like the one I morphed into the 1940 car shown in the middle. Again, the car on the bottom is a Lionel-Smithsonian 1938 Twentieth Century Car car shown for comparison.

Incidentally, the baggage car shown at the start of this post became this 1940 Century Club tavern car -

In the course of a year's worth of evenings, I made a seven car train, all following the Pullman plans for the cars as built for the New York Central. Interesting project, but my real purpose in posting these pics is to showcase my inimitable photographic skills.

Cheers,

- Mike

Ray of Sunshine:. That CB&Q/C&S caboose kit was by Mullet River.  The prototype l found in the Mid-Continent RR Museum in North Freedom, Wisc. I can't quickly find my steam dummy built on an early Marx #999 chassis, but here is a steam coach, similar to an inspection engine, on same chassis, and a couple of other critters.

Mike that is some awesome work.  Your modelling skills deserve your talent behind the lens.

I remember the days in the mid 70's early eighties- you paid reasonable prices for "a project" and were glad to have it . It was usually some type Lionel Postwar Diesel or Steam unit. No MTH, No Weaver, No Williams, No Atlas O. I had a young family with kids, a wife who watched them, and humble financial circumstances.

Then the fun began- get it running smoothly and modify it. I was looking for different body styles and more details on things ... When I came across a Lionel postwar 2056 with broken running lights and bent main headlight (dropped I think), I took a shot at it with parts from a Rivarrosi Indiana Harbor Belt I had but knew it wouldn't run on 3 rail..so some pictures of the final kitbash result. I don't know much about "steam piping"... so forgive my plumbing efforts. It was my first attempt ever & I love the overall result. It pulls like a champ on my layout.

So a few pictures-it was stripped, cleaned and painted. Due diligence on the driveline and motor. Added a non Lionel tender with walthers 3 rail trucks and scale rear coupler (which buy the way hooks fine with Lionel Postwar couplers if they are the same height). I have pulled 15 - 18  cars no sweat without uncoupling. Boiler parts were added and the Indiana Harbor cab was grafted in plus chunks of scale coal, a fireman with shovel and an engineer and seat. . Sides of drive wheels were lightly sanded with a dremel motor tool while the engine was running upside in a cradle. Side rods were detailed and painted.

Enjoy!

Glenn Spencer

@Lionelski posted:

Before Covid, the Jim Beam distillery tour was part of our Kentucky road trip itinerary. We were given drill cores, from their process of finishing the construction of Bourbon barrels, as souvenirs.

I put them together with a Lionel tender frame from my junk box, extra trucks, some O27 scrap rails, a brake wheel and printed some decals. The result is this unique Jim Beam flat car with load.

John,

You did a great job on this Jim Beam Distillery car - but you are missing one critical element!  The Taps!

How are your layout visitors going to sample the product - to see if its ready for bottling!

This Lionel Texas Special observation car is undergoing some modifications.  On the outside all lettering has been removed. Inside, a few passengers were added, window blind decals are being applied, and the LED strip was tinted green to cause all the windows to appear tinted. A finer modeler than myself would do some interior painting, but all I have done is paint the washroom sink white (and it was probably unfinished stainless steel in actuality).  You might notice how the plastic floor in the obs area swoops up…that needs to be fixed.  Various plastic tabs are being reglued; that is why the car end has been removed. By the way, I am not a fan of these full diaphragms. Is there a source for typical diaphragm ends?  The finished product will be Frisco observation car named Oklahoma City. It had a sister car named Tulsa, and they were in charge of bringing up the rear of The Meteor between Saint Louis and OKC via Tulsa, OK. The train was extended as far west as Lawton, OK in 1955 to accomodate passengers in nearby Fort Sill.

Glenn- that 2056 came out great! JohnA

This engine literally started out as a salvaged junker. It's an old Sears General that I up-detailed, repainted, and hand-lettered some years ago -

That HO Plasticville water tower in the background doesn't look too bad either.

Cheers,

- Mike

Here is a Rail king Pennsy repainted seating area, added a latrine and sink and people. Thinking about HO seated people for the upper level.

@Rob Leese posted:

This Lionel Texas Special observation car is undergoing some modifications.  On the outside all lettering has been removed. Inside, a few passengers were added, window blind decals are being applied, and the LED strip was tinted green to cause all the windows to appear tinted. A finer modeler than myself would do some interior painting, but all I have done is paint the washroom sink white (and it was probably unfinished stainless steel in actuality).  You might notice how the plastic floor in the obs area swoops up…that needs to be fixed.  Various plastic tabs are being reglued; that is why the car end has been removed. By the way, I am not a fan of these full diaphragms. Is there a source for typical diaphragm ends?  The finished product will be Frisco observation car named Oklahoma City. It had a sister car named Tulsa, and they were in charge of bringing up the rear of The Meteor between Saint Louis and OKC via Tulsa, OK. The train was extended as far west as Lawton, OK in 1955 to accomodate passengers in nearby Fort Sill.

Hello Rob by chance how did you tint your LED strip? How about a photo with the LED on nice job.

Thanks Mark