Lionel 18000 B6 of 1989

I think this engine sold quite well seeing how many I see at train shows, so they probably had a lot of orders back in 1989.

The hobby back in the late 80's was focused on a lot of collecting, and this was long before new technology like LEGACY came along and made locos like this outdated and as a result the value of this piece - and many other pieces in the modern era - drop considerably over the years.

got one paid $175....great loco...be aware the plastic hall effect sensor mount on the tender can break off....mine did....it can be repaired but not easy...otherwise it smokes and runs well......

Your explanation for the low selling price sounds plausible to me. If the tooling still exist Lionel could update the model to Legacy standards, add some piping, and a better pilot and would have a good model of an early B6 with inside valve gear. This model would have a full rounded boiler instead of the U shape boiler of the Lionel/K-Line model.

I ordered one when it was announced, looked great - but never worked even after returning it three times for service (different problem each time). Finally just got my money back and forgot it. Glad yours works for you.

It is inaccurate, but it has a charm that is hard to beat.  One went on eBay last week for $200 and I was really tempted.  I have a prewar version 2-railed.

Bought one at last April York for $175. Money always talks on Saturdays there. Great operating engine. Always liked and been wanting one for a long time.

@artyoung what kinds of problems did you encounter with yours?  A few years ago I found one at York.  When I put it on the test track, I was less than impressed with the slow speed smoothness.  The seller claimed it just needed cleaning and re-greasing, but I passed.  Good topic.

Gryzboski's Train has a listing of 19 pages of pallet INVENTORY that came from the Lionel service department (probably kept for repair/replacement) that's all new in box. I've bought several. They are before LEGACY was issued.  Great buys, great prices.

Since they have been in storage for a long time they need lots of love and lubrication, but they are great runners, these 2 are TMCC versions I run through my Legacy controller. 

I would bet that the B6 switcher sold well when it was released in 1989. A lot of Lionel's premium product was purchased by collectors who just wanted to own various pieces and kept them mint. There were also plenty of speculators who bought more than one, with the expectations that values would rise.

I don't think there are any more switchers than 1992 Hudsons on the market.

That written, there were rumors circulating that there were operational problems with the switcher that could have impacted some sales.

She was the "Cover Girl" for Lionel's 1989 Toy Fair catalog.

Tom 

I love mine, it's been a joy to show off on the weekly Switcher Saturday posts!

Hey JUSHAVNFUN, I see a pdf of items on Grzyboski's website but no pricing.  How did you access prices for all those items?

My B6 after repaint,changed tender trucks to 2400 trucks.....runs great,no chug but sound of steam.....

ns1001 posted:

. The die work is good based on the 1939 version. Anyway got a new loco for $300 - hard to do today. 

The B-6 wasn't based on 1939 tooling , As I recall, other the the tender it was 1939 tooling unusable again after a second run that followed about 6 months after the first..   Could be the only prewar tooling carryover of the modern era... 

joe

I bought one of those NIB a few years back.  Can't remember what I paid for it, which is probably just as well.  Runs great, looks great, does everything I ask of it.

We had our retail shop when these came out and a lot of fellas were clamoring to get them - lots of interest. I think Lionel over produced them like they did the Scale Hudson. The distributors really hyped the Hudson telling me that I would only be allotted a couple when in reality some of them almost blew them out a few months after release!

I have one of these Modern era Lionel B6 Switchers as well.  Personally, I think it compares favorably with the 1939 B6 Switcher I also have.  I think it runs and looks great.  I have not had any operational difficulties with it whatsoever.  I picked it up on the OGR Buy/Sell board about three or four years ago But I can't specifically recall what I paid for it but I know it wasn't above $300.00.  I thought it was great deal at the time and still do. 

The B6 did sell well and was the first with decent sound. I had 2 of them, sold one but wish I hadn't.

POTRZBE posted:

Hey JUSHAVNFUN, I see a pdf of items on Grzyboski's website but no pricing.  How did you access prices for all those items?

IF you see something on the Pallet inventory list, you have to email them and get a price.

Remember though WILLIAMS brass 0-6-0 switcher came out at the same time and allot of people like my Dad chose to buy it instead. He purchased the remake of the Lionel die cast pre war freight cars and this switcher which looked very stunning at the time. It had a can motor and fine details so the slow speed and acceleration was really nice.  This was the first time that a manufacture rivaled Lionel... which was well needed for the hobby.

I still have this model today, and I would like to upgrade it with an ERR board and some sound.

t

 The only down fall is the Sleuth smoke unit that puffs O rings out and burns your hands when pulled off of the track!

Converted mine to TMCC a long time ago. Maybe 15 years ago. Made it a better slow speed runner.

I second the Willliams - I have three of them - a far more accurate model, but may be 17/64 scale.  The Lionel is a classic, and the Williams is a scale model.

One of my Williams is slated for the Lionel cab - I need those cabs for several models, and just finished the first.  Takes a lot of cutting for all those windows!

If I see the Lionel for $175, I am jumping on it - running or not.  It will get converted to 2-rail.

Consider the Lionel Model is of a B6s, and the K-Line and Weaver engines are B6sa or B6sb. Different valve gear among other details.

B6s

Pete

Altering what Will Rogers once said, "I never met a Pennsylvania Railroad B6 I didn't like." 

I have the Williams version, the 1989 Lionel remake and the prewar #227, #228, #230, #231, #232 and #233 with a few duplicates. All are good locos as far as I'm concerned. Each one deserves a look if you don't have any. Surprisingly, the first one I ever got was the Williams B6sb because my local train store had that one first (before the days of eBay). Most of my prewar Pennsy switchers ended up coming by way of eBay.

Not meaning to get on my soapbox, but there is something to be said about the original prewar switchers...built so well that 79 years later (for some of them) they run just as well as the day the came out of the factory. OK, they are not scale and they have no smoke (unless you have frayed wiring!) and if equipped with a bell ringing tender the sound reminds one of a bell on a store counter...but, they were "the technology" of their day. I've had the pleasure (or horror?) of taking many of them apart. Just to see all the intricate, machined parts which were made in the USA when such craftsmanship was common is somewhat amazing. They can easily last another 79-100 years, with proper maintenance. 

Tom 

Ted S. - First time brand new out of the box, it wouldn't run at all. Second time the SOS and whistle wouldn't work. Third and last time it was back to not running at all. I can't remember what I paid for it, but it sure wasn't under $200. I finally picked up a prewar #203 w/bell tender a couple of years ago. It might not be the scale version, but at least it works, and I can repair it if it doesn't.

I remember the first time I saw that locomotive at the Lionel table at York. They were introducing it with the song Locomotion by Grand Trunk Railroad. Lionel also brought out a crane tender to go with it but no crane.

POTRZBE posted:

Hey JUSHAVNFUN, I see a pdf of items on Grzyboski's website but no pricing.  How did you access prices for all those items?

I sent an email to Joe and got and ordered the engine that way. Quite a selection!!!

jim sutter posted:

I remember the first time I saw that locomotive at the Lionel table at York. They were introducing it with the song Locomotion by Grand Trunk Railroad. Lionel also brought out a crane tender to go with it but no crane.

Jim,

 Thanks was the Grand Funk Railroad (who did base their name on the Grand Trunk).

Tom 

In action on my old layout:

Jim

MCNW,

Thank you for correcting me. If I had been in charge of that displayed, I would of played Little Eva's version.

Mine is mainly a display piece- With it's own working display case but I do occasionally run her!

And I purchased some freight cars to run her with as well!

Jushavnfun posted:

Gryzboski's Train has a listing of 19 pages of pallet INVENTORY that came from the Lionel service department (probably kept for repair/replacement) that's all new in box. I've bought several. They are before LEGACY was issued.  Great buys, great prices.

Since they have been in storage for a long time they need lots of love and lubrication, but they are great runners, these 2 are TMCC versions I run through my Legacy controller. 

OK I'll Bite. Why in your post are you showing Lionel's  Sd40T-2's Diesel when this post is about the 1989 Lionel B6 Steam Switch Engine.

For all the comments about "not scale," this is exactly the kind of engine that I am most interested in (too bad its a PRR):  scale size, reasonably scale looking, little in the way of electronic plumbing to be stopped up.  If not for that Belpaire firebox, I'd have one or two or four, but none of the roads I follow ever had that kind of firebox on an 0-6-0.

SP nut here.  The Belpaire grows on you.

OH, I'd love to have one of the Iron Mountain 2-8-0s or 4-6-2s or, best of all, 4-8-0s that had those fireboxes, but none of their switchers had it.