Lionel Pre War 1684

You can use the older hook coupler with the box coupler or adapt another tender-post war to fit the engine.  You should be able to find something at a show or on-line. I have none to spare. I looked at my 1684 and it has the pin sticking down to go through a hole on the tender drawbar.  The postwar usually have a slot for the hook from the engine. Drill a hole in the middle of the slot.

see here for the right way to do this  TT-100

The right way is a 2689 tin box  tender with a slot and hole in the draw bar plus a knuckle coupler in the rear for mdern cars. It is my adapter and was made this way.

Jim, how do I find one of these?

THAT is the $3 question.  I have so many tenders and all mixed up I don't remember where this came from but it is early post war. You can look on-line at Da Bay and other websites. I use this occasionally because I mix things up occasionally or I would give you mine.  In the meantime you could take a slender strip of tin, bend it in an L shape to go through the slot on a newer tender and drill a hole for the pin in the other end. The space between the tender will be a little wide but it will work until you can get something better. Or look through tender trucks at a show or two to see if you could find that.

or..pick up a cheap Prewar car, and swap one truck for a Postwar truck. 

1684s are great. My Dad got one for his first train in 1939 when he was just over a year old, and it's been mine for several years now. Dad got to see it run under my tree this year.

Welcome to the "Prewar Appreciation Club!" Nice looking locomotive. So, how does she run? 

A couple of thoughts...this one maybe is a little less classy...Occasionally, you can find a car on eBay with a pre-war coupler on one end and a post-war one on the other.

Also, if you can go to a local train show or your hobby store, many pre-war cars are very affordable. You can gradually buy a few prewar cars to go with your engine. 

Tom

I just checked my inventory and I have 3 so you can have one. No whistle in them, though. One is gray and I need that one. Send  me your name and address and I will send one to you on Monday. My email address is:  panzerjames@gmail.com. Happy New Year.

now that is  a Class guy

jim pastorius posted:

I just checked my inventory and I have 3 so you can have one. No whistle in them, though. One is gray and I need that one. Send  me your name and address and I will send one to you on Monday. My email address is:  panzerjames@gmail.com. Happy New Year.

Wow, thank you, Jim! I'll email directly. And I promise to pay it forward!

MNCW posted:

Welcome to the "Prewar Appreciation Club!" Nice looking locomotive. So, how does she run? 

A couple of thoughts...this one maybe is a little less classy...Occasionally, you can find a car on eBay with a pre-war coupler on one end and a post-war one on the other.

Also, if you can go to a local train show or your hobby store, many pre-war cars are very affordable. You can gradually buy a few prewar cars to go with your engine. 

Tom

Hey Tom;

I oiled the usual spots and she runs great! I love finding these old locos--I have three or four post war, but this is my first pre war.

Too much fun!

Thom

Jim is generously sending me a transition car from his collection. I am overwhelmed by his kindness. When I receive it I'll post a photo of my new 1684 hauling some freight!

These are great engines! I have another with the same mech, a 258. It is one of my better engines, which says a lot.

3 years later this post shows up. My dad bought a 1684 from his friend when he was a kid. My dads solution was a spare postwar coupler assembly for freight trucks. He bent the tabs for the assembly around the axles and it worked. Instant compatibility. 

Best solution is to buy a few 1600-series prewar freights (as it originally sold with). A great little locomotive, one of the last manufactured by Lionel going into the war.