Lionel's Ubiquitous 0-8-0

I got one of the starter set 0-8-0 steamers about 4 years ago. It's the Santa Fe version which at the time had better drive gear details.
No air whistle. It had a electronic whistle which didn't sound that good. It's very close to scale size and looks good pulling both o27 and scale equipment.
Even though the boiler is metal, the frame is plastic and really doesn't have enough weight. Even with rubber traction tires it still spins the drivers when trying to start a heavy train. It has a single small motor, so don't expect it to pull a lot.
The first mod I did was putting a LED into the non functioning tender backup light. I also added some weight inside the boiler.
Now the whole thing sits disassembled on my work bench awaiting a TMCC upgrade.

I have a NYC version that also has the upgraded valve gear and trainsounds. I replaced the motor with one from the scale version and also machined one of the drive wheels for a second traction tire. It will pull 8 18" heavyweights now on the level. I am considering adding TMCC and electro couplers to it when I find that elusive "round tuit".

Like Flash says it compares favorably with the scale engine.

 

 

Pete

 

 

I kitbashed one cosmeticallly,   modifying the front coupler into a working version, and

bashing the tender into a Vanderbilt (because Swifty here did not know Lionel MADE

it with front working coupler and a Vanderbilt!). I also added Elesco, a flying pump (not room for two of these brass castings on the smokebox), and moved the headlight, working, to the smokebox.

I now have another with factory working front coupler and Vanderbilt, which I hope to modify into a Consolidation, with Elesco, flying pump, etc.  What I'd like to get my

hands on are a couple more of those Vanderbilt tenders to upgrade some other engines.

I have had several of them.

 

First of all, there are two levels of starter set 0-8-0 made by Lionel.  They do tell you this if you read the fine print very carefully.   One has an "Upgraded drive rod assembly" and the other is a bit sparse by comparison and you can't blame them for not adding on those catalog pages "Does not have upgraded drive rod assembly".

 

 As far as I know, you only see the upgraded drive rod assembly when paired with Railsounds, whereas the more basic loco doesn't have chuffing just bell and whistle.  The Peanuts set is, I think, the more basic of the two, while something like the Union Pacific Gold Coast Flyer set has the loco with the upgraded drive rods and Railsounds.  Both models have a puffing smoke unit.

 

I have recently taken one of each apart for a project.  These two locos have the same body and tender shells, and they have share the same basis chassis underpinnings, and have the same motor, but the gears are different and the one with upgraded drive rods has finer gears and runs a tiny bit smoother. But they both run about the same really.  

 

Either 0-8-0 is a tough little, durable cookie, not quite scale: put them next to the scale Legacy 0-8-0 and they do look slightly smaller, but not  enough to care about much.  Conventional operation only, of course.  They do not jackrabbit from a start and have fairly linear speed with throttle (I'm using a ZW-L).  They pull pretty well but the motor is not that big - eight to ten modern cars would not tax them though.  Conventional only of course, basic whistle and bell but both do the job and are loud enough. The chuffing on the upgraded models is okay: its loud and is synchronized with speed and sounds like a chuff, not a hiss, but this sound is not Legacy quality but then neither is the price.  Smoke unit is fair and seems to work better at higher speeds and voltages.  

The smoke units come with a 28 ohm ceramic covered resistor. You can improve output by replacing it with either a 27 ohm wirewound from lionel or 24 ohm ceramic with the ceramic coating removed. Leave off the sleeve. 

It can be fun to take an inexpensive engine and hot rod it but with the scale TMCC versions coming down in price your won't save much. Best start with one that has the upgraded valve gear though. The parts will cost as much as what you can buy the better engine for if you shop around.

 

Pete

I have the Santa Fe version as mentioned above. So far it's been a great little engine. Not the greatest smoker, but everything else works great. At the moment I'm using it to pull 3 MTH woodside 64' passenger cars, and it does just fine, although I'll be happier when I'm done working on a more suitable engine for the consist.

 

It's a nice little engine with a lot of side rod movement, which makes it interesting to watch.

Yes great little engine. Think I will leave mine alone it works for what it needs to do.

Just repainted and new decals on the tender to match a train. Think it was $100 in a set sell off after the holidays cannot complain about that. I used it for the wedding layout and just today pulled it out and added a few more matching freight cars. It will spin the wheels if you start it fast but pulls a pretty good load on the wide curves of my ceiling layout.

 

 

Say is this the fancy or cheap drive rod set what does the upgraded set look like??

It sure makes a lot of noise running the smoke puffer.

 

 

It's a starter type engine and for the price a darn good value IMO.

 

     I looked into these before I decided to buy the Williams 4-6-0, heh.