Love those Madison or Heavyweight Cars!

Probably these, particularly during the Christmas season.

I like the way the platform of the observation car lights up.  Nice set!

Heavyweights are my favorite........

Peter 

I am a big fan. Mine are all NYC. I like to collect all brands and mix them. I think the slight variations on color and lettering was prototypical. Most of the time they are headed by steam engines. Crack 20th Century trains, locals, and mail baggage express trains. Alco RS1s and RS3s will head up a string of coaches for commuter service.

Pete

Thanks Gordon. The conversion was done by our Forum member Keith. It is a work of art.

Hi Gordon,

There are some great looking UP Madison cars in the latest catalog.  The drawing shows a thumbtack uncoupler.  Do they really have that kind of uncoupler or is it hidden like on the newer rolling stock?

thanks

GGD   8-1-2 and the 12-1  are pretty awesome cars, especially in two rail.  The Lionel classic heavies are great for what they are...just too bad there are only three types in the series.   The 70' cars are neither fish nor fowl, at least for me anymore. 

"Lights up like a Christmas tree, if you don't mind my saying so.  I'd be tempted to put a waving Santa on the platform."

Gordon, that's a thought, but what about the poor kid riding alone in the Observation car. If he isn't already spooked, he sure would be with Santa riding on the rear platform.  

I just got a set of original Lionel Madison cars I really like them, I don't know why I 

waited so long to get them, Price at train shows maybe. My Lionel 2330 GG1 pulls  

them and they look nice. 

Tin 

Despite the finicky fixed couplers on the Milwaukee Special, who can deny their first love...

The newer scale ones really look good but my favorites are still the original Lionel type Madison's.

I searched for the Lionel Madison cars that my parents couldn't afford when I was eight years old. This is what got me back into trains in 2009. I have purchased three Lionel Madison heavyweights.

I then changed my priorities to scale MTH and have several heavyweight sets including the one that I run behind my Chesapeake & Ohio Greenbriar steam locomotive.

It may be the memories of my early years with trains or the romance of the time period when people traveled by rail that endears me to the Madison heavyweights.

PaPaT

The Lionel Madison cars are sweet..........I would love a 1950 773 with the Madison car consist!

Peter

Who doesn't? 

Being 71, I grew up with them though many did NOT have AC. Mostly rode the NYC, Pennsy, Lackawanna, etc.

In my middle years rode excursions with HW's in the consists.

Always liked the ORIGINAL Lionel "Madison" cars.

I have a PW conventional Classic set NIB inc the Sager Place observation car.  See the add Dotty recently put on in buy/sell.  I am also a fan of the Madison Car.

I would love to find this set for my layout:

 MTH 20-4047 Frisco Will Rogers 5-Car 70' Madison Passenger Set

My most colorful set of heavyweight cars is my six-car set of K-Line Chicago and Alton cars.  Unfortunately, I have to use the Lionel MPC C&A Hudson to pull them, since the Lionel and MTH Pacific steam engines are out of my price range.

Do you think it would be acceptable to run them with Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio diesel power?  Not that I have any at the moment...

Do you have heavyweights from smaller railroads that you are especially fond of?  It seems that these are the most difficult to find, since manufacturers shy away from small market items.

What's unfortunate about the MPC Chicago & Alton Hudson?

I just bought a set of MTH NYC Madisons last year.  These have the thumbtack.

I pull them with an MTH NYC Hudson that has been upgraded from PS1 to PS2.

I like heavyweights pulled by steam locomotives.

I love both.  I use GG1's, Lionel Scale Hudson's, WBB E-7's,

mercy they look good with all three power loco's.  My favorite

Madison or Heavyweight set is the Lionel Lines & NYC.

The MTH PRR Heavyweight Set pulled by a WBB E-7 PRR is a

beautiful set as well.  To see these powerful looking cars being

led by the power units I have listed is a great treat for this three

rail fan.  Good Topic, and pictures above.

Many thanks,

Billy C 

My Lionel B & O heavyweights are pulled by a repainted pair of Marx E7 diesels or by Lionel Lines steam engines, since I have no B & O steamers.

I thank you for your kind comments, Gordon.  It has been gratifying, over the years, to have painted a number of the Marx E7 diesels and match them up with Lionel 027, Aristo/AMT or Williams passenger cars.  I think the size matches up perfectly.  All the other examples are mated with streamlined cars though.

Oh, I just noticed that I left the brush I used to dust them on the tracks.    I'd better go so I can alert the American Flyer dispatcher.  

IMO, The best modern era heavyweights are the two Lionel sets made in Bakelite.

 Joe

Gordon, I wholeheartedly agree with your thoughts on Marx E7s.  In fact, when I read many years ago now that American Plastics had obtained molds for the Marx plastic lines, I sent owner Jay Horowitz a letter expressing my hope that he would consider making engines using the E7 molds.  (I also modestly suggested which roads would be best to run).

I like the size of the engine - the Lionel-size F3 is just too large for most of my cars and my layout.  In fact, last year I traded away the only one I owned.  And, as you say, they are great runners.  Easy to work on, as well, with parts easily obtainable from Robert Grossman.

Love my Williams CNJ heavyweight set in Blue Comet colors.  I have the blue scale

Hudson that will pull them.

     Hoppy