My dad's Postwar Lionel 637 Steam Locomotive

Nice to have something on your Dad's original toys, isn't it?  That is a handsome loco and in good condition, it appears.  I have a similar loco I bought and restored, but it is not special to me like yours is, just something I bought and restored to running because I always really liked the look of the postwar 2-6-4s and wanted but never had one as a kid.  

I do have a loco my Dad had a kid (below) - pre-war,  only tinplate and wind-up Marx, but still pretty cool nonetheless, at least to me: I never run mine although I bought a similar one via an auction site and fitted it with electric drive so I can run in on my layout. 

I had one of these with the original box, but had to sell it recently due to finances. I hope you never have to part with your father's 637.

Question. Is that the original tender that came with your dad's set?

 I thought 637's always came with a premium streamlined tender.

My first train had a 2-6-4 engine, that was 1953. My grandfather played with it, my father played with it, I played with it, my son played with it, and my granddaughter has run it.

  It was not treated well during part of it's life, but it still runs, the headlight works(no smoke unit), the reversing unit works, and I treasure it.

  I have never found a prototype of a 2-6-4 but have read there were a few, on some railroads. The 4-6-4t (tanker) was common on some short lines and narrow gauge but I have never found a picture of a 2-6-4. At one time I tried to modify the wheel configuration to 4-6-2 but had technical problems and couldn't.

Douglas

Yes when I found it with its Lionel set cardboard box that was the tender with the locomotive, my dad did not play with it much.

I would never part with it

Very cool

Chuck-  You are correct about the 637s having a streamlined 2046 tender. My 637 had the square 243 tender exactly as pictured above. I imagine some folks exchanged tenders for the ones they liked better. Perhaps this is what Khaydens Grandfather did?

Or Lionel just could have run out of streamlined tenders at the moment and they needed some whistles tenders to fill a set order. I've read Lionel substituted a lot in sets if a certain item was not available. So I guess that not every 637 was paired with a streamlined tender.

When I first started with Lionel trains, it was very common for people to swap tenders on Postwar engines to get combinations they liked.

Did Khaydens Grandfather's 637 leave the factory with a 243 tender?

Production years for the 637 and 243 overlapped, so I guess it could be.

Regardless, I'd cherish such an item.

I don't think the tender was swapped all I know is my dad got the set from his aunt I think

It is very true that Lionel could have swapped tenders at the factory. The Brothers at Madison Hardware in NYC were also famous for tender swapping. Take care.

Madison Hardware (Detroit) continued the tender swapping tradition.

One time I sent an inquiry on 736 Berkshires.

They offered me one with the wrong tender.

I asked if I could get it with the correct tender, and they were able to accommodate me.

I do remember back then that other kids would get better "coal cars" as we called them.We wanted one with an air driven whistle.Lot's of the sets we got did not come with them back in those days.Khayden,NEVER give your dad's trains up.

Based on the age of the rolling stock(newer than the loco) and the note on the box("637 loco") it looks like the tender is original, the loco was swapped in.