opinions on the Madison car remakes?

I like Williams cars. They are made well in many road names. Trucks with fast angle wheels roll freely and have operating couplers.

 

The first cars had thick, heavy Bakelite shells (bodies) like Lionel's. Around 1983 they were made thinner so cars would be lighter and easier to pull.

 

They only issue I encountered was on one early set. The connector on the wire at the third-rail (contact) roller could push up and short against an axle. I wrapped it in black electrical tape and solved that problem.

 

Around 1990 Williams made beautiful Crown Edition Madison cars in 60', 70' and 80' models. Their window strips had color pictures. I liked them but others didn't. These trips are easily replaced. Put a dab of glue between windows in the car to secure them.

I agree... I feel with Williams, you get more at a better price.

For example, I paid half of what Lionel charges for the "15" Congressional streamliners, and got nicer 18" ones from Williams.

Same with the Madision Cars, except the opposite sizes, i.e. I run my Tuscan PRR Madison's behind my GG1 instead of the Lionel ones.because they are half the price and IMHO twice the quality.

The only change being you get Luxury lines instead of Lionel Lines.

My Williams 2400 series Pullmans look better than their vintage Lionel and modern Lionel counterparts at half the price.

I agree that the Williams before Bachmann cars look good, some even better then the Lionel cars.

However you need to be careful which type of trucks come with the Crown Edition Williams Madison car. If the truck has the non-operating or closed knuckle coupler stay away from it. Only buy the Madison car if the knuckle coupler can open.

 

Also may have to rewire some of the Williams passenger cars at the center rail pick-up, wire pulls off easily.

 

Lee Fritz

Matt,

 

I think the Conventional Classics set that came with the GG1 a few years ago are the best of the Lionel re-makes. While they don't have the heft of the original Bakelite ones, they are close - good, heavy grade plastic.

 

The paint may be a bit on the brown side as compared to the originals, but not as bad as previous Lionel re-makes.

 

Williams cars are great as generic heavyweights but , of course, won't have the "L" word or the correct car names.

 

 

 

 

 

Jim

Thanks for all the replies. I was just curious before I spent any $. The pics look great. I understand the importance of the "L" word.

 

Also, are these the same cars that came with the 2146ws 726 set?

 

Matt

Matt,

 

That was cataloged as a Conventional Classics set, correct?  If so, I'm sure the cars are the same.

 

By the way, it didn't make it into the photos, but the Sager Place observation is also excellent.

 

Jim

 

 

 

 

I have a Lionel set lettered for the Pennsylvania.  The cars are Lionel, but the GG-1 is Williams with added TMCC, Cruise, and Sounds.

 

What I don't like about the Williams cars is the train name printed in place of the car name.  Every car says "Broadway Limited" or "Overland".  Lionel equips their with individual car names and numbers and an illuminated drum-head on the Obs.  And the Lionel cars are very well built, heavy, and clank over the switches and bridges, which I just love!

 

Jon

We just purchsed a 3 car breakup from last year's cc berkshire set.
Great quality, heavy cars. Likely identical to those that Jim got with his gg1.

I have experiences with both Lionel and Williams' reproductions of the 15" cars, and I like both. Yes, I do agree that Williams' come in much more colorful roadnames at a more modest price, but there are plenty of instances where the overall finish was better on Lionel's side. Their Southern Pacific Daylight and Wabash Bluebird sets are good examples. And yes, the Lionel cars tend to be much heavier and sturdier.

 

I like to run both. I'd likely have the Lionel postwar reissue cars with a GG1 or Hudson, and next run a Lionel 1992 Northern Pacific 4-8-4 with the corresponding roadname Williams cars.

The conventional classics cars are Lionel's best, other than original postwar.  MTH also made very nice Madisons - I have a set from the late 90s.  Otherwise, I have two sets of the Williams (pre Bachmann) that in my view are superior to Lionel's in terms of overall build quality- heavy shells, meal chassis and trucks with good detail, beautiful decoration, and upgradeable to station sounds.