Scored a beater 2056 set today at the LHS

Here is a pic of the train set.  I have cleaned up the engine but the rest are as purchased.  Should make a nice train set once I clean it all up.  need new front truck on tender(to rusted to use) and a replacment eccentric crank on the other side of the 2056, or all new valve gear.  But I think the motley looking motion fits the aged look of the engine, so a new crank and rivet is my plan.   Mike

That was quite a bargain you got. Enjoy fixing up those trains.

Fun project! And it gets a classic back on the rails!!

Yep, caboose needs a new top, one of the overhangs is broken off.  The tank car and hopper should clean up nice.  Tender is beat up, but should look ok with a replacement front truck and a rewire.  Engine needs a boiler front(marker light is gone), a new motor brush tension spring and a new eccentric crank.  Anybody got spares in thier drawer/box of stuff?  I have long used up my supply from when I used to repair trains years ago.   Should look good under the Christmas tree this year and give me one besides my father's 1423W set to run.   Mike

$20? mister got got robbed! talk about being in the right place at the right time. Jeff Kane can fix you up on parts.

http://www.ttender.com/

I've grafted several corners from junker caboose shells to make whole ones. I've got plenty on hand if you'd care to take a shot.

I see plenty of decent caboose tops for less than a fiver at shows in boxes under the table, or like you said, graft a replacement roof end to it.  The shop owner didnt give much more for the whole lot of trains.  She just wanted rid of them or they were gonna go in the dumpster!  The wind up Joy Line passenger set was worth more than he paid for the whole package.   I offered $20 for the Lionel stuff and he said it was mine.   Took about 40 min of rocking the drivers back and forth once I soaked them with PB blaster to break the gears and axles loose again.  Debating on whether to repaint the shell on the engine or not.  The number is totally rubbed away on one side.  Part of me wants it to look nearly new, the other part likes the old patina of the set.  Have to wait and see how the rest of it cleans up.   Even the smoker works, but missing the puffer piston, so add that to the needed parts list.    Mike

I know what you mean. I'm working on a 2026, and it has enough chips and scratches it would look better with a repaint...but I like looking at them and thinking about the joy on the child's face when he was running the train.

I see plenty of decent caboose tops for less than a fiver at shows in boxes under the table, or like you said, graft a replacement roof end to it

LOL, if you put out a 6017 style caboose at one of our local train shows for $5.00, you will almost certainly be taking it back home. Plain cabooses just don't sell around here.

When I was starting out doing Post War restorations I repaired a couple of boxcar roofwalks by making a mold of the good end using 100% silicone window caulk, then casting the piece in 5 minute epoxy. Square the ends and epoxy it on. Still serviceable today after 15 years. I have since acquired proper mold making and casting supplies to to do this if needed. 

Pete

C W Burfle posted:

I see plenty of decent caboose tops for less than a fiver at shows in boxes under the table, or like you said, graft a replacement roof end to it

LOL, if you put out a 6017 style caboose at one of our local train shows for $5.00, you will almost certainly be taking it back home. Plain cabooses just don't sell around here.

I'd buy it just for the trucks...especially with two couplers.

Ya got a good deal there!  Have fun bringing the ol' warhorse back to life! 

Mitch

I'd buy it just for the trucks...especially with two couplers.

Many plain cabooses only have one coupler.
You'd think that folks would buy the caboose for their trucks, but as I wrote, they just don't sell around here.

What you have there is set 1479WS what you're missing thou is a 6462 black NYC gondola. Easy to obtain. Nice set. should be a 6257 caboose,