Trying to find an engine I had as a kid

Have you looked through catalogs from the time you got that engine and before,  If you remember the road name it may help narrow it down.  I got the 8141 engine with Penn tender in early 70's,  it came with the silver star set 6-1183.  

from a quick search Lionel 6-8002  Union Pacific Berkshire 2-8-4 Steam Locomotive & Tender was cataloged in 1980.  That doesn't match your description though,  but I'd look at years prior to you purchase.  Your engine may have been pulled from a set break up.

6-8141 Diecast Boiler 1986 Gun Metal Grey

Ha, my first train was the grey plastic 8141 with the Silver Star set 6-1183 too. It wasn't much but it's what eventually led to my current collection. Still have that one and it still runs fine. Can't help you with the one you're looking for.

Here's the TM Guide's (1970-2003) list of 2-4-2's and 4-4-2's from that era to aid your search.

And the Postwar (1945-1969) list, all classified as Scout Types.

@FIXIT posted:

6-8141 Diecast Boiler 1986 Gun Metal Grey

So they did make a 8141 that had diecast boiler? Mine is plastic.

@hobby-go-lucky posted:

And the Postwar (1945-1969) list, all classified as Scout Types.

I'll go through those lists and check for them online.

@AFrame posted:

Have you looked through catalogs from the time you got that engine and before,  If you remember the road name it may help narrow it down.  I got the 8141 engine with Penn tender in early 70's,  it came with the silver star set 6-1183.  

from a quick search Lionel 6-8002  Union Pacific Berkshire 2-8-4 Steam Locomotive & Tender was cataloged in 1980.  That doesn't match your description though,  but I'd look at years prior to you purchase.  Your engine may have been pulled from a set break up.

I bought the engine by itself. It didn't have a tender. I bought it from a local store that the guy was into Lionel trains and it only had the engine, no matching tender. It was around 1986-87 when I bought it. I had a Lionel 9802 DC only engine that came in my set and the new (to me) engine wouldn't run, so I took it back. I didn't know that most Lionel ran on AC. I didn't even know what an e unit was. Lol I was trying to run it with a weak DC power pack and all it would do was buzz, so I took it back. If course it ran fine for him, and made me look like a liar. Years later I seen him and told him what I had done and he laughed.

As far as I know, Lionel made no diecast 2-4-2 or 4-4-2 in charcoal or gunmetal gray with a red stripe other than the plastic 8141. They did make a gray 2-6-4 diecast loco around 1990, but it was a medium gray w/o a stripe.

It's been roughly 37-38 years, so it could have had a plastic boiler and I'm just remembering it incorrectly . It's was probably a 8041 or 8141. I don't think the 8041 has the sound of steam wire that goes to the tender, so that was probably it. I remember it being much nicer, but comparing it to an 8902, I guess it was. I think the mystery is solved. Thanks everyone.

Nitro

Hm.  The U.P. 8102 (1981) is a grey metal 4-4-2 that has a YELLOW stripe on the side.  8305 (1973) is a metal Milwaukee 4-4-2 that had a red stripe on the TENDER.  I don't believe anyone mentioned the 8203 Black Diamond (1975) which is a plastic 2-4-2 with a red stripe.  All of these locos originally came with the Mighty Sound of Steam.  But some people didn't like that feature and removed it.  Also, the connecting wire sometimes breaks off.

As others have mentioned, the 249 and 250 were made in the late 1950s with a thick red stripe, but their boiler bodies are very similar to the 1970s 2-4-2's.  Although the bodies are plastic, these '50s models had additional ballast weights which gives them a heavy feel in your hand, like a metal loco.  The 8041 specifically is a little rare.  Good luck in your search!