Nothing to say

[early0electric]

Hey! All of you lying in the weeds out there. I don't know if you're working or retired or what but I'm sure you've got something to say or contribute. You may not think it's so but posts keep this site going. I find it more informative than the TCA site (Should I even say that???). It doesn't have to be rare or earth shattering or whatever but post something. You can post either about what you collect, a recent find, some history, some estate sale, somebody you knew who collected trains, it doesn't matter. You don't have to post every day or every week. There's no competition here for who has the most posts. It's all informal and informational and besides, you may make a new friend...Mike

[Terry]

I'll use this as a place to post some ideas of where I'd like to see the forum go in the future.

There is also a blog on the train99 website. That side has articles with pictures of Lionel trains from the 1926-42 period. I've moved most of the old site over to the blog format. The pictures on the blog side can be seen by anyone. Here in the forum, only logged in members can see the pictures.

I'll be adding articles in the future about specific trains like the ones that are there, and then link to a post in the forum that contains more detailed information.

So for example if I did a post about the Lionel 33 loco, I would just give basic history and mention the colors availible. Then link to the post about body/headlight variations, and link to a new post for color/lettering variations. With the forum, I can put pictures from any post into any other post.

This means that if someone posted a picture of a different 33 later in the thread, I can add it to the first post.

So basically, the first post in the thread will have all the information about that item in it, the rest of the posts will be us sharing and dicsussing the train. Those posts will stay there, and we can add new posts as information or variations are found.

Terry

[starfire700]

Agreed, Hey all you new members, the crickets are chirping! We would like to hear from you about your collection, your layout or anything that you have to say about trains. Don't be intimidated by the technology or the items we have posted. You can always ask if you have any "how to" questions, and I bet you will get several rapid-fire answers. We all have favorite trains, exciting finds and good stories, if not we would not still be collecting after 40 or more years. Lets hear from you.

[romiin]

   If you want chatter, I got lots of it.   Had a question about freight car numbers.  I know this is probably elementary knowledge to you trainers, but I have been trying to sort out all the different numbered cars.   I have been looking at the larger cars. 810 crane right up to 817 caboose, but I see the refrigeration car is 820.   What is 818 /819.
 Thanks Loco

[Brian Miller]

Refrigerator is 814R

[romiin]

Thanks Brian My mistake I realized I should of said search light car is 820 correct? Do you know what 818//819 is? Thanks Loco

[Terry]

The car numbers basically follow a series from 11 to 17 based on Lionels first cars. The 18 and 19 were passenger cars.

The last digit denotes the type of car.
 
Standard gauge and top of the line O gauge from about 1930 are
1 flatcar
2 gondola
3 stock
4 box
5 tank
6 hopper
7 caboose
8 not used
9 dump
0 is crane as 10 or later 60
0 is floodlight as 20

Smaller O gauge have same as above, but the middle cars are different. Mike probably knows more than me, but I'd bet it because the O gauge cars had different number series and the 1920s hopper and tank cars were considered additions to the earlier  series.

3 stock is hopper
4 box is tank
5 tank is boxcar
6 hopper is stock

[starfire700]

818 is a boxed set of 4 800-large series cars, 812, 814, 816 and 817. 819 is a boxed set of 4 600-series cars, 653, 654, 655 and 657. 650 series cars do not follow the same numbers as the early cars or the larger 800 series. Then there is also small 4 wheel 800 series.  2800 series and 2650 series cars were added when Lionel developed automatic couplers in 1938, and a few 3650 and 3800 series automatic cars came along in 1939.
Yes it is confusing, but when you have been into trains for near 50 years, it comes natural.
If you are to get serious about trains, I strongly recommend that you get the book  Lionel Trains, Standard of the World, published by the TCA. It is the most complete and accurate book on all prewar Lionel, O, Standard, OO and accessories. It is not a price guide, but those are worthless these days anyway. You should be able to find on on Ebay. Make sure you get the second edition and that the paint color chip chart is included. This book will help you make sense out of Lionel's prewar numbering system, show or describe all variations, years items were produced, department store specials etc etc. Jim

[romiin]

thanks fellows! will check out the book, just being lazy to ask . Have to do some home work. lol Loco

[starfire700]

Most of us "oldies" learned about trains and determined the direction that trains would take us before any of the books were available. In the 1970's McCommas and Touhy published their postwar and prewar books, before that there were Ladd pocket guides and some books by Louis Hertz, and a few others. The best way to learn was to just get out there and buy what you liked. I remember the feeling in the early 1970's being led into the back room of a shop called the Roundhouse in a Chicago suburb. I saw Lionel prewar trains for the first time, and new I would switch from postwar to prewar. I think a burnt orange 2812 gondola was one of my first prewar purchases. Unfortunately some of the established collectors of the time treated trains like a secret society. Fortunately the Chicago area had plenty of flea markets, antique shows and a train show started up at the DuPage Co fairgrounds, that would become one of the largest in the nation. I finally met some friendly collectors who signed me up for TCA and took a bank loan for our first trip to York Pa, the Mecca of train collecting. Seeing items for the first time, that I did not know existed was magical. Being a new collector, you can experience that feeling, and in this economy there is no shortage of trains available. Have fun!

[Terry]

For the 800 series cars I did articles on them back when I collected them

Here's the introduction:

https://train99.com/prewar-0-gauge/lionel-800-and-2800-series-freight-cars/

The 800 series cars with brass plates and latch couplers are mostly cheap. With the exception of the short wheelbased caboose and the maroon frame tank, none will cost more than about $100 in nice shape, and a lot of them are less than $50.

One note. When we say 800 series cars we mean these big freight cars in the 810-820 number series. While the little four wheel cars also have 800 numbers we call those four-wheel cars.

[early0electric]

The early 0 gauge freight cars are a bit screwy as the last digit of the 8 wheel car numbers didn't automatically transfer to the 4 wheel cars.

8-wheel                    4-wheel

820 Boxcar               800 Boxcar
821 Stock car           802 Stock car
822 Caboose           801 Caboose
NM Gondola             901 Gondola
NM Hopper car         803 Hopper
NM Tank car             804 Tank car
NM Flat car               831 Flat car

The 803 and 804 even though cataloged in 1923 are considered 2nd generation cars due to the added trim.

I included the 831 because it can be found with hook couplers.

By the way, I recommend "Collecting Model Trains" by Louis Hertz. Always a wealth of info.

Mike

[romiin]

invaluable lesson right there, thanks fellows.   I first bought the small series 800, now I am going for the large 800 series. I haven't been buying premium cars, Just an average one puts a smile on my face.  You guys are lucky, your part of the world is like a kid in a candy store. Trains up here are slim pick'ins. I would love to go to a train show, shop around and buy some stuff,  oh well ebay it is.  Loco

[romiin]

Could someone enlighten me on the difference between the 511 lumber car and the 811. Color difference? Loco

[Terry]

Size.

You need to buy this book:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lionel-Trains-Standard-of-the-World-1900-1943-by-National-Tca-Book-Committee/283513144495?epid=987358&hash=item4202b344af:g:YYYAAOSwEcxc~4uw


This one is cheaper, but might not ship to Canada:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lionel-Trains-Standard-of-the-World-1900-1943-2nd-Edition-TCA-Book-Committee/114491228005?hash=item1aa8357f65:g:7y0AAOSwvUdff2mu