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Discussion Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: pjdog350 on November 22, 2022, 03:42:09 PM

Title: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on November 22, 2022, 03:42:09 PM: Show what train you have under your Christmas tree This year.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: CNJRR on November 23, 2022, 10:58:15 AM: Nice. Speed demon as always. ;D
You have the tree up already?
You going to add anything else to the snow?
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on November 24, 2022, 08:02:41 AM: I have put up more videos of all my Lionel 1700 streamline JR’s. Those video have some clever Models paper buildings. I’m currently working on a paper station that will be perfect for the JR’s.

https://youtu.be/BgWY5TTFHPY
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: Terry on November 24, 2022, 03:08:40 PM: I used to run the 1700 sets around the tree with just a circle of 072 track. No straights so the train could fly.

They are neat.

For the sliding track, consider Johnson's Rubber Roadbed. It's like the American Flyer roadbed, but made for O gauge track. I just checked downstairs, I have lots of extra O straight, but no extra 031 curve. It's adds weight and friction to the track so it doesn't slide around as much. For the track coming apart, pinch the rails together with dikes.

Here's Johnson's roadbed on some track:

Here's a sequence showing how to crimp the rail with a diagonal cutter to make the track stay together - my crimp is exaggerated so it shows up in the photo. You only need to slightly deform the tubular area of the rail.

Depending on the age of your track and how much use it's seen, you might not have to do all the rails on each section.

When I was buying the Johnson's roadbed on ebay I was trying to get it for under $3 a section postpaid. Ebay seems to be down right now - maybe all those T-day shoppers! - just search for the phrase -- Johnsons roadbed lot --

Maybe I'll set the tree up this year.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: CNJRR on November 25, 2022, 01:23:21 PM: You have a nice collection of them.
Looking good. :)
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on November 26, 2022, 05:38:04 AM: Thank you Terry for the information. Looks like a good solution. James Flynn sent me some track clips. Took a few minutes to get a good process to use them. However once I found a workable installation of the clips the problem has been solved. I’ve not had a Christmas tree train in so many years I can’t remember when I did. The best part about using the prewar trains is they look so toy like. The 1700’s are perfect for the job. The one I’m running now is one I got on ebay for almost nothing. But came without a motor. Looked all over hell for a motor and could not find one. Finally I put a 229E motor in one. It runs super good and best of all, has a good O-zone smell!

I also had a 259E steamer under the tree with some 1700 like cars. It to looks real nice. Been spending allot of time just running it and having a cup of coffee with a bear claw. Great way to spent the early hours of a day.

Thank you CNJRR for the kind words on my 1700’s. My favorite one is the one I painted like an M10000. But while doing the video the motor was not happy. Might put the 229 motor in it and then service it’s old motor for the engine that currently has the 229 motor. 229 motors all super duper good motors.

Good to be back on the TRAIN99 forum. I’ve missed it. Good people here!!! Damn good forum.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: starfire700 on November 28, 2022, 04:47:51 AM: Great post Jack, good to see some activity. Hope that others will post their Christmas train displays, layouts or just anything train related!
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on November 29, 2022, 03:27:36 AM: Thanks Jim. It’s been a long time sense I had a train around the Christmas tree. Been a long time sense I had a Christmas tree.

I did a video of the 229 motor in the 1700 I got years ago that came without a motor. That’s a sweet running 1700. Wish I could afford to get 6 more 229 motors for the other 1700’s. I try to get the 229 motor video up today.

I’d sure like to see other Christmas train displays on the posting? Come out you guys put some videos or pictures up here.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on November 29, 2022, 04:30:00 AM: Here is my video of the prewar Lionel streamline 1700 with the Lionel prewar steam engine 229 motor.

https://youtu.be/wOitakrGK4A
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: starfire700 on November 30, 2022, 04:02:52 AM: Another nice video Jack. It sure runs smooth with the 229 motor.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on November 30, 2022, 06:56:21 PM: I've got some project cars coming that are prewar Lionel. I wanted to get some freight cars to go with the 259 steamer. Found some nice cars on James Flynn's web site. Looking forward to getting them and adding to the 259's consist.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: starfire700 on December 01, 2022, 02:00:39 PM: Hope the cars work out for you.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on December 02, 2022, 05:29:29 AM: Guess I'm now a prewar collector also. pretty much starting from the beginning. I have a 259 but just one tank car and 3 passenger cars. I ask the CFO (Mr. Benjamin) of the S&B RR for funds to add to the rolling stock roster. He approved the upgrade, and I got two more tank cars, three cabooses & 3 655 box cars.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: Terry on December 02, 2022, 07:18:04 PM: I used to collect those smaller cars. I had over 200 different ones. I was just telling a freind that I cannot walk past a pile of them at a show without checking for ones I haven't seen before. They draw me in.

They are well made yet cheap. You can't go wrong with a string of them.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on December 03, 2022, 03:30:26 PM: Two of the cabooses where rough. The paint needed attention. I have the 2657 strip and primed. It will get paint and the oven tomorrow. The 608 is apart but needs sand blasted. I hope to do that in the morning. The weather here in beautiful downtown Hudson Florida is perfect for blasting and painting right now.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: starfire700 on December 12, 2022, 04:07:53 AM: There are so many variations of the 650/2650 freights, especially the ones made during transition years, 1935 and 1940. I try not to collect them, but agree with Terry, can not resist when I see one that I do not have. Same thing with the 800-series 4 wheel cars. I keep trying to "thin-out" but once you have this habit, it is impossible to kick.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on December 14, 2022, 04:25:21 AM: I finally got the badly damaged Lionel prewar 655 finished. Now that I'm done, I wish I had soldered the damaged end to the sides from the inside. However, I'm still really happy with what I ended up with. I have it running around the Christmas tree with the other two 655's.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: Terry on December 14, 2022, 01:57:28 PM: That looks nice. I haven't done any painting in a while.

When I was young I took the frames from 654 tank cars and painted them red. Then I put Circus wagons on them. You could do Christmas on them, and wouldn't need to use only tank cars. I did tanks because I used the tanks for a tank farm. I think the tanks are on my O guage layout.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on December 15, 2022, 03:59:03 AM: A video on youtube of the trains I've gotten from Jim for my Christmas tree train. I've never been disappointed with my purchases from JDPLTD. I had gotten a Lionel prewar 259E engine last year. struggled to get it running. But it's turned out to be a great under the tree train. I didn't have a freight cars. I saw Jim had three Lionel 655 cars. After I purchased then from Jim I asked if you have any caboosesssss please include them and let me know what I would owe you. He sent me 8 cars at a super good price.

https://youtu.be/iGIWPqnqbvU
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: starfire700 on December 15, 2022, 04:43:42 AM: Thanks Jack, glad they worked for you.

Your video was removed from this site???
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on December 15, 2022, 04:55:12 AM: Sorry Jim. Had a big problem. I had to delete the video. Replaced with another one.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: Terry on December 15, 2022, 07:08:15 PM: That looks great. You are missing the gateman.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on December 16, 2022, 12:05:23 AM: help me Terry. The Gateman? Is that the little guy that comes out waving a lantern when the train goes by? Santa did give me one of those back in the 1950’s. However, I never got that back when my sister got my trains for her son.

I did see another 655 on EBay for $ 14.00. It’s damaged like the other one I got but not as bad. I bought it to get the hand brake & latter. I saw a latter for the 655 but it was $ 12.00. For $ 14.00 I got both the latter and hand brake times 2.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: Terry on December 16, 2022, 02:25:59 AM: Gatemen:

The one on the right is from 1935 and has "a darker shade of green," composition man with two moving arms, embossed information on toolbox, and an open post.

The one on the left is from 1941-42 and has regular 45N green base - this is the 45 that gives the shade of green it's name, plastic man with one moving arm, decal on toolbox, and solid post. The gray post helps date the gateman. I don't think the finial is correct.

After the war, the gateman looks the same as the 1941 version, but the chimney is dropped.

The 1935 one is upstairs with a note saying the door stivks and will go onto my little o gauge layout under the Marklin. The other one is just here because I was thinking someone might spend big money for it in a ratty box on ebay.

I sell later gatemen in the shape of the 1935 one for $5 at train meets. I think there's one in the meet boxes, but it won't come out again until the 1st week of Jan.
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: pjdog350 on December 16, 2022, 05:33:10 AM: I had one for the early 50’s I think. Lost it over time. Not real sure what happened to him?
Title: Re: Did a train under the Christmas tree this year.
Post by: starfire700 on December 20, 2022, 01:58:22 PM: How many gatemen do you need? they are piling up here!