HE LION ROARS - Lionel Collectors Club of America

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Video Repair GuideAlso from TM is a newDVD titled, Maintenance& Repair Guide forLionel Electric Trains& Accessories. This35-minute videoprovides a widevariety of informationon keeping yourpostwar Lionels ontrack and in topoperating condition.Everything fromsetting up yourw o r k b e n c hwiths p e c i a lt e s tt r a c kt oascene highlights a Halloween train andanother, the Big Rock Candy Mountain.Gumballs, M&Ms, marshmallows,peppermint canes, and other assortedcandy replaced the usual coal, logs, andbarrels. I found it interesting to see howwell Dots worked on a Lionel barrelloader and how little spillage there wassubstituting M&Ms for coal on a 397 anda 97 coal loader. Also featured are theworld’s largest G-gauge layout and anArea 51 layout. Quite a variety packedinto this 40-minute video designed forkids but sure to be enjoyed by all. Theprice is $9.95 plus S&H. Thesevideos are available at yourlocal hobby store ordirect fromTwo Lionel layouts are featured. Firstwe see the construction of a 6x14-feetlayout built by TM Studios for Steve andRickie Strauss. We see it disassembledand delivered to the second floor trainroom and then in full operation. WayneKoebel’s 14x19-feet layout is next alongwith his extensive collection of bothprewar and postwar trains.Also on this DVD we see some ofLionel’s new locos including the Gensetswitchers, the latest of Lionel’s Hybriddiesels, and the Union Pacific Challengerin action. Lionel’s Lone Ranger Set is alsofeatured along with some backgroundinformation on the man who rode thatfiery white horse with the speed of light.As in the last edition, this DVD alsoincludes a bonus section of some early1950’s 16mm color film of TCA membersand their layouts. Though not includedin the 65 minutes labeled on the box,this bonus footage is worth watching. Ifound this latest edition of Lionel Nationseries especially interesting to watch.The video is produced in high definitionand looked great even on my traditionalTV. The price is $19.95 plus S&H.cleaning andlubricating motors,repairing smoke units,switches, whistles,horns, to repairs forZW transformers.Actually watchingthe repairs beingdone gives youthe informationyou need toc o n f i d e n t l ytake on manyc o m m o nrepairs andmaintenanceissues necessary tokeep your trains in goodworking order. At a very reasonablecost of $9.95 plus S&H, you can’t gowrong.All Aboard!Finally from TM, a new addition to theirpopular I Love Toy Trains series, titledAll Aboard! Though clearly designed forthe younger set, you’ll find many scenesand layouts of interest to any toy trainenthusiast. One of the layouts featuredwas Scott Sanborn’s large 20x20-feetlayout made entirely from Lego parts,including the trains, the buildings, thecars and all of the scenery. AnotherTM Books and Videos either online atwww.tmbv.com or call 800-892-2822.In my next LN&V article, I’ll review thelatest revision of The Big Book of Lionelby Robert Schleicher.Photographs by Bill SchmeelkCovers provided by the ProducersThe Lion Roars 28
Ken MorganRM 12231The Tinplate CannonballHIGHLIGHT:“The #260Ewas the mostexpensiveO-gauge loco inthe 1930 catalog.For $21.50, youcould buy it, boththe #257 and#258 steamers,or any electricloco and getchange back.”TRIVIA: QUESTIONWhat was Lionel’s smallestO-gauge, sheet metalsteamer? Bonus question:from whom did Iborrow the initialsub-heading?Trains in TransitionAfter a few recent TPC articles aboutLionel’s “modern” approach, diecastingmethods, and streamlinedlocomotives, let’s go back in timeand see what came immediately beforethat.Lionel ® didn’t produce a steamlocomotive in O gauge until 1930. In thatyear, they introduced both the biggestand the smallest electric powered,O-gauge, sheet metal steamers they evercatalogued. The biggest one was the#260E and its variants, and they are thesubjects of this installment.All about the#260E SteamerThe #260E was the most expensiveO-gauge loco in the 1930 catalog. For$21.50, you could buy it, both the #257and #258 steamers, or any electric locoand get change back. So what did youget for that? A 2-4-2 with lots of brasstrim and an eight-wheel #260T oiltender. In sets, the #260E hauled eithera #710/710/712 passenger train or four#810 series freights, including the #810derrick. Clearly, the biggest and bestrolling stock in the O-gauge line!The #260E was a heavy loco. The boilerand cab were sheet metal, but at least tomy eye, heavier than the contemporaryelectrics. The frame, cylinders, andtender body were heavy metal castings.The tender frame was sheet metal. Thecatalog picture was inaccurate – notexactly a unique occurrence – and itdidn’t do the loco justice. It was missingmuch of the brass piping.The first version of the #260E hada slightly different frame than itssuccessors. It had a groove for a creamcolored stripe. The boiler front was quitedecorative. It had brass trim around theheadlight, flag holders, and two openingsat the base, which contained a greencelluloid lens on the left, and a red oneon the right. All were lit by the sameheadlight bulb. Not exactly prototypical,but it was eye-catching! Color was alsoadded on the wheels. The spokes werered. This was a common Europeanpractice, but not typical of NorthAmerican equipment.In the following year, Lionel changed thestripe to green. Later, the casting with thegroove was replaced by one without, andthe whole frame was painted dark green.Also in 1931, Lionel placed a switch inthe cab so that the pendulum reverse unitcould be turned off. This enabled the locoto be used with the automatic stop stationaccessory. The loco had to be locked intoforward. Otherwise, when the stationsaid “go” the loco would be in reverse.That would cause obvious distress to theoperator, not to mention the probabilityof derailed cars given the couplers thenin use.The loco was also equipped with “fireboxglow” – a red or amber bulb under thecab. In 1933, the “chugger” was added.One needed an active imagination tobelieve it sounded like a real steamengine, but at least it provided soundeffects.These features appeared in severalStandard gauge locos, but not in any othersheet metal, O-gauge steamers. Most ofwhat I have found in print indicated thatthis was the year that the tender went tothe 12-wheel version. Interestingly, therewas no change in number, which was notLionel’s normal practice. This loco isshown in photo 1. Note that the #260Tnever had a whistle. There is no room forone in the cast body. Maybe that helpsPhoto 1The Lion Roars 29
Page 4 and 5: Al KollisRM 15902HIGHLIGHT:“The v
Page 6 and 7: • Focus on year-round activities
Page 8: Jerry DangeloCM 67An Artifact of ea
Page 12 and 13: I started collecting with just stea
Page 14 and 15: About five yearsago I startedcollec
Page 16 and 17: Robert H. WalkerRM 27981A Crossing
Page 18 and 19: Mike McLintockRM 27393Puffy Will Ro
Page 20 and 21: “Cowboy Bob” CarterRM 6620LCCA
Page 22 and 23: LCCA CONVENTION CLINICSCraig Tribuz
Page 24: Sallie AndrewsGrapevine C&VBGrapevi
Page 28 and 29: had hoped. Upgrading would not bepr
Page 32 and 33: Photo 2Photo 3 Photo 4explain the c
Page 35 and 36: Gene Russell, Ed.D.RM 24608A Lionel

HE LION ROARS - Lionel Collectors Club of America

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