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Added the 629 to a set headed by a 248:The locomotive is rough cosmetically, but runs well (new brushes, new wheels, refreshed wiring). I replaced a few missing bits (pantograph, whistle, a few hand grabs, new mounting screws); I need to find a set of the small flags to use in the stanchions.

Oh wow---these are beautiful!

Another shot of a prewar Lionel Streamliner, the O-27 1689E (loosely based on the NYC's Commodore Vanderbilt):Most of these were manufactured in gunmetal paint, but a black version was offered as well. This one was originally gunmetal, but was in such sorry condition a total refurb was required (one of the few I've done). In an attempt to replicate a "crackle-black" finish, made up a homebrew paint concoction. Not quite crackle-black, but not too far off. Lots of reproduction trim parts here.

A side-by-side comparison of the transition Ives 1679 box car and the Lionel 1679 in one of its later versions:



There are numerous versions of the 1679 after Lionel incorporated it into their O-27 line, including a 2679 with operating box-couplers.

Part of a set I put together for my daughter when she was a kid, a Lionel 2677 gondola:Another of the O-27 pieces that came over with the acquisition of the Ives line, this late (1940-1941) 2677 features blackened journals and wheels, with automatic box-couplers (manually equipped gondolas were numbered 1677). The barrels are modern manufacture, purchased at one of the local craft stores.

Lionel 1684 from 1941:The 1684 is the precursor for Lionel's postwar Scout-series of locomotives, a barebones 2-4-2 for the economy sets manufactured/sold in the months just prior to and shortly after the start of the war. It runs well, but needs its pickup shoes replaced. This heads the set I gave my daughter back in the early 1990s. The only thing I did to it was put green jewels in the running lights. About as bulletproof as it gets.

Have a great New Years everyone.

On to the next.

Paul II

Another Lionel O-27 piece that started life in the Ives catalog, the 1680 tank car:Blackened wheels and journals, manual box-couplers, Lionel's 1680 tank car returned to Sunoco branding in 1941. Silver paint would give way to gray in the final iteration, supposedly to comply with rationing/shortages of aluminum-based paints.

Three pieces acquired separately but forming a small set, a Lionel 252 with 529 coach and 530 observation:



The coach and observation need a bit of work. Both need a bit of straightening, their clerestory window-films refitted, and the observation has a great glob of solder or Liquid Steel on the roof. That will need to be removed and the roof repainted.

I love this shade of green.

No holiday village this year, but we did run the Lionel Corp (MTH) 254E under the tree along with a couple of nicely restored 610 coaches. A prewar Hafner semaphore provides signaling:


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The 612 observation developed a short that seemed to continuously trip the circuit breaker in the postwar 1034 pack we used for power. I'll have to run that down sometime when I get a free moment.

Hope everyone had a great holiday.