My Lionel Standard O Trains


Lionel's Standard O Scale - Baltimore & Ohio 2-8-8-4 EM-1 #7617 with Train Master Command Control - Lionel 6-28051

While articulated locomotives are most often associated with western railroads, the eastern roads had their share of these incredible leviathans. Considered the largest and finest power on the B&O, thirty EM-1's were built in 1944 and 1945 to haul coal traffic over their Cumberland Division. Even though tunnel and bridge clearances on the B&O were tight, the locomotive's designers utilized every possible square inch of space to maximize power while still operating within the clearances of B&O's main lines.
Lionel's new scale model captures all the detail of the original, along with the features you've come to expect: Die-cast construction, Command Control, Pittman motor and Articulated RailSounds.
  • All new Die-cast boiler, frame and tender, Wireless tether, TrainMaster Command equipped, High Torque Pittman motor, Articulated RailSounds 4.0 with TowerCom, CrewTalk and DynaChuff, All 16 driving wheels powered, Fan driven smoke unit, Traction tires, Operating headlight, Directional lighting, Red firebox glow, Engineer and fireman figures, Pilot with optional scale or Lionel front coupler for double-heading.
  • Die-cast Body
  • Control
  • Trainmaster Command Control
  • Die-cast Frame
  • Headlights
  • Directional Lighting
  • Wireless Tether
  • Smoke Unit
  • Red Firebox Glow
  • Can / flywheel Motor
  • RailSounds
  • Traction Tires
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Quite the collection you have there Louis! I'm particularly impressed with the Chessie I-12 caboose, I never thought Lionel would actually make a model of something that is "road specific" like that.

I you want to round out your transition-era collection, you need a set of these guys:
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I love them, but that set is tough to find, at a fair price.
 
I'm holding out for something new, with legacy, scale O. I love my standard O Lionel trains, but the new scale O is even better!

Id like the TMCC set... I can't think of the number off the top of my head. It's from 2000 catalog. It's a modern representation of the post war Lionel B&O F3 set.

I found the set! #2269W B&O Diesel Freight Set TMCC F3 PWR A #2368P, DMY B #2368C) SKU: 6-31752

I'm not a big fan of post war Lionel. MPC caught my attention, right away! By 1974 Lionel had become almost mythical to me, but I had little to no money and even less space back then.
 
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I'm holding out for something new, with legacy, scale O. I love my standard O Lionel trains, but the new scale O is even better!

Id like the TMCC set... I can't think of the number off the top of my head. It's from 2000 catalog. It's a modern representation of the post war Lionel B&O F3 set.

I found the set! #2269W B&O Diesel Freight Set TMCC F3 PWR A #2368P, DMY B #2368C) SKU: 6-31752

I'm not a big fan of post war Lionel. MPC caught my attention, right away! By 1974 Lionel had become almost mythical to me, but I had little to no money and even less space back then.
Isn't all Lionel produced today "post war"?
 
Technically yes, but like all things O gauge ;) to be technically correct is not all that important.

Lionel Post War ends in 1970 with the take over by MPC (Model Products Corporation)

The Lionel Corporation (1900-1967) filed for bankruptcy in 1967. In 1969 Model Products Corporation, (MPC) took over.

Nothing new came from Lionel until 1970. Everything sold from 68-70 was made almost entirely from what ever inventory that was on hand. These unique pieces continued to come out of Lionel for another year or two. There are some interesting pieces and some rare collectors items to be found among these oddities. Most of them are below average in selling price.

In addition to the "left-overs", In 1970 MPC introduced an all new product with substantially improved "Fast Action" wheels. A design that became the standard and spread across other scales. Fast Action wheels are still in use today.

The MPC era ends in 1985. MPC introduced many innovations, unique and colorful trains. Some say MPC created the Lionel collectors market.

In 1986 Richard Kughn purchased the company and renamed it Lionel Trains Inc.

In 1995 Lionel once again changes hands and renames itself; Lionel LLC. The investment group that bought and currently owns Lionel includes Neil Young.
 
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Here is one of the new Lionel Standard O cars. I preordered 4 different road numbers.
Lionel's Standard O - Trailer Train Centerbeam Flatcar with Load
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Lionel's Standard O Scale - Non-Powered - B&O SD40-2 #7611 - Lionel 6-38926

EMD SD40-2s While EMD may be best known for its F-units and GPs, the versatile 3000-horsepower SD40-2 diesel locomotive became the company’s best seller.
  • Die-cast metal trucks, pilots, and fuel tank
  • Front and rear magnetic couplers
  • Select separately applied details
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The photo is of the powered unit, hence the incorrect road number.
 
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Lionel's Standard O Scale - Chessie B&O - EMD SD40-2 #7609 with Legacy - Lionel 6-38918

EMD SD40-2s While EMD may be best known for its F-units and GPs, the versatile 3000-horsepower SD40-2 diesel locomotive became the company’s best seller.
  • LEGACY Control System equipped – able to run in LEGACY Control mode, in TrainMaster Command Control mode, or in Conventional mode with a standard transformer
  • Odyssey II Speed Control with On/Off switch
  • LEGACY RailSounds sound system featuring:-CrewTalk dialog and TowerCom announcements, each with different scenarios depending on whether the locomotive is in motion or stopped-Six official railroad speeds with Crew-Talk dialog-Eight diesel RPM levels-LEGACY "Real-Time Quilling Horn" control with instant response for realistic signature "quilling" and correctly timed warning signals-Single hit or continuous mechanical bell sounds-Sequence Control plays the sound effects of an entire trip, including warning sounds and announcements, based on the movement and speed of the locomotive-Current speed and fuel dialog, refueling sound effects
  • Front and rear ElectroCouplers
  • Dual powerful maintenance-free motors with momentum flywheels
  • Refined Conventional Transformer Control Mode with lower starting speeds
  • Traction tires
  • Fan-driven smoke unit
  • Adjustable smoke output
  • Directional lighting including LED headlights
  • Operating marker lights on front and rear
  • Illuminated number boards
  • Lighted cab interior
  • Operating ditch lights
  • Die-cast metal trucks, pilots, and fuel tank
  • Metal frame
  • High level of separately applied metal details
  • Engineer and conductor figures
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Yes they have. When I was a kid, the only Lionel I was aware of was my mom's from when she was a kid. It was in poor shape, so I was not allowed to play with it. I had a S scale American Flyer. I still have mom's Lionel and still haven't played with it.

The thing i remember, even as a kid, was the difference between the scale American Flyer and the much more toy-like Lionel. When I bought my Polar Express, toy-like was a positive attribute. The train will go under the tree and grand kids will almost certainly get their hands on it. It is robust and things like hand rails are just molded into the body, not separate pieces to break off and/or fix. This is also one of the reasons, space being another, that I have never seriously considered O scale.

When I got my Polar Express, I wanted a few more track pieces. The shop didn't have any but referred me to a hobby shop that specializes in O. Going there was an eye-opening experience to say the least. I got the track and some pine scented smoke oil, but it was a bit slow, so the clerk and I talked for a while. This place had rooms (its in an old house) of O equipment, much of it was scale equipment. I had never seen O scale equipment before. The price tags on some of the engines were equally eye-opening and O is still too big for my train area, but there was some beautiful stuff there that broke down my perception that O is always toy-like rather than model-like.

Maybe i I should get mom's old train out and see if it works or what it would take to put it right. "Hey kids, this was great grandma's train when she was a kid. Want to play with it" has a nice ring to it.
I can't explain why I had not replied to this post before now. DOH!

First off, thanks for sharing your wonderful story!

I'm glad to hear you have a Polar Express set. That was my first Lionel set as well. Lionel's Polar Express holds a special place in my heart and always will.

It's great to hear your Mom had a Lionel train set and even better to hear you still have it. I agree, you should pull out your Mom's train.

Finally I have to ask; was it one of these?
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If it was you might be surprised to know how much it is worth. It's one of those hard to value sets. Among Lionel collectors It's one of the most sought after sets. The complete set with all the boxes, transformer, track, instruction manual, everything; it can sell for $10,000, easily. At the right auction with the right bidders it can easily go for much more. It's so rare that Lionel collectors can get over zealous when bidding.
 
I saw one of the "Lady Lionel" sets at a train show a few years back. I hadn't seen one before then. It was complete but the box was in poor condition. I think he wanted $500 for that set, but I wasn't really looking for Lionel stuff at that point. I had to look it up on the internet to see that Lionel really had built a set for girls.
 
Patrick I know very little about that set. I've never seen one in person.

It's not even listed in the 2015 Greenberg's Lionel Price Guide, the latest I have, it's that rare.
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This is an example of a premium condition set. Keep in mind it's over 60 years old. I've never seen a photo of a better one.

There have been reproductions. In the 1970s and others I believe.
This one is from 2010 #1587S GIRLS STEAM SET - LOCO #2037 - Lionel 6-38340 MFG List in 2010 $579.99 - 2015 value $580
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