|
|
 Posted - December 05 2008 : 10:14:41 PM
|
I thought of buying some Lionel Ho I saw for sale from the postwar years ('58-'69). How do they run and what drives were in what engines?
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
|
Country:  USA ~
Posts: 3147 ~
Member Since: May 07 2007 ~
Last Visit: February 09 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 11 2008 : 3:46:28 PM
|
Lionel diesels, like all Lionel HO locomotives were made mainly by other manufactures, Riverossi, Fleischmann, Athearn. Lionel was always getting into and out of HO scale. Lionel made HO in Hillside New Jersey. They had a FA1, GP7, and what they said was a E33 electric which was belt (rubberband) driven. These ran ok not good. Sometimes good but not very good. They had no flywheels so starting and stops at times were affected. Their main problum wasn't the belts but the gearing. The remote belt driven shaft with worm gears loosley mated to the wheel axel mounted gears. The retaining clips for this shaft would break when removed. The Mount Clemens Michigan HO made 15 years later had a modern type drive very much like Athearn, Atlas, or LLP2000 tho without a fly wheel. The FA1 and GP7 appeared again with this new drive. Also a GP30 was added. The FA1 and GP7 used the new drive and came in single and dual truck drive. The GP30 was released with a Bachman like single truck drive. The FA1 and GP7 weakness was the plastic used to make the diesel truck side frames and truck retainers. Both if handled improperly would crack.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
Edited by - toptrain on December 12 2008 8:45:55 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 7538 ~
Member Since: August 07 2008 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2025
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 12 2008 : 04:41:09 AM
|
I had a BN GP-30 and it ran Ok for its time! It was the same drive and everything that Bachmann had. Those old pancake motors were tough but didnt run worth a toot. I also have a Lionel HO, GP-9 in Chessie System paint and it runs the same! With some tweaking ,and maintenance it would run OK but dont expect Atlas or KATO preformance ! LOL....these are later releases though than what I belive youre refering to ! These two locos are my only experience with Lionel HO. Some of their freight cars were pretty nice!
A lone amature built the ark! A large group of professionals built the titanic!
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 423 ~
Member Since: September 25 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 08 2012
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - December 12 2008 : 5:12:34 PM
|
quote:I thought of buying some Lionel Ho I saw for sale from the postwar years ('58-'69). How do they run and what drives were in what engines?
Originally posted by Redneck Justin-December 05 2008: 10:14:41 PM
|
RJ:
Lionel HO from this era was made by Athearn and Rivarossi, and was similar to equipment in the makers' own lines, although the drives on the Athearn-molded diesels were apparently different. I used to have a pair of Lionel HO FM cab units, powered by a vertical-shaft motor, driving one truck, just like the AHM unit. I never really got them to run.
More info here:
Usenet thread on Lionel HO
The Rivarossi cars look all right, with sprung trucks and decent detail. I also had some of these, and still have the shell of one gondola. The gondola and a flatcar I had a few bits of were made with no metal weights at all. They may have been available later from AHM, and are probably cheaper that way.
Edited by - Autobus Prime on December 12 2008 5:17:56 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 432 ~
Member Since: March 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: December 28 2018
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Forum Admins & Mods
Register
