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 Posted - October 08 2008 : 11:19:06 PM
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Hello all,
I need some help. Does anyone have a Lionel GE U18B in HO? I picked one up from a guy on ebay. But it won't be here until next week. Was this loco actually made by Athearn? And most importantly, is it actually a U18B?
Thanks much!!
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Posted - October 08 2008 : 11:30:37 PM
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YES it is real, I have all 3 roadnames (Soo, Rio Grande, and the rarest which is CP Rail). It is a very nicely done locomotive of Lionel's own tooling and design. It shares the "fat hood" trait of Athearns of the era, but this is not terribly noticeable. Nice detailing like walkway treads which was uncommon for the time.
Be warned that the truck sideframes are known for breaking very easily. I have had to repair several. The drive and chassis for the Lionel GP9 is a direct swap though.
(don't have a pic of the SOO unit)
They also have this very cool trait: an HO model of a GE locomotive... with a genuine GE "Prime Mover" (the electric motor is actually made by GE!) 
Edited by - GoingInCirclez on October 08 2008 11:33:15 PM
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Posted - October 08 2008 : 11:41:24 PM
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| Outstanding!! I have a SOO line on the way. Naturally, I plan to strip and repaint it. But I see no problem going from one work of fiction to another!
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Posted - October 09 2008 : 1:47:30 PM
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quote:Hello all,
I need some help. Does anyone have a Lionel GE U18B in HO? I picked one up from a guy on ebay. But it won't be here until next week. Was this loco actually made by Athearn? And most importantly, is it actually a U18B?
Thanks much!!
Originally posted by Hypoponera-October 08 2008: 11:19:06 PM
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As GIC stated, the Lionel-HO U18B is their own tooling. The first examples have GE motors and are assembled in North America. There are later examples that feature the Kader/Bachmann single truck powered drive.
It is an interesting shell and one fairly rare example in the industry of a tooling that didn't get a second life. Nobody issued this U18B shell again, following Lionel-HO's departure from the market in 1978.
The U18B is featured in Lionel-HO's 1976 catalog...
http://www.ho-scaletrains.net/lionelho1970scatalogresource/id67.html
And here's an ad that ran in the March '76 RMC that included the then-new U18B...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2139/2542146681_02cd92b9a5_o.jpg
Tony Cook
HO-Scale Trains Resource
http://ho-scaletrains.net
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Posted - October 10 2008 : 01:04:48 AM
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| That is really odd. I wonder why it was not picked up by another maker. Bachmann ended up with the GP30 so I wonder why they didn't use the U18 as well.
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Posted - October 10 2008 : 02:06:12 AM
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quote:
They also have this very cool trait: an HO model of a GE locomotive... with a genuine GE "Prime Mover" (the electric motor is actually made by GE!)
Originally posted by GoingInCirclez-October 08 2008: 11:30:37 PM
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Tony,
I have four of those motors that I picked up as new old stock. I think they were also used in the Lionel American Flyer diesels produced in the early 90's. I've been wondering which HO diesels they were used in.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - October 10 2008 : 05:11:03 AM
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The GE motor and drive Lionel first introduced with their second try at HO was a pretty serious effort for its day in the train set market. I believe all the first GP9 and Alco FA diesels are given this drive. The first U18B's get it too. Lionel's U18B production begins with Mt. Clemens, Michigan origin marks. Believe they may also state Assembled in Canada. I'm pretty certain that anything with the Mt. Clemens origin mark on it fuel tank has a General Electric motor inside. Here's a page from Lionel's 1974 catalog regarding this drive...
I have the Lionel RailScope Alco FA models released in the late '80s/early '90s, but I'll have to dig them out and see what drive they have in them.
Though Kader-Bachmann did build drives for the U18B models, I don't know that they shot any shells for Lionel on the U18B. So, only the later underframes came from Kader and possibly never any casting of the Lionel U18B tooling. Kader apparently always had possession of both the GP30 and GS-4 Northern. Both locos move to the Bachmann line in 1979.
Still seems curious that nobody cloned the U18B or purchased its tooling from Lionel. Perhaps the multi-part shell was a production turn off. As stated too, the U18B's hood was wide...even by the standards of the day when we accepted Athearn's wide than prototype hoods.
Tony Cook
HO-Scale Trains Resource
http://ho-scaletrains.net
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Posted - October 11 2008 : 1:07:24 PM
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Tony C,
How did those diesels run? The GE motors weren't exactly quiet. Did they have diecast frames? I never knew the Lionel/Kader GS4's had that motor in them as well. Bachmann made a really dumb move when they swapped it for that pancake motor.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - October 11 2008 : 2:33:19 PM
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How much wider is the Lionel compared to the Athearn GEs? Do the early GE motored locos have fly wheels or all wheel current pick-up? I assume no flywheels.
I picked up an old MR article on kitbashing a U18B from Athearn components. I opted to modify a Bachmann U33B shell to fit on the Athearn frame for the kitbash. Just before making the cuts on the shell, I stumbled into the Lionel loco. I bought the Lionel to avoid doing the kitbash.
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Posted - October 18 2008 : 11:21:44 PM
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My loco arrived on Friday! I did get one with the GE motor. The motor is quiet, but the gears are very loud. I think the mechanism was made by Roco. It looks very much like the mechanism in the Roco-made H10-44 sold by Walthers several years ago. It is also a very complex arrangement. The geared trucks are unusual to say the least. Each has it's own drive shaft seperate from the shaft from the motor. Also, what an odd way to mount the trucks to the frame.
As mine says "molded in Canada", I think that refers to the shell only.
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Posted - March 05 2013 : 12:02:56 AM
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Hi, Guys. I have a Lionel HO U18B Rio Grande engine that I am trying to repair. Does anyone have any advice about finding parts? The sideframe on one of the trucks broke.
Thanks
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Posted - March 05 2013 : 12:07:24 AM
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Bill, parts ain't gonna be easy to find. If ya want a better U18B, use a Athearn U-Boat and shorten it!
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - March 05 2013 : 09:23:14 AM
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| If the snap-clip on the sideframes broke, this is a very common problem with Lionel HO of the era, and can be easily fixed. You can drill a hole in the end where the tab used to be and use a small screw in its place. I went a little further once, and carved a slot in that location and inserted a new tab made from styrene. Both are equally effective.
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 08:35:42 AM
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| Lionel's U18B is basically a clone of Athearn's U30B shortened to use the same underframe as the GP9. It will fit right in with other Athearn locos, and if you want to improve the drive, snap in one from a late run Athearn GP9 and be good to go. The fuel tank won't be correct but it will run well.
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 2:43:58 PM
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I'd almost kill to find one of these shells!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 3:20:51 PM
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FYI
Lionel is not the only model. Intermountain has produced a U-18 model. It is not cheap!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intermountain-HO-Maine-Central-U-18B-/111191592051?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item19e3890c73
lionel is listed too
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HO-TRAIN-LIONEL-POWERED-U-18-CANADIAN-PACIFIC-DIESEL-5521-LIGHTED-OB-/290996467039?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item43c0bdb55f
Regards, John ***************
You ask me if I keep a notebook to record my great ideas. I've only ever had one. <> Albert Einstein
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 5:12:27 PM
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John,.
Yeah I'm merely looking to do my own work as the U18B but don't want to spend a fortune in doing it it....AKA why I don't have a Intermountain model of one.... I enjoy building them more then just buying and running them!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 24 2013 : 02:41:28 AM
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| I have a shell sitting here, but the walkway/pilot portion is not in great shape.
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Posted - October 24 2013 : 04:14:11 AM
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quote:I have a shell sitting here, but the walkway/pilot portion is not in great shape.
Originally posted by lvrr325Â -Â October 24 2013Â :Â 02:41:28 AM
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Interested in a trade for it? PM me!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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