|
|
Post by firewood on Mar 16, 2024 20:47:23 GMT
Down at the club, we O-Gaugers got wind of a Lionel display layout that needed a home. There’s no room at the club, but a local nostalgia museum is interested in our proposal to keep it there. The layout would be on long-term loan and operated by us on museum open days. It would be on loan from the owner, using postwar Lionel trains donated to the club. Rumour has it a local department store built it following the Lionel D224 plan. The supports, accessories for the blank spots and a ZW transformer are boxed up.The trestles are below desk height, which would’ve been ideal height for kids to pressure their parents while train-watching. The track is Lionel Super O. It’s in great shape, but of course needs some elbow grease - basically a 1950s time-capsule, ideal for a store promotion display and let the trains run. We’re figuring out transport options and then it’s cleanup time. No doubt we’ll be trying to run something after the first track-cleaning. Dave     |
|
|
|
Post by Adam on Mar 16, 2024 21:43:41 GMT
Neat! And a great idea to keep it in service.
|
|
|
|
Post by healey36 on Mar 16, 2024 22:43:56 GMT
Is that Super-O track? If so, many would drool over it. Looks to be in terrific shape.
|
|
|
|
Post by firewood on Mar 16, 2024 23:08:45 GMT
Is that Super-O track? If so, many would drool over it. Looks to be in terrific shape. Yes indeed, I was surprised too - it certainly puts a date on the layout, doesn’t it. Dave
|
|
|
|
Post by firewood on Mar 16, 2024 23:16:10 GMT
Neat! And a great idea to keep it in service. Thanks Adam. We’d been aware of its existence for some time, but had no place for it. The owner didn’t want to see it in the landfill either, so it’s good to have some progress. We’ve teased other club members about “realistic scenery”, asking them what’s wrong with wet green paint sprinkled with sawdust… Dave
|
|
|
|
Post by steveoncattailcreek on Mar 16, 2024 23:29:14 GMT
Thanks Adam. We’d been aware of its existence for some time, but had no place for it. The owner didn’t want to see it in the landfill either, so it’s good to have some progress. We’ve teased other club members about “realistic scenery”, asking them what’s wrong with wet green paint sprinkled with sawdust… Well, O.K . . . but it's no AstroTurf! 
|
|
|
|
Post by atsda on Mar 18, 2024 2:29:55 GMT
Dave, What a great find/ opportunity. Keep those PW trains running! Alfred
|
|
|
|
Post by firewood on May 12, 2024 3:25:59 GMT
An update on the D224 project - our club transported the layout to our local heritage village and began set-up in its new home. There is plenty cleanup and restoration work to do, but hey - it’ll be fun! It seems we have every accessory plus some action cars too, which we didn’t expect - ‘twas like Christmas morning, I tell ya… Dave    |
|
|
|
Post by david1 on May 12, 2024 3:35:15 GMT
A great find Dave for your club, can't wait till its all set up.
Dave
|
|
|
|
Post by mrmeep on May 12, 2024 16:27:54 GMT
You all definitely struck gold there! WOW! Get it up and running so the newer generation can experience REAL Lionel trains from the "glory days" of toy trains and model railroading. Those Super "O" layouts and tracks were the transformation of toy trains of youth to scale and semi-scale model railroads today. The locos and rolling stock were more detailed and "scale", efforts were made to make the old "tubular track" into something realistic and "scale model" looking. "Super O" was the predecessor of today's RealTrax and Scale Track of today. Even the operating accessories were more realistic in their detail while reliable in operation. But they still had "play value" and stimulated the young owners as well as the adults. Maybe we should learn from this. And the Display Layout is a great tie from the past to what could be the future of the hobby. Sort of a shame that today's train manufacturers don't at least market some sort of actual layout like that for hobby shops or even a fairly complete setup for hobbyists like days of old. Times have truly changed....
|
|
|
|
Post by firewood on May 15, 2024 2:41:34 GMT
There were strange mutterings from beneath the layout today as wiring was deciphered and also plenty going on on the surface. At the end of the day we had clean track, continuity checked and trains running on the inner and outer loops. Not bad for sitting in a woodshop/garage for a few decades.👍👍
Dave
|
|
|
|
Post by atsda on May 15, 2024 13:50:43 GMT
Firewood, kudos on your success with getting trains going on the layout. Very exciting indeed. What a good deal of fun. The layout will make a good showpiece. Let us know about the accessories and operating cars. Alfred
|
|
|
|
Post by firewood on May 16, 2024 0:05:19 GMT
Firewood, kudos on your success with getting trains going on the layout. Very exciting indeed. What a good deal of fun. The layout will make a good showpiece. Let us know about the accessories and operating cars. Alfred Thank you! It was a genuine surprise, Alfred. In the boxes we found cars like the rocket launcher, poultry palace, exploding boxcar and the barrel car that came with the forklift loading platform. Luckily the layout came with a pair of very low trestles, so working underneath was fairly comfortable with no contortions needed - just a mechanic’s creeper. Dave
|
|
|
|
Post by seayakbill on May 16, 2024 10:45:24 GMT
Very cool project. It will look great with a couple PW locos running on it.
Bill
|
|
|
|
Post by mrmeep on May 16, 2024 16:41:24 GMT
Has anyone thought of looking at original publicity photos or
catalog images of the original trains and consists and duplicating
those? And how about all of the original Post War accessories?
Make it truly a "Trip Back in Time". Let people see things how
they really were back then. This would be a great opportunity.
It would also let the newer generation see that things really did
have technology and animation just like today.
|
|
