My Dad has a collection of Lionel models that stay in my bedroom and, among the other pieces of equipment, has the #2521 Observation/President McKinley, #2522 Vista Dome/President Harrison and the #2523 Pullman/President Garfield 18-inch aluminum passenger cars.
He also has the #218 Santa Fe A-A consist, which has Magne-Traction, which uses magnets to provide extra 'grip' on the track to go up hills, sharp curves, and pull more. One locomotive is powered, one isn't. He says that they were able to pull all three cars, but now they can only pull one. So I want to know if there's a way to get the magnets to be as powerful as they were 50 years ago.
Anyway, I have a problem reguarding his passenger cars: I want to recreate one of the train sets that they were available in, but I need to find the locomotive that came with them in the set. I would like the #2383 Santa Fe diesel locomotives. The locomotives came with two locomotives: one powered, the other powered. Both locomotives had operating headlights, operating front coupler, and non-operating rear coupler. The powered unit has two motors, mounted vertically, Magne-Traction, an operating horn, and a lever-down, three-postion E-unit. This might means that the lever for the E-unit is mounted underneath the model, sticking out of the fuel tank. The E-Unit controls whether the locomotive changes direction (cycling thru forward-stop-reverse-stop-forward whenever you apply power to the rails), goes in only one direction (meaning that no matter how many times you begin and stop applying power to the track, it will only go in one direction), or it just sits still, no matter how many times you begin and stop applying power. It has black trucks, or bogeys depending on what country you're from. I would like them in 'Very Good' or 'Excellent' condition. From a book I have that provides the 'Auction Prices' (which means what they will sell for at auction) for Lionel products, if the model is in 'Very Good' condition, it is worth $300. 'Excellent' condition $500. I AM NOT GOING TO PAY THOSE PRICES. If I am to pay, it'll be a half to a third of the prices, meaning $100-$150 in 'Very Good', $166-$250 in 'Excellent'. However, I may offer to buy for less, depending on how much money I have available. I would AT LEAST like a lead to find these locomotives within a 30 MILE RADIUS from Rocky Face, Georgia, USA. If anyone can help me, I'll appreciate it.
He also has the #218 Santa Fe A-A consist, which has Magne-Traction, which uses magnets to provide extra 'grip' on the track to go up hills, sharp curves, and pull more. One locomotive is powered, one isn't. He says that they were able to pull all three cars, but now they can only pull one. So I want to know if there's a way to get the magnets to be as powerful as they were 50 years ago.
Anyway, I have a problem reguarding his passenger cars: I want to recreate one of the train sets that they were available in, but I need to find the locomotive that came with them in the set. I would like the #2383 Santa Fe diesel locomotives. The locomotives came with two locomotives: one powered, the other powered. Both locomotives had operating headlights, operating front coupler, and non-operating rear coupler. The powered unit has two motors, mounted vertically, Magne-Traction, an operating horn, and a lever-down, three-postion E-unit. This might means that the lever for the E-unit is mounted underneath the model, sticking out of the fuel tank. The E-Unit controls whether the locomotive changes direction (cycling thru forward-stop-reverse-stop-forward whenever you apply power to the rails), goes in only one direction (meaning that no matter how many times you begin and stop applying power to the track, it will only go in one direction), or it just sits still, no matter how many times you begin and stop applying power. It has black trucks, or bogeys depending on what country you're from. I would like them in 'Very Good' or 'Excellent' condition. From a book I have that provides the 'Auction Prices' (which means what they will sell for at auction) for Lionel products, if the model is in 'Very Good' condition, it is worth $300. 'Excellent' condition $500. I AM NOT GOING TO PAY THOSE PRICES. If I am to pay, it'll be a half to a third of the prices, meaning $100-$150 in 'Very Good', $166-$250 in 'Excellent'. However, I may offer to buy for less, depending on how much money I have available. I would AT LEAST like a lead to find these locomotives within a 30 MILE RADIUS from Rocky Face, Georgia, USA. If anyone can help me, I'll appreciate it.