Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

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v8vega
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Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby v8vega » Thu Aug 11, 2022 10:32 pm

I read it considered the best running engine Lionel ever made and one of the best in general. 1938 to 1941.
2226W tender the big square tender also one of the best.

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ScaleCraft
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby ScaleCraft » Thu Aug 11, 2022 11:55 pm

I have one. With the die-cast tender. Has later tender trucks and couplers (came that way).
ONE of the nicest running, right there with a 225E.
I think the motor blocks are the same if not real similar.
Lionel screwed them up when they went to the 675. Just don't run as smoothly, and I must have a dozen.
Interesting boiler on the 226E. Lionel used the base molds for the 726 and later 736. But, they put the dimpled bulb smoke unit in the 726 and moved the stack back so it no longer aligns with the center of the cylinders. And never corrected in with the newer smoke units on the 736.
I am partial to the applied piping on the 226E.
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jlong
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby jlong » Sun Aug 14, 2022 11:52 am

I have one. Next to the semi scale hudson and switcher, my favorite.
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ScaleCraft
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby ScaleCraft » Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:37 pm

It's a good thing this is 3-rail. We learn to squint our eyes when we look at some of this.
2-6-4 is an Adriatic. Guess how many of that arrangement were used in the US?

Sort of like the 225E/675 where they were or might have been meant to be something else.

675 would have made a credible 3-rail K4, but the cylinders just would not let you use a 4-wheel lead truck.
Imagine the 226E as a Hudson.
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healey36
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby healey36 » Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:55 pm

Wasn’t the 226E’s boiler casting the same as that used on the Hudson, and the same as the postwar 726 2-8-4? Been awhile since I’ve seen any of them.

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webenda
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby webenda » Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:36 pm

ScaleCraft wrote:2-6-4 is an Adriatic. Guess how many of that arrangement were used in the US?


My guess: Forty-six. If you count the ones used by USA railroads in the Panama Canal construction, 70.

Railroads that used 2-6-4 "Adriatic" Locomotives in the USA
Boston & Maine: 1
Franklin & Tilton: 6
Chattanooga & Lookout Mountain: 1
Illinois Central: 18
ICC: Isthmian Canal Commission/Panama: 24
Philadelphia & Reading: 20

Reference: https://steamlocomotive.com/locobase.ph ... heel=2-6-4
Last edited by webenda on Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ScaleCraft
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby ScaleCraft » Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:40 pm

yeah...read my post three up. Nice casting...Lionel screwed it up with the DBSU
Dimpled Bulb Smoke Unit.
If you've never had an engine with those, you don't know what you're missing!
Especially if they were used.
The "reservoir" is the dimple. Excess runs over the side, and is highly corrosive. Eats the pot metal housing all to pieces.
But, to fit it all in with that BIG bulb, had to mode the stack back. No longer lines up. I fixed one of my 726's.
Image

226E:
Image

Just after I got it, before the drawbar went back in place:
Image

Comparison of stacks on 726/736 one modified back to where it's supposed to be:
Image
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webenda
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby webenda » Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:45 pm

There are photos of Boston & Main's 2-6-6T's being sold as B&M 2-6-4T's but the images clearly are not what they say they are.

Here is a photo of Philadelphia & Reading's 2-6-4T #381
Image
Reference: https://www.trovestar.com/generic/zoom.php?id=170586
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ScaleCraft
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby ScaleCraft » Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:04 pm

For those that can't read my posts, I had researched this long ago.
2-6-4T, yeah, altho Panama didn't really count.

Every one alleged to have used a 2-6-4 in mainline service in the USA had that "T" behind it.

So far. You never know what further research may show.

Definitely never seen one that looks like the 226E.

Like I said, had they gotten the cylinder issue fixed, a credible Hudson.
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healey36
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby healey36 » Tue Aug 16, 2022 4:51 pm

An uncle of mine had a 226E at some point, which I believe he traded or possibly gave away. The thing I remember was the red “firebox” light underneath. I don’t know if they all came with that or someone added it, but it had a neat look about it.

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ScaleCraft
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby ScaleCraft » Tue Aug 16, 2022 5:14 pm

Yeah, they had it. Just another screw-in socket with a red bulb....that liked to shake loose!
I just removed the bulb on mine.

Another oddity...not sure on 226 but my 225E, we always thought as kids it was a Christmas thing (uncle got it Christmas of 1940), the lens in the smokebox front is different, throws the outline of the filament on the wall as the train runs around the floor. Looks like a candy cane.
Repop fronts don't do that. I'd have to try the 226 in the dark and see.

My 226 had a couple of issues. One, the PO had removed the prewar six wheel trucks, replaced with postwar and knuckle coupler.
You can see the postwar truck pivot drawbar.....the long tab drawbar from tender floor to cab pin was gone.
Fixed that. Also discovered I have a pair of prewar six wheel trucks in a parts box from the same source the engine came from.

The other, tried to run it after lubing, lead truck kept flopping off the rails. Found the LONG rivet and spring were NOT there. Had the parts, fixed it.
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Dennis Holler
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby Dennis Holler » Thu Sep 01, 2022 2:43 pm

I picked this one up at an antique store in Western NY state last year while traveling for work.
Image

The booth had a 20% off plus I had a 20% coupon from finding a 156 station platform to buy as well, so those two cut the price down a lot

Image

It runs really well after a good going over.
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healey36
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby healey36 » Thu Sep 01, 2022 4:30 pm

Nice find. How many tinplate cars do you think that thing can drag?

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ScaleCraft
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby ScaleCraft » Thu Sep 01, 2022 7:21 pm

Dennis Holler wrote:I picked this one up at an antique store in Western NY state last year while traveling for work.

The booth had a 20% off plus I had a 20% coupon from finding a 156 station platform to buy as well, so those two cut the price down a lot

Image

It runs really well after a good going over.


Nice. Difficult photo for seeing details...but looks like mine with postwar tender trucks. Knuckles?
You find all the bits for valve gear and main rod? Couple of boiler handrail stanchions?
Replacement smokebox front will give you back class lights.

I like them, why I have one!
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Dennis Holler
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Re: Anyone have a Lionel 226E 2-6-4 ?

Postby Dennis Holler » Fri Sep 02, 2022 6:28 am

Hey Dave,
Yes I have enough bits for it, even have a complete front with markers just need to swap it in . Think I have 3 other 226E's in IFFY condition. Hard to see in the photo, it does have the prewar trucks, with the mid later 1941 style low coupler with the simulated knuckle on it. I have a tender with the early high style from 38/39 for the tin 2613/4/5 cars and then working on a proper 1940 version with the high box with simulated knuckle on top. Stole soem stantions from a 225E project. I need to go through it, even after a pretty thorough cleaning the motor is a little stiff when you first start running it but losens up after a few laps and the grease softens. IT's amazing how much caked on grease you find in some of these motors.
For fun, this is the same engine pulling each of the three passenger sets from 39, 40, and 41.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HqyuYLOxEQ&t=2s

Healey, probably depends more on how clean and free the car wheels are. Four of the prewar heavy madisons is a chore. Think I have rolled 8-10 2800 freights though. I would probably do a few more in good conditions. Keep in mind they added a boiler weight to the 226E's
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