Weekend Photos - July 2026

[healey36]

This might be fun for the Fourth:



The Acme Disconnect Rocket Car from Lionel's Looney Tunes series. I've been thinking about crafting a bottle-rocket launcher...would seem pretty simple.

Hope all here have a terrific Fourth!

[webenda]

Amusing.

[webenda]

I found a train station for rent over in Greensburg, 14.8 miles from my house.

Built around 1913, the one‑story frame depot on Depot Street (103 N. Depot St.) served as a passenger stop for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in the early 20th century. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 for its significance in transportation and architecture. Over time, Greensburg lost its passenger rail service — the tracks were removed in 1985.

[healey36]

$75/day seems a great deal. I wonder if it has a kitchen and if it’s air-conditioned.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

$75/day seems a great deal.

Far beyond a great deal! Looking at $800+ for a day in a venue for local NMRA meets - always scrambling about for someone with a connection that can open a door at an affordable cost here.

[webenda]

I saw this happen in a Southern Pacific train one day on my way to work.

The crew backed up, replaced the knuckle, coupled to the fixed car, and went on to Nogales, Mexico.

My knuckle did not break; the pin that holds the knuckle closed failed. It has enough force to push it up when coupled to the train, but not enough to stay up. I can back up, couple, and be on the way to the next uncouple incident, over and over. How prototypical!

Watching the video revealed a second reason for the uncoupling. The big C&IM car in front of the problem car gets all shook up as it comes out of a curve with the transformer set to notch 3. I just ran the train for a few laps at notch 2. So far, uncoupling has not happened at notch 2.


Edit 1: Was, Making the video; Is, Watching the video

[webenda]

Bad Order Coupler by Wayne Benda, on Flickr

[webenda]

FAILURE ANALYSIS
The first thing I see is that the truck is riveted to the chassis.

Failure to make it easy to R&R the truck.

Second: The uncoupling thumbtack is bent.

Failure to be positioned properly.
I wonder if someone thought pulling on the thumbtack would cause the knuckle pin to seat better?

Third: The coupling pin mechanism is not seated properly.

Failure of the coupling spring part to stay seated in the coupler shank.
Shades of Menards! The same problem Menards couplers have.*

*Not all Menards couplers use this plastic spring design.

[webenda]

672 by Wayne Benda, on Flickr

[healey36]

Nice locomotive, Wayne. Interesting to see smoke-deflectors on such a small loco.

Digging through some storage bins I keep under the layout, found this dusty postwar Lionel 1655 in the bottom of one of them. Pulled it out, brushed it off a bit, then put power to it:



Ran terrific, even without any lubrication. Needs a good cleaning and some maintenance.

I don't know much about this Columbia-type loco (2-4-2) or the 6654W tender it's paired with. I like its proportions, though. It's probably a predecessor of what developed into Lionel's "Scout" series. A bit of research required.

[HONDO74]

1655 Steam Engine & Box Tender (1948 - 49)

https://davestrains.com/ap1655x6654W.html

https://www.tandem-associates.com/lione ... 5_loco.htm

https://postwarlionel.com/1655-lionel-lines-scout/

[healey36]

Thanks for the links, Robert.

I recall there being a collector/operator preference for the 1655 over the 1654, both nearly identical in appearance, but I can’t remember what the reason was. I think it may have had something to do with the motor. I’ll have to read up on it.

[HONDO74]

This is an old posting from OGR you might find interesting (2012)

1655 & 1654 PW Locos, Good runners?
https://www.ogrforum.com/topic/1655-and ... od-runners

[healey36]

LOL, now I remember that thread. Not exactly chocked full of information, was it?

I don't have much reference information re: postwar equipment; the Greenberg book I have has no mention of differences in the motors used in the 1654 and 1655 locos. In this thread on OGR, folks refer to sliding-shoe pick-ups, but the 1655 here has the typical sprung rollers housed under a plastic plate (so you start to wonder what's what).

The Trains site yields the following:

Lionel 1654: Introduced in 1946. It featured a die-cast metal boiler and an open-frame metal motor, but utilized older single-reduction gearing.
Lionel 1655: Introduced in 1948 as a direct successor. It features the same die-cast boiler, but was upgraded with smoother, double-reduction gearing.

So, that's likely the motor version difference I had stored in the little gray cells, albeit rather poorly.

Regardless, it runs well and has me interested in giving it a thorough lubrication/clean/polish.

[HONDO74]

Here is another post on OGR you might find interesting

1664-1684 diecast motor
https://www.ogrforum.com/topic/1664-1684-diecast-motor

First post by WA Wheeltapper and Shunter has a link to a 001121.pdf
You can download that PDF

I wonder if your 1655 might have the diecast-motor.

Here is a link to a video. This 1655 appears to have the diecast motor that's in the PDF
Classic Lionel 1655 Scout Locomotive Revival
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSVHTSMDjRw