# 3386 Zoo Car?



## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

I picked up a 3386 Bronx Zoo Car a while back for my grandchildren.
Rusty base and *non-operating, plastic trucks* Would this be where someone replaced the original truck with crappy ones? Or is this a "re-issue?"
I stripped, sanded, primed and painted the base, but I want better operating trucks. What should I use?
And what do I need to operate the car?

Thanks,
Jim


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Hi Jim,

In the early 1960's, Lionel was beginning to fall on hard times. Kids wanted space-age toys, rather than "old fashioned" (dare I say it) trains. Cost-cutting kicked in big time at Lionel corporate.

Non operating couplers began showing up.

Read the description at the link below. I think this was original to the car ... "two non-operating couplers" :

http://www.postwarlionel.com/cgi-bin/postwar?ITEM=3386

Enjoy your turkey leftovers (uhh ... foodwise ... not talking about the non-functional train here!!!)

TJ


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Actually, I have to disagree with that description. I have that car here, and it clearly has two fully operating couplers. The jaw is plastic, but the movable part is cast. They use the thumbtack shaped coupler trip, which is also all metal.

I'm still trying to figure out how to mount the cam to the telltale base, I seem to have all the parts, but for the life of me I can't see how it connects.

Even if I could get the cam properly located, several of my engines hit it on the way by, so this car is going to be of limited use.


----------



## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Actually, I have to disagree with that description. I have that car here, and it clearly has two fully operating couplers. The jaw is plastic, but the movable part is cast. They use the thumbtack shaped coupler trip, which is also all metal.
> 
> I'm still trying to figure out how to mount the cam to the telltale base, I seem to have all the parts, but for the life of me I can't see how it connects.
> 
> Even if I could get the cam properly located, several of my engines hit it on the way by, so this car is going to be of limited use.


Lionel used different trucks on the same cars... A change in truck design did not equal a change in product number... Here is a picture from eBay of a zoo car with non-operating trucks:










Compared to yours:


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Since you have one, maybe you can tell me how to get it working. 

Just so you won't think I'm pulling your leg, here's mine.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

The 3386 had solid non operating couplers

http://www.tandem-associates.com/lionel/lionel_trains_3386_operating_car.htm

The 3376 had operating couplers.

http://www.tandem-associates.com/lionel/lionel_trains_3376_operating_car.htm


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Makes sense, I have the 3376.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

On a different topic, how does one make the graphic attachments appear in-line, or is that reserved for certain folks?


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Since you have one, maybe you can tell me how to get it working.
> 
> Just so you won't think I'm pulling your leg, here's mine.



you put the base plate (holds the tell-tale pole) on the track then put the cam plate assembly on the base plate.

It only hooks to one spot. as the cam follower on the car rides up on it and operates the head.

It can be used on O/27 or O..if using super O you either have to cut two ties to make the base plate fit or put a #38 accessory adapter section on.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, that sounds just like the instructions, but I don't see any way to "put" the cam plate assembly on the base plate. I can't see a way to hook it to the baseplate.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> On a different topic, how does one make the graphic attachments appear in-line, or is that reserved for certain folks?


Upload your image (like a jpg), like you already have. Click on its little icon, which will open image in a separate window. From there, highlight the full URL address of the image, and Ctrl-C copy it to your clipboard.

Then, back in your thread editor (where you normally type), use the little "mountain" icon to Ctrl-V paste the image URL between "img" tags like this:










You can type the "img" tags manually, if you like, too.

TJ


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Ok, on the two forums I moderate, vB is configured to automatically do that.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

fftopic1:


Two things to make Mr. Giraffe duck. The arm does have a weight. And the spring tension has to be adjusted. This is done by bending the metal arm. I thought I had posted this car before but I can't find it. I own two now.










The cams must attach to the base of the telltales. The plastic one just hooks on from side to side but the metal one has a small tab the fits into a semi hole in the center facing the base facing the track. Nothing complex.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I think you're missing my issue. The car works fine, and if I position the cam properly, it indeed does exactly what it should. OTOH, the cam connection to the telltale base is the issue. I have all the pieces described in the book, and I can't see any way to properly attach the cam assembly to the base of the telltale.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I am charging into this thread late. So I reviewed all the questions.

I have a plastic cam and a metal one. Here are the pics.

I don't think they mix either. Plastic to plastic and metal to metal.


----------



## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

*Zoo Car..........*

Thank you all for posting pics and helping!

Bob, I can now see that I have more than one issue
I have a broken cam follower. A rusty cam follower pin. A missing tension spring. Crappy trucks, and no "Tell-Tale

I've got all the part numbers so I'll order what I need. I'm also going to change the trucks(maybe it would look good with "S" couplers:laugh


View attachment 5591


View attachment 5592


View attachment 5593


View attachment 5594


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Plastic trucks don't bother me. They reduce weight to pull more. At least you have the weight. The spring, I just winged it. I found one similiar. 
You are not going to like the prices.
If you go S scale just make your own cam . The height has to be adjusted unless you raise your track.


----------



## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

*prices..............*

I can buy a fully functional car for $40, and the parts will end up being more than that

This is looking more like a "S" conversion and some epoxy and a spring from a ball point pen!:laugh::laugh::laugh:


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The ball point spring is too small. Unless you use two or three maybe?

I got mine at train shows for 20.


Ebay has them hidden in "lots" unnumbered in the title.
But the same pieces break.
They are there and often broken or missing the passenger.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I saw somewhere were a rubber band was used instead of a spring.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

T-Man said:


> Two things to make Mr. Giraffe duck.


I knew T-Man was talented, but now he claims that he's going to turn a giraffe into a DUCK! This I gotta stick around and see!



(Nice discussion on the car parts, guys ... interesting to see Mr. Giraffe exposed there with his attached lever and weight. I've never seen inside one of these before. Good info!)

TJ


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

They do appear as junkers, with a good Giraffe top, the bottom is visible and easily verified as whole. These are still made in the form of Reindeer cars too. I have seen the car in green too. 
Good Luck!

My next show isn't until the beginning of DEC.

My eyes are on it!


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Got it! The pictures in the Greenberg book are backwards! I thought those two projections pointed away from the track, they're what braces the cam! 

I think I'll hook this up and try it...


----------

