# Trying to Identify Lionel O Gauge



## [email protected] (Oct 20, 2009)

Hi. I'm trying to Identify this train. Its made by Lionel it looks like it was made to run on 3 rail O Gauge track. I also think its steam powered.

If someone could tell me the model number and tell me something about these I would greatly appreciate it. I don"t really know much about these...I don"t even know how old it is. Lionel made so many of these things that I'm having trouble just narrowing that down.

Sorry for the photo quality....

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/7458/lionelw.jpg


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

That would be a prewar Lionel steam locomotive (it does not actually run on steam but rather A/C power)... On these older Lionel locomotives, the product number is the number on the brass plate on both sides of the cab... From the looks of it, the engine appears to be an earlier 258 model


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

With just a picture Good Luck.

Prewar is being repro'd by MTH called Tinplate Traditions. It is prewar style but probably new. It has generated an interest in that era so now more reference books are available. They are licensed Lionel Products. However navigating Lionel or MTH for a specific Loco is time consuming. They have a 260 and a lot of Standard gage items. There may be a catalog just for tinplate but it is not online. I suspect this since the Lionel Cat doesn't have one set as in the past. The good news is that at MTH you can buy the whole set and have two engines. It would be a better bargain than buying a single piece or the original. The tender would sell for 70 if you can get it the set will run around 400-700.

If you like the NEW look, the modern tinplate is the way to go. They are sold as a collectable and do not meet the modern toy safety requirements .Marx has been revised too and is being sold the same way. They operate with a unique sound from plastic . They sell as premium train sets. They can have modern sound systems too. A lot of modern tinplate is now available even Standard guage so shop around at the Local Hobby Shop


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## [email protected] (Oct 20, 2009)

Thanks for the help. That at least points in me in the right direction. This was just something my grandfather had picked up years ago.

It is marked "258" on the brass plate. Also it was in a box with a tender model 257....its not stamped on it but I found a few for sale and its listed as that. There were several box cars with the engine "655" "1679" "805" and a calaboose plated as "1657".

I'm not sure if it was all sold as a set or if someone put this set together at some point. I do know it set in his basement for at least 20 years.

Thanks for the info.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/4999/lionel1.jpg
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2057/lionel9.jpg
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/6373/lionel6.jpg


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

Hmm, I see that you are selling the set 

Actually, your three box cars and one caboose are all from different series and different time periods... The 655 and 1657 could technically be grouped together as being from the same series, but in earlier years it was the "600" series and later became the "1600" series (the car models stayed the same, just the numbers and coupler style changed)...


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Thanks for the help. That at least points in me in the right direction. This was just something my grandfather had picked up years ago.
> 
> It is marked "258" on the brass plate. Also it was in a box with a tender model 257....its not stamped on it but I found a few for sale and its listed as that. There were several box cars with the engine "655" "1679" "805" and a calaboose plated as "1657".
> 
> ...



What I believe you got there is early O gauge/ 1930-35. #258 with the #257 four wheel tender.
Listed in the Greenbergs book at $85 good shape and $170 in excellent shape that's the 2007 quotes more with the box!

Box car#655 cream with maroon roof $35 good $60 ex

Box car#805 pea green terra-cotta roof $35 good 60 ex
#805 pea green maroon roof $44 good 95 ex
I can't really tell what color you have of this.

I got no more time right now.
If I were you I would hang on to them!
And yours look in excellent shape.
I wonder if these were ever run much. You can tell buy the wheel wear.

Remember these prices are all most four years old too. So the prices I gave you are low and if you had the boxes all the more better.

Hope this helps you out a little.
I think ya got some nice old trains there I would hang on to them! I will do a little more research on the sets sold back then and what they came with.


Did I talk you into keeping them?
EDIT.....By the way if you plan on running them please give them a LITTLE oil and lube job (LITTLE) key word
If they been sitting that long they probably need a LITTLE, don't over lube and oil.
You would not want to ruin them by running them dry.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Boston&Maine said:


> Hmm, I see that you are selling the set
> 
> Actually, your three box cars and one caboose are all from different series and different time periods... The 655 and 1657 could technically be grouped together as being from the same series, but in earlier years it was the "600" series and later became the "1600" series (the car models stayed the same, just the numbers and coupler style changed)...



How do you see that he's selling these??????

If that's the case quick delete my post!!!!!! Quick before he sees it! lol


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

big ed said:


> How do you see that he's selling these??????
> 
> If that's the case quick delete my post!!!!!! Quick before he sees it! lol


LOL, you can delete your own posts 

Anyways, when I was looking to see if the 257 was a correct tender for the 258, I happened to notice the same images in an eBay auction...


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Boston&Maine said:


> LOL, you can delete your own posts
> 
> Anyways, when I was looking to see if the 257 was a correct tender for the 258, I happened to notice the same images in an eBay auction...




You should have put a link here for me to look at.
I like to follow even if I don't bid on some stuff.
Matter of fact he should have put a link here, huh?

Edit.....
I seen that he has logged in since you and I posted and didn't respond back.
Most likely we won't see him anymore as he just wanted to know their value.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I missed most of the action. ED so you know. I went to Lionel Prewar and searched 258.
It was the second hit. Three days to go.I never did find an Mth version for the 258. The 260 was done though.


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## [email protected] (Oct 20, 2009)

Sorry for not replying last night...mouse batteries died. 
This set was just something that was thrown in with all the HO scale stuff my grandfather had. He kinda kept everything he could get his hands on.

I'm keeping the HO stuff but this was only O gauge stuff. I don't have track or a transformer and no room. So its pointless to keep it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160371419974&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

I didn't post a link to the auction because I wasn't sure of the rules concerning stuff like that. If it is I'm sure a mod could get rid of it from this post.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Oh you have some HO?
Then I guess you will be sticking around.

That set would look good sitting on a shelf over your Ho.
Years to come it will even be worth more.

Most the people I have seen come here ask about the worth of something then you never hear them anymore.

Welcome to the site. Stick around.


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