Rebirth of 2037

Graeme Eldred 04-57743

My 2037 came to me as part of a ‘job lot’ of Lionel items bought via the inevitable eBay.  I bought the loco, knowing that it was incomplete, and a non runner.  The loco duly arrived, and was track tested.  Dead.  Removal of the body revealed unattached wires and spaces where most of the smoke unit should be.  The front truck was also missing, as were the two screws to secure the steam chest to the body.

However, the rear truck was in place, as was the motor, e-unit, part of the smoke unit, the six driving wheels and valve gear.  The motor was cleaned, wiring checked and replaced as necessary, e-unit serviced and the motor ran successfully.  The loco was reassembled and placed on a shelf with other locos that were OK, but incomplete.  That was several years ago.

Fast forward to May 2008.  An order for the missing parts was placed with a well known dealer, and the items safely arrived.  They were checked, and filed.  Fast forward again, to Christmas last year, and a few days to play trains.  Down came 2037, and the work began.  All was successful, until two discoveries were made.  The heating element in the smoke unit had burned out, and the little bent metal tab which holds the front truck in place had broken off, which explains why the front truck was missing.

A post to the TTML elicited responses and advice, as well as offers from my American friends to mail the missing parts to me, here in Scotland.  A few days later, I received a new front truck/headlight bracket, and a length of nichrome wire.  The bracket was fitted, the heating element rewired and all 2037’s problems were solved.  She is currently running extremely well, smoking profusely, and even pulling a whistle tender.  The headlight shines, the magnatraction is still strong and the e-unit cycles perfectly.  Who could ask for more? 

The loco is not mint, by any means.  The paint is a little scratched and chipped in places, but that means it has given pleasure to someone, over the last fifty years.  I am delighted to add another fully working loco to the roster, and cannot begin to express my thanks to those who helped me.

Graeme Eldred, Scotland