You can't really complain about sharp edges and choking hazards. Because this was the time that lawn darts were the favorite outside toy. Lionel thought that if they made a train inexpensive it would lure new buyers in. Back then the economy was terrible and people didn't have money for expensive toys. When I was a kid I would have loved to have one of those sets because it would have been better than nothing. I grew up during that time and I never got a train set as a kid because they were too expensive even though I asked Santa for one every year. I didn't get my first set until I got my first job and bought it myself. So it was wonderful for those who didn't have a choice.

It might not be super great, but the log dumper/loader would be cool to see in some more modern starter sets

The crazy thing is, Lionel was planning to make a remote-controlled, battery-powered version with plastic track in 1979, but it never got made. Maybe that was the original goal with these cheaper sets.

The log loader would later be sold as a kit by Lionel.

This makes Tyco’s worst late 80’s offerings look amazing by comparison.

Maybe put together what you feel is a good starter set and see what it sells for?

After rewatching the video I heard there is gonna be a worthless trains part 4 And I really hope there's going to be it's actually a really cool series

The DC sets were kind of a mistake in my opinion for Lionel. They were trying to compete with Marx and it was a dark time for both companies. I’ve always thought the control was pretty neat but it is super unreliable. I’ll also agree the 442 is not really worth anything but they’re a PERFECT starter for someone getting into the hobby. They’re smooth runners and don’t look bad either.

Personally I think the perfect example of a Lionel O gauge starter engine would be The Lionel Columbia Type 2-4-2-Locomotive No. 1001. It was made in 1948, and I found one for my grandpa a few years ago to give to him as a gift as he was born that same year. The engine still runs despite its age, and while it’s the first of Lionel’s engines to have a plastic body, it still shows that Lionel has been making some pretty great trains for a good long time. This engine that you’re showing is an example of when they really drop the ball.

Its like Lionel tried to copy Marx in a bad way, Marx trains were like this but with printing and good quality train that were cheap

I can understand your opinion on this set, as it is pretty cheaply made, but I'm not sure if I totally agree. To me, this set is something that a parent bought for a little kid, to keep them occupied. Cheap, easy to assemble and some action. A youngster could watch this go around for a while, maybe push the button to dump the log car. A kid that is eight or ten years old, would probably never even look at it, but a three or four year old would probably be fascinated by it. I have the precursor to that 2-4-2 you show, the Lionel 246, built when Lionel was still based in New York. It was basically a starter locomotive, back then. I don't run it on my layout, but it looks good in the engine house. An excellent video.

I remember encountering this train in the basement of some party. I remember holding the Illinois Central crane car, and thinking "Lionel made this?" I also remember seeing the blue dump car and Santa Fe caboose. It felt like those cheap battery train sets more than anything.

I have the "upgraded" 8300 engine made using the same tooling from the engine. It's pretty weak, but it has more metal parts. According to the seller they glued the boiler plate in because it kept coming off.

Cool video , still fun . Back then toy companies didn’t care about us choking.😂 I have sold a lot of Lionel stuff. I will agree with you, low quality. Good information. I once sold the pink train set missing a few parts for 80.00 , o big mistake. New subscriber to you today. Mike Espo .

The number on the caboose probably belongs on the locomotive. I have the better version of this grade of set as my first Lionel, the 1976 Rock Island Line set. The loco in that set had an AC motor albeit with manual reverse. The rest of the set was a PC gondola, UP flatcar (some variants substituted an 027 boxcar) and a Rock Island bobber caboose. The only other time a starter set used this locomotive was the Black Cave Flyer (1982?) and that version had a DC motor, with the rest of the set comprising a gondola, '027' boxcar and SP-type caboose. All of then employed user-applied stickers and all were _very_ lightweight. I have a video with a train of cars from almost every modern O-gauge company, that carried the Black Cave set loco/tender on a pair of flatcars and the set cars tagging along on their own wheels within the train (with entirely too many heavier cars behind them). When the 8601 Rock Island or 8212 Black Cave locomotives are found used, the most common defect is a broken siderod yoke -- the piece attached to the front of the motor that carries the free ends of the siderods. (after that would be a missing boiler front and the other trim pieces on the shell). I was able to source replacements for the yoke (part number 600-8601-070) after an extensive search and make 'runners' of my Black Cave and a second Rock Island loco, but chances are that anyone else looking to resurrect examples of the RI or BCF locos will have to conjure up a 3D clone of this part, in function if not exact appearance. There is also one other DC powered low-end set that's slightly above the WotRR, but not what you'd call quality either -- the Kickapoo Valley set, with a Docksider-ish 0-4-0 switcher, with a shorty 2-axle gondola, dump car and bobber caboose.

And many collectors think the scout sets from the 50s are junk, they did't see this one

You are so right, Me Pappy got me one yesterday and I said I`d prefer a slurpy at Dairy Queen. At that he replied, "SON", but I forget the rest.

To me, it just looks like an upscaled Trix Twin drive, I’d recommend having a look at those, rather valuable and good to collect, a massive contrast to this

I remember seeing the ads for this set on tv. Someone on my street had one. Though crude, they were for a price point that electric trains are no longer appearing in and were fit for their intended purpose. They made similar sets into the 80s so for me this is what I think of as a Lionel starter set.

yes it looks cheap and it was made during the 1970s, a period of slow economy after the oil embargo, Lionel really had problems during this period, just like the real railroad world. But it was produced in America and it still works great, i think that is impressive. how many of todays model trains will still work after 50 ! years and they sure cost a lot more... Well nice video, as always, thanks !

If this was your first ever set you'd probably love it and you would be off on a journey that would see you buying better and more quality stuff. However if you have already owned quality trains to look at this you would think that it's cheap and nasty. If it were my first train set I would be thrilled and would probably be looking for the same set on ebay as an adult to relive my childhood memories with it. For some people this is how they started in the hobby. As for me we were so poor I had a piece of wood tied to a roller skate and I called it the Flying Scotsman.

It's set up on the table, a child is seated in each corner and the train is run at full speed. When it flys off the track, the kid hit is "out". On to round two.

That is pretty bad, but I’ll raise you the cheap mini battery trains they make. (Not the ready-to-play ones, the tiny things that they have at Disneyland and stuff)

I'm guessing they had a hard time adjusting for the inflation of the late '70s.

I’ve never seen the biggest model train manufacturer with the lowest quality train set. I bet they did way better back in those days too. That is just awful. Great vid.

Well no kidding! Last December one of my fellow club members gave me one of these, and probably just to get it out of the house! The engine was a bit different though, it had metal wheels and the reverser switch was in the cab. The motor mount was broken, an easy fix with some epoxy, and like yours the smokebox cover was loose so I glued that in as well. There were some regular Lionel freight cars in the bag, plus track, and a little conventional transformer. I got the thing running again and sold the package at a local show for $30 and the folks were glad to have it (I made sure they knew exactly what they were getting) as a cheap starter set, and you know what? I sold the set Saturday and they came back Sunday for more track and cars! So the moral of the story is even a cheap sleazy starter set can get folks started on the path. Where they go afterward is up to them. Some how I doubt this cheap set's going to be as far as they go.

The economy sure was bad during the Carter years.

Dollars and cents-sales, profits, costs.

I have two 4 4 2 trains just like the one in this video one is a new York Central 8632 formally known by me as the Pennsylvania Gambler and a Santa fe 8632

My 5 to 8yo self would like that set even just for the controller.

I’d like to see them reproduce this, but make it better

Thanks!

C.o.M.E.G.e/ Conti style pickups

Question:do u have atleast one Thomas the tank engine item because if u do that’s Cool

I got that set for Christmas when I was about 7 years old! I still remember my dad complaining about the 'trucks' and how cheap it was compared to the Lionel trains he had as a kid. Lol. Despite the fact that even my 7-year-old self knew that it sucked, I still liked it and enjoyed playing with it...until the motor burned up when I tried pulling a Lionel Republic Steel gondola with a rock in it with the poor little "Engine #9"! I never fessed up about the rock in the gondola, so my parents wrote Lionel (or sent in the warranty card or something), and I got another cheap plastic engine to replace it! Great memories!

It’s a super cheap looking set. I would hope this sold for less than a typical Lionel starter set.

Other problem is that it barely has any color s

Wow, I have never seen this set before. Yikes.

How much are you thinking of selling it for?

Lionel should be embarrassed to put something like that out in even toy market

FunDimension.

Jesus h Christ I’ve tried looking for footage of this damn set that isn’t in an old commercial *_EVERYWHERE_* Props for you to suffering in this

Box is worth more than contents.

Hi Washington District Railfan & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks Washington District Railfan & Friends Randy & Grade Lionel's Trains ( F-) & MY Is Ho Scale Grade (100% )

It doesn’t look that bad

Looks like one of those cheap Chinese sets that pop up around Christmas.

Terrible Express.

I don’t even think that’s the worst

Garbage set cheap cheap cheap

More $s for China.

Yeah definitely not great.

Question:do u have atleast one Thomas the tank engine item because if u do that’s Cool