O Gauge Lionel SW2 Cab Find: J&C Studios O Gauge Archive

Lionel SW2 Cab Find

Hugh Laubis
Joined: Nov 6, 2011
Topics: 46 Replies: 28 Topics: 46

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posted Jan 29, 2012:

Do any of our members also join me with one of these on their layouts?
I had never see one of these dressed out this way except in pictures.

Walking through a meet one day a guy had this cab which was originaly one of Lionel's cheaper diesel switchers on sale for $20. I had no idea but it was just as you see it with the spark arrestors and some nice directional lighting installed as well as some handsome decal work. I had to have it even though I had no idea to use it at the time. I needed a base. About a year later at YORK at one of the pre-fairground hotel shows I found one with a real busted up cab. Bought it cheap as well.

I cleaned up the base, got it running, added a bell and horn and then fitted the cab to it but was really unhappy with its performance. I had forgotten just how badly these ran. First of all, there was no horn and then the e-unit buzzing would wake up the dead. So some updates were in order.

So I added a Williams horn rescued out of a diesel to PS1 upgrade that I had laying around. Then I added the state of the art fix of adding a bridge rectfier across the E-Unit to knock the buzz off.

If you look real close, you can see where the bridge is mounted and that it will be attached across the coil at the solder joints.

Another perspective showing the mounting of the parts and the horn board.

Finally a great running silent operating diesel with an early Williams horn that could wake the dead. Here it is attached to an inexpensive N&W caboose, not sure if it is Lionel or K-Line and my track cleaner.

The engine and caboose are still in the family but now in the possession of my two year old twin grandchildren for use under the Christmas tree.

Hartman
Joined: Sep 20, 2008
Topics: 21 Replies: 50 Topics: 21

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posted Feb 12, 2012:

I really like your rescue & rebuild work of old locos. Thanks for sharing.

Dennis

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for Model Railroading