Lionel “Torpedo” Steam Locomotives
All information and trains supplied by Russ MacNair unless otherwise noted
Lionel No. 238 Steam Locomotives
Lionel No. 1668 Steam Locomotives
Lionel No. 238 Steam Locomotives
General Information
The Lionel No. 238E 4-4-2 “Pennsylvania Torpedo” Steam Locomotive was introduced in 1936 and was cataloged from 1936 through 1938. The locomotive was included as a component of two passenger and two freight cataloged sets during this period. The locomotive was also included as a component of one passenger and two freight uncataloged sets in 1939 and 1940. The locomotive was based on the streamlined K-4 steam locomotive design by Raymond Loewy for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The No. 238E Steam Locomotive utilized a one piece diecast body.
The locomotive has nickel trim, aluminum number plates on the sides of the cab, aluminum “Pennsylvania” plates on the sides of the engine, an aluminum “Lionel Lines” circle “L” wings plate above the headlight and red plastic marker lights. Although both gunmetal gray and black No. 238E Locomotives were designated as “238E”, the number plates for gray locomotives were lettered “238E” and the number plates for the black locomotives were typically lettered “238”. The No. 238E Steam Locomotive has an operating headlight and a remotely operated reverse with a lever on the top of the boiler that engages or disengages the reversing unit.
In 1936-1938, the No. 238E Steam Locomotive was issued in gunmetal gray and was paired with either a No. 265W, No. 2265W or No. 2225W Tender in gunmetal. In 1939 -1940, The No. 238E Locomotive was issued in black and was paired with either a No. 265T, No. 2225T or No. 2265W Tender in black. These tenders have a sheet metal “waffle top” body with nickel trim and aluminum “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tenders have an early style manual or operating box coupler and nickel or black journals. The No. 238E / 2265T/W Steam engine and tender combined measure 19-inches in total length.
Lionel No. 238E Steam Locomotives
1. No. 238E / 265W 4-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim, “238E” aluminum number plates on the sides of the cab and aluminum “Pennsylvania” plates on the sides of the engine. (1936-1937). The No. 265W Tender is gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has nickel journals and an early style manual box coupler.
2. No. 238 / 265T 4-4-2 Steam Locomotive in black with nickel trim, “238” aluminum number plates on the sides of the cab and aluminum “Pennsylvania” plates on the sides of the engine. (1939-1940). The No. 265T Tender is black with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has black journals and an early style manual box coupler.
Lionel No. 1668 Steam Locomotives
General Information
The Lionel No. 1668E 2-6-2 “Torpedo” Steam Locomotive was introduced in 1937 and was cataloged from 1937 through 1941. The locomotive was included as a component of several cataloged passenger and freight sets during this period. The locomotive was also included as a component of one uncataloged passenger set in 1941. The locomotive was loosely based on the streamlined K-4 steam locomotive design by Raymond Loewy for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The No. 1668E Steam Locomotive utilized a one piece diecast body.
The locomotive has nickel trim and aluminum plates with the number and “Lionel Lines” on the sides of the engine. Early No. 1668E Locomotives have “1668E” on the plates. Later locomotives have “1668” on the plates. A unique version of the No. 1668E Locomotive has an aluminum plate on the left side only and no plate on the right side. The No. 1668E Steam Locomotive has an operating headlight, two red plastic marker lights and a remotely operated reverse with a lever on the top of the boiler that engages or disengages the reversing unit.
The No. 1668E Steam Locomotive was always paired with a No. 1689T/W Tender. The 1689T/W Tender has a square sheet metal body, nickel or black journals and a latch or late style manual box coupler. Early tenders have an aluminum “Lionel Lines” plate on the sides and no other trim. Later black tenders have rubber stamped “Lionel Lines” on the sides. The No. 1668E / 1689T/W Steam engine and tender combined measure 16-inches in total length.
Lionel No. 1668E Steam Locomotives
1. No. 1668E / 1689W 2-6-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body (1937-1938). The No. 1689W Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
2. No. 1668E / 1689T 2-6-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body (1937-1938). The No. 1689T Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
3. No. 1668E / 1689W 2-6-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and a single aluminum plate only on the left side of the body (1937-1938). The No. 1689W Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
4. No. 1668 / 1689W 2-6-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body with “1668” (1938). The No. 1689W Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
5. No. 1668 / 1689W 2-6-2 Steam Locomotive in black with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body with “1668” (1939-1941). The No. 1689W Tender is black with rubber stamped lettering on the sides of the tender. The tender has black journals and a late style manual box coupler.
Lionel No. 1688 Steam Locomotives
General Information
The Lionel No. 1688E 2-4-2 “Torpedo” Steam Locomotive was introduced in 1936 and was cataloged in that year only. The locomotive was included as a component of many uncatalogued passenger and freight sets from 1936 through 1941. The locomotive was loosely based on the streamlined K-4 steam locomotive design by Raymond Loewy for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The No. 1688E Steam Locomotive utilized a one piece diecast body which was shared with the No. 1668E Locomotive. In addition to the difference in wheel configuration, the No. 1688 has only a single side rod on each side. Some No. 1688 Locomotives used the body of a No. 1668 Locomotive that had a screw hole in the roof just in front of the cab roof. Due to the different motor mounting configuration of the No. 1688 Locomotive, this screw hole was not used.
The locomotive has nickel trim and aluminum plates with the number and “Lionel Lines” on the sides of the engine. Early No. 1688E Locomotives have “1688E” on the plates. Later locomotives have “1688” on the plates. A unique version of the No. 1688E Locomotive had an aluminum plate on the left side only and no plate on the right side. The No. 1688E Steam Locomotive has an operating headlight, two red plastic marker lights and a remotely operated reverse with a lever on the top of the boiler that engages or disengages the reversing unit.
The No. 1688E Steam Locomotive was always paired with a No. 1689T/W Tender. The 1689T/W Tender has a square sheet metal body, nickel or black journals and a latch or early style manual box coupler. Early tenders have an aluminum “Lionel Lines” plate on the sides and no other trim. The lettering on the aluminum plate came in both serif and sans serif (block) lettering styles. Later black tenders have rubber stamped “Lionel Lines” on the sides. The No. 1688E / 1689T/W Steam engine and tender combined measure 16-inches in total length.
Lionel No. 1688E Steam Locomotives
1. No. 1688E / 1689T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body (1936). The locomotive has a winged Keystone below the stack and open forward facing cab windows. The No. 1689T Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender with block lettering. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
2. No. 1688E / 1689W 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body (1936). The locomotive has a winged Keystone below the stack, but closed forward facing cab windows. The No. 1689W Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender with block lettering. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
PHOTOS NEEDED
1. No. 1688E / 1689T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body (1936). The locomotive has a winged Keystone below the stack and open forward facing cab windows. The No. 1689T Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender with block lettering. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
2. No. 1688E / 1689W 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body (1936). The locomotive has a winged Keystone below the stack, but closed forward facing cab windows. The No. 1689W Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender with block lettering. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
3. No. 1688E / 1689T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body (1936-1938). The locomotive has an unused screw hole in front of the cab roof. The No. 1689T Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender with serif lettering. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
4. No. 1688E / 1689T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and a single aluminum plate only on the left side of the body (1937-1938). The No. 1689W Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
PHOTOS NEEDED
5. No. 1688 / 1689T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body with “1688” (1938). The locomotive has an unused screw hole in front of the cab roof. The No. 1689W Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender with serif lettering. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
6. No. 1688 / 1689T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body with “1688” (1938). The No. 1689W Tender is gunmetal gray with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender with block lettering. The tender has nickel journals and a latch coupler.
7. No. 1688E / 1689T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in black with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body (1936). The locomotive has a winged Keystone below the stack, but closed forward facing cab windows. It appears that this locomotive never had marker lights. The No. 1689T Tender is black with aluminum plates on the sides of the tender with block lettering. The tender has nickel journals and a hook and slot coupler for connection to the streamlined passenger coaches.
8. No. 1688 / 1689T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in black with nickel trim and aluminum plates on the sides of the body with “1668” (1939-1941). The locomotive has a Bakelite pick-up plate. The No. 1689T Tender is black with rubber stamped lettering on the sides of the tender. The tender has black journals and a latch coupler.
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