Lionel Scout Trains: Truths, Half-Truths, And Myths

Lionel's Scout Sets of 1948 to 1952 are often derided by collectors and operators alike as little more than junk items that should be avoided. But how much of this reputation is true, and how much is just unflattering hyperbole? Let's look at the truths, half-truths, and outright myths surrounding Lionel's Scout Sets in this episode of Toy Train Tips and Tricks. Hello again, this is Mike, and I have one of Lionel's Scout Sets running on the layout today. Over the years, the term Scout has been muddled up a bit and means different things to different people. For the sake of this video, I'm only looking at the trains that Lionel advertised as the Lionel Scout Line that were produced between 1948 and 1952. The main thing that these trains have in common is the Scout-type knuckle coupler, specifically the Lionel Part No. 500-1 Scout Truck and Coupler Assembly. These unusual couplers evolved from a desire by Lionel to better compete with the more economical sets being marketed by Marks. The best sets in the Marks line featured a die-cast 242 No. 999 steam locomotive, colorful lithographed cars, and operating fork or tilt type Marks couplers. Lionel's early post-war couplers were the electromagnetic design which, while far more realistic in appearance, were far more expensive to manufacture and required a special electrically operated uncoupling track to uncouple. There was no way to uncouple these manually without picking the cars up. The Marks couplers, on the other hand, could be uncoupled either manually or remotely, and a deluxe Marks set could be purchased for under $20 in 1947, while the cheapest Lionel set retailed for $22.50, a big difference in $1947. But with these new couplers, as well as some other cost-cutting moves, the new Lionel Scout sets retailed for $15.95 in 1948 for a set with a basic No. 6007 SP-type caboose, a No. 1002 gondola, and a No. 1005 tank car. Or, for $18.95, you could add the new X-1000 for Baby Ruth boxcar as well. In comparison, the next cheapest Lionel set, a very modest 242 two-traditional cars in a caboose, all with traditional couplers and trucks, retailed for a whopping $29.95. So, the first myth to address is, because these trains are more than 70 years old, and because they're unusual, they must be very valuable. Unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth. The value of old toy trains depends on a number of factors, including rarity, age, and desirability among collectors and operators. Since Scout sets were produced in very large quantities, and with few variations, they are not really looked at by collectors. Also, since these sets have a poor reputation for operation, sometimes deserved but sometimes not, they are not valued by operators either. As a result, though these trains were built in the Truman and Eisenhower years, they're among the cheapest to acquire of the entire post-war era. Now, on to the next myth. Are Scout couplers fixed, non-operating couplers, as I have read in some sources? No. Scout couplers are, in fact, designed to couple automatically when pushed together. Also, when using a number 1009 Scout uncoupler, one can uncouple Scout cars with a simple push of a button. However, Scout couplers are incompatible with Lionel uncoupling sections and magnets. Next, is it true that Scout couplers are completely incompatible with standard Lionel knuckle couplers? Well, that's partially true. As designed, the Scout coupler will not mate with a regular Lionel coupler. However, there are several ways to work around this problem. First, Lionel offered a knuckle coupler conversion kit to change the Scout couplers to a knuckle coupler. Second, one can make an idler or conversion car. Using one Scout car and one later semi-Scout car with knuckle couplers, you can swap one truck from each car, making two cars, each with a standard coupler and a Scout coupler on either end. This allows you to swap back and forth between regular and Scout couplers in your train. Third, if you don't mind modifying the car, one can file the pointed end of the Scout coupler flat and reduce the overall size of the knuckle slightly. Then it will mate with standard knuckle couplers and the modified coupler will still mate with Scout couplers as well, allowing you to interchange freely between Scout and regular cars throughout your train. It's also said that Scout and later semi-Scout trucks develop a strange discoloration, white, yellow, or even brown, that is unsightly to say the least. And this is true. This phenomenon is related to the mold release agent that was used for these truck castings. However, as I demonstrated in an earlier video, these trucks can be returned to like-new appearance in a matter of seconds with the simple use of a hair dryer or heat gun. Another important cost-cutting feature of the Scout sets was the development of a new mostly-plastic motor. This motor featured two-position reversing, forward and reverse, rather than the traditional three-position forward neutral reverse, and eliminated the so-called E-unit reverse unit in favor of a spring-loaded device that actually rotates half the motor physically to reorient the brushes in relation to the motor field. While this is complex to assemble, the plastic motor mechanism was cheaper to produce than a traditional metal-framed motor with an E-unit for reversing. The easy way to see if you have a plastic motor is to look for the lockout switch, which is located here at the top of the boiler and travels parallel with the length of the boiler, as opposed to a switch that is under the locomotive or perpendicular on top of the boiler, such as this. This plastic motor was used on many starter set steamers through the 1960s, and it's a source of much of the lore of the Scout series. Let's look at each of these next statements individually. 1. Scout motors are loud. Yes, they are. The orientation of the motor halves and plastic construction makes these motors much louder in operation compared to their metal-framed counterparts. 2. Scout reverse units are finicky. True. Again, due to the special reverse mechanism, these locomotives are susceptible to unwanted reversing due to power interruptions and the occasional hard bump in the track. Plus, with the lack of a neutral setting, this often leads to derailments during unwanted reverse incidents. I usually operate mine with the lockout switch in the forward position and keep the locomotive operating in forward only. 3. Even basic maintenance is impossible on these plastic Scout motors. False. As I demonstrated in an earlier episode, basic maintenance such as lubrication, brush cleaning and changes, and cleaning the commutator can be done on a plastic Scout motor. It is more complicated than on a metal-framed motor, and you must be careful about the orientation of the brush holders, but it can be done, even by a novice hobbyist, with the help of some proper instructions. 4. Major repairs are impossible on a Scout motor. Mostly true. More complex motor maintenance and repair cannot be done without a wheel puller, and reassembly is very tricky due to the rotating motor assembly. Most hobbyists simply retire a Scout motor when it requires major servicing, rather than attempting a very complex and frustrating repair. 5. Scout motors are unreliable. Half true. Plastic Scout motors do tend to fail sooner than their metal counterparts, but this is mainly due to a lack of maintenance, and since most operators fear working on these locomotives, the motors are not maintained, and therefore neglected motors then fail more frequently. However, with proper cleaning and maintenance, a plastic motor can last about as long as a comparable metal-framed motor. 6. It is said that Lionel Scout locomotives are poor pullers, even when compared to other starter set locomotives. The best answer to this statement is, it depends. Over the course of the five-year run, several different locomotives led the Scout series sets. First came the number 1001. This locomotive was the ultimate in cost savings, featuring both a plastic motor and a plastic shell. Unfortunately, plastic is lightweight, and Lionel quickly discovered that the number 1001 was so light that it could barely pull the basic two-car plus caboose Scout set, and could not pull the Deluxe set with the additional boxcar at all. Lionel's solution to this in 1948 was the number 1101. Some were mismarked as number 1001. Essentially, a modified number 1655 locomotive with a die-cast shell, a three-position reverse unit, a standard metal motor, and even some add-on details. This wasn't really a Scout locomotive at all, but rather a last-minute replacement for the number 1001 used in some of the Deluxe Scout sets. This locomotive is a good puller and has more details than a typical Scout locomotive, and it makes a nice addition to an 027 fleet if you can find one. In 1949, Lionel had learned from the number 1001 debacle and produced the number 1110, which would be the standard Scout locomotive for 1949, 1951, and 1952. This steamer has the plastic Scout motor, but a die-cast shell, and a headlight, although no headlight lens. It's a decent puller by starter set standards, able to handle five to six cars on level track with little trouble at all. There are several variations of the 1110 concerning details on the boiler front, as well as a slightly improved motor for the 1951 and 1952 version, but performance is pretty comparable for all of the 1110s. In 1950, Lionel celebrated its golden anniversary with the inclusion of magnetraction on every locomotive, even the lowly Scout series. Therefore, the 1120 was produced, essentially an 1110 with magnetraction, but without a headlight to try to offset the cost. This is a slightly better puller than the 1110, able to handle six to eight cars on level track. However, with the outbreak of the Korean War, material shortages caused Lionel to remove magnetraction from most locomotives starting in 1951, so the 1110 returned to lead the Scout line for the remainder of its production. So, with the exception of the number 1001, most Scout locomotives can pull generally as well as other post-war starter set steamers. Next, it's said that Scout trains lack details and features. Well, this is absolutely true, but since the Scout cars were the foundation of most post-war Lionel sets from 1953 onwards, is it really fair to single out the Scout line for derision? The cheapening of the product line by removing details was a fact of life across the entire Lionel product line as the post-war era progressed. The last statement is, Scout sets are total junk and should be avoided. Personally, I must disagree. With the exception of the 1001, Scout locomotives are comparable in operation to other post-war starter set steamers. The 1110 is a good design with a low center of gravity that helps it track well and it pulls just fine. With a slight modification to the couplers, Scout cars can be a cheap and colorful addition to any 027 layout. So, if you're looking to make an inexpensive addition to your 027 layout, or simply looking for something you don't have to worry about the grandkids destroying when they visit, give these underappreciated Scout sets a look. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and if so, please like it, share it, subscribe, and leave a comment about your experience with Lionel Scout sets. Keep the trains running, and we'll see you next time on Toy Train Tips and Tricks.