The 2245 Texas Special F3 AB unit by Lionel was one of the first Lionel F3A units. Although it was cataloged as a 027 gauge item, it was always sold as an AB combination. The model was manufactured for only two years and came in three distinct variants. One of these variants, the ‘Texas Special,’ was the first to have a single engine.
The original Texas Special ran between St. Louis, Missouri and San Antonio, Texas before being cut back to Kansas City. The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway and St. Louis-San Francisco Railway jointly operated the train from 1915 to 1965. The Texas Special was one of Lionel’s most popular trains, and the O-scale set features hand-painted passenger figures, metal details separately applied, and interior lighting.
This set features the Texas Special F3 AB Diesel, made by Lionel from 1945 to 1969. The diesel engine has a cracked coupler and slight track damage, and requires some work to run properly. In addition, Lionel sells a post-war texas special diesel engine repair kit. Lastly, the original texas specials, the 211 series, include a repaint, and the f3 ab has seven passenger cars.
The LIONEL 2245P Texas Special locomotive was a popular electric train car in the post-war era. The 2245C Texas Special “B”, Unit was the first to have a single motor. The 2436 “Summit” Observation Car ornament was the 23rd in the LIONEL Trains collector’s series. It measures 0.78″ W x 1.2″ H x 3.62″ D.
For collectors and train hobbyists, Lionel also offers Ready-to-Run (RTR) sets. These ready-to run sets include the complete train set, an oval track, a power supply and rolling stock. The company also sells specialty track products, including traction motors, track, and rolling stock. There is an O-Gauge set available for every occasion.