The No. 50 Gang Car was first produced in 1954 and was a big hit with Lionel’s customers. The unit would run in only one direction depending on where the sliding directional plate on the unit was located. When it came to the end of the track, and struck a bumper, the plate would move, and the unit would reverse direction until it hit another bumper at the other end of the track. One of the men on the top of the unit would also move when it reversed direction. The Gang Car would do this perpetually until the power was turned off.

Many variations occurred over the eleven years that Lionel made this unit, but all of them are minor, and have caused only a slight variation in the value of the unit, with the exception of those cars that have GRAY instead of BLUE colored bumpers. The number "50" does not always appear painted on the side of these units. There was only one electrical center rail pick-up on this motorized unit so it would not negotiate switches or crossovers at a slow speed.