Auto Loader Car No. 6414 was produced for 11 years (1956-66) during the post war era. Because of this, there are ten different variations. Many of these variations have to do with the quality and color of the autos that came with this flat car. In 1958, when the trucks changed from bar-end to AAR, the number moved to the left of the "LIONEL" inscription. We’ve shown the early issue of this car above left, and a later issue with four RED autos that have GRAY bumpers to the right. The last variation, pictured below, has a BLACK decal with YELLOW letters "6414 AUTO LOADER / EVANS," and this variation is rare.

Variation Details:

Variation A: RED colored car produced on mold 6511-2 with bar-end trucks attached to blackened metal end plates. Number is to the right of the heat-stamped "LIONEL" lettering on the car side. Came with four premium (Chrome Bumpers and clear Window inserts) autos that are almost always colored RED, YELLOW, WHITE, and TURQUOISE. These cars where housed in a cardboard sleeve (2/sleeve) when new. Produced between 1955 and 1957.

Variation B: Same as Variation A except the number has moved to the left side of the "LIONEL" inscription on the car side. Came with AAR trucks that have disc couplers. These trucks are riveted directly to the car chassis. Same colored cars, but it is also found with two RED and two YELLOW cars. The cardboard sleeve that housed these cars has been removed from the original packaging. Produced between 1958 and 1963.

Variation C: Same as Variation B except uses mold 6424-11.

Variation D: Same as Variation B or C except one disc and one solid non-operating coupler. Came with four reduced quality cars (GRAY bumpers and no clear Window inserts) and is found in a rare ORANGE picture box numbered 6414-85. Produced in 1961.

Variation E: Same as Variation B except car is a lighter RED color. Came with four RED autos with GRAY bumpers that match the color of the car. Produced between 1964 and 1966.

Variation F: Same as Variation E except came with four YELLOW autos with GRAY bumpers.

Variation G: Same as Variation E except came with four MUSTARD YELLOW cars with GRAY bumpers.

Variation H: Same as Variation E but came with four CHOCOLATE BROWN autos with GRAY bumpers.

Variation I: Identical to Variation E except came with four KELLY GREEN autos with GRAY bumpers.

Variation J: Produced in the last year of the post war period for Glen Uhl, a Lionel Service Station owner in Akron Ohio. Production of this car did not exceed 200 units. The car is not numbered and it has late open journal AAR trucks that have one disc coupler and one solid non-operating coupler. The common rubber-stamped lettering on the auto rack has been replaced with a BLACK background and YELLOW san-serif "6414 AUTO LOADER" lettered decal. There is no anti-skid detail on either the upper or lower auto rack. The decals have been reproduced, but forgeries are difficult to construct due to the additional changes to this car. Came with four RED autos with GRAY bumpers that match the color of the car.