Cupola Window Frames

The front and rear facing windows on the cupola did not have window frames on all dies except for Die 4.

Step Width

The steps for this caboose were, when viewed from the bottom, all of the narrow type with the exception of Die 4.

Smoke Stack Reinforcement

Lionel would reinforce that smoke stack opening on those cabooses that had a smoke stack during the early production of this car. This practice was discontinued on Die 3, 3A, and 3B, and would be reinstated to accommodate the No. 6557 Smoking Caboose in 1958, and would continue until the end of production in 1969 on Die 4.

Smoke Stack Plug

On those cabooses that did not have a smoke stack Lionel would plug this hole in three different fashions:

Rim - the rim was raised and was parallel to the catwalk with a recessed center. Used on Die 1, 1A, 2, and 2A.
Raised - the plug was raised parallel to the roof slope. Used on Die 3.
Lowered - The plug was below the roof line and parallel to the catwalk. Used on Die 4.

Side Rivets

There are eight rivets below the side windows number 3 and 4 on Dies 1, 3A, 3B, and 4.

There are four rivets below the same windows on Dies 2, and 3C.

Ladder Slots

Early editions of this caboose would have end ladders. After these were removed from production the slots to hold them were still present in the Dies that made the bodies. These slots are found on Dies 1, 2, and 4.

They have been removed on all varieties of Die 3.

Side Grab Rails

Side Grab Rails touch the second rivet on Dies 1, and 1A.

Side Grab Rail clears the second rivet on Dies 2, 2A, and 3.

Side Grab Rail touches the third rivet on Die 4.

Cupola Roof Rails

High Roof Rails on Dies 1, 1A, 2, and 2A.

Low, Short Roof Rails (11/32" = A) on Die 3.

Low, Long Roof Rails (3/16" = A) on Dies 3A, 3B, and 3C.

Door End Rivets

On the door ends of this caboose there are no Extra Rivets between the door rivet row and the roof rivet row on Dies 1, 1A, 2, and 2A.

The door ends have extra rivets between the door rivet row and the roof rivet row (Note: the RED arrows in the picture) on Die 3, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and 4.

Roof Wedges

On Panel 4 near the catwalk are two wedges (BLUE arrows) that are a result of a repair to the casting die. Seen only on Dies 3B and 3C.



Extra Rivets and Lines

As a result of damage to the casting die Panel 1 and 2 have faint lines and rivets on all of the Die 3 variants (RED arrows).



Extra Catwalk Board

The ladder slot and this extra "board" appear only on early issues of the Type 3 Die (GREEN arrow).

Catwalk Supports

One of the changes that is found in Die 4 is the end supports for the catwalk that were cast into the body of this caboose. These supports are only found on Die 4 and it is probably the easiest way to determine if this casting was used.