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Lionel Electric Trains Identification Guide Sub-Title
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This Identification Guide for Lionel Electric Trains covers the "Post-war Era" only from 1945 until 1969.

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The Lionel Trains Gondola CarsLIONEL TRAINS GONDOLA CARS

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Lionel Trains New York Central Red Type 1c Gondola Car

Lionel knew the value of this car from the pre-war years. Although, all of the post war cars would be made from plastic, they carried the tradition of hauling many types of loads into to the post war period. It was a rare train set that did not have at least one of these cars.

The first car issued was a nicely detailed eight inch car labeled for the Pennsylvania railroad in 1945. In 1948, this car was joined by another eight inch car that was labeled "LIONEL" and was always found in Lionel’s Scout and later their more economical sets. The third, and larger, 9-9/16 inch car was almost always imprinted with New York Central markings. There were other specialized cars that were issued and these are listed in the Operating Cars section.
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Below we’ve listed these cars by their series type:

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BB 2452 SERIES 8 INCH PENNSYLVANIA GONDOLA CARS BB 6000 SERIES 8 INCH LIONEL GONDOLA CARS
BB 6462 SERIES 9-9/16 INCH GONDOLA CARS

At the bottom of this page are indexed those gondola cars that we’ve researched listed in Numerical order. If the car has no number refer to our No Number listing below.
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Readers who need more information are respectfully urged to seek outside sources.


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Lionel Trains Small Gondola CarsTHE 2452 SERIES EIGHT INCH GONDOLA CARS

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Lionel Trains 2452 Series Gondola Cars

Lionel Trains Small Gondola CarsThese 8 inch Gondola Cars were first available in 1945. They consisted of a BLACK plastic body held to a sheet metal under frame by four corner screws that are visible from the top. This under frame had four steps located at each corner. Initial production used Type 1a or 1b trucks in 1945, and Type 2 or Type 3a trucks were used in 1946.
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These first productions used the Type 1a body mold with a circular opening in the middle. To accommodate the electronic control for the No. 4452 this opening was modified in 1947 (Type 1b).

2452 Body Types
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The Type 1b body mold was used on 1947 and later productions that had Type 3b trucks. Note that the early productions used flat fillister head body screws, while the 1947 and subsequent productions would use smaller round head screws to attach the body to the under frame.
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This car was not available after 1949.
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See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual gondola cars in this series.


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Lionel Trains Small Gondola CarsTHE 6000 SERIES EIGHT INCH GONDOLA CARS

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Lionel Trains No. 6012 Variation C

Lionel Trains Small Gondola CarsThese 8 inch Gondola Cars were first produced for Lionel’s Scout Sets in 1948, and unlike their predecessors the 2452 Series they did not have a metal undercarriage. Equipped initially with scout trucks they would later be fitted with regular trucks with magnetic and later disc couplers. These cars are always imprinted with the "LIONEL" name and were made entirely from plastic.

This car was produced until the end of the post-war period in 1969.
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See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual gondola cars in this series.

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The Lionel Large Gondoala CarsTHE LIONEL 6462 SERIES 9-9/16 INCH GONDOLA CARS

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The Lionel Trains Gondola No.6462 Variation L
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The Lionel Large Gondoala CarsThese Large Lionel Gondola Cars measure 9-9/16 inches long and they joined the Lionel line in 1949. These cars almost always appeared with the markings for the "NEW YORK CENTRAL" railroad and sometimes they came with six barrels that, until 1954, were the type that have the top and bottom rims. After this date, these barrels were of the smaller type that were sometimes stained, and these barrels were developed for use with the No. 3562 Barrel Car.
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First issues of these cars have brake wheels and side steps at the four corners that were part of the sheet metal under frame. These steps were eliminated by 1950. Lionel was not consistent in their use of brake wheels, which are sometimes found throughout the various issues until 1954, when they were eliminated.
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In 1954 Lionel would change the way the heat-stamped lettering was applied. Prior to this date the "N" in "NYC" was located in the second panel and after 1954 this letter appeared in the third panel. It is important to note that the earlier issues have the number "Under-Scored," whereas later issues would have the "NYC" "Over-Scored" and only sometimes was the number still "Under-Scored."
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Running concurrently with these changes was that of the weight data that was printed on the sides of the cars. From 1949 until 1951 there was three lines of data, and from 1950 until 1954 there would be only two lines of data. After 1954 Lionel would revert back to three lines of car weight data. First issues of these cars had Staple-End trucks. These were replaced by Bar-end trucks in late 1951.
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All in all, this issue of these gondola cars makes one of the most interesting examples of variations for the collector. See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual gondola cars in this series.

6462 Series Body Types
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Production Table for the 6462 Lionel Gondola Types

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Numerical List Title
BB 1002 Lionel
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BB 2452 (347000) Pennsylvania
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BB 2452X (347000) Pennsylvania
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BB 4452 (347000) Pennsylvania
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BB 6002 New York Central
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BB 6012 Lionel
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BB 6032 Lionel
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BB 6042 Lionel BLACK (A)
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BB 6042-75 Lionel BLUE (B)
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BB 6062 New York Central
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BB 6112 Lionel
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BB 6142 Lionel
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BB 6162 New York Central
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BB 6162-60 Alaska Railroad
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BB 6452 (347000) Pennsylvania
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BB 6462 New York Central BLACK (A)
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BB 6462 New York Central BLACK (B)
BB 6462 New York Central BLACK (C)
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BB 6462 New York Central BLACK (D)
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BB 6462 New York Central BLACK (E)
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BB 6462 New York Central BLACK (F)
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BB 6462 New York Central BLACK (G)
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BB 6462 New York Central BLACK (H)
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BB 6462 New York Central BLACK (I)
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BB 6462 New York Central BRICK RED (K)
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BB 6462 New York Central BRICK RED (L)
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BB 6462 New York Central BRICK RED (M)
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BB 6462 New York Central RED (Q)
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BB 6462-25 (6462) New York Central GREEN
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BB 6462-125 (6462) New York Central RED
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BB 6462-500 (6462) New York Central PINK (Girl’s Set)
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BB 6562-1 (6562) New York Central GRAY (A)
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BB 6562-25 (6562) New York Central RED (B)
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BB 6562-50 (6562) New York Central BLACK (C)

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No Number List Title
We’ve listed these unnumbered cars by their color, type:

BB LIGHT BLUE 6000 Series Plastic w/detailed underside 6042-250
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BB GREEN 6000 Series Plastic w/detailed underside 6142-50 Variation B
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BB BRIGHT TRANSLUCENT GREEN 6000 Series Plastic w/detailed underside 6142-50 Variation C
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BB OLIVE DRAB 6000 Series Plastic w/detailed underside 6142-175 Variation H

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BB Lionel Operating Cars BB Lionel Cattle, Refrigerator & Vat Cars BB LIONEL GONDOLA CARS BB
BB Lionel Hopper Cars BB Lionel Tank Cars BB Lionel Cabooses BB Lionel Trucks and Couplers BB
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6464 Box Cars pulled by a Trainmaster
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