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This Identification Guide for Lionel Electric Trains covers the "Post-war Era" only from 1945 until 1969. |
SMALL MOTORIZED UNITS |
ome were based on prototype engines, others were made to fit existing chassis and bodies that were in production by the creative people in Lionel’s design department. Beginning with the popular "Gang Car" No. 50 in 1954, Lionel went on to make many different types of these small motorized units. |
Below we’ve listed these units by order of function and also by the type of OEM units that they were based on. Readers who need more information are respectfully urged to seek outside sources. |
AUTOMATIC DIRECTIONAL REVERSING UNITS |
eginning with the No. 50 Gang Car in 1954, Lionel would produce several others of this type of small unit. These units would be distinguished by their automatic reversing feature. They 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. These units would do this perpetually until the power was turned off. Usually some other feature changed when it struck the bumper. For example, on the Gang Car, one of the men would change position. |
There are four different units in the class. They are: No. 50 Gang Car No. 52 Fire Car No. 60 Lionelville Trolley No. 69 Maintenance Car See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual units in this class. |
GAS TURBINE UNITS |
irst produced in 1955, these small units proved to be very popular. Beginning with the No. 41 United States Army Unit, these small engines were unpainted with heat-stamped lettering and are often found with broken or cracked window struts. Collectors should always check for this common fault. There are three different units in the class. They are: |
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20-TON GAS VULCAN UNITS |
he Vulcan Iron Works Company of Wilkes-Barre, PA, produced a total of 54 diesel-electric switcher units between 1938 and 1954. Lionel utilized their basic form as the prototype for these small units and adapted some of them to service that was never seen on the prototype railroads. None the less, this group of units includes the No. 56 M. & St.L Mine Service and the No. 57 AEC units that are among the rarest of these small units made during the Post War period. |
No. 51 Navy Yard No. 57 AEC |
No. 53 Denver & Rio Grande Snow Plow No. 58 Great Northern Snow Blower |
No. 56 M. & St.L. Mine Service | |
See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual units in this class. |
MAINTENANCE OF WAY UNITS |
ionel used the small unit type of engine to portrait many different types of "Maintenance of Way" equipment that was based on some of the pieces that were used by the railroads of the day. Some of these creations must have been engineering nightmares like the No. 3360 Burro Crane and the No. 65 Handcar, which proved to be problematic throughout its production history. These units are all highly valued by collectors today and are among the most unique items produced by Lionel during the Post War Era. |
No. 3360 Burro Crane No. 55 Tie-Jector |
No. 3927 Track Cleaning Car No. 65 Handcar |
No. 54 Ballast Tamper No. 68 Executive Inspection Car |
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See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual units in this class. |
41 Army Transportation Corps 42 Picatinny Arsenal 50 Gang Car 51 Navy Yard 52 Fire Car 53 Rio Grande Snow Plow |
54 Ballast Tamper 55 Tie-Jector 56 M. & St. L 57 AEC 58 Great Northern Snow Blower 59 U.S. Air Force Minuteman |
60 Trolley 65 Handcar 68 Executive Inspection Car 69 Maintenance Unit 3360 Burro Crane Unit 3927 Track Cleaning Car |