LIONEL TRAINS 151 SEMAPHORE SIGNAL ACCESSORY

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

LIONEL TRAINS SEMAPHORE SIGNAL No. 151

The Semaphore Signal No. 151 during its first year of production would have the same GREEN base that was used on the No. 153 Block Signal. This was the first of the early variations that occurred. Another variation that occurred concerned the semaphore arm. The most commonly found arms have a countersunk "V" in BLACK on a YELLOW painted arm. This allowed for a less labor intensive production of the painted arms. The early variations have an arm that has a raised BLACK "V." One has a RED painted arm.

Produced from 1947 until the end of the post-war period in 1969, it would normally have a BLACK base with the YELLOW painted arm. See the details and the variations that are listed below.

The semaphore is lit by a single L363 or L53 bayonet bulb. These lights use .20 and .10 amps respectively. The Lionel Service Manual calls for the use of an 151-51 lamp which is equivalent to the Lionel L363, but we suggest using the L53 lamp since it draws less current and will not get as hot as the L363. The semaphore originally came with both of these lights.

The post finial is in all instances is nickel plated. The early posts have one hole that is seen at the top of the posts. Later variations with the revised post have two or three of these holes. These holes were used for access of the wiring needed on the above mentioned block signal. One version produced in 1957 has a post that is made out of aluminum.

When the weight of a passing train activated the contact placed under the track the arm would move 90 degrees and show a RED aspect signal.

During the first two years of production Lionel used a No. 153C Contact to work the semaphore.

Instructions for hooking up the semaphore were included in the instructions for this contact dated 8-47 that showed how the train could be wired for control from the No. 153C Contact.

Beginning in 1950, Lionel changed the contacter to a No. 145C and the instructions for this contact dated 6-50 were included with the semaphore. In April of 1953 Lionel issued a Correction Sheet No. 1312 amending these instructions. The wiring diagram that was on the orignal instructions is illustrated on back page of Sheet No. 445-55 issued with the No. 445 Switch Tower.

Early issues have flat front GREEN and RED lenses on the arm that are heat-staked in the back. During manufacture the lenses were inserted in the arm and heated from the rear to so that they melted and flowed out into the ridge that holds them in place. This process was tedious and was discarded in favor of the more commonly seen domed lenses that are inserted from the front of the arm.

As was shown in the 1947 catalog, the first of the semaphore used the No. 153 GREEN base. Shortly after this base was later painted BLACK. Both of these early issues have the "No. 153" on the bottom of the base.

All of these bases have the capital letter "I" that have dots above these "I's" in "MADE IN U.S. OF AMERICA." Later issues would remove the "No. 153" and the dots above the "I's," but still showed the casting part number of 153-3.

Finally this casting number was removed because the mold was modified to have a thicker base. This necessitated a modification in the way the terminals were fastened to this base. Earlier issues used a rolled crimps while the later thicker bases use a star crimp for these terminals.

At least two different molds were used for the semaphore arm. On the early issues with the raised "V" the color of the arm appears to be painted by hand. When Lionel changed the arm to a recessed "V" they simplified the painting of the arm which could now be done with one sweep of a paint roller.

The socket that holds the lamps was also changed over the time of production. Early examples have a socket that is .49" in diameter near where the wire enters. Lionel had the same problem with mounting the bayonet bulb in these sockets as they did with the No. 71 Lamp Post. Shortly after 1949 the base was modified to .53" diameter to better hold the light socket.

Dimensions:

Height: 9-3/4 inches to the tip of the blade
Base: 4 inches long, 1-3/4 inches wide.

There are seven variations:

Note the flat colored inserts on the blade used on Variation A and B

Sepaphore Signal Head found on later variations

Variation A: Has a GREEN base and indicates two numbers on the bottom: "No. 153" and "No. 153-3." The latter is the casting number for the No. 153 Block Signal that was used for the first issue of the semaphore.

Also, on the bottom of the base there are "dots" above the upper case "I"s in "MADE IN U.S. OF AMERICA" that is cast into this base. The RED and GREEN lenses on the arm have been heat-staked into the arm and are flat on the front side. This arm has the raised BLACK "V."

Variation B: Same as Variation A except with a BLACK base.

Variation C: Identical to Variation B except with a RED painted arm instead of the normally found YELLOW. No reported reproductions of this arm have appeared, but collectors should be cautious if purchasing this variation.

Variation D: This is the most common variation that has the recessed "V" on the arm and with a SILVER painted post. There are two or three holes drilled through this post below the lamp housing.

May have "153-3" or no number at all cast into the bottom of the base. The "dots" above "MADE IN THE U.S. AMERICA" have been removed from the bottom of the base casting.

Variation E: Identical to Variation D except that the post is unpainted aluminum. Produced in late 1956 or 1957, this piece is dated because of the ORANGE RED box and the instruction sheet that came with it that shows the date: 1957.

Variation F: Identical to Variation D except housed in blister packaging and numbered B151. Produced in 1966, the value of this variation is tied to the packaging.

Variation G: Identical to Variation D, but without the ladder, or the holes to accept the ladder in the base. Possibly and early MPC production, confirmation of this variation is needed.

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