This fireman and ladder car was quite an object of labor for Lionel. According to the Lionel Service Manual 26 of the 38 serviceable parts were manufactured just for this car. Because of its delicate nature these cars were really not designed for use by small children, and because of this, it is extremely hard to find them today in complete original condition. Many of the parts for this car have been reproduced and it is a rare occurrence to find a car that does not use some of these parts. One of the first parts that the collector should look for are the fire nozzles that are located behind the fireman on the deck of the car. These are often missing. The extension ladder stops that hold and center the ladder on the car are often broken and the side ladders from the No. 394 Beacon are sometimes missing and the catches that hold them are frequently broken. There are two variations:
Variation A: Has a BLACK extension ladder.
Variation B: Has a SILVER extension ladder. This variation is harder to find.
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