LIONEL TRAINS 6464 SERIES BOX CARS IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

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

THE LIONEL TRAINS 6464 SERIES BOX CARS

The 6464 Series Box Cars would like to welcome you to your worst collecting nightmare!

The Western Pacific No. 6464-100 with large feather

Collectors have identified over several hundred variations on these cars from different door types and rivet patterns on the sides, to the color of the paint and plastic that Lionel used in their manufacture. It is beyond the scope this identification guide to list all of these variations. We will, however, show you some of the major ones, along with a few of the production errors that occurred, so you’ll have an idea of what you’re getting into should you decide to collect these variations.

Readers who need more information are respectively urged to seek outside sources.

Beginning in 1953, Lionel would offer one or more of these 10-1/2 inch cars up until the last year of the post-war period in 1969.


6464-1 Western Pacific 6464-25 Great Northern 6464-50 Minneapolis & St. Louis 6464-75 Green Rock Island 6464-100 Western Pacific Feather 6464-125 New York Central Pacemaker 6464-150 Missouri Pacific Eagle 6464-175 Silver Rock Island 6464-200 Pennsylvania 6464-225 Southern Pacific Overnight	6464-250 Western Pacific Feather 6464-275 State of Maine 6464-300 Rutland 6464-325 Baltimore & Ohio Sentinel 6464-350 M-K-T Katy 6464-375 Central of Georgia 6464-400 Baltimore & Ohio Timesaver 6464-425 New Haven 6464-450 Great Northern 6464-475 Boston & Maine	6464-500 Timken 6464-510 NYC Pacemaker 6464-515 M-K-T Katy 6464-525 M & St. L 6464-650 Rio Grande 6464-700 Santa Fe 6464-725 New Haven 6464-825 Alaska Railroad 6464-900 New York Central

6464 SERIES DOOR TYPES

The Single ID Block Door on the 6464 Series

The Multi ID Block Door on the 6464 Series

All of the very early 6464 cars came with Single-block doors. However, in 1955 to accommodate the paint scheme of the new No. 6464-275 State of Maine car, Lionel developed the Multi-block door.

Single block doors would continue be seen on these cars through 1957 as Lionel used up existing stock. Multi-block doors would then be used on these cars for the remainder of the post-war period.

Because the doors are easily interchangeable collectors place no extra value in any of these cars because of the door type.

6464 SERIES BODY TYPES

The first three columns are incomplete at the top. Column is also broken at the bottom.

First seen in 1954. Columns and are broken near the top as in Type I. Column has three rivets at the top and two at the bottom. All of the rivets in Column have been removed. There are two versions of Type II which have to do with lines on the roof. See below for sub-types.

Production started on this type sometime in late 1958. Four rivets down from the top in Column there is a break. In Column has there are only three rivets at the top and two at the bottom. Column has a break near the top. There are only two rivets at the top and the bottom in Column . Type III has visible interior roof ribs.

This type was produced starting in 1960. Same as Type III, but Column has only three rivets at top and two at the bottom. Type IV also has interior roof ribs.