Lionel Electric Trains Identification Guide Sub-Title Bottom of Page

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

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The Lionel SP Type CaboosesLIONEL TRAINS CABOOSES

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Virginian N5C Porthole Caboose No. 6427-60

Lionel produced four main types of caboose during the Post War years. All of these cabooses except the Bay Window Type experienced some kind of detail degradation as the Post War period progressed.
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Lionel printed their production numbers on the side of these cars. We’ve listed these cars by this number in order in the Numerical Index below. In some cases, especially with the Porthole Type, this production number was different than the number that was printed on the car. In such instances, we’ve listed the actual number that is on the car in parenthesis in the numerical listing. If the car has no number refer to our No Number listing below.

We’ve listed these cars in the following sub-types:
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BB SP Type
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BB Bay Window Type
BB N5C Porthole Type
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BB Work Cabooses

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The Lionel SP Type CaboosesSP-TYPE CABOOSES

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The Lionel SP Type CaboosesThe SP Type Caboose is the most prolific of the cabooses produced by Lionel during the Post War period. This caboose is based on a prototype that was used by the Southern Pacific railroad and first appeared in 1947. A wide variety of these cabooses were available, from elaborately detailed versions with ladders and tool boxes, to stripped down versions, some of which towards the end of the post war era were not even lettered.
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See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual cars in this class.

Readers who need more information are respectfully urged to seek outside sources.
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SP DIE TYPES
CHARACTERISTICS DIE 1 DIE 1A DIE 2 DIE 2A DIE 3 DIE 3A DIE 3B DIE 3C DIE 4
No Window Frames...details  
Window Frames
             
Thin Steps...details  
Thick Steps
             
Stack Opening: Reinforced...details      
Stack Opening: Not Reinforced            
Stack Plug: Rim Plug...details          
Stack Plug: Raised Plug          
Stack Plug: Lowered Plug                
Eight Rivets below windows 3 and 4...details        
Four Rivets below windows 3 and 4          
Ladder Slots...details        
No Ladder Slots          
Side Grab Rail Touches Rivet 2...details              
Side Grab Rail Clears Rivet 2      
Side Grab Rail Touches Rivet 3                
Cupola Roof Detail: High...details          
Cupola Roof Detail: Low                
Long Cupola Roof Railing            
Curved Cupola Roof Detail                
No Extra Rivets Above Door on End...details          
Extra Rivets Above Door on End        
Wedges near catwalk...details              
No Wedges near catwalk    
No Repair on Panel 1 & 2 on Roof...details        
Repaired Die on Panel 1 & 2 on Roof          
No End Supports For Catwalk...details  
End Supports For Catwalk                

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The Lionel SP Type CaboosesN5C PORTHOLE TYPE CABOOSES

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The Lionel N5C Porthole Type CaboosesThe N5C Porthole Caboose began to be available in 1953. It is based upon a prototype that was used by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Lionel would produce this caboose with the Lionel Lines, Lehigh Valley and Virginian road names applied to this caboose, even though the Pennsylvania Railroad was the only prototype railroad that used this style of caboose. See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual cars in this class.

The Lionel Lehigh Valley Porthole Caboose No. 6417-50
Readers who need more information are respectfully urged to seek outside sources.

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The Lionel Bay Window Type CaboosesBAY WINDOW CABOOSES

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The Lionel Bay Window Type CaboosesThe Bay Window Caboose was first available in 1955 with the "Lionel Lines" designation on the side. It was equipped with deluxe passenger die-cast metal trucks and they had couplers at both ends. All of these cabooses are highly prised by collectors.

The Lionel Lines Bay Window Caboose No. 6517

See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual cars in this class.
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Readers who need more information are respectively urged to seek outside sources.


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The Lionel Work CabooseWORK CABOOSES

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The Lionel Work CabooseThe Work Caboose followed the same pattern as the other cabooses that Lionel produced over the Post War period. Initially produced on a die-cast flat car frame with tool boxes and a roof ladder, these cabooses would, toward the end of the post war period, have a stamped sheet metal frame, no ladder, and in most cases a single bin instead of tool boxes. See the Numerical Index for additional details about the individual cars in this class.

D.L. & W. No. 6420 Variation B
Readers who need more information are respectfully urged to seek outside sources.

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Numerical List Title
BB 1007 SP Lionel Lines Scout
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BB 2257 SP Lionel
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BB 2357 SP Lionel
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BB 2419 Work Lionel Lines D. L. & W.
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BB 2420 Work Lionel Lines D. L. & W.
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BB 2457 (477618) N5 Pennsylvania
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BB 2472 (477618) N5 Pennsylvania
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BB 4357 SP Lionel (Electronic Set)
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BB 4457 (477618) N5 Pennsylvania (Electronic Set)
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BB 6007 SP Lionel Lines
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BB 6017 SP Lionel
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BB 6017 SP Lionel Lines
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BB 6017-50 (601750) SP U.S. Marine Corps
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BB 6017-85 (6017) SP Lionel Lines
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BB 6017-100 (6017) SP Boston & Maine
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BB 6017-185 (6017) SP A.T. & S.F.
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BB 6017-200 (6017) SP U.S. Navy
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BB 6017-235 (6017) SP A.T.S.F.
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BB 6017-1968 (6017) SP 1968 TTOS Convention
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BB 6027 SP Alaska Railroad
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BB 6037 SP Lionel Lines
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BB 6047 SP Lionel Lines
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BB 6057 SP Lionel Lines
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BB 6057-50 (6057) SP Lionel Lines
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BB 6058 SP Chesapeake & Ohio
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BB 6059 SP Minneapolis & St. Louis
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BB 6119 Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6119-25 (611925) Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6119-75 (6119) Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6119-50 (6119) Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6119-100 (6119) Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6130 Work A.T. & S.F.
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BB 6167 SP Lionel Lines
BB 6167-85 (6167) SP Union Pacific
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BB 6219 Work Chesapeak & Ohio
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BB 6257 SP Lionel
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BB 6257-25 (6257) SP Circled L Lionel
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BB 6257-50 (6257) SP Lionel
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BB 6257-100 (6257) SP Lionel Lines
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BB 6257 SP Lionel Lines TTOS 1969 Convention
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BB 6357 SP Lionel
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BB 6357-50 (6357) SP A.T. & S.F.
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BB 6417 (536417) Porthole Pennsylvania
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BB 6417-25 (64173) Porthole Lionel Lines
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BB 6417-50 (641751) Porthole Lehigh Valley
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BB 6419 Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6419-25 (6419) Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6419-50 (6419) Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6419-75 (6419) Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6419-100 (576419) Work Lionel Norfolk & Western
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BB 6420 Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6427 (64273) Porthole Lionel Lines
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BB 6427-60 (6427) Porthole Virginian
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BB 6427-500 (576427) Porthole Pennsylvania (Girl’s Set)
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BB 6429 Work Lionel D. L. & W.
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BB 6437 Porthole Pennsylvania
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BB 6447 Porthole Pennsylvania
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BB 6457 SP Lionel
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BB 6517 Bay Window Lionel Lines
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BB 6517-75 (C301) Bay Window Erie
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BB 6517-1966 Bay Window 1966 TCA Convention
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BB 6557 SP Lionel Smoking
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BB 6657 SP Rio Grande
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BB 6814 Work Lionel Rescue Unit
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BB 6824 Work U.S.M.C. Rescue Unit

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No Number List Title
We’ve listed these unnumbered cars in order by their color, and type. The types listed are:
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SP Caboose defines those cars that are based on an SP prototype No. 6167 Die 4 molds.
Work Caboose: defines cars that are derived from the No. 6119 casting.

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BB RED SP Caboose No. 6067 Variation A
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BB YELLOW SP Caboose No. 6067 Variation B
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BB BROWN SP Caboose No. 6067 Variation C
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BB RED/GRAY/BLACK Work Caboose
Santa Fe No. 6119-100 Variation E, F, & G
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BB OLIVE DRAB Work Caboose
Rescue Unit No. 6119-125
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BB YELLOW Work Caboose No. 6120
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BB RED/BLACK Work Caboose
Santa Fe No. 6130 Variation C, D, & E
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BB RED SP Caboose No. 6167 Variation A & B
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BB YELLOW SP Caboose No. 6167 Variation C
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BB OLIVE DRAB SP Caboose No. 6167 Variation D
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BB BROWN SP Caboose No. 6167 Variation E

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BB Lionel Hopper Cars BB Lionel Tank Cars BB LIONEL CABOOSES BB Lionel Trucks and Couplers BB
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The Wabash GP-7 pulling a Pennsylvania N5C Porthole Caboose
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