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



Locomotives

ionel produced a wide variety of locomotives throughout the entire Post-war period.

Wheel configuration determines the type of locomotive. With steam locomotives, the front wheels guide the engine along the tracks. The next and larger set, the drivers, transfer power to the rails. The trailing set supports the weight of the firebox. These sets of wheels are arranged in order left to right to show each type of configuration. For example: 2-6-4 designates a locomotive with one axle and two wheels in front, six wheels on three axles that drive the locomotive, and four wheels on two axles that support the firebox. This wheel arrangement is known as "Adriatic."

Shown below are the wheel arrangements that were produced by Lionel during the Post-war years.



We’ve divided these locomotives into the two areas that Lionel produced them for. The "O27" gauge locomotives were more economically priced and there are more of these in existance today. However, a good portion of these engines were the same as their "O" Gauge counterparts with just a change in the number of the locomotive to define it as "O" Gauge. For example: the "O27" 4-6-4 Hudson No. 2046 used the same casting as the "O" Gauge No. 646 Hudson.

Some of the "O" Gauge locomotives will not run on "O27" Gauge track. One of these engines is the 2-8-4 Berkshire No. 726 & 736 that was in production from 1946 until 1966. Refer to the Track Identification Page for details on locomotive and rolling stock compatibility.

Lionel almost always placed their identification number underneath the cab of the locomotive. Shown below are some of the various numbers they used to identify these locomotives.

O27 Gauge - you’ll note that Lionel used four-digit numbers for these locomotives.



Note: The exception to this is the 200 Series of Locomotives that were based on the earlier 2-4-2 No. 1130 Scout design.



O Gauge - for their O Gauge locomotives Lionel used a three-digit designation.





The plate on the bottom of the locomotive will provide you with additional information. This plate often shows the year of manufacture.

Here’s is an example from the bottom of the Lionel 736 Berkshire locomotive. The plate is located between the center rail electrical pick-ups. Note the lack of wheel flanges on the two center driving axles that allow this locomotive to negotiate the sharp curves of Lionel’s "O" Gauge track.