2454 series box car

image not found on all shots

Not quite sure what you mean by "image not found on all shots" but thanks for a response. 

No pictures !!  I have a few, will check them out.

The picture are not showing for me either.

Pictures no workie for me either.  Tjat said, the 2454 is one of my favorite cars and I have several including the earliest Orange door PRR 2454.  Great cars!

Thanks guys for letting me know my pics didn't show up (computer savvy I'm not). I'll attempt this again.

Someone tried to touch up the lettering and didn't do a very good job. That is not a heat stamp gone awry. Looks like they used a fine Sharpie pen.

Pete

You must remember, they were trying to get their trains out for the first time in four years. The demand was super high and American Flyer was introducing a new S scale system. Automobiles, housing, everything was in huge demand. If you could find a Lionel set in those days you were lucky and you sure wouldn't take it back for bad graphics. Like all history you need to put yourself in the time period to truly understand it.

By the way while I don't run the old cars I still love those small box cars. Even have two Southern Pacific boxcars that I have never seen in Lionel's catalog. Don

I agree with Pete.  That is not a heat stamping problem; someone tried to paint over it and it didn’t go well.

My car has "X2454" with a brown door.

To me it looks like the heat stamp was too heavy and melted the plastic and didn't transfer the ink from the ribbon well.

Even have two Southern Pacific boxcars that I have never seen in Lionel's catalog. Don

I am aware of a 6454 Southern Pacific boxcar. Without looking, I think it is brown. There is a variation in the herald. Some cars have the "SP" herald with an unbroken circle, others have a break in the circle. In my experience, it is one of the less common cars.

Is yours something different?

I think there may be a shade variation on the SP as well.  Too lazy to go look though!  I agree, the circle variation isn't that hard to locate with the internet.  A train of 2454's and 6454's makes for a nice looking consist and not as long as full size cars.  Only downside is you need good clean wheels and trucks or they get heavy quick!

Had to look at Tandem Associates. They do list a color variation. Might also be a door variation (metal versus plastic).

I have several, I think all of mine are brown, with both herald variations. Don't know about the doors, I would have to dig them out of storage.

I agree that a train of 2454 and 6454 boxcars looks great.

As for the blotched lettering, if its due to a Sharpie, the ink is soluable on alcohol. If you dampen a towel in alcohol and wipe it over the letters and see black on the towel its from a pen. Quick wipes with a small paint brush, Q tip or towel should reduce it, may not remove it completely if the ink has stained the paint. Don't soak it in alcohol as it will eventually soften the paint. Stop if you see yellow on your wiper and let it dry.

As for the SP cars, I think all the red brown cars have the complete circle. All the light brown cars have the broken circle. The early light brown cars have corner stirrups which were omitted the following year and there after.

BTW does anyone else have a modern TTOS repros done a few years ago? Erie, SP, and PRR.

Pete

No modern repros. Just postwar.

I’d like to run into a couple of the modern ones but not anywhere near list price!

Dennis Holler posted:

I’d like to run into a couple of the modern ones but not anywhere near list price!

I picked up two at auction for a fraction of what TTOS was asking new. Then added Post War frames with stirrups.

Pete

Dennis Holler posted:

I think there may be a shade variation on the SP as well.  Too lazy to go look though!  I agree, the circle variation isn't that hard to locate with the internet.  A train of 2454's and 6454's makes for a nice looking consist and not as long as full size cars.  Only downside is you need good clean wheels and trucks or they get heavy quick!

that they do. I did that once, put mine behind my RK M1a...made a great train with an N5c at the end.One of the first shows I went to a guy had a box of 2454/6454 in a junk box and I brought the whole thing home,and that started me off on rebuilds.

to me, it doesn't look like a sharpie.  Just looks like a bad stamp job.    I really like the 6454/2454/3464 boxcars.  On the new small PW layout I'm building they work perfectly due to the short size. They are heavy though once you get a bunch together. 

They are heavy though once you get a bunch together. 

I see that as a good thing, especially on a small layout.

Just want to thank everyone that responded to my inquiry of the heat stamping on my Baby Ruth X2454. Some thought it was indeed poor heat stamp job. Some thought it was just poor cover up. Truth probably lies in the middle. But anyway it's all what makes this hobby so much fun and why we love it so. Just joined the forum and that was my first post and, again, thanks for all your input.