Skip to main content

It was made back in the 80's.  I have a regular production one too and the differences are interesting.  i think that the one I have was used for the catalog illustration.  I was in contact with someone that had the C&NW bay window caboose prototype.  I don't have a picture available at the moment, the engine is kind of buried in a storage tub at present.

Originally Posted by Norton:

3rd Rail Southern Pacific GS-4 done in the as built paint scheme and forward number boards. Only one like it AFAIK.

 

Pete

Pete, can you tell me more about your one off GS-4?   Any photos you can share?  How does someone obtain a model like that?

 

I do have the black version which is pretty limited.

 

Thanks,

 

Nick

 

 

image

image

image

Attachments

Images (3)
  • image
  • image
  • image
Last edited by audidriven

here is a good test for those saying they never see their 'rare' piece up for sale.  try posting a "wanted" ad and see how fast you either get a response or suddenly see one for sale at a higher than expected price on eBay.

when Weaver was producing brass models, they brought out an 0-6-0 USRA switcher in a number of roadnames, but with only 25 of each.  i have one, but i don't consider it rare.  250+ piece production runs as some have commented about their 'rare' models?  ...don't make me laugh.

for one of a kind models (scratchbuilt, production prototypes, etc) i feel the term rare to be a bit misleading.  my interest now mostly in live steam, almost every large scale, steam locomotive i see is unique, but i'd have difficulty considering every one of them rare.

rare should also be objective across all members of a hobby.  sure the locomotive passed down from your great grandfather or the set you received for your 5th birthday is priceless to you, but it's likely not to anyone outside your family.

my idea of rare?  open up an appropriate Greenberg book and find no information on your model or see the words, "Further details requested". 

sorry for the buzz-kill.
cheers...gary

Originally Posted by overlandflyer:


when Weaver was producing brass models, they brought out an 0-6-0 USRA switcher in a number of roadnames, but with only 25 of each.  i have one, but i don't consider it rare.  250+ piece production runs as some have commented about their 'rare' models?  ...don't make me laugh.

for one of a kind models (scratchbuilt, production prototypes, etc) i feel the term rare to be a bit misleading.  my interest now mostly in live steam, almost every large scale, steam locomotive i see is unique, but i'd have difficulty considering every one of them rare.

rare should also be objective across all members of a hobby.  sure the locomotive passed down from your great grandfather or the set you received for your 5th birthday is priceless to you, but it's likely not to anyone outside your family.

my idea of rare?  open up an appropriate Greenberg book and find no information on your model or see the words, "Further details requested". 

sorry for the buzz-kill.
cheers...gary

Picky picky.   Doesn't kill my buzz.  IMHO, my opinion is what matters most to me. 

Originally Posted by John23:

It was made back in the 80's.  I have a regular production one too and the differences are interesting.  i think that the one I have was used for the catalog illustration.  I was in contact with someone that had the C&NW bay window caboose prototype.  I don't have a picture available at the moment, the engine is kind of buried in a storage tub at present.

 

That would have been me. The prototype 9361 C&NW bay window caboose is on top.

 

I'd still love to see a photo of your loco!

 

TRW

 

c&nw cabooses

Attachments

Images (1)
  • c&nw cabooses

I don't know if this is "rare", but it's rare to me at least. I have an extremely beat-up Marx silver litho set with this C&S reefer in it. This is the only car that has a Marx chassis, but a body with a Joy Line coupler slot. I guess there must have been a few hybrids when Marx started out.

The loco is missing, but research suggests the set had a clockwork Vanderbilt.

 

 

joymarx1

joymarx2

Attachments

Images (2)
  • joymarx1
  • joymarx2
Originally Posted by PaperTRW:
Originally Posted by John23:

It was made back in the 80's.  I have a regular production one too and the differences are interesting.  i think that the one I have was used for the catalog illustration.  I was in contact with someone that had the C&NW bay window caboose prototype.  I don't have a picture available at the moment, the engine is kind of buried in a storage tub at present.

 

That would have been me. The prototype 9361 C&NW bay window caboose is on top.

 

I'd still love to see a photo of your loco!

 

TRW

 

c&nw cabooses

I'll try to dig it and the regular one up by next week.  I hope the differences show up in the photos.

Last edited by John23

When I had my shop I was able to do quite a bit of trading with people for new trains (1989/93) in our inventory. Was able to build of a pretty decent PW collection over the years but the only truly 'rare' items I came across were 3 the 027 Gondolas from the 1950's 'Disappearing train' set that Lionel produced to introduce Magne-Traction and the  Michigan Central Boxcar MPC built for the L.O.T.S 1st annual Convention.

IMO, none of my Lionel trains in my collection rare as the company has the power to crank up and re-run production on any item, at any time. Lionel also made millions of trains over the course of its existence. Hardly rare by any stretch of the imagination. If you own Dorfan, Ives, and Buddy L trains then those are rare because the companies that made them closed long ago and their trains will never be reproduced. "Rare" exists only in the mind of the collector. Try to sell it and see how "rare" it s.

Originally Posted by Dennis LaGrua:

IMO, none of my Lionel trains in my collection rare as the company has the power to crank up and re-run production on any item, at any time. Lionel also made millions of trains over the course of its existence. Hardly rare by any stretch of the imagination. If you own Dorfan, Ives, and Buddy L trains then those are rare because the companies that made them closed long ago and their trains will never be reproduced. "Rare" exists only in the mind of the collector. Try to sell it and see how "rare" it s.

 

 

When it comes to prewar & postwar Lionel, rare can also be applied to some of their products even if they were reproduced by modern-era Lionel; biggest reason is because any remakes now would be done by a reincarnation of Lionel, not the original Lionel Corporation that got out of the train business after 1969 and eventually went out of business in 1993.

I have a 1956 Wabash 2356 F3 AB I believe was made early in the year using leftover St Fe frame, trucks and shell.  As in the attached picture, the master carton is stamped with the "X" designation, painting is original as seen, and I understand I am second owner. Also have the aluminum dump car, 3rd Rail grey boiler SP cab forward someone mentioned earlier, etc.....

  But, I believe the Wabash F# AB may be most interesting.

 

Jesse

Sunset-3rd Rail S.P. AC-4 Cab Forward 4-8-8-2 no.4103

Lionel Post 128 News Stand

Lionel Post 600 MKT NW-2 - grey frame, yellow rails

Lionel Post 247-247T B&O uncat Military Set #X868

Lionel Post 2367 Wabash F-3 AB paper, boxes, master cart

Lionel Post 3459 Dump Hopper - Alum

Lionel Post 3562-50 Barrel Car painted yellow w box, insert, papers, etc.

Lionel Post 5160 Official Speedway Viewing Stand w box

Lionel Post 6456-75 LV Hopper, painted red, yellow lettering w box

Lionel Post 6828 Flatcar w P&H crane

Lionel Post 3666 Minuteman BC

Attachments

Images (11)
  • Sunset-3rd Rail S.P. AC-4 Cab Forward 4-8-8-2 no.4103
  • Lionel Post 128 News Stand
  • Lionel Post 600  MKT  NW-2  - grey frame, yellow rails
  • Lionel Post 247-247T B&O  uncat Military Set #X868
  • Lionel Post 2367 Wabash F-3 AB  paper, boxes, master cart
  • Lionel Post 3459 Dump Hopper - Alum
  • Lionel Post 3562-50 Barrel Car painted yellow w box, insert, papers, etc.
  • Lionel Post 5160 Official Speedway Viewing Stand w box
  • Lionel Post 6456-75 LV Hopper, painted red, yellow lettering w box
  • Lionel Post 6828 Flatcar w P&H crane
  • Lionel Post 3666 Minuteman BC

My mistake, or memory LOL, but the Wabash F3 is 2367.  Also, the news stand is an uncommon apple green, the operating gondola is the painted yellow, and others "rare" not shown.  Yes, is a matter of opinion based on knowledge and supply/demand.  But, it is the pleasure we enjoy that counts, and handing down to later generations to appreciate, and enjoy.

 

Take care, God bless...

 

Jesse

I think I have a couple of pieces that qualify:

 

--K-Line MP-15, clear-shell engineering sample. Purchased from our own Allan Miller more than a decade ago. Supposedly only six of these exist. A photo of this particular unit actually appeared in Ed Boyle's column almost as long ago. It was easy to miss--it was only about an inch-and-a-half wide

 

K-Line clearshell MP15

 

 

Next up, a chrome-plated Williams triple-dome tanker. This was a pre-WBB prototype/sample that didn't make it to production. 

Williams chrome Gulf

 

 

Another pre-WBB Williams chrome tanker. None of the proposed chrome tanks made it to production, so Williams sold off the prototypes at their York booth. Surprised nobody noticed them for what they were. WBB probably holds on to their samples now--before the acquisition, it had been said that Williams never maintained a production archive.

Williams chrome Sunoco

 

Further proof of their identity. Only the Sunoco model carries a "Built By Williams" emblem. Curiously, there is no road number anywhere on this car. The Gulf car has road number 6425, but no "Built By", only a "BLT 2-58.

Williams chrome Sunoco-BltBy

 

The other oddity is the DOT placard on both cars. Aside from being a touch modern-looking for 1950's tankers, "1866" means "Resin Solution", not what you'd expect to find in gasoline-company tankers. 

 

---PCJ

Attachments

Images (4)
  • K-Line clearshell MP15
  • Williams chrome Gulf
  • Williams chrome Sunoco
  • Williams chrome Sunoco-BltBy
Last edited by RailRide
Originally Posted by John Korling:
Originally Posted by Dennis LaGrua:

IMO, none of my Lionel trains in my collection rare as the company has the power to crank up and re-run production on any item, at any time. Lionel also made millions of trains over the course of its existence. Hardly rare by any stretch of the imagination. If you own Dorfan, Ives, and Buddy L trains then those are rare because the companies that made them closed long ago and their trains will never be reproduced. "Rare" exists only in the mind of the collector. Try to sell it and see how "rare" it s.

 

 

When it comes to prewar & postwar Lionel, rare can also be applied to some of their products even if they were reproduced by modern-era Lionel; biggest reason is because any remakes now would be done by a reincarnation of Lionel, not the original Lionel Corporation that got out of the train business after 1969 and eventually went out of business in 1993.

Not to be construed as being sarcastic or rude my answer is big deal!

probably everything i own as the dealer/person at the train show/ auction site i bought it from told me how rare it is. obviously none of them would lie to me would they????

the only thing that i consider as rare is the 675 set my grandfather got me for the Christmas before i was born is priceless and 1 of a kind to me. otherwise the other things i own in reality if it was so rare who would be selling it???????

Originally Posted by texastrain:

I have a 1956 Wabash 2367 F3 AB I believe was made early in the year using leftover St Fe frame, trucks and shell.  As in the attached picture, the master carton is stamped with the "X" designation, painting is original as seen, and I understand I am second owner. Also have the aluminum dump car, 3rd Rail grey boiler SP cab forward someone mentioned earlier, etc.....

  But, I believe the Wabash F# AB may be most interesting.

 

Jesse

 

Lionel Post 2367 Wabash F-3 AB paper, boxes, master cart

 

 

 

A lot of neat items there, but yes.....the Wabash is very interesting!

 

BTW, the 2367 was 1955 production.  The single motored 2240 Wabash was 1956. Lionel seemed to really like that paint scheme....and so do I.

Last edited by John23
Originally Posted by Richard E:

I have a pair of K-Line brown & orange Illinois Central Alco FAs. I am not sure how rare they are but I've never seen an other set.

In the 90s K-line made several AA sets of these small Alcos, including those ICs you have and also some Northern Pacific Loewy passenger scheme models, primarily to match several baby streamliner passenger car sets Lionel made at that time. Lionel only made some small steam engines to go with their cars. These FA engines are around, but I suspect most people have them with the passenger car sets and they don't come up all that often. These are the Lionel cars they were meant to go with:

 

Lionel 6-16042 thru 6-16049 Illinois Central 7-Car Passenger Set

Last edited by breezinup

This is one of my favorites. There were four prototypes and Jeff Sohn painted this one for me. A couple of years later, he painted one for another customer with another road number.

 

EMD SD60M Demonstrator

 

These aren't that rare per se, but finding all six Heritage Units with scale wheels took a lot of effort and searching, and the help of three OGR Forum members. I cheated with the Katy unit and bought a re-release, but the others are the original Proto-2 units.

2014-08-13 19.32.22

Attachments

Images (2)
  • EMD SD60M Demonstrator
  • 2014-08-13 19.32.22

John23,

 

  You are correct, 1955 production for the 2367.  As you be able to see, the shells include portholes, where the production run came with filled portholes.  Also, the trucks are originally painted silver, as are St Fe F3s.  This is one reason why I reason this AB may have been made from 1955 leftover St Fe for use for the Wabash F3 AB.

Also, Lionel used the "X" designation on identifying unusual or "special" production items.

 

Jesse

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×