Attention pre-war specialists - Need help with identification!

Hi Dennis, right now I’m out of town but I’ll be home this afternoon. I collect all the 150 series small electric locomotives and have them grouped in sets.  As soon as I get home I can tell you more about what you have. It is definitely a 153 electric locomotive. Later in the day I can tell you which humpback motor it has in it, and more about the passenger cars and a set number.

Jim Lawson 

The 153 is from either 1924 or 1925. These locomotives have a headlight and a bell, not two headlights. The manual reverse distinguishes it from a 152. I found no exact catalog match, but all components shown above were available for separate sale and were possibly substituted:
1924/25 Outfit #257 contained a 150 locomotive and two unlit 600 Pullman*.
1924 Outfit #255 contained the 153 locomotive, a lit 603 Pullman and lit 604 observation.
1925 Outfit #94 contained the 153 locomotive, two unlit 629 Pullman and one unlit 630 observation.
1925 Outfit #96 contained the 153, two lit 603 Pullman and one lit 604 observation.

*Fairly certain the passenger cars are 600 Pullmans. Someone at some point in the last 95 years put the engine and cars together, most likely by swapping a forward-only 150 for the reversible 153. We can only speculate if it was Lionel, a hobby shop or an individual. Either way, it is a nice set with period correct content.

You can see that the headlight on the right side is a new reproduction. Looks like a it could be a department store special set.

So perhaps we are looking at a #94, missing the 630 observation car, and having a reproduction headlight installed on the "rear" end (the side with the manual reversing knob).

Any idea where I can get the bell or what the part number might be?

I have really grown fond of this set !!!!  Consider that I gave a whopping $10 for it! I am a modern O-gauger, but I have been bitten by this pre-war bug.

Dennis

You can pick up the repro bell up from a lot of dealers, I would just google Prewar train parts Bell (Hennins Trains is one). I do not know if this engine had a brass or nickle plated bell.

Looks like your missing a pickup roller. If you need to replace it you will have to remove the wheels spread the frame then slid the pickup assembly out. If you do order one, go for the copper one and the one that come not assembled. This way you can remove the Lionel bag from the old pickup assembly and remount it on the new. This is not hard to do and looks nice. plus when your at it you can always rewire the engine. Rewiring will avoid cracked wires and prevent shorts. Just a suggestion.