Coil Couplers and A Colorful Sliding Shoe on 6420 Work Caboose

Thanks for the information! I had no idea Lionel did that. It certainly is interesting!

I think around 1946 Lionel used that kind of "mottled" plastic.  I've seed it on model z and transformers and 160 dump bin.

I have some replacement parts: sliding shoes and roller brackets, molded in mottled colors like the one pictured.

This 6420 also has coil coupler trucks, but if my memory serves me correctly they should only be on a 2420. I figured the original owner who I purchased this from may have switched the trucks but he said he never modified anything. Could this possibly be some sort of production anomaly?

Your 6420 could have left the factory with coil couplers. Cars show up with the "wrong" coupler assemblies and/or "wrong" trucks.
I don't think it adds or subtracts from the value of the car unless you are looking at a pristine car. If I was looking for a sample to add to my collection or complete a set, I would want a car with the "correct" trucks / couplers.

Dan65train posted:

I think around 1946 Lionel used that kind of "mottled" plastic.  I've seed it on model z and transformers and 160 dump bin.

I do remember hearing of speckled 160 dump bins, however I've never seen one.

To see what they look like search ebay's "lionel 160" go to the sold listing.  3 very nice ones sold for $12 an hour ago

The shoe is Bakelite. Lionel would use whatever color scraps they had left over from other more important parts to make these parts. The roller insulator displays similar coloration. It is interesting, but certainly not rare.

C W Burfle posted:

I have some replacement parts: sliding shoes and roller brackets, molded in mottled colors like the one pictured.

This 6420 also has coil coupler trucks, but if my memory serves me correctly they should only be on a 2420. I figured the original owner who I purchased this from may have switched the trucks but he said he never modified anything. Could this possibly be some sort of production anomaly?

 

Your 6420 could have left the factory with coil couplers. Cars show up with the "wrong" coupler assemblies and/or "wrong" trucks.
I don't think it adds or subtracts from the value of the car unless you are looking at a pristine car. If I was looking for a sample to add to my collection or complete a set, I would want a car with the "correct" trucks / couplers.

It wouldn't be the first time I've seen a car with the "wrong" trucks. Most of the time I assume someone had switched one or both at some point. I'm not a big stickler when it comes to things like this, I mostly just like to run the stuff.

I had no idea those variations were so common!