With the availability of a “605 Baggage Car” as an add-on for the new LCT Red Comet set, a question arises about how closely does the new LCT "605" match the finish of the Lionel PWC Red Comet from a few years ago. Could the new "605" be satisfactorily included in the older L-PWC set?
Shown below is a new LCT “605” coupled with a Lionel PWC 604. The differences are: (1) the red is slightly more orange for the LCT “605” than for the L-PWC set; (2) the LCT set has cream trim while the L-PWC set was built with white trim; and (3) “The Lionel Lines” in black is missing on the letter board area over the windows of the “605”. Lionel built 603’s and 604’s with either white or cream trim, so either is “correct”. The surface gloss is close for both examples and the journals are nickel on both cars.
These are reproductions, but the omission of “The Lionel Lines” is a bit of a faux pas on the part of MTH/LCT in that the vintage Lionel Red Comet 604 and 603 have this decoration. Due to different sets of tooling, there are slight differences in some of the stamped sheet metal parts (journal boxes, trucks, and roof lip), but these are very minor.
Although there are differences, the two cars may be close enough for horseshoes, hand grenades, and tinplate fun for use in an L-PWC Red Comet set unless the shifts in hue of the red and the cream trim are found to be personally bothersome. The added length with the addition of the baggage car can make the train more appealing.
Bob
