If you have been looking for the perfect 700E this is it.

While it a great looking unit with most likely indented cab windows, it will sell for $7,500.00 . That is a nice piece,.............!48th

Thanks for posting, I enjoyed the pics of this lovely piece.

better dig back into the old box.    I went thru last week and found pullman's from pre war...    I bunch of old steamers and tenders too, but I didn't check them out.

Wow, outstanding piece. These do not come along very often, and in this condition is most likely a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm following it for couriosity.

I'm sure it will make a Lionel Collector very happy.

Very Nice, but, no box.

What is the electrical connector on the tender for?

Earl

Center rail connection 3 rail, or in the case of two rail thru the outside slider on the tender. Anyone want new old stock  Lionel 700e sliders?   .............148th

On my laptop screen, in the side view of the engine, the boiler and cab looks appears to have an unnatural curvature.

I would be surprised if that loco goes that cheap!

Good overall condition but the cab appears to have pits developing under the paint. Deterioration from within is common on old Zamac (zinc based) cabs. While I appreciate the historical significance of the 5344, if I had it,  I wouldn't know what to do with a piece like this. I guess you just put in on a shelf, display it, and use it for bragging rights. You can't (or shouldn't run it) as a few runs risks losing $1000's of dollars of collector value. I guess that its obvious that I am not a true train collector. I look at all of my trains as just toys. 

Looks pretty well warped and heaved to these eyes.  I give you fifty bucks!

Be sticking with my postwar Diesels, thank you.

I see bowing of tender sides...warping of cab...BUT it will still get around $4500-$5500...just because of what it is!!!  A TRULY great one just brought $9200 at Stout's a couple months ago!!!

Is it me or is there rust on some of the parts?  Considering that data I have found values this at between $2,000 and $2,950, it will be interesting to see what the final value is on this one.

They're toys, Dennis.  But they're not just toys.

Ahh the irony, I understand that "its a classic" but I'd rather just buy a new VL 700e and keep $4000 in my pocket or invest it elsewhere.Of couse what do I know, I'd buy a couple six-packs of still reefers before I'd buy one "Natty Boh"  

We are talking about a market where collectors pay upwards of 4 figures for boxes and 5 figures or more for sealed ones.