To Follow-up on my post about the Lionel 120th Anniversary Santa Fe Engine, I though it would be easier to have a separate post for the operating milk car, since is is also offered for separate sale on page 11 in the 2020 Lionel Catalog. The Anniversary set milk car is all white while the separate sale car has a different paint scheme with the brown roof and sides with white front and back . That scheme for the separate sale more closely matches the 3662 Milk Car from 1955 through 1960 and later.
Below is the operating milk car, #12047, which is part of the 120th anniversary set. Its all white an has a similar look to the milk cars that were issued in the early 1950s, those were basically smaller, 027 sized cars.
Below are three examples of the milk cars, On the left, is the 3482, which is part of the series of the early versions. There very few parts from that car that were used in the larger sized milk cars that came later, which are sized similar to the 6464 box cars. The middle car is the one from the 120th Anniversary set. Love the Bright White! The car on the right is the larger, later issue number 3662 version. From an operating and repair viewpoint, it is significantly easier to work on versus the old models.
Below, are the milk cans, the one on the left works with the 3482 and earlier 027 sized cars. They have a magnet on the bottom, They don't work in the newer cars, trust me. The white can with red top goes with the new set, while the all sliver one goes with the 3662 car on the right. Those two milk cans have flat bottoms.
Below is a shot of the milk can bottoms, the one on the left has a round hole in the bottom, this is the can that will not work in the newer milk cars. Trust me on this.
The shells for the 12047 and the 3662 are nearly identical. I like the black covers over the door springs (top middle of the shell, it helps secure the door springs in place. Nice touch.
The milk person looks the same, but he is painted. The drop shoot looks very similar to the 3662.
The same view of the 3662.
This is the back view of the 3662. I bought this used and not working, it only needed new wires, a cleaning and some lubrication in a few parts. The rewiring is an easy fix, the old wires usually have brittle insulation that has broken off and causes a short.
A few pictures of the back side of the 12047. Dave Olsen from Lionel commented in my other post, on the need to upgrade the electronics so it would draw less amps so it can more easily run on RTR sets.
About the only reason to take the shell off is to get at the milk cars if they somehow get jammed in the shoot. There is one screw that keeps the lid on the shoot, its in the same place as in the vintage milk car, right near the top. I circled it in the bottom picture. The cans get stuck if you store them in the car and then turn the car on its side.
a closer view of the electronics.
When you put the car back together, best to put the roof on the shell, then place them on the frame like they are one piece.
This is the bottom of the two cars, (the vintage is on the left, the 12047 is on the right). Note that both have the "sliding shoe" which is needed to operate the car on the remote control track, however, the 12047, also has a pick up for the center rail, which is not present on the vintage milk car. Both trucks on the 12047 have the same configuration. I could not tell if the trucks are insulated from the frame, so I really can't tell you much about the wiring. I do here a clicking type noise when I power up the track.
a shot of both trucks.
This is the box from the set.
The mike stand is so shinny! It probably will lead to smoother operation versus my pitted stand that I used in the videos.
This is the new car in operation, very smooth.
The 1950s car, the milk men were more powerful, and much quicker to get the job done and then move on to the next town.
Best, Dave
