Picked up this Lionel Union tank lines car over the weekend mis-labeled as a Marx unit. Lionel had three versions of the 1515 between 1931-'37, the most popular was a Sunoco tank car, but this Union tanker and another that said Fuel Oil were also available. The couplers are not original, but functional and one end dome needs to be realigned. The couplers are most definitely homemade but easy enough to change out.
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I wonder how many of those I've seen, but not noticed the name difference. Good info.
Steve
neat find.. I never cared much for the 4 wheel cars, but ever since I picked up some 4 wheel Marx off the forum, they have grown on me.
4-wheel cars are generally aimed at clockwork sets.
...less axles, less drag.
i looked at the Lionel 1932 - 1937 catalogs to see what they listed. could not find the #1515 tank in the 1932 catalog, but in that year Winner Lines trains still existed and even though the TCA Lionel book doesn't list the #1515 as being part of the Winner Lines series, the other Ives orphans (1512 gondola, 1514 boxcar and 1517 caboose) are there.
the #1515 appears in the 1933 catalog, but is shown with no graphics and only listed as "#1515 - Oil Car". from 1934 - 1937 it is only pictured with the Sunoco decal in sets.
the TCA book only describes two versions, though. Fuel Oil - Union Tank Line (yours) and Motor Oil - Sunoco. there is a variation on the Sunoco with/ without "Lionel Lines". here are those two...
the black frame car i got with the purchase of an unboxed (albeit perhaps wrong) Winner Lines set.
the red frame car with "Lionel Lines" is out of a 1937 set #1545.
thanks for the post. a #1515 version i'll have to start looking for.
great homebrew couplers!
cheers...gary
O'Brien's listed the 1515 in the Ives section as being from 1931-'32 only and in Sunoco livery only. I had previously only seen two Winner freight sets where it was included, one set using the 1506/1507 loco tender combo (set number 1005 possibly?) and another set using a 1010 engine and no tender, but there is no mention of these in the original Winner catalog that I have seen. The Sunoco cars seem to also have blue lettering.
I think I have seen them before, those couplers... I almost wonder if they are another manufacturers?
Faux Toys had three templates on their website for making wire tab couplers for the front of locos, and for either riveted and tabbed T&S couplers that were similar, but there have quite a few more bends to them.
Jim O'C posted:... there is no mention of these in the original Winner catalog that I have seen.
...The Sunoco cars seem to also have blue lettering.
probably where TCA is getting their information as to why they weren't included in the Winner section of the prewar volume. side by side comparison with the other three Ives inherited cars, the black frame #1515 shares the identical frame and straight tab coupler and unlike the the cars in the 1937 set which all include at least the word Lionel and had the modified T-tab coupler, there is no mention of either Lionel or Winner Lines on my black frame, freight set cars; only Winner Lines on the tender.
and yes, it takes some strong light to notice, but all the litho-graphics on both the Sunoco tank cars are dark blue, even the rivets.
cheers...gary
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