Lionel pre war sets

They sold tons of set's in the prewar era.

Greenberg has published many different books. It sounds like you were looking in a guide to postwar sets. They published a separate guide for prewar. I have no idea what a reasonable price for this book might be.

the oldest Lionel catalog i have is 1928 where the 253 locomotive appeared in Set #296 with 2 - #607 Pullman coaches and a #608 Observation car.  aside from changing to Set #296e when the 253 became a 253e, this same set was cataloged through 1936.

other 253/253e outfits were Set #295 containing a few #800 series freight cars and later with the slightly larger 613/614 passenger cars as Set 138e.

cheers...gary

quote:

the oldest Lionel catalog i have is 1928 where the 253 locomotive appeared in Set #296 with 2 - #607 Pullman coaches and a #608 Observation car.  aside from changing to Set #296e when the 253 became a 253e, this same set was cataloged through 1936.

That is the consist of my 253 set. The pieces were well used, and everything is in matching condition. No boxes. I rather have the set that way then have a reproduction or a restored set. Others certainly fell differently

From what I just looked up in Doyle's Catalog of Prewar, they have seven (7) sets that were produced in Prewar.

SET NUMBERS: (just the cars in set, 253 already assumed)

#95-- 802, 802, 821, 822 [1925-1926]

#138/138E--613, 613, 614 [1931-1932]

#174-- 607, 607, 608, six 60, two 62, 68, 106, 119, 121 [1924]

#174-- 607, 607, 608, six 60, 62, 068, 89, 106, 119, 122 [1929-1931 *multi sets with same number.

#264-- 603, 603, 604 [1924]

#265--820, 820, 1822 [1924]

#296-- 607, 607, 608, 068 [1928-1936]

Sets 174 appear to be premium sets for the year of issue, with all the extras.

the freight set i mentioned, #295 (1929)...

Lionel still measuring O gauge track from center of the outside rails for a few years yet.

cheers...gary