Lionel Prewar Outfit 8101W

Tim,

This outfit never appeared in a Lionel catalog. Outfit No. 8101W was a promotional offering and my records don’t list who sold it. The Sears number for this outfit would be R59/50F and was made in made in 1942 only. All my records show that the caboose was a 2657X.

I hope this helps.

Ed Davis

This may be too late and/or no help at all, but I have a reference book that covers pre-war "specials and promotional" sets.  In checking for 1942 - as @ed davis  is correct for 1942 the sears number would be 81XX .  My reference lists 2 sets with the #229 locomotive, one passenger  #59-52P with 2600 series red/cream passenger cars and one freight , which was indicated as a Sears freight set but no known Sears inventory number.  It came with the 229 loco in black, 2666 TS tender, but 2800 series freight cars:  2815 Shell tank (yellow - orange with Shell decal) , 2812 gondola (green with 4 barrels), 3814 Tuscan merchandise car, 2817 Tuscan caboose.  The reference does mention that it is "likely" (their words) that there was also a set #59-52F that was freight, but the reference has no known contents.

Other Promotional sets listed are:

8102 circa 1941 with the 229/ 2689 tender2613,2614,2615 passenger cars no information on who sold it.  loco is gunmetal

No Number, Verification needed circa 1939 with 229/2689W , 2659 dump (green), 2655 box (cream/Tuscan), 2654 tank (orange Shell), 2757 caboose (red/Tuscan) .  Loco reported as gunmetal

By the way, the contents you have listed are nearly identical to 2 CATALOGUED sets, one set 839 from 1941 and set 257 from 1942.  Only difference is that these catalogued sets list the 2666T tender or 2666W tender.  In both these cases the loco is listed as black.

Hope this might help

Don