I had the opportunity to purchase the subject observation car, Lionel #2227020 at the Allentown Show this past weekend. I found that parts (or something) was rattling around the inside of the box. Turned out that cut pieces of the plastic inside container were rattling around the box. One of the marker lights (one of the added rear lanterns) was missing from the car. The cut plastic pieces were "punched out" by the now missing lantern. The missing lantern was not in the box.
I had to inspect two other cars before I found one that did not have a missing lantern. All of the cars reviewed had inside plastic containers, which had punch-thru marks where the lantern meets the plastic container. In both cases the missing lantern was on the closed card stock side and not the viewing side off the box.
It appears that the packer of these cars decided that the same plastic packaging that is used for the currently available heavy weight cars is also used for the observations cars without concern for the clearance necessary for the separately mounted lanterns on the rear of the car.
Suggest that you review all observation car purchases as soon as you can.
