A week or so ago I had the opportunity of acquire a PostWar Super O set.
Just glancing at it, I saw 616 Santa Fe switcher, a 6130 Santa Fe work caboose, a 6812 track maintenance car and a 6822 night crew searchlight car.
I thought I had set 2570 from 1961......
However.......that is where the similarity stopped......
Other boxed components include the 6827 Flat with power shovel (not the 6828 Flat with construction crane), 6416 Boat Loader, and the 6511 Allis Chalmers car ( and not the 6736 Mackinac hopper).
Something was strange....luckily, I have the worn and torn set box that yielded 2 important clues:
This is likely an uncatalogued set made for Sears!
I opened the Sears catalog book next.....
.....but, it only shows up to Set number 9473.....
My last hope was John Schmid's book....
I was successful! From pp 384-85.
This set was Sears' diesel-powered Super O offering for 1961. It did not appear in the Sears catalog.
The project will be to restore it to "running condition". The set condition ranges from Poor to Very Good. Most of the freight cars will need replacement parts. For example, all of the cabin cruisers of the Boat Loader are in pieces....The engine will need a cleaning.
Updates will be forthcoming.....
Peter