Why the same coach numbers on old tinplate cars?

the 607 cars are coach cars...the 608 is an observation car...I'am guessing for inventory control...remember they were making toys....this system also made it into the post war and MPC era...hope this helps...cheers,,,joe

@joe krasko posted:

the 607 cars are coach cars...the 608 is an observation car...I'am guessing for inventory control...remember they were making toys....this system also made it into the post war and MPC era...hope this helps...cheers,,,joe

Correct.  The car numbers are catalog/product numbers.  They don't refer to any prototype numbering scheme.

They didn't have computers back in ye olde tinplate days to track production.  MPC continued the practice until the customers began wanting prototypical numbers/names on the cars.

Rusty

@Sal V posted:

wouldn't it make sense to put the numbers in order say...606.607.608? is there a reason for this?

do actual railroads do this or was it a Lionel thing?- To me..it looks stupid!any thoughts?

@Sal V,

Real railroads do not do this.  I hear ya.

But these were, and still are, toys.

The kids who got them for a birthday present didn't think they were stupid, or Lionel wouldn't have sold very many.

Instead they sold gazillions.

Mike

In addition to the dumb numbering scheme, don't forget:  shortness (only 5 windows!), orange window frames and doors, the latch couplers, the brass observation railing, and the cherry on top - a single screw holding the roof in place.

I still like 'em.

Standard Gauge trains are caricatures.

Thanks for the info- It was puzzling to me until properly explained!

It still drives me nuts! (Must be the hyper- drummer in me!)

My 1957 Gretsch reissue in motor city blue with white chevrons & a matching seat!

(Same colors offered in the 1957 Chevy vet/Bellaire/& Nomad!

In the interests of trying to keep you from being driven too nuts - there is this to consider - they're not passenger cars but way back when Marx made it a point to provide separate numbers on their various series of freight cars.  Here's the lineup for the FGEX reefers - #10961 -#10976.  They did the same thing for their SOM, PRR Merchandise, NYC Pacemaker boxcars and for their NYC Postal Baggage cars.

@Robert S. Butler posted:

In the interests of trying to keep you from being driven too nuts - there is this to consider - they're not passenger cars but way back when Marx made it a point to provide separate numbers on their various series of freight cars.  Here's the lineup for the FGEX reefers - #10961 -#10976.  They did the same thing for their SOM, PRR Merchandise, NYC Pacemaker boxcars and for their NYC Postal Baggage cars.

The reason Marx was able to do that economically was because one lithograph printed sheet of metal had the sides for eight to twelve cars on it.

Every single sheet made a bunch of cars, so all numbers of the same car should be as common as the next.