I moved pictures of the odd 116 hopper here because you cannot see the pictures if you aren’t logged in to the forum.
Here’s a link to the discussion in the forum
Here’s the TCA Western division page. Picture of second Cohen car is near bottom on right hand side.
Lionel made a series of test stands for service station use. The one shown here is 5A for 1938 only. In 1939 Lionel changed it a bit and renumbered it the 5B. In the postwar period they made 5C, 5D, 5E, and 5F with different capabilities.
The 5A and 5B test stands tested Standard gauge, O gauge, and OO gauge trains in addition to every type of accessory and transformer Lionel made.
Close ups of the knobs and switches are shown below:
Top view showing T-rail track. I think the end bumpers on this are not correct?
When you connect an automatic station or semaphore to these terminals:
This motor inside the unit simulates a train entering and leaving the block:
Here’s an end view:
The Lionel 5A tester is 24 inches long, 7 inches wide at the base, and 7 inches tall to the track platform.
The Lionel 5A test stand came with instructions so the service station operator knew how to connect the accessories, and run the diagnostic tests. The instructions with this testor are mimeographed sheets because there weren’t enough copies needed to warrant the cost of offset printing. The instructions are held in a common file folder with bent over clips.
Here’s a photo of the cover page of the instructions:
The instructions also include a diagram of the tester itself so it can be repaired if needed. Here’s a photo:
There is a page on the Toy Train Revue website that shows photos of all of Lionel’s test Stands along with some other service station tools. Here’s a link.
Lionel made the 208 toolbox with tools from 1934 to 1942. It came in sets with the 400E work train, and was available separately. The 812, and 2812 O gauge gondolas came with the tools but without the box when the gondola was part of a work train.
Work trains were a steam engine, tender, crane, gondola, searchlight car, and caboose. Standard gauge work trains were always pulled by the 400E and had 200 series freights. O gauge work trains were pulled by the 260E, the 263E, the 226E, and the 763E.
The tools are nickel plated cast iron, and each measures about 4 inches long. The metal tool boxes come in aluminum as shown above and gray. I’ll add a picture of a gray toolbox in the future.
Lionel introduced the 402 electric locomotive in 1923. In 1926 the 2-position e unit was added and it became the 402E. It was only available with an automatic reverse in 1928 and 29.
The 402 replaced the 42 as Lionel’s largest standard gauge locomotive. The first version had stamped steel lights with on/off switches. Later locos came with diecast headlights. All 402E locos came with cast headlights.
The 402 is found with at least three versions of the numberplate – all black lettering, black center with red outline, and all red lettering. (Supposedly red lettering was only used on locomotives with e units, but the 402 is an exception.)
This loco was was only cataloged in mohave, but was made in other colors. I’ve heard of peacock, mustard brown, dark gray, maroon and red are colors.
The odd colors could be paint samples or special orders. Before 1929 Lionel would paint any item in any
regularly used color as a special order. Lionel service order forms show this option.
Shown here in peacock, this locomotive dates from 1923-25 based on the lights and the red border on the number plates.
This blue 402 is filthy. The color looks off because it has a coat of oil residue. This is commonly seen on trains stored unpacked in basements with coal or oil burners.
Here’s a picture of the 402 with a peacock 152 inside it for a color comparison. The peacock 152 is also an odd colored locomotive.
I’ll put pictures of my mohave 402 loco up here in the future.
The station can be found with two different shades of red. Either lighter red as seen here, or a slightly darker shade of red that was produced only in 1935.
This station is the same as the Lionel 117, but has added lights beside the doors.
The station was also made in the postwar period. It’s the largest Lionel station made after the war.
Clean examples like the one shown above will bring a large premium.
Reproductions of this station have been made.
Lionel introduced the merchandise container in 1930. They were sold in a set of three, and designed to fit into the 212 and 512 gondolas. They were cataloged through 1938, but probably weren’t made after 1934. Lionel changed the plates from brass to nickel in late 1934, and these are only found in brass.
There is supposed to be a paper label in the top of the door saying “Manufactured under license granted by LCL Container Corp.,” but it’s missing from the one shown here. LCL stands for “Less Than Carload.”
Until 1932 they came with chains as shown here. After 1932 the containers were sold without chains. I think you got one set of chains with three containers. The containers could be lifted from gondolas with a 219 crane.
Here’s a close up with the door open:
Reproductions of these have been made by at least two companies. MTH and T-Reproductions. The box with three containers is somewhat rare and a nice set with a crisp box will bring a small premium.