The 163 signal replaced the 253 and 353 signals in the Lionel line up.
It has a single light showing. Compare this to the Lionel 253.
There are no variations of the 163 signal.
Note it would be easy to exchange the light hoods on a 353 and 163 signals to get base variations. The
253 and 353 always have black and tan bases, the 163 always has a plain tan base.
Lionel introduced the 253 block signal in 1956. The all plastic signal replaced the earlier metal 153 signal.
The 253 has a stop mechanism in it. The train approaches a red signal and stops. A timer in the base of the signal hold the train. When the time is up, the signal turns green and the train goes on it’s way.
The same signal WITHOUT the stop mechanism is a 353. A similar signal was made with ONE lamp showing called a 163. The 163 has two bulbs, but a different head. Here’s a page showing the Lionel 163 Signal.
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 intorduced the 2461 transformer flatcar in 1947. The gray base is diecast metal, and the transformer is plastic. The first cars were made with red transformers. Later production runs had black transformers. Red is harder to find and more desirable.
The insulators on top of the transformer are usually broken. On the car above the two on the right are broken off.
Replacement insulators are available and are easy to install. Original insulators are translucent white plastic. Reproduction insulators are dense white plastic and are flat colored.
The 2460 crane is Lionel’s most realistic crane. It replaced the 2660 and 2560 tin bodied cranes in the O gauge line.
The 2460 has diecast frame, six wheel trucks, and operates. The knob on the back of the cab raises and lowers the boom. The knob on the side raises and lowers the hook.
Lionel made 2 variations of the 2460 crane- black cab as shown above and gray cabs. Gray is worth more.
The black cranes are still quite popular and are very common.
In 1951, Lionel replaced the six wheel trucks with regular four wheel trucks and renumbered the crane as the 6460.
The 2458 boxcar is a carry over from the prewar 2758 boxcar. In fact in 1945, the 2458 number appeared only on the box. The car was still lettered as a 2758.
The earliest 2458 boxcars came with whirley wheels and flying shoe trucks. See Lionel 2452 Gondola for information on early postwar trucks.
There are no variations of this car. It’s all metal and a good looking car, so still has some desirability to operators.
Note: The ends of the 2758 and 2458 boxcar are diecast metal. This metal sometimes degrades. So when considering one for purchase make sure the ends are sound. These cars are common enough that there is no reason to buy one in poor condition.
The 2452 gondola was Lionel’s first plastic bodied train. The 2954 semi scale boxcar and the Madison cars introduced in 1940 were made of Bakalite. Bakalite is molded from granulated material. The material is compressed and heated to form the car.
The 2452 is made of a dense styrene plastic. Styrene is molded by forcing liquid material into a mold.
Anyway, the 2452 gondola comes in two basic versions. The O gauge 2452 has brakewheels and came with wooden barrels. The 0-27 gauge 2452X has no brakewheels, and didn’t come with barrels.
There are a lot of different versions of this car having to do with the mold – earliest bodies have three round holes in the floor, while later bodies have a large rectangular hole. The holes are for the electronic receiver used on the 4452 gondola.
There is also a lettering variation. The G27 is either small or large. Large is later. None of the variations mentioned above effect the value of the car.
There is another variation that does effect the value. The trucks. The 1945 cars come with flying shoe trucks. The pick up for the uncoupler is open. Later cars have a metal plate under the entire truck to provide support for the shoe.
Two versions of flying shoe trucks were made. The earliest versions have wheels with spirals on the backs – “Whirley wheels,” while later flying shoe trucks have plain backs. Plain backs are shown above.
Flying shoe trucks double the value of this car. A 2452 with whirley wheels can bring 4 times the value of a standard gondola.
Lionel introduced the 2411 flat car in 1946 as the “Big Inch Pipe Car.” It came with 3 blackened steel pipes. These pipes are hard to find today and are worth more than the flatcar.
In 1947 and 1948 the 2411 came with wood logs. These are the same logs used on the 164 log loader.
The 2411 flatcar is very common. It’s all metal and looks great with any train. In 1949 the trucks were changed to the new magnetic type and the 2411 was renumbered to the 6411.
Lionel made the 2359 Boston and Maine GP-9 in 1961 and 62. There are no variations of this loco.
As a side note, the difference between a GP-7 and a GP-9 is the addition of a dynamic brake to the top of the cab.
In 1965 the B&M diesel loco reappeared in the catalog as the 2346 loco. The 2346 Boston and Maine GP-9 was cataloged in 1965 and 66.
Both versions are equally available today and neither commands a premium.
Lionel introduced the 2339 Milwaukee geep in 1955. The first versions came with an orange cab. Later versions came with a black cab as shown above.
I think the orange cab versions come in boxes marked 2338X. The orange cab is worth considerably more than the black cab.