How to date and identify old Lionel train sets. Here I show how to identify two postwar sets.

[@VolcanoTimeLapse]

Very clean and attractive! Thanks for showing us.

[@azslotracer]

Doyle's book is my favorite lionel reference guide. I do you some others as well. Great video Al.

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

Doyle's is good. Thank you.

[@stevekosinski202]

Thank you. I completed my set with your help.

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

Great!

[@joeystrains.9316]

Beautiful sets. I need to buy that reference book.

[@richardsobieck9660]

In the back of that book it lists all Post war sets and it will tell you the exact year your set was sold by Lionel. You can tell further by types of trucks, and coupler types and other features on the cars. the dates on the cars in the post war years corresponds to the year the Heat Stamp dies were made and it never changes. The hoppers all said Blt 48 all through PW production.

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

All great points! Thanks.

[@johnfroio4910]

Well done, very informative

[@railchief74]

The 2400 series passenger cars is a set I always wanted as a kid

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

This one was on my list for years until 2018.

[@railchief74]

@@alsvintagetoytrains7042 the only ones that I have are the silver 2400 cars and the 1994 Union Pacific versions

[@TomzTrainzandAccessories]

Excellent video Al! I love the history aspect of the company. Many of my videos pertain to that. I write much of that information in my descriptions. I too have a couple of sets from 1952. One of them is the #2179WS with the 671RR Turbine, which meant ReRun of the original 671 Turbine that did not have the Alnico Magnets for Magnetraction. However, my 2190W Super Speedliner Set from 1952 did have the Alnico Magnets added to those F3’s for Magnetraction because that set was considered a O-Gauge Premium set.

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

Very glad you enjoyed it and appreciate the feedback and added information. There are always things I seem to forget to mention or think about as I do the video. My intent is to do more informational videos after retirement when I should have more time.... Lol

[@TomzTrainzandAccessories]

@@alsvintagetoytrains7042 I learned from you, and vice versa. I love to listen to other peoples thoughts and information, and I like to share the information that I know. It goes hand I hand, and that’s why we enjoy this hobby so much. I look forward to watching more of your upcoming videos. Great stuff!

[@robertnielsen2461]

Tomz Tranz In 1952 the Korean War was in progress.Because of this Lionel could not get the magnets for their trains,so locomotive numbers reverted to earlier nos.such as 726rr.for rerun.

[@Sojourning_]

I have these, although the I don't own a LV car. all post war. all early 50's and late 50's, the real guess work is in knowing what your looking for / at when examining a car, castings, sharpest of it,

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

@@Sojourning_ I have more than 25 years of collecting and working on postwar and Prewar Lionel, so it is fairly easy for me to recognize many. But I still use my references to help me out. The truck types do help in narrowing down dates. In general: Staple end metal trucks with coil couplers were early postwar 1945-1947/48, then staple end with magnetic couplers1948-1951, Bar end metal trucks from 1951/52 - 1957, then plastic AAR trucks 1957/58 - 1969.

[@kenbash2951]

On Line- Tandem Lionel Identification Guide is THE BIBLE for anything Lionel.

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

Agreed! They have come a long way. Hopefully they will add prewar items at some point.

[@ronnwhite5290]

Tandem Lionel Identification guide

[@kenbash2951]

Yep- best website EVER for info on Post War Lionel.@@ronnwhite5290

[@mr.shadestrains6033]

Very kool 🚂❤️😎👍

[@totesmcgoat]

I have a 745 nickel plate road train but I can't find anything about its price.

[@willslowik7264]

Any advice for dating younger train sets?

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

The Greenberg's price guide is still a handy reference, but it can be more difficult with modern trains because of the different catalog numbers used on engines and rolling stock. I'm primarily a pre & postwar collector so I don't have as much experience looking up the modern items. I also don't have any references on modern sets. Google search of your engine number & cars is probably going to be your best bet. Unless you have an original set box with a set number on it. Sorry I'm not much help with the modern train items.

[@michaelgmoore5708]

You said 1949 to 1969 but those two books said 1945 to 1969. Was that just a mistake?

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

Yes, I misspoke in video. Postwar is 1945 to 1969. I typically don't rehearse or edit my videos, so I may make a mistake once in a while..... Hopefully it did not detract too much for you.

[@kenbash2951]

1946-1969 is generally considered Post War.

[@beardandfriends8227]

Hi sir I am new to this I just picked upon eBay a custom painted Steve kimmel p-4 PRR 5401 with The pull along coal car for my grandpa it’s a Pennsylvania steam locomotive But I can’t seem to find any information on it could you possibly look up the year for me I do know it’s postwar thank you 🙏

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

This is either a Lionel 675 or 2025 made between 1947 & 1949. Lionel never cataloged a 5401 in the postwar era. I found the old eBay listing. It is a nice custom finish to the engine and tender and looks nice. Note the 5401 is a customer number that may have been an original PRR engine number. It is actually a K4 engine. See link for engine description. www.tandem-associates.com/lionel/lionel_trains_675_loco.htm

[@beardandfriends8227]

@@alsvintagetoytrains7042 thank you so much I appreciate that that's what I thought that somebody mocked it after an original train because I found the 5401 steam locomotive used to run in 1920s it was a Pennsylvania locomotive so I think it was mocked after that.... but that listing you saw was actually the train I bought it's beautiful in person but I'm a guessing painting a train like that custom probably takes the value away from it..

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

The 675 & 2025 Lionel engines are very common. The custom paint looks good, so as long as you are happy with it, run it. It was a good price.

[@beardandfriends8227]

@@alsvintagetoytrains7042 yeah I love vintage steam locomotives you definitely was a big help in identifying it I do appreciate it I also just realized the left and right green lantern lights that were on the front of the boiler must have been broke off of my steam engine before the guy painted it cuz I noticed they're missing....I just ordered a 2029 with the Hagerstown Maryland plate off ebay for like 50$ says the motor just hums so that's my official first steam locomotive to myself I don't run them I just like to look at them as models.. I find them very interesting the different models and it gives me something new I can learn about... but again thank you for all your help I'll make sure to follow your Channel if I have any more questions I'll definitely reach out to you if you don't mind

[@nickythebull82]

What about 1110 and 8204 and 885

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

Using the Greenberg's guide I showed: The 1110 is a postwar period loco (1945-1969) and was produced 1949, 1951, and 1952. The 8204 is considered a modern Lionel (1970-today) C&O 4-4-2 locomotive produced in 1972. The 885 is a new Santa Fe steam engine. I had to Google this one because the modern trains do not follow the cab numbering of postwar and prewar trains. The catalog number of the 885 is 7-11192. My intent was to show some ways to date Postwar & Prewar trains. I am strictly a postwar/prewar collector, so I am not very knowledgeable on modern trains (1970-present).

[@nickythebull82]

@@alsvintagetoytrains7042 I just picked up a 666

[@alsvintagetoytrains7042]

@@nickythebull82 That would be manufactured by Marx,

[@nickythebull82]

@@alsvintagetoytrains7042 ty for all the information