This page contains our current inventory of Postwar Lionel cabooses and work cabooses.
* * * Click on "Yes" in the Photo column to see a picture.
* * * Click on "Grade" in the 3rd column heading for an explanation of grading.
| Postwar Lionel Cabooses and Work Cabooses | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalog # | Item | Grade | Photo | Price | Description & More Information |
| 2357 | SP Caboose |
E+/OB | Yes | $110 | A caboose that does not come up for sale very often -- the illuminated, Tuscan-painted Southern Pacific caboose from 1947-48: second-version production with brake wheels mounted on the outside of the railings; has a matching painted, plastic smokestack and staple-end trucks with dual coil couplers.
Photo of the other side. The 2357 was the top-of-the-line SP caboose during its time and has these deluxe features: interior light, battery boxes, ladders, two brakewheels and two operating couplers. Photo of the roof. The small lettering on the left side is somewhat muted (but readable) and that's it for flaws! The caboose is very, very clean with nice vibrant paint & strong lettering overall -- and of course, it does light. In addition, the smokestack is completely intact and the ladders & frame are rust free. Photo of the box. Grade 7 original box (tears; creases; tape inside; "aged" look). Another view of the box. Has the insert (liner) and the box is solid: clean, complete, square & sturdy! Photo of the elaborate box insert. A good-looking caboose! Check your collection; the guidebooks suggest that it is a common caboose but most of the ones in the marketplace have broken stacks and various other problems! We have had very 2357 Cabooses in collector-quality condition! |
| 2457 | Pennsylvania N5 Caboose |
E+ | Yes | $ 95 | Old-fashioned, tinplate, LIGHTED P.R.R. caboose from late 1946 with staple-end trucks and single coil coupler. Car is actually numbered "477618" on the sides but catalogued by Lionel as "2457."
Photo of the other side. Version with red body and red smokestack plus black window frames and with "EASTERN DIV." on the sides. Has white lettering plus the more desirable (and more realistic-looking) double steps at each of the corners. Photo of both ends. The 2457 is a deluxe caboose with illumination, window inserts, die-cast smokestack, battery box, air pump, end rails with ladders and a brakestand at each end. It is much harder to find than the non-lighted 2472. Photo of the roof. Common paint loss on the back platform end and that's about it for flaws! The caboose is very clean with strong lettering and nice vibrant paint plus the rubber-stamped "2457" on the underside of the frame is clearly visible. The 2457 was sold from 1945 to 1947; however, the combination of the double steps and the closed-base type front truck help to date this piece as a late 1946 item! A nicely-detailed caboose that is loaded with just about every top-of-the-line feature offered by Lionel in that era! Great for the display shelf or for an operating layout as the light and the coupler work! These early postwar items (which are essentially prewar carry-over designs) are getting harder and harder to find in collector-quality condition. |
| 2472 | Pennsylvania N5 Caboose |
See Notes OB |
Yes | $ 65 | Old-fashioned, red, tinplate caboose from 1947: has white, heat-stamped lettering plus staple-end trucks with single coil coupler. Version with "EASTERN DIV." on the sides.
Photo of the other side. Minor paint loss on the front end of the frame; significant paint loss on the back end (common on this caboose) but that's about it for flaws on the entire caboose! Photo of both ends. The body is very, very clean with crisp white lettering and nice vibrant paint (E+++)! Photo of the roof. Photo of the box. Grade 7 original box (tears; creases; scuffs; tape inside; "aged" look). Another view of the box. Has the elaborate insert (liner) and this box is solid: clean, complete, square and sturdy! Photo of the insert. A sharp caboose in a brick-like box! |
| 6059 | M & St L Caboose | ====== E+++ Un-run ====== |
Yes | $ 30 | An unpainted-red Minneapolis & St. Louis (SP-type) caboose from 1961 that was NEVER USED! Has white, heat-stamped lettering plus a chemically-blackened, tab frame with early AAR trucks and one operating coupler.
Photo of the other side. Minimal flaws! This caboose is sharp: completely intact and very, very clean with crisp lettering! Photo of the roof. Nicest unpainted 6059 Caboose we have ever had! |
| 6119 | D. L. & W. Work Caboose |
E+++ | Yes | $ 60 | A beautiful Work caboose with red cab and red tool bin from 1955: has a black-painted frame with serif lettering plus bar-end, metal trucks with a single tab coupler.
Photo of the other side. Minor paint loss on the frame and that's it for flaws! It is sharp: all intact and very, very clean with beautiful lettering and a nice, rust-free frame! An "aerial" view. The 6119 caboose was sold in 1955 and 1956 but the black coupler rivet helps to identify this caboose as a 1955 item. Check your collection. It is not an easy caboose to find! We have had very few for sale over the years! |
| 6119 (-50) | D. L. & W. Work Caboose |
E++/OB | Yes | $ 95 | A nice work caboose from 1956 only: all-original with brown cab, brown tool bin and brown-painted sheet-metal frame with white, serif lettering. Has bar-end trucks with single tab coupler. Catalogued by Lionel as "6119-50" but only "6119" appears on the sides.
Photo of the other side. A little paint loss in the crease of the metal frame steps and that's it for flaws! The caboose is completely intact and very, very clean with nice lettering on both the cab and the frame. It is one of the nicest 6119-50 work cabooses we have ever had! An "aerial" view. Photo of the box. Grade 6 original box (tears; creases; stains; tape inside; mildly distorted/wavy). Another view of the box. Not pretty but the box is sturdy and has both end flaps and all four inner flaps plus it has a well-made reproduction insert! It is also the correct "-50" box for the brown work caboose. Photo of the insert. We have had very few 6119-50 work cabooses over the years. This is a good-looking, 1-year-only caboose in a very useful box. |
| 6119 (-75) | D. L. & W. Work Caboose |
E+/OB | Yes | $ 95 | A very nice work caboose from 1957 only: has an unpainted gray cab with black, heat-stamped lettering, an unpainted gray tool bin plus a gray-painted, sheet-metal frame with sans-serif lettering and bar-end, metal trucks with single tab coupler. Catalogued by Lionel as "6119-75" but only "6119" appears on the sides.
Photo of the other side. The frame has a couple of muted (but very readable) letters plus a few tiny paint chips and that's about it for flaws! The caboose is completely intact and both the cab and frame are very, very clean with strong lettering! An "aerial" view. Photo of the box. Grade 7+ original box (one end flap has creases; minor tears; unoriginal insert). Another view of the box. Has a reproduction insert and this box is very presentable as it has both end flaps and all four inner flaps plus it is clean, square & sturdy -- and there is Photo of the reproduction insert. We have had very few 6119-75 cabooses over the years as it is a lot less common than most of the other work cabooses from that era! This one-year-only caboose is sharp plus it's in a very hard-to-find box! |
| 6257 | Southern Pacific Caboose |
E++/OB | Yes | $ 30 | The traditional "little old red caboose" -- a sharp, SP caboose with white lettering from 1948-51. Tile-red version with one brakewheel, black-painted frame and staple-end trucks with single magnetic coupler.
Photo of the other side. A little box rub plus a few minor paint chips and that's it for flaws! Photo of the roof. It is sharp: completely intact and very, very clean with nice crisp lettering! Another view of the roof. Photo of the box. Grade 6+ original box (missing the interior coupler flap; tears; creases; tape; glue residue). Some flaws but the box is clean, square and sturdy. Another view of the box. A very, very nice piece in a decent box. Only the third time we have ever had this caboose for sale -- it has subtle differences compared to the later (and more common) ones. |
| 6357 | S P Caboose | E+++/OB | Yes | $ 65 | A gorgeous illuminated, tile red, Southern Pacific caboose from 1952-53.
Photo of the other side. Version with one brakewheel, no smokestack and bar-end trucks with single magnetic coupler. Photo of the roof. The caboose is sharp: completely intact and very, very clean with crisp lettering and nice vibrant paint -- and of course, it does light! Photo of the box. Grade 6 original box (missing the interior coupler flap, tears, creases, tape inside; glue residue). Some flaws but the box is still very presentable as it is clean, square and sturdy! Another view of the box. We have had very few tile-red, "S P" 6357 cabooses over the years as they are much harder to find than the later "LIONEL" 6357 cabooses that were sold from 1953 to 1961. |
| Two different versions of the 6417 Pennsylvania N5c Caboose: | |||||
| 6417 | Pennsylvania N5c Caboose |
E+/OB | Yes | $ 55 | An illuminated, Tuscan-painted, porthole caboose from 1954: has white heat-stamped lettering plus bar-end trucks with dual magnetic couplers.
Photo of the other side. Has a scratch on the top of the cupola plus some minor box rub. The caboose is very, very clean with beautiful lettering, nice vibrant paint, original intact end railings (minor bowing) -- and of course, it does light! An "aerial" view of the caboose. Photo of the box. Grade 6+ original box (creases; dented; mildly distorted; discolored; some stains; "aged" look). Some imperfections but this box is fairly clean, complete and sturdy -- plus there is no tape anywhere! Another view of the box. A good-looking caboose in a decent box! |
| 6417 (-1) | Pennsylvania N5c Caboose |
E+++/OB | Yes | $395 | The very scarce Pennsylvania porthole caboose without "New York Zone" on the sides! Sold only in 1957, this illuminated, Tuscan-painted caboose has white heat-stamped lettering plus bar-end trucks with dual tab couplers.
Photo of the other side. The caboose is gorgeous: very, very clean and completely intact with nice lettering and vibrant paint plus it has the original intact end railings -- and of course, it does light! An "aerial" view. Photo of the box. Grade 8 original box (tears; creases; glue residue). This box is SOLID: clean, complete, square & sturdy -- and there is no tape anywhere! It is also the correct "-1" box for the no "New York Zone" caboose. Another view of the box. An unusual and high-quality caboose in the right box! It is also one of the hardest postwar cabooses to find. |
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| 6427 (-1) | Lionel Lines N5c Caboose |
E++/OB | Yes | $75 | An illuminated, Tuscan-painted, porthole caboose: has white heat-stamped lettering plus metal, bar-end trucks with a single tab coupler.
Photo of the other side. Some minor box rub in spots and that's about it for flaws! Photo of the roof. The caboose is all original, completely intact and very, very clean with nice vibrant paint and crisp lettering -- and of course, it does light! Another view of the roof. Photo of the box. Grade 7 original box (tears; scrapes; some dirt; tape inside; glue residue). Some flaws but the box is fairly clean, complete, square and sturdy! Another view of the box. A sharp caboose in a very presentable box! The 6427 Lionel Lines caboose was sold from 1954 to 1960 but the tab couplers and "Late Classic" box help to date this piece as having been made after 1955. |
| 6517 | Bay Window Caboose |
Ex./OB | Yes | $ 85 | Large illuminated, LIONEL LINES caboose from 1955: has a red-painted body with white rubber-stamped lettering:
Photo of the other side. This one is the harder-to-find (earliest) version with the "BLT 12-55 / LIONEL" lettering underscored. Photo of both ends. Common hairline mounting crack on each end (very small and no loss of plastic) and glue residue showing around the screw hole plus some minor box rub in spots and that's it for flaws! Photo of the roof. The caboose is very clean with nice lettering, sharp graphics, vibrant paint, original platform ends and a nice, clean chassis -- plus, it does light! File photo showing the 1955 underscored version & the lettering on the 1956-59 model. Photo of the box. Grade 6 original box (missing one interior coupler flap; tears; creases; scrapes; dent; tape; tape residue; glue residue; "aged" look). Another view of the box. Various flaws but the box is clean, square and sturdy! It is also the correct ("Middle Classic") box for the 1955 version of the 6517 caboose. A third view of the box. The Bay Window caboose was the largest caboose offered by Lionel in the postwar era. It only came as a deluxe model with interior lighting, fancy passenger car-type metal trucks, operating couplers, ladders and a die-cast smokestack. |
| ======== (6517-75) ======== |
Erie Bay Window Caboose |
MINT/OB | Yes | $950 | A spectacular "ERIE C301" Bay Window caboose that was NEVER USED! This 1966-only caboose has white rubber-stamped lettering and is the brick-red variation.
Photo of the other side. Has all of the deluxe features of the common "LIONEL LINES" version (illuminated, window insert, shades, die-cast smokestack, ladders, fancy passenger car-type trucks and dual operating couplers) but has the more desirable roadname. It is the only caboose produced by Lionel in the postwar era to have the Erie roadname. Catalogued by Lionel as "6517-75" but that number does not appear on the body of the caboose. Photo of the roof. The caboose is very, very clean and all intact with crisp lettering, sharp graphics and nice vibrant paint! We "bench tested" the caboose and it does light! It is mounted on the correct frame which is stamped "6517-75 / LIONEL" as documented in various postwar Lionel guidebooks. Photo of the frame underside. Photo of the box. Grade 8+ original box (tears; creases; writing). Another view of the box. It is the correct (window) box for the Erie caboose Photo of the front of the box. Has the RARE insert and this box is SOLID: clean, complete, square and sturdy plus there is no tape anywhere! Two views of the insert. One of the nicest Erie cabooses we have ever seen! The box is specific to this caboose and extremely difficult to find! This caboose is an elusive, high-quality piece that will enhance anyone's train collection! This Caboose was shown in Lionel's 1966 Accessory Catalogue but not included in their consumer catalogue! It was included in only one uncatalogued freight set (promotional Outfit #19590) which was headed up by a 239 Steamer -- a Scout engine! The result of those decisions is that the 6517-75 Erie Caboose is one of the hardest items to find today! |
| 6657 | Rio Grande Caboose | E+/OB | Yes | $195 | Illuminated, Rio Grande (SP-type) caboose from 1957-58: has a yellow-painted body with a silver-painted lower stripe on each side plus a silver-painted roof.
Photo of the other side of this very-photogenic caboose. Additional features include black striping, black heat-stamped lettering and decals with the Rio Grande logo plus a die-cast smokestack. The chemically-blackened frame has end railings with single brakewheel plus metal, bar-end trucks with single tab coupler. Photo of the roof. A couple of small scratches on the roof and the usual box rub on the corners of the steps but minimal flaws on the sides! The caboose is very, very clean with crisp lettering, gorgeous striping, nice even silver and intact decals -- and it does light! Another view of the roof. Photo of the box. Grade 6 original box (missing the interior coupler flap; tears; creases; some discoloration; tape). Some imperfections but the box is fairly clean, square and sturdy! Another view of the box. With its unusual silver & yellow paint scheme and colorful logos, it is arguably the most attractive caboose produced by Lionel in the postwar era -- and it happens to be my favorite! This 6657 looks great and it is in a presentable box! |
| (6824 -50) |
Rescue Work Caboose |
====== E++ Un-run ====== |
Yes | $275 | A sharp "First Aid Medical Caboose" from 1964-65 that was NEVER USED! This uncatalogued item from the "Space & Military" series has a white cab, white tool bin and red lettering plus a BLACK-painted, sheet-metal frame with heat-stamped, sans-serif lettering and middle AAR trucks with one operating coupler.
Photo of the other side. Just some minor paint loss on the frame and that's about it for flaws! The cab and tool bin are very clean with crisp lettering, nice graphics and vibrant paint! The frame is also very clean with beautiful lettering! An "aerial" view. Note: this item represents another one of Lionel's oddities -- the number on the side of the caboose is "6814" (as the company used parts from the more common catalogued Rescue Caboose with that number) but the Lionel catalog number for this item is 6824-50! It appeared in only five Sears & Roebuck promotional outfits (one in 1964 & four in 1965) and never came with a component box. This caboose is complete as described; it is essentially the "plain Jane" version of the 6814 and the Sears Rescue Caboose differs from the more common 6814 Rescue Caboose in two ways: it has a black frame (not gray) and it did not come with any accessories (crewman, tool compartment insert, stretchers or oxygen tanks). It is a tough item to find in collector-quality condition and this 6824-50 is one of the nicest black-frame versions we have ever had for sale! |
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Everyone knows what a Caboose is, but did you know that it has many colorful nicknames? Some of these affectionate terms include buggy, brain-box, crummy, hack, and monkey cage plus some that are not printable here. Did you know that the Conductor (who is the boss of the train) actually runs the train from the Caboose?
Lionel made various styles of Cabooses in the Postwar era including the SP-type, bay-window, porthole (N5c), work cabooses with either tool boxes or an open bin, and even one that smoked. Some were lighted inside, some had a searchlight, some were made of metal, some had a real roadname (many said Lionel Lines) and some were plain while others were very attractive.
Your freight train needs a Caboose. Your work train needs a Caboose as well.
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