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 | $ 38 | 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 1955-56: has a black-painted frame with serif lettering plus bar-end, metal trucks with a single tab coupler.
Photo of the other side. A light scratch on the left side of the cab plus a couple of light surface scratches on the roof 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. Check your collection. It is not an easy caboose to find! We have had very few for sale over the years! |
| 6119-25 | D. L. & W. Work Caboose |
E+/OB | Yes | $ 65 | A work caboose from 1956-59: has bar-end trucks with single tab coupler. Orange cab with black, heat-stamped lettering plus an orange tool bin and an orange-painted sheet-metal frame with black, serif lettering.
Photo of the other side. Minor paint loss on the frame and that's about it for flaws. The caboose is very clean with crisp lettering! An "aerial" view. Photo of the box. Grade 5+ original box (tears; creases; stains; tape inside; glue residue; somewhat distorted; no insert). Another view of the box. Various flaws but the box has both end flaps and all four inner flaps. It will protect the caboose in shipment and in storage. It is also the correct "-25" box for the orange work caboose. A third view of the box. A good-looking caboose! |
| 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 | $125 | A very nice work caboose from 1957 only: has a gray cab, a gray tool bin and black, heat-stamped lettering 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. A few small paint chips on the frame and that's about it for flaws! The caboose is completely intact and both the cab and frame are very, very clean with gorgeous lettering! An "aerial" view. Photo of the box. Grade 6+ original box (tears; creases; tape; stains on one side; unoriginal insert). Another view of the box. Has a fairly decent, homemade insert and this box is very presentable as it has both end flaps and all four inner flaps plus it is fairly clean overall, square & sturdy! Photo of the homemade 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! |
| 6130 | Santa Fe Work Caboose |
====== E++ Un-run OB ====== |
Yes | $ 95 SOLD |
A spectacular ATSF work caboose from 1966 that was NEVER USED: has a red-orange painted cab & tool tray plus a chemically-blackened, unlettered frame and late AAR trucks with one fixed coupler and one operating coupler.
Photo of the other side. Just gorgeous! The cab & tool tray are very, very clean with sharp graphics, gorgeous lettering and nice vibrant paint! The frame is equally as nice -- very, very clean with no rust! An "aerial" view. Photo of the box. Grade 7 original "Window" box (window is wrinkled; tears; creases; mildly distorted; writing). Another view of the box. The box is very presentable: clean and complete -- plus there is no tape anywhere! Photo of the front of the box. The 6130 ATSF is one of the few work cabooses made by Lionel in the postwar era with a roadname other than D L & W. Only the second time we have ever had a 6130 from 1966! it is very, very nice plus it comes in a very, very scarce box! |
| 6219 | C & O Work Caboose |
E++ | Yes | $135 | A Chesapeake & Ohio work caboose from 1960 only: has a painted blue cab with yellow heat-stamped lettering, a painted blue tool bin and a black sheet-metal frame with yellow rubber-stamped lettering plus early AAR trucks with a single operating coupler.
Photo of the other side. Has a little paint loss on the frame plus some minor box rub and that's about it for flaws! The caboose is all-original, completely intact and very, very clean with nice vibrant paint. It has crisp lettering on both the cab and the frame! Two "aerial" views. Arguably the most attractive work caboose produced by Lionel in the postwar era -- and the only one with yellow lettering on the frame. With each passing day, the 6219 is getting harder and harder to find; this 6219 is one of the nicest ones we have ever had! Note that Lionel never made a box for the 6219 Caboose. |
| 6257 | Southern Pacific Caboose |
E++/OB | Yes | $ 65 SOLD |
The traditional "little old red caboose" -- a good-looking, SP caboose from 1948-49:
Photo of the other side. Red-orange version with white, heat-stamped lettering plus a black-painted frame with two brakewheels and staple-end trucks with single magnetic coupler. Photo of the roof. A few paint chips plus some box rub and that's about it for flaws! The caboose is completely intact and very, very clean with strong lettering and nice, vibrant paint! The chassis is equally as nice: rust free with nice vibrant paint! Photo of the box. Grade 8 original box (tears; creases). The box is SOLID: clean, complete, square and sturdy -- plus there is no tape anywhere! It is also the correct "Early Classic" box for this version of the 6257 Caboose! Another view of the box. This is the first red-orange 6257 SP Caboose that we have ever had in collector-quality condition! It is also the first time we have ever had the rather-scarce three-cities 6257 box! Check your collection -- this is not an easy caboose to find nice! |
| Two different versions of the 6417 Pennsylvania N5c Caboose: | |||||
| 6417 | Pennsylvania N5c Caboose |
E+++/OB | Yes | $ 75 | An illuminated, Tuscan-painted, porthole caboose from 1953: has white heat-stamped lettering plus bar-end trucks with dual magnetic couplers.
Photo of the other side. Minimal flaws! This caboose is sharp: very, very clean, beautiful lettering, nice vibrant paint, original intact end railings -- and of course, it does light! An "aerial" view of the caboose. Photo of the box. Grade 6+ original box (tears; creases; tape; writing; scrapes; discolored). Some imperfections but this box is fairly clean, complete, square and sturdy! Another view of the box. A gorgeous 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. |
| = | |||||
| 6417-25 | Lionel Lines N5c Caboose |
E++/OB | Yes | $125 | A very, very nice, illuminated, Tuscan-painted, porthole caboose from 1954 only: has bar-end trucks with dual operating magnetic couplers. Catalogued by Lionel as "6417-25" although the caboose is actually numbered "64173" on the sides.
Photo of the other side. Minimal flaws! It is completely intact and very, very clean with crisp lettering and nice, vibrant paint plus it has the original end railings -- and of course, it does light! An "aerial" view. Photo of the box. Grade 7 original box (small tears; writing; small punctures; tape inside; glue residue). The box is solid: clean, complete, square and sturdy! It is also the correct "-25" box for this version of the porthole caboose! Another view of the box. A sharp caboose! The one-year-only 6417-25 is much harder to find than the 6417 Pennsylvania caboose or the 6427 Lionel Lines caboose! |
| 6420 | D. L. & W. Searchlight Work Caboose |
E++/OB | Yes | $175 | The deluxe wrecking caboose with searchlight, die-cast frame, handrails, ladder, smokestack and staple-end trucks with dual magnetic couplers. Has a dark-gray die-cast frame with black heat-stamped, serif lettering.
Photo of the other side. Original cab is dark gray with black, heat-stamped, serif lettering; original tool boxes are dark gray. An "aerial" view. Light surface scratches on the side of one of the tool boxes and that is about it for flaws! The caboose is completely intact and very, very clean with crisp lettering and nice paint -- plus of course, it does light! Photo of the box. Grade 7+ original box (tears; creases; minor stains; tape inside; "period" writing in pencil; store price stamping). Another view of the box. Has the elaborate insert (liner) and this box is solid: clean, complete, square and sturdy! Photo of the box insert. A very nice caboose in a very nice box! The 6420 caboose is very difficult to locate with all original parts and in collector-quality condition. This sharp "Searchlight Wrecking Car" from 1949-50 is a useful piece that would be a nice addition to any work train on a layout to provide nice bright illumination to clear night-time wrecks. |
| 6457 | Lionel Caboose |
E++/OB | Yes | $ 65 | A sharp, illuminated, brown-painted SP-type caboose from 1952: has white heat-stamped lettering plus bar-end trucks with magnetic couplers.
Photo of the other side. The 6457 was the top-of-the-line Lionel caboose during its time and has these deluxe features: interior light, die-cast smokestack, battery boxes, ladders, two brakewheels and dual couplers. Photo of the roof. Minimal flaws! The caboose is all intact and very, very clean with crisp lettering plus nice vibrant paint -- and of course, it does light! Another view of the roof. Photo of the box. Grade 8 original box (small tears; minor creases; light stains). Another view of the box. This box is solid: clean, complete, square and sturdy -- plus there is no tape anywhere! The 6457 caboose was sold from 1949-1952 but the black die-cast smokestack and bar-end trucks all help to identify this caboose as a 1952 item. A good-looking, premium caboose in a very strong box! The 6457 caboose has long been a favorite with both collectors and operators. If you are looking to complete an "O" gauge set from 1952, this is the right caboose! |
| 6517 | Bay Window Caboose |
E+/OB | Yes | $ 95 | 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. Two views of the roof. Common hairline screw crack (very small and no loss of plastic) plus some minor box rub in spots and that's it for flaws! It is very, very clean with strong lettering, sharp graphics, vibrant paint, original platform ends and a nice rust-free frame -- 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 both interior coupler flaps; one inner flap is not original to this box; tears; writing; tape inside; tape residue; "aged" look). Various flaws but the box has both end flaps plus it is square & sturdy! It is also the correct ("Middle Classic") box for the 1955 version of the 6517 caboose. Photo of the nicer end 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 |
E++ | Yes | $650 | A sharp "ERIE C301" Bay Window caboose from 1966 only! Has a medium-red body with white rubber-stamped lettering.
Photo of the other side. Has all of the deluxe features of the "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. Two views of the roof. Minor box rub and that's about it for flaws! The caboose is very, very clean and all intact with crisp lettering, sharp graphics and nice vibrant paint -- and of course, it does light! This one-year-only caboose is an elusive, high-quality piece that will enhance anyone's train collection! |
| (6824 -50) |
Rescue Work Caboose |
====== E++ Un-run ====== |
Yes | $325 | 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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