This page contains our current inventory of Postwar Passenger Cars including RDC Budd Commuter Cars (both motorized and "dummy" units) and Trolleys.
* * * 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 Passenger Cars | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalog # | Item | Grade | Photo | Price | Details |
| 400 | ============= Baltimore & Ohio RDC-1 Budd Powered Passenger Car ============= |
E+/OB | Yes | $325 SOLD |
A B & O motorized Rail Diesel Car (RDC) from 1956-58: this powered commuter car has a silver body with fluted sides and blue heat-stamped lettering.
Photo of the other side. Has Magnetraction, an operating horn and operating couplers plus passenger silhouettes in the windows and three interior lights providing nice, realistic illumination. A close-up of one side showing the nice crisp lettering. Has a scuff on the top of one of the vestibules plus the usual discoloration (stains) in parts of the roof ribbing and side fluting. (Note that the stains are light and the photos do not show them very well.) The cab is clean overall with even silver and crisp lettering! Photo of one end. The chassis is very clean with a nice rust-free frame plus there is no battery damage! Photo of the other end. This very-low-mileage unit was serviced and it lights and runs great -- plus the horn works! Two "aerial" views. Has the correct original instruction sheet #400-29, dated 5/56 . Photo of the instruction sheet. Photo of the open end of the box. Grade 9+ original (Robert Gair Co. corrugated) box. Photo of the sealed end of the box. The box has some minor writing and that's it for flaws! Close-up of the manufacturer's data. Has the elaborate box insert and this box is SOLID: clean, complete, square and sturdy -- plus there is no un-original tape anywhere! Photo of the box insert. We have had very few clean 400 Budd Cars over the years but this one is very presentable and it's in the nicest 400 box we have ever had! This prototypical-looking Budd Car will look great on a shelf or in a display cabinet but it is also a smooth runner and it is ready for a layout. |
| 2436 | Mooseheart Observation Car |
E+/OB | Yes | $110 | The silver-painted, red-lettered Mooseheart "Lounge" car -- a lighted Observation Car from 1957-58: This "tail" car has silhouetted window strips plus fancy passenger trucks and a single operating coupler.
Photo of the other side. A few light scratches on the roof plus the normal imperfections associated with silver paint (discoloration and evidence of handling). Photo of the observation deck. The car is very, very clean with crisp lettering and nice even silver -- plus it does light. The tail section is completely intact -- never rear-ended or involved in a crash. The window strips, roof and finials are all original. Two views of the roof. Photo of the box. Grade 8 original box (tears; small piece of the top layer on one end flap missing -- probably from removing a price sticker; creases; tiny bit of writing on each end flap). The box is solid: clean, complete, square and sturdy -- plus there is no tape anywhere! Another view of the box. Nice car; nice box! The Mooseheart is much harder to find than the 2436 Summit Observation Car. Two catalogued sets from 1957 included either the Summit or the Mooseheart. However, the Mooseheart is the correct observation car for two catalogued sets from 1958 -- outfit #1600 (which was headed up by the 216 Burlington Alco) and outfit #1608W (which was headed up by the 209 New Haven Alco AA units) plus one promotional set -- outfit #X-572NA from 1960. In addition, the Mooseheart was offered as a separate sale item in 1959. Our Archives Page has information on the passenger car series that included this car. |
| 2530 | REA Baggage Car |
E++ | Yes | $160 | A Railway Express Agency extruded-aluminum, small-door Baggage Car from 1954-55:
Photo of the other side. Impressive and realistic-looking, fluted streamlined car measuring 16 1/2 inches coupler to coupler. Close-up of the lettering plates on one side. Minimal flaws. The car is all-original and very, very clean with shiny silver and nice lettering. Two views of the roof. The 2530 came in five catalogued sets but was also sold separately as an "add-on" car to make an aluminum passenger set complete; this prototypical piece is a good-looking car! |
| Passenger Sets: | |||||
| Illuminated, green Passenger Car Set from 1948-49 (white lettering, yellow stripes and gray roofs): | |||||
| 2400 | Maplewood Pullman |
E++ | Yes | | | \ / |
The first lighted Coach with original roof and original finials:
Photo of the other side. A couple of paint chips and that's about it for flaws! The body is very, very clean with crisp lettering, sharp striping and nice vibrant paint! The chassis is equally as nice -- rust-free with minimal flaws! Two photos of the roof. A good-looking car! |
| 2401 | Hillside Observation Car |
E++ | Yes | | | \ / |
The lighted "Lounge" car with original roof and original finials:
Photo of the other side. The window strip is a little distorted so it looks like a couple of windows are "open" and that's about it for flaws! The body is very, very clean with crisp lettering, sharp striping and nice vibrant paint! The chassis is equally as nice -- rust-free with minimal flaws! Photo of the observation deck. The tail section (observation deck) is completely intact -- never rear-ended or involved in a crash. Two photos of the roof. A good-looking car! |
| 2402 | Chatham Pullman |
E++ | Yes | | | \ / |
The second lighted Coach with original roof and original finials:
Photo of the other side. A couple of paint chips and that's about it for flaws! The body is very, very clean with crisp lettering, sharp striping and nice vibrant paint! The chassis is equally as nice -- rust-free with minimal flaws! Two photos of the roof. A good-looking car! |
| ===> | ===> | ===> | Yes | $350 | Price for the three-car Passenger Set described above. |
| High-quality cars! It is a gorgeous 75-year-old set that was certainly taken care of by its former owner! The cars will look great on a shelf or on a layout. The set is ready to enjoy as all lights and couplers work! | |||||
| Illuminated, Santa Fe Passenger Car Set from 1966 only (silver painted with blue, heat-stamped
lettering).
How uncommon are these cars? They came unboxed in only one catalogued set (#11590 sold in 1966 and they were pulled by 212 Santa Fe Alco AA Diesels). Those cars were also available as separate sale items for $9.00 apiece but they did not come in any uncatalogued sets! | |||||
| 2408 | Santa Fe Vista Dome |
E+ | Yes | | | \ / |
The "Viewing" car: a lighted Vista Dome with original silhouetted window strips, original roof and original finials:
Photo of the other side. The roof has a scuff near one of the finials plus there are a few small paint chips on the sides and that's about it for flaws. The car is very nice overall: very, very clean with crisp lettering and nice even silver. Two "aerial" views. A good-looking car! |
| 2409 | Santa Fe Pullman |
E++ | Yes | | | \ / |
The "Coach" -- a lighted Pullman with original silhouetted window strips, original roof and original finials:
Photo of the other side. Some box rub and a few small paint chips on the sides but that's about it for flaws! The car is very, very clean with crisp lettering and nice even silver. Two "aerial" views. A good-looking car! |
| 2410 | Santa Fe Observation Car |
VG+ | Yes | | | \ / |
The "Lounge" car -- a lighted Observation Car with original silhouetted window strips, original roof and original finials:
Photo of the other side. Small smudges on the sides and the roof has scratches around the finials. The car is fairly clean overall with crisp lettering and nice even silver. Photo of the observation area. The tail section is completely intact -- never rear-ended or involved in a crash. Two "aerial" views. Some flaws but the car is still decent car. |
| ===> | ===> | ===> | Yes | $325 | Price for the three-car Passenger Set described above |
|
This is a rather obscure set that is over 55 years old. It is only the third 2408-09-10 set we have ever had for sale as the cars are SCARCE!
The set is ready to enjoy on display or on a layout as the window inserts are nice and all lights and couplers work!
A little about Lionel's history and some more information about these fascinating cars: in 1964, Lionel was in the throes of a cost-cutting program and produced the 2404-2405-2406 Santa Fe Passenger Car series -- "plain-Jane" cars that did not have lights or silhouetted window strips. After two years, apparently, the company regretted their decision to offer passenger cars without illumination and in 1966, Lionel discontinued the 2404-05-06 cars in favor of the spruced-up, deluxe 2408-09-10 cars which were essentially upgraded versions of the economy cars. | |||||
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A wagonmaker by the name of Webster Wagner is credited with developing successful early Passenger Cars in the 1850's. However, a native New Yorker -- George Pullman - designed and built far superior sleeping cars and dining cars and made travel by rail in America comfortable. From 1890 until 1941, when the impact of World War II was felt, Americans enjoyed luxury in rail travel equal to the finest hotels in the world.
Lionel manufactured six distinct styles of Passenger Cars in the Postwar era, including one that was a carryover design from the Prewar era -- the somewhat primitive 2000 series sheet-metal cars, which came in three different colors. The others were the elegant "Madison" cars, eight different color schemes of the "027" 2400-series molded plastic cars, the 1800 General-type cars, the sturdy 2500 extruded aluminum series and the more modern Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDC). The Budd Cars came powered (and with a horn) and non-powered. Most of the postwar passenger cars were illuminated and one (the 1875W General-type simulated-wood coach) even had a whistle.
Savor the golden era of rail travel and add Passenger Car service to your layout.
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