Over the Summer, I purchased a Lionel Postwar GG1 at a flea market in Pennsylvania. The price was right, it was stated that it needed work. Minor stuff, and it runs flawlessly now with some TLC. Question: I know that Lionel built the black GG1 during it's first production run before switching to Brunswick Green and they were numbered 2332. Mine is numbered 5401 and it looks like a factory original. I showed this unit to an "expert" at a fall show and he told me that someone at the factory could have numbered it himself for a friend or relative and that it was done quite frequently then. He then offered me a nice sum of money. I am not looking to sell it.I have asked a number of people who have been collecting and operating Lionel for a long time and everyone comes up with a dead end. I will try to post pictures in the next couple of days. I would like to know what the story on this engine can be.
Thanks, John
How many motors? What number is on the nose decals? Do the vents on the sides have a stepped upper edge or is the edge straight?
McComas and Tuohy relate that a collector got Lionel to decal and stripe eight 2360s that he had painted black in 1963.
Bob Nelson
I'm curious about this.
When you say "looks like a factory original", what clues are there to this? What makes the expert think it's not just a repaint that happened in subsequent years. This is most likely the case I'm afraid.
Mike S.
Bob,
It has 1 motor, The numbers on the end keystones is 5401. The side vents I would say are stepped or recessed.
Mike,
It looks like it was never repainted. There is no tell tale signs of paint where it is not supposed to be and it loks like it was never apart and everyone who has looked at it says the same.
We have to go out for a while. When we get back I will see my daughter can download a couple of pictures.
John
So it's a 2332 and not necessarily a repaint. There is controversy about whether the Lionel-painted "black" GG1s were really black or a very dark green. Can you see any hint of a green hue in bright light?
No luck downloading the pictures. I will try during the week.
Bob: No hint of a green hue. When I get a little time, I am going to pull the body from the chassis and give it a good going over, because Mike may be right and maybe I can find another clue. This may have been a pro job many years ago. I am just very curious but it is definitely a 2332. The best part about this "find" is that I only paid $85 and I am a fan of the GG1.
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