Plug-door Postwar

[traindaddy1]

To date, I have been concentrating on the 6454 series of boxcars.  Now, I'm thinking about expanding into the 6014, 6024 etc. series of Plug-door boxcars and would like your opinion of them.

If you have any, which are your favorites and which do think are more desireable?

As always, many thanks.

[cwburfle]

At one time the plug door boxcars (6014 style) were very popular with collectors.
Some of the harder ones to collect include the Chung King and Whirlpool.
If you buy any, be aware that on many, the lettering is very delicate and will wash away with even the most gentle cleaning.
I'll be controversial here and state that much is made of the McCalls boxcar, but IMHO, unless someone produces some Lionel factory documentation stating that Lionel glued on those lables, I think McCalls made them up, not Lionel.
I had aeveral of those unmarked blue boxcars, with no signs that a label was ever attached, and they could be ordered from Lionel.

[traindaddy1]

cwburfle: Many thanks.  Just the response I was hoping to get.

[rlplionel]

Here's a photo of the Chun King boxcar:

And the RCA Whirlpool:

Here's a harder to find variation of the 6050 Lionel Savings Bank which has "Built By Lionel" instead of the abbreviated  and more common "Blt By Lionel":

This is the 1969 version of the 6014 orange Frisco with medium blue lettering:

 

Robert

http://www.robertstrains.com/

[traindaddy1]

ROBERT:  Thanks for the pictures AND your site.  A lot of great stuff!

[luther_stanton]

I have focused much of my post war house car collecting on the smaller "scout sized" cars in the series you mentioned.  They fit well with the traditional sized engines from Lionel as well as 1000 and 2400 series gondolas and operating log and coal dump cars as well as the 34xx milk cars.

Some of my favorites are the 638-2361 Van Camp's, 6014 AirEx and the 6050 Libbys.  The 6014 Wix is sharp and has eluded my search thus far .

The more common ones can be readily found and clean up easily.  The white cars seem to be a little harder to find without yellowing that comes form age and they also seem to have the most fragile graphics.

- Luther

[traindaddy1]

Luther: Thanks.