lionel 224 pre or post

[turret]

I am new to the forum and need help, I know this has been asked before but I am still having trouble with a year for my 224 engine being pre or post war.

My 224 has black handrails and a square off back cab which might be the 1945 version, but it has a short 

drawbar  with ears which may have been changed at some point not having the correct tender.  Can anyone help?.

[LL675]

welcome to the fourm! and don't be afraid of  repeating questions. your 224 sounds like a '45 to me. the drawbar might have been changed, or it might just have been what was in the parts bin at Lionel.

[turret]

 Hi LL675,

Thanks for your input, trying to decide on the year with hopes to finding a tender.

[ADCX Rob]

224 cab/handrail/tender discussion.

Rob

[phillyreading]

I have two 224's; one is a pre war 224E, the other is a 224. The 224E is from aprox. 1941 with a 2224 tender that has silver handrails and silver drawbar on the engine to the tender. The drawbar for the 2224 tender also has two holes in it, one is round and the other is a slot about a eigth inch wide, the engine's piece has a metal protrusion on the drawbar to help keep it in place. The 224, 1946 or later, has a rounded backside to the cab area, the drawbar is blackened and attaches just a little bit differently, also the trailing wheels on the bottom are missing a spring and some metal compared to the 224E's trailing wheels. The other differance is that the 224E has silver handrails along the side of the boiler compared to the 224 having black handrails. I don't have the original tender for the 224, so I can't comment on any differences in the tenders.

Both engines use drawbars, no hole in frame of engine on either one, also both have made in USA by Lionel in NYC, and both have O gauge stamped on them. The drive wheels on both 224's have Baldwin Disc stamped on them.

Somebody made mention of a hole being used by a 224 during the very early postwar, I have no idea if that is correct or not. What I will mention is that I have a 249E from 1939 that has what looks like a rivot sticking up and the tender has the silver drawbar rod connection for the pair.

Lee F.