the links are great. Very powerful information. Thanks much
yes they are 23XX
I have to find a 2321 Maplewood to complete the set, I guess.
wow-- excellent . did you a take a photo of the pages in the catalog or how did you do that. So is this apage from the 1950 or the 1951 catalog?
and is there a 4 cars set in a different catalog?
Jack-- thanks for the information.
The condition of the cars is average-- obviously played with very much in its day. I have no boxes. I guess I want to find the 2321 maplewood car, and then try to find what year the 4 car set was sold. i am going to keep my eyes open for the 2023 UP engine set or the 2033 UP set.
I have a picture of the cars but it is a little fuzzy and I havent figured out how to tag a photo on the forum
But I will figure it out soon
it's hard to tell if the gray roof cars were pictured in the 1950 catalog, but in 1951, they definitely appear to be darker...
They start with 24.....and thank you for jumping in here!!!!
Jack
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
Are you sure the numbers start with 23 and not 24? here are some links that may be of help.
http://www.tandem-associates.com/lionel/lionel_trains_2422_passenger_car.htm
http://www.postwarlionel.com/cgi-bin/postwar?ITEM=2422
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
pkieltyI found and bought a set of three(3) streamlined Pullman passenger cars at a Flea market in Sandwich, Illinois. Without knowing much about them, I bought them for a very modest price, and I had to put about $70 worth of repairs to get them running well. They run very nicely, all the interior lights work, and the silhouttes are in place. How would I go about making this set more "collectible". The cars are #2322 Chatham, #2323 Hillside Observation, and #2329 Livingston. There seems to be a fourth car to the set -- the #2321 Maplewood. These cars have the Grey roof and black lettering. It seems that the 4 car set ran with the Union Pacific ALCO A-A units also. Any advice out there?
How would I go about making this set more "collectible". The cars are #2322 Chatham, #2323 Hillside Observation, and #2329 Livingston. There seems to be a fourth car to the set -- the #2321 Maplewood. These cars have the Grey roof and black lettering. It seems that the 4 car set ran with the Union Pacific ALCO A-A units also. Any advice out there?
PK.........Since no one has responded yet, let me see if I can get this started. I am no expert nor do I have a "buyers guide" relative to what your passenger cars are worth.
The 242X series passenger cars were manufactured between 1950 and 1952, 1953. Most of what I have seen have the cars in matching silver (roofs and car bodies). The lettering and numbering were black. The cars were named after cities in New Jersey near (then) Lionel's factory in Hillside NJ. The cars: 2421 (Maplewood Pullman), 2422 (Chatham Vista Dome), 2423 (Hillside Observation), and the 2429 (Livingston Pullman, rarer).
The solid silver cars were available as part of a 2046 Hudson set from 1950 and probably other sets from that time frame. But I have seen (less of) the darker grey roofs on some like yours. These may, as you suggested, have come with the silver 2033 Union Pacific AA Alcos with the silver UP FA Alcos made from 1952-1954.
Collectability?
I would say these cars in general are fairly common as they were the smaller, less expensive, plastic-bodied passenger car mainstay, less expensive than, say, the larger aluminum scale passenger cars of the time that one would see with Lionel's more expensive scale F3 engines. BUT.....the darker grey-roofed versions like yours, however, are far less common.
Most of what you see in the marketplace show varying signs of serious play (scratches), particularly on the roofs. If your cars are exceptionally clean, rust free, and come with boxes, they might be worth something far greater than what you paid and then invested in them.
I looked on Ebay this morning and the prices for these cars are, as always, all over the map with some sellers asking way too much for a condition that simply does not warrant the price. One seller has a hefty price tag on a set of cars, and the pictures were taken in the dark with the lights out!! This shows that the $.50 light bulbs work and not much else!!! I would assume they are well worn. Otherwise, the seller would be touting the paint condition and not working light bulbs (and passenger silhouettes).
For the serious collectors willing to pay the higher dollars, they want original, especially paint. Once repainted, the cars look far better but the value drops noticeably, no matter how good the repaint. These folks are looking for the original boxes as well.
Aside from the 242X passenger cars, there were also the later (1954-1956) 243X passenger cars that came in the same solid silver color but with red letters and numbers. These came with even more New Jersey city names. The cars: 2432 (Clifton Vista Dome), 2434 (Newark Pullman), 2435 (Elizabeth Pullman, rarer), 2436 (Summit Observation), and the like numbered 2436 (Mooseheart Observation, rarer).
What is the condition of the paint on your cars. And did you get the original boxes with them? Hope others will jump in here.
I found and bought a set of three(3) streamlined Pullman passenger cars at a Flea market in Sandwich, Illinois. Without knowing much about them, I bought them for a very modest price, and I had to put about $70 worth of repairs to get them running well. They run very nicely, all the interior lights work, and the silhouttes are in place.
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