?Size classification for Lionel box cars?

[Boyd]

A few weeks ago I bought a beautiful silver CP Rail box car through EBay. I wasn't sure of its size but bid on it anyway. How many different sizes (or scales) of the basic box car has Lionel made over the years? The 70s gave us some box cars that looked more S-scale than anything else. My brothers 1973 Black Diamond set had one, I think it was an Erie Lackawana. Then theres 027, then Standard O. That's three sizes, or scales. I'm not extremely deep into trains even though I have probably 150 cars. Can someone else help? If I wanted to find a full scale Lionel CP Rail box car in silver what car number do I search for? My CP box car is a 9730. 

[fifedog]

Perhaps a 6-9228 might fit the bill.  Appears to be more of a "tweener".

[rtraincollector]

You may also look for ones that say Standard O as there the scale ones also.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lionel-6-17200-Canadian-Pacific-Boxcar-Standard-O-CP-Beaver-toy-train-railroad-/311457621229?hash=item48845224ed

 

[Jack Derby]

Basically, Lionel made 3 different sizes of boxcar over the years.  One was the 8", 027 car that was in your brothers set.  I had an identical car at one point.  The second was the quasi scale 6464 style boxcar, that is the most common size.  Finally, there were the scale cars, these are always larger than the other sizes, and less common.

[rtraincollector]

Wanted to do some digging before I made this statement there actually are 6 sizes if you go back to prewar but lets not if you just go to post war you have 4 actually the  Erie Lackawana size, then you have the 6464 size which the about the 9800 size Fifedog was talking about then you have the 9700 size which is a little smaller now back to the 9800 size it is considered standard O which is supose to be scale well then Lionel came out with a 4th size they say is scale which is even bigger and I have a 27268 NYC Pacemaker Double Door boxcar I will add a pic of the 3 I have so you can compare. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think Ihave these in correct order lol any way the erie one I don't have and its even smaller. 

 

[rtraincollector]

Boyd not sure what size your engine is but here is a comparison for you This is what I call O-27 size engine its a GP-9 NYC I will put the 3 cars one by one with so you can see I'm trying to help but if you want true scale I think you need a car in the 2xxxx area for size you could always ask seller to give you measurements to help you figure also if he doesn't want to he doesn't want your business. 

 

 

[Penny Trains]

1. The 9 1/4 inch long cars debuted in 1946 and were an improved version of the prewar (pre WW2) stamped steel cars that looked very similar.  Examples of this series include the X2454, 3454 and 3464 series cars.
2. In 1948, Lionel began the series of 8 1/2 inch cars which are commonly reffered to as either the "scout" or "plug door" style.  While not a true plug door house car, the nickname derives from the fact that these cars have their doors molded into the body and cannot open.  Examples include the 6014 series which encompasses many cars under the same number.  The most valuable of these cars (and possibly all Lionel house cars) is the 6044-1x McCall's-Nestles promotional item.
3. The most popular size cars were first cataloged in 1953 and are commonly called the "6464 type" boxcars.  These 10 5/8 inch long cars are highly collectible and have become the standard size for Lionel boxcars.  The 6464 series lasted through 1969 when Lionel sold it's train line to General Mills (under the Fundimensions/MPC name).
4. Under GM-Fundimensions, Lionel continued to produce the 10 5/8 inch 6464 style cars.  Initially they were offered as the 9200 series then the 9400 and 9700 series.  Modern Lionel catalogs have offered reissues of 6464 cars of the 50's and 60's also.
5. Also continued from the original Lionel corp were the 8 1/2 inch "scout" cars.  These were often found in low to midrange starter sets but several were available for separte sale.  (The 6464 style cars were usually reserved for separate sale or high end sets only.)
6. 9 1/4 inch cars have also appeared in the modern era but they are made from completely new tooling (the 10 5/8 inch and 8 1/2 inch cars were made from the original Lionel molds).
7. The Standard O boxcars came along in 1973.  They have true 1/48 scale proportions the tooling for which came from Rivarossi of Italy.  These cars tower over the other series cars.
8. Hi-Cube cars debuted in 1976.

Sources: Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains 1945-1969 and Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains 1970-2000.

Becky

[rtraincollector]

Thanks Becky very interesting. The last car I showed came out like in 2010 I think and is bigger than the Standard O so I'm wondering what they concider that car. and if memory serves me correct a MTH scale car is different in size from a Lionel scale car. Not sure about the rest ( atlas, weaver, etc. ) wait a minut Atlas scale are bigger than Lionel sorry just remembered I have a couple packed away. think there a little bigger than what I showed as the last size.

[Jack Derby]

I forgot about the pre/post cars...