A Random Lionel Moment Frozen in Time

[JTrains]

cwburfle

The roof of your #30 has a hole in the center like the #38 roof?
Does it have a filler cap?

It did (since it's now replaced) have a hole in the center - but there was no cap plug.  I had to replace the roof because at some point whlie at my mother's house the box lost one of the cardboard corner inserts to prevent the roof from being cracked. Well, they apparently are there for good reason...

[cwburfle]

The roof of your #30 has a hole in the center like the #38 roof?
Does it have a filler cap?

[JTrains]

Also interesting about this #30 is that the roof (which is what I was replacing) turned out to actually be a #38 roof that was red and had been painted brown at the factory.  I asked my dad if it had ever been repaired and he said it had not. So, unless it was damaged and repaired by the original dealer prior to sale in this manner, it's an example of Lionel interchanging parts from the #38 for use on the #30.

[rtraincollector]

That is cool, very intersting story

[JTrains]

A couple of weeks ago I was making repairs to the Lionel #30 water tower that was my father’s before me.  When I went to reassemble it, I noticed a bit of discoloration on the inside of the paper insert for the tank.  After a couple of seconds, it became clear what it was: the print from the heel of a work shoe.  Apparently when the #30 was originally being assembled the insert must have fallen on the floor and was accidently stepped upon by the worker, leaving the impression that is there.  Figuring that it would never been seen, the worker picked the insert back up and went about completing his task - hidden for nearly 70 years until now.  It’s interesting to consider for a moment that the person who assembled the tower is likely no longer with us – but his footprint serves as a small testimony to his labors so many years ago.

Does anyone else have stories (or, better, pictures) showing similar moments frozen in time?