Lionel Changed Date Code Format

[Chris F]

One of the more esoteric aspects of this hobby is deciphering the dates codes stamped on the inside of Lionel boxes. I first read about it in Greenberg's Guide to Lionel Trains, 1970-1991, Vol. II.

From about 1979, Lionel used a five-digit date code to indicate when the item was packaged. The first number is either a 1 or a 2 (production run?). The next three numbers are the day of the year and the last number is the last digit of the year. The example given in the book was a date code of 11346, indicating the item was packed on the 134th day of 1986, or May 14, 1986. Of course, you need to have an idea of what decade the item was produced.

The new date coding appears to have started in 2004. It's still a five-digit code, but now the first three numbers indicate the day of the year and the last two digits indicate the year. I purchased a 14166 Train Orders Building with a date code of 01604, indicating a packaging date of January 16, 2004.

Collectors use the date code to determine when a variation may have started or ended. I use it out of curiousity, to see how close the date is to Lionel's estimated ship date, and how long it took after packaging to make it to my door. I use Excel to track my train inventory, and it's relatively easy to transform the date code into an actual date.[:)]

[Richard A]

Chris,

Geez! Thanks a lot! Do you know how many lionel boxes I now have to root out and open to check the date code?! You posted this just to torment me, didn't you? [:D]

Seriously, though, this is just the type of "trivia" I love. I'm couped up at home (medical problem) all the time and have read and reread all my train mags one too many times. Now I have something else to do. And I have all my trains inventoried on Excel, too. One more column coming up!

Cheers!

[Chris F]

Richard, I feel so guilty![:p] The least I can do is help with the Excel stuff by showing how I do it.

1. Format the column by picking "Custom", then scroll to the bottom and pick "m/d/yy".
2. If you enter "1" in a cell, the result will be 1/1/00. I chose to interpret this as January 1, 1900.
3. Experiment by entering in numbers until you get one to read January 1 of the year you're interested in, the "year number". Jot this number down. For example, 1/1/86 is 31416.
4. Determine the "days" part of the date code, then enter the number as [= "year number" + "day number" - 1]. Using the date code from the earlier post, a date code of 11346 would be entered as "31416 + 134 -1". Voila!

I realize deciphering box date codes truly is a "trivial pursuit". I didn't start looking until I was comparing two C&NW NW-2 switchers. The original production had an unpainted yellow body and the light came through the translucent plastic. Due to customer complaints, later production (so I thought) had a painted body. When I compared the date codes on the boxes, my painted version showed a packing date the day before the unpainted version. Huh? I concluded that my painted version had been returned to the factory for redecorating, rather than being later production, and that the original box was re-used.

Have fun![:)]

[Richard A]

Chris,

Thanks. I'll play around with this and see how it turns out. My wife is a chemical engineer and my son is a computer programmer, so if push comes to shove, I'll have one of them write me a short "program" to easily translate at least the day of the year. They're used to writing their own formulas.

You know, one of us has to get a life! [:D] Date codes, no less!

Cheers, again!