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Lionel Proposed Pass. Car Silver Platter, What Type Car, and Number?

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Lionel Proposed Pass. Car Silver Platter, What Type Car, and Number?
Posted by Train-O on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 9:09 PM

Hi, Everyone,

I would like to know of Lionel's proposed 2500 series passenger car 'Silver Platter, what type of car was it to be and what number was it to have back in the '50's?

I would appreciate If anyone has an answer.

Thank You,

Ralph

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Posted by lionelsoni on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 6:33 PM

It was an extruded aluminum car like the Silver Range, Silver Dawn, Silver Bluff, and Silver Cloud.  It was shown in the 1952 catalog as the 2534 Silver Platter.

Here the cars listed in the catalog:
2531 Silver Dawn
2532 Silver Range
2533 Silver Bluff
2534 Silver Platter

Here are the cars actually made:
2531 Silver Dawn
2532 Silver Range
2533 Silver Cloud
2534 Silver Bluff

Bob Nelson

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Posted by Train-O on Thursday, January 15, 2009 10:28 AM

Bob,

Thank you for the explanation, lists and proper name of the unmade car.

Was the Silver Platter suppsed to be a Astra/Vista Dome?

Thanks,

Ralph 

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Posted by Train-O on Thursday, January 15, 2009 3:06 PM

Bob,

Was the Silver Platter an Astra/Vista Dome car?

Thank You,

Ralph

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  • From: DC
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Posted by martinden on Thursday, January 15, 2009 4:48 PM

No, it was to have been a regular Pullman, or coach.

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Posted by Train-O on Thursday, January 15, 2009 5:27 PM

Martinden,

Thanks, for your answer.

It would be an interesting article for "Classic Toy Trains" magazine to print

Ralph.

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Posted by Train-O on Friday, January 16, 2009 2:02 AM

Martinden,

From what you say that the Silver Platter was to be a Pullman, or coach, maybe it would have been a dining car.

Thank You,

Ralph

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  • From: Austin, TX
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Posted by lionelsoni on Friday, January 16, 2009 8:27 AM

According to McComas and Tuohy, the whole fiasco seemed to be a catalog screw-up.  So it's entirely possible that there was never a plan for a "Silver Platter".  To me, the name seems very prosaic and like a parody of the other names, perhaps an in-joke that slipped into the publication.

Bob Nelson

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Posted by Train-O on Friday, January 16, 2009 11:51 AM

Gentlemen,

Thank you for all of the helpful info. regarding this car.

Lionel did have great marketing techniques, whether the item(s) was/were manufactured, or not and most of their products were also great, as attributed to their popularity and sales. 

These extruded passenger cars are really beautiful and if not scale size, then just large enough to capture the appearance of the prototypical length.

I  know that these cars are large and do take-up a lot of room.

I bought a set for my son and it consist of one mail baggage, one observation, two coaches, two astra/vista domes and A-B-A units.

We're talking about over nine feet and having to use O-72 radius track, another whole room is needed just to run this train.

If not, than imagine if these units were to scale?!

Ralph

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    July 2002
  • From: DC
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Posted by martinden on Friday, January 16, 2009 12:39 PM

Ralph, I should have just said "Pullman" -- that was Lionel's description, but the window pattern makes them look more like coaches to me.

Martin 

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Posted by Train-O on Saturday, January 17, 2009 11:10 AM

Martin,

You're correct, they do look like coaches to me, also.

Ralph

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Posted by traindaddy1 on Saturday, January 17, 2009 1:11 PM

Bob:  You're 'right', as usual.     

   I have the set.    When I saw the ad and saw the name (didn't notice the numbers), I knew that I just had to have another "Siver - something" to add to my consist.  (Could never find it Blush)

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Posted by Train-O on Saturday, January 17, 2009 2:31 PM

Hi, Traindaddy1,

I only have the 'small doors' on the only baggage car I have.

Do you have the two cars, one with large and the other with small doors, both of which had the same numbers?

Ralph

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Florida
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Posted by traindaddy1 on Saturday, January 17, 2009 3:34 PM

Ralph:  Sorry.....My cars all have the same matching  size doors.   (Please, if my "Chief Engineer" hears that I could be on a new quest for another car, I'll be on the next Amtrak out of here!)  Thanks for asking.

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Posted by Train-O on Saturday, January 17, 2009 3:41 PM

Traindaddy1,

You won't be alone.

Take Care,

Ralph

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