Toy train operating and collecting

Hi,

I have a die casting of a Lionel steam loco and have no idea which loco it is.  All I have is the body, no motor, wheels, guts etc.

The underside of the casting states:  "00-8508-005  Lionel C Mt Clemens, MI, Made In Taiwan".

Can anyone tell me what model number and or locomotive this is?

Thanks

Is there no cab number, under the windows?

Unfortunately, a number cast into the shell or frame usually belongs to the first locomotive that used that casting.  In this case, I couldn't even find one with that number (8508).  Maybe someone can identify it if you can post a picture.

I have nothing to do with Lionel or its number system.   BUT, in my industry I would read 00-8508-005 as part number Year 2000, Complete Unit 8508, and Part 005.   What did they make in 2000?

Traditionally, the part number is the number of the first model that it was used on, followed by a number unique to that part on the model.  The initial "00" may well be the last digits of the year (although that would be ambiguous for a company as old as Lionel).  The problem I found was that they have apparently made an 8507 and an 8512, but not those in-between.

 Could this be a 8308-3 cab? The 5's you are reading are actually 3? Just tossing it out there.

Lionel made a 8308-3 cab in the mid 70's.

If you could post a picture it would be helpful. A picture is worth a thousands words!

That's an interesting idea.  Lionel often used 3 for the part suffix for a locomotive shell.  Here's a (very small) picture of an 8308:

lionelsoni one thing I can tell you for sure, is that this was made before the year 2000 because I have had this body since as far back as the early 1990's  Before 1994 that's for sure.

I will post a pic in the next day or two when I get my camera working with my software.  I will say that the thumbnail sure looks like it but it's hard to tell the pic is very small.

Well, the 8308 was made in 1973 and 1974; so the "00" digits aren't a date code, as Don suggested, if it's an 8308, as Mark suggested.  Can you tell whether it resembles the tiny picture I posted?  And how sure are you about the casting number?

Stop the presses!  I doubt that it is an 8308, which had a plastic shell.  Perhaps the number is something else.

The odds are that 8508 is the correct number.
Try an internet search of "Lionel 8508". and you will get hits for parts like:

8508-118 slanted bell bracket
8508-013 handrail
8508T-26 Rear step

Unfortunately, Lionel part numbers, and stock numbers do not always coincide.
For example, the stock number of the Erie alco's was 11734, but most of the parts are listed under 8109.
The slanted bell bracked, mentioned above, may provide a clue. Judging by the parts photo in the Trainz web site, the steam engine had a bell mounted on the boilerfront. The bracket looks similar to the bell bracket that was used on a scale hudson.

This sounds like the Casting that was made for the Rock Island 4-8-4 Northern from 1987. The Castings were made in Taiwan & notorius for the many flaws they had & the following year(1988) the castings were made in the States & improved upon. The other clue here is that the Northerns did indeed have a Bell mounted on the Boilerfront. Hope this helps. Take Care.

1688torpedo:

This sounds like the Casting that was made for the Rock Island 4-8-4 Northern from 1987

Good call:
Here is the pictoral diagrams on the Rock Island, has some 8508 part numbers.
The cab part numbers are different, but that is probably because they are decorated.
(Lionel does stuff like that)

http://www.lionel.com/media/servicedocuments/191-8001Complete.pdf

Absolutely certain I got the number right, checked it several times. cwburfle that pdf you posted sure looks like it, the differences are extremely minor, I don't have the front ladders coming off the cow catcher, there is no front grating above the cow catcher, and in the casting itself, those notches on either side of the inside front of the boiler are not in my casting.  Other than that the cab and everything else looks absolutely identical.

PlymGuy,

The pdf, which cwburfle posted, of a locomotive similar to yours shows a premium type of Lionel engine with a powerful designed motor and great wheel arrangement.
Is your engine in running condition and if so, with a motor and wheel arrangement as shown, is it a good hauler?

Thank You,

Ralph