Best guide book to buy for Lionel pre-war stuff?

[railroaded]

   Right now I have the Warman's field guide for lionel 1945 to 1969. What would be a similar & economical guide book to prewar (esp. 1930's-40's) era Lionel with a similar format of giving out the piece's part #'s and short descriptions of items & sets like Warman's does?

 -Thanks in advance

-B in B

[envfocus]

The only prewar guides for Lionel that I am aware of that gives current values, piece numbers, descriptions, and pictures are David Doyle's two books.

Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains 1900-1942 (2nd Edition) with a list price of $32.99

Collector's Guide to Prewar Lionel Trains 1900-1942 with a list price of $19.99

The Standard Catalog is a full sized volume (11" x 8" with 400 pages) compared to the smaller Collector's guide (8" x 5" with 270 pages).

[Bob Keller]

Doyle's books are the only general reference books still in print (that I'm aware of).

There are several editions of the Greenberg Guides for Prewar Lionel O and Standard gauge you might be able to find on ebay are abebooks.com.

There are only two general repair/maintenance/hook-up and instruction books done by Greenberg a zillion years ago, (I think I saw some for sale at the East Coast Train Parts booth in the Orange Hall at York), but when comparing them with the level of detail in the postwar books, I was disappointed. When we receive questions regarding prewar trains, they aren't much help.

[3railguy]

I would look at the TCA's offering "Lionel - Standard of the World - 1900 -1943" as well. It doesn't give price information but it gives in depth details of variations and chronological methods of manufacture which are a great help in authenticating a so called origional piece. It includes a lot of good color photos. TM published two good guides to prewar. One on O gauge and the other on standard gauge. Both only give a general coverage of what Lionel did but they are still a good reference.

[palallin]

No single, comprehensive work.  You need all of them   Unfortunately, some of them are more pricey than the trains

[phillyreading]

I can only say that Greenberg's Pocket Price guide will give the most common engine & tender configuirations, lacking some for pre war steam locos & tenders. Also Greenberg's Pocket guide don't give any set info. Has railroad names and abbreviations in the back.

Lee F.

 

[railroaded]

  Do either of these two books include info on sets?

Lionel - Standard of the World - 1900 -1943

Collector's Guide to Prewar Lionel Trains 1900-1942

-Thanks in advance

 

-B in B

[envfocus]

The "Lionel Trains-Standard of the World" edited by Donald Fraley and written by TCA does devote a chapter to prewar sets and provides a tabulated summary of sets, but it by no means is comprehensive.  This text has been out of print for sometime, but can be had on eBay between $20 and $50 for it.  The other text you list does not.

The only book specifically on Lionel prewar sets is Volume IV of the Greenberg series entitled "Lionel Trains Prewar Sets".  This has been out of publication for years.  Typically on eBay you'd be paying well over $100 for it when it rarely comes up.