#11440 and 11460

[Anonymous]

i am trying really hard to find out the prices on lionel models # 11460 7 unit steam freight with whislte and smoke and # 11440 5 unit diesel freight. my husband was given these as gifts when he was born. 1964 or so...if any one ccan help please i would appreciate it....chris in ohio

[lionelsoni]

Are you looking for the original prices or the present value? I don't know either; but those who might know here would need that information, as well as the condition if you're looking for present value.

[phillyreading]

Hello tinki0208, I need more information like the number on the engine and cars, what color & did this set come with track & a transformer? To identify track from Lionel: 027 track has brown ties, O gauge track has black ties. Will need to know the condition of the locomotives and cars, example: dents, scratches, fading.
Lee F.

[martinden]

These were both O-27 sets catalogued in 1964. The value of the sets depends very much on their condition (including their completeness). The following are from Greenberg's Guide to Lionel Trains 1945-1969, Vol. III Catalogued Sets. The guide lists the components of each set and also includes a brief discussion.

11440: Like new 325 Very good 125 Original list price: $17.95

11460: LN 500 VG 225 List: $34.95

David Doyle's Standard catalogue of Lionel Trains 1945-1969 -- which is a little more recent -- has the following values:

11440: LN 350 Excellent 200

11460: LN 200 EX 125

These were pretty low-line sets, and the engines and cars mostly pretty commonplace, so the value lies in the complete outfit, and especially in the set box. There were no component boxes (for the individual items) -- the outfit box had dividers creating sections to hold the loco, cars, transformer, track, etc.

BTW, according to Greenberg's, a few of the 11460 sets included a Frisco boxcar with a coin slot in the roof; this is a scarce variation and would make the set a little more attractive to a collector. (Most just had an ordinary Frisco boxcar without the slot.) Also, Greenberg's has a photograph of the 11440 Rio Grande outfit. And, finally, I have no idea why the two guides show such different values for the 11460 set.


Condition: "Like new" means just that -- the trains appear to have just come from the factory. They have to be in really great condition. The items may show very slight signs of slight use and handling, but no more than that. Nothing can be broken and no parts missing. The set box must be included and it must be in extremely good condition -- no markings, tears, tape, scrapes, crushed corners, etc. All the dividers that separate the contents must be present. (The box might have a price marked on it -- somebody more expert than I would have to evaluate the effect that has.) All components and paperwork (except O or O-27 track) must be included.

An "excellent" set would be mighty nice, but showing just a bit more wear and use than "like new:" a few tiny scratches and nicks would be acceptable. A very good set would definitely show wear and use -- scratches and nicks, etc., but no outright damage or abuse -- just trains that were played with and show the results. The set box is of course necessary, and it would definitely be good to have the main instruction sheet(s), etc., but some of the paperwork, lockon,connecting wires etc., may be missing. The set box also would be less than perfect, though not totally beaten up or falling apart. Some markings or tape would be acceptable. Having the dividers would be nice for VG, but I doubt that it would be essential. (Again, I'm no expert.)

Understand that these prices are nothing more than rough guidelines; they're values that experienced collectors think are reasonable, based on their observations of the marketplace. The listed values have no "standing" -- nobody is in any way obligated to pay any attention to them, and the actual worth of any items is just whatever somebody will pay for them. Nevertheless, they do give you a ballpark figure to think about.

Note also, that these are retail prices -- a collector looking for the trains for his own collection might pay those prices. But if you sell them to a train store or other dealer who is going to turn around and sell them again, you'd get much less -- half or a little more, perhaps. (This is how a dealer makes money -- sells for more than he paid.)

So, tinki0208, this may be more than you really wanted to know, but I hope it answers your question.