identifying lionel trains

The list you presented appears to be postwar Lionel items made in the 1940'2-60's. The lionel Website lists the most modern production and would not have reference to the items in your list. The book you mention might list these items as well as production years. 

I just searched LIONEL #6042 via Google for example: https://www.google.com/search?...el=fs&gws_rd=ssl tons of info...

http://www.tandem-associates.c...onel/lionelident.htm

try this goto ebay goto model railroad goto O scale when you get to the page at the top there is a advance click on that now one by one put your car # in there and click on sold this will give you the cars and what they have sold for in the past few months so you can see what they are and what they are going for. 

I find this site very helpful. Select the identify Lionel trains on the left. It takes you here

 

Here's the info on 6045 tanker. 2 types 60-61   1    2- Lionel Lines

 

The 1055 engine this and the Columbia only go forward, no e-units.

 

Prices-Do an eBay advanced search for only sold listings. It will give you some idea.

 

Nothing special there-perhaps the helicopter car if it's all there and in excellent condition. It should be 3419.

 

oops, I see Andrew B. linked you already. if your buying, pass.

I find this site very helpful for P/W Lionel

http://www.postwarlionel.com/

Drummer - I don’t know about the book you mentioned, but Greenberg’s 2015 Lionel Price Guide gives the years made and values.  Everything is listed by road number so it wouldn’t help you with the Erie engines.

 

I agree that the old MTH product locator was better than the new one.  I think the web designers keep updating sites so you have to get a new browser and a new computer and rent your software.

The 6656 cattle car is tough to find, but as far as I know, it is still an inexpensive car.
The Erie diesels should have a number somewhere. If it is an early Alco, there are illuminated number boards on the sides, right up by the nose of the engine. If the number boards are still there, they should carry the numbers "2032".

If your friend does have this model engine, they were originally sold as a pair. Some Ebay sellers break them up.

If you are looking to place a value on the trains, condition is everything.

The 6656 cattle car was in a set with the Erie 2032 Alcos, 1952 or 1953. Other cars in this set were a 6465 two dome tank car, 6456 Lehigh Valley Maroon Hopper and 6257 SP style caboose. In the prewar though Postwar periods, the cattle car was not a usual car placed in sets by Lionel so they tend to be less common I would suppose. I can recall a train running on the Lionel show room layout made up of the UP yellow and grey Alcos with a string of these yellow cattle cars. The yellow car apparently was last offered in 1955. In 1957, Lionel offered a like car but in an orange color. It was numbered 6646 and was a one year only item. 

 

Thanks...I was working on getting a deal together...but my funds found new friends..but I did acquire things I want to keep...elsewhere.