Lionel Prewar tin car numbers

Andy

They were the same basic car except couplers. They do work together. Depending on the year, the other differences are in the trim colors.

Steve

what Steve said. I have a fleet of the 1680/2680 tankers,Lionel and one Ives transition. some have the latch, box couplers, nickel,copper,ore black journals.

Andy,

   As Steve & Dave point out the rolling stock is actually pretty much identical, with some slight design differences, the Box Couplers as you call them, are actually 1st generation Lionel auto-couplers, some of the 1st made, and of course the Latch Couplers are manual only. There was even an adapter made to allow joint usage and later, another 2600 series Tin Plate Box Car was made, with one auto coupler at one end of the Box Car, and a standard Lionel modern knuckle Coupler on the other, to join all the different rolling stock together.  I still own and operate mine, even today.

This coupler configuration allows the PRR Green 1 Stripe GG1, to pull Tin Plate rolling stock, the PRR GG1 is actually from the Tin Plate era, made with the modern couplers.

PCRR/Dave

the 1700 series Ives "transition" cars have the same couplers as the 1600 series lionel as well, although I don't know if they intended for them to be used together in the same consist. I assume it was done that way so that Ives or Lionel engines could pull both Ives or Lionel consists. I am more partial to the 1500 series Lionel Junior with T&S couplers and used on both Ives and Lionel versions, the lithography is very similar to the 1600 and 1700 series but the size of the cars is more compatible with 6-inch 4-wheel Marx rolling stock. The T&S couplers allow you to use many older engines of various brand names to propel them.

Thanks for the info guys.

I know some people think it's a sin to paint old tin plates, but I like to make my own rolling stock from  cars that are in bad shape...Here are some with my Grand Kids names I restored and painted. These were all Baby Ruth Cars.

Gene,

   Great job there are more than enough Baby Ruth originals to convert a few of them into prime custom made rolling stock, which yours just happen to be!

Congrats on some fine work!

PCRR/Dave

Don't forget the frames. The coupler support bar used on the latch couplers is eliminated with the box couplers.

nice work Gene, nothing wrong with bringing back the rusted and crusted.