Here’s my favorite car aged over 100 years, a Lionel #36 observation cars. Available evidence indicates that it’s a 1915 car about to celebrate its 105th birthday. Here’s a summary of the dating exercise.
But first the commercial. I’m going to include photos of my car next to items in Greenburg’s Standard Gauge book. Without Bruce’s efforts, this exercise couldn’t have happened – it’s been well worth the $100 price tag.
First both sides of the car. The third photo is about the unusual window insert which have red shades, blue lavatory windows and a red door window. In all three of my Lionel prewar references, the only place I could find that configuration was at the bottom of p. 342 of Greenburg. The captions states it is 1915, dark blue, with type 8 railings. Now I have one date possibility.
Next the observation railing. It is what Greenburg calls a type 8, found only on 336, but no date .information. It looks as it the use of the type 9 began in 1916.
Then there is the hole size of the steps. According to Greenburg the original daimeter was .140", changed to .0125 about 1918. Mine measure .01375, which indicates not later than 1918.
Finally is a photo of the end. Look through the end door and you can see a rivet and clip type fastening. It looks like a Greenburg type 5, which he says could have begun production “as early as 1914”. The coupler in the photo is a reproduction filed to match the dimensions of the original. The original .is lost – may be found some day when cleaning my workshop area.one of the many corners of the basement
Putting it all together, I think the most likely date for my car is 1915, but maybe 1914, less likely 16 or 17.
