The DC can motor truck arrangement you've referenced was used from the late 1980's to the current date for most starter set types of engines, but also for a variety of separate sale locos. All sorts of engines come to mind. Usually in the description it will say AC/DC operable (the circuit board reverse unit makes this possible) and "dual motors" and/or "maintenance free motor."
Anything with a Pullmor type of motors will usually say as much. It definitely won't say maintenance free motor. They do last longer, but need to be serviced and maintained.
Really, the best way to know is to have a catalog from a given year, and to look at that. Some Lionel engines had only one motorized truck (the RS-3 and the NW-2). Most others had dual motors. Most of these lower end Lionel diesels had an electronic train horn. Later on, Trainsounds was introduced into these types of engines.
The K-Line S-2, MP-15, Alco FA and RDC Budd Car also used a similar set up (but not identical gears). Later in the mid or late 1990's, K-Line added a horn to the MP-15. And some of the Alco FA's that had dummy units, also had the K-Line "Real Sounds."
Ready Made Trains also used the K-Line set up for their S-4 (Bang) and RDC (Buddy) albeit with a different spec motor that responds better at low speeds with a traditional Lionel transformer.
With any of these projects you're considering, you must be aware that unless you have the ability to run with DC current to the track, you'll need the circuit board or at least a bridge rectifier (one direction operation only) to use with an AC transformer.
