I have three duplicate post-war Lionel sets. All of the original sets belonged to my father and my grandfather. I bought the duplicates so I could preserve the originals for my children and grandchildren. I operate the duplicates just to get a feel for running my Dad's and Grand-dad's trains. The originals all still run and are in their original boxes and set boxes.
The sets were all very inexpensive and that's how I was able to buy them. They are as follows:
1. Lionel Freight set #1423W headed up by a little die-cast 1655 Columbia style 2-4-2 locomotive. Manufactured in 1948.
2. Lionel Freight set #1590 headed up by a plastic 249 Columbia style 2-4-2 locomotive. Manufactured in 1958.
3. A Marx freight set headed up by a die-cast 666 Columbia style 2-4-2 locomotive. I do not know the number of this set because if it was on the box it has completely faded. The set was manufactured in 1959 to the best of my knowledge.