1915-1917 locos were made by the Lionel Manufacturing Co. An original pick up plate should read as such. Starting in 1918 the plate reads Lionel Corporation. Early locos were also made without axle bearings. In 1915 and early 1916 the loco was numbered 700 series then changed to the 150 series. My late 1916 150 is brown. So if the pick up plate reads Lionel Corporation its a 1918 or later version, otherwise its a late 1916 or 1917 model. There are ways to tell by the over all motor style as well as the brush plate.
Tin
