Yes, they were. I was given a Lionel Scout set in 1951. I was aware the couplers on my set didn't seem to match the couplers of any of the newer cars that showed up in each year's Lionel catalog but I was patient - I figured sooner or later they would offer another car to go with my set. Finally, in 1955 I saw the #3620 searchlight car and, correct coupler or not, I wanted it. The catalog and hobby shop price was $7.95, My allowance was 25 cents a week...so I started saving. For 8 months I did no buy a thing - I just saved my quarters.
When I reached $8.00 I asked Dad to take me down to the hobby shop to get the car. We got to the hobby shop, I made my request, the owner pulled one out of the box and set it on the counter. I was reaching into my pocket to pull out all my quarters when Dad said, " But the couplers on this car don't match the couplers on your train." Dad said I looked him straight in the eye and said in a very slow and determined voice, "I-Don't-Care!"
Dad told me many years later it was at that moment he realized I was really serious about my trains. He covered the sales tax (I was almost heartbroken when that was added to the cost and I didn't have the money to cover it) and that Christmas, Santa gave me an unasked for and totally unexpected gift in the form of a #1615 engine and tender whose couplers matched everything in the Lionel catalog...as for #3620...
it still runs just fine...so does #1615.
