KOOLjock1 posted:The Post War berk tooling was tossed long ago... a crisp, new version was created 10 to 15 years ago.
Jon
I'll re-post some information on the subject I posted about a week ago.
The original Postwar tooling for the Berk has been gone a long time. I recall there was information (years ago now) that the MPC era No. 8615 L&N Big Emma was the last Berk built with the original tooling (this was back in 1986), and the tooling broke during the run, which resulted in fewer engines made than planned. That used to be a high dollar engine, at least partly because of the reported shortage (plus the engine is very attractive). There may have been other stories about the demise of the orginal Berk tooling as well. In any case, it was a long time (quite a few years) after the Big Emma before the next Berk was produced by Lionel, because they had to make a completely new tool for the engine, which took a lot of time (and a lot of money back then).
The last Lionel engine made in the U.S. was a Nickle Plate Berkshire, No. 28074, which was made in 2001, 16 years ago, which would have used the new tooling. This engine was the last product to be manufactured at the Chesterfield, Michigan plant. A letter was included, signed by Richard N. Maddox, President & COO of Lionel, that attests to this fact. I don't know of any Berk made between the No. 8615 in '86 and the No. 28074 in '01.
