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Reply to "Tail End Tuesday"

@Sitka- Well that Security Car is a great item, neat for sure.  Me?  Today I have a "bevy of beauties" for you all...all these "tail ends" are very close to a century old and they represent the toy train world of the 1920's.  They are the Lionel # 530 & 630 four wheel observation car.  Why the two numbers?  Hard to tell, only Lionel could tell you the reason as the differences are mostly color of car and trim or detail.  As best I can tell the basic car body is identical.  Note that in some pictures one car looks bigger than the others, that is an optical illusion caused by the photograph, they are identical in size.    So here they are:

Here is the T.E.T. view, not much to distinguish between them at this angle.  The differences are noticeable on the sides and with a better view of the colors.

Lionel 530-630 Obs cars back view

Here the differences are more clear.  In the foreground is the dark green and maroon trim #630.  She is the oldest of the group and was available in various colors from 1924-1932.  This version is one of the earliest cars, likely from 1924, mostly because of the dark green color and she still has tab/slot couplers.  Next is the "light olive" and maroon trim car from 1926.  Finally, the olive and orange trim car from 1928.

Lionel 530 - 630 Obs cars end view

A look at the non-observation platform end.  Foreground is the olive / orange car and note by 1928, she has not only latch type couplers but journal box covers.   Next is the olive / maroon car from 1926 with no journal covers, a latch coupler and the blue celluloid window shades.  These shades came and went, off and on, throughout the history of this little car.  Finally the dark green / maroon car from 1924 with the tab/slot couplers

Lionel 530-630 Obs cars non railing end view

Well that's my offering this fine Tuesday.  Wish everyone a happy and healthy week

Don

Don that's a lot of tail ends

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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