A question for the experienced experts on postwar Lionel locomotives/tenders

Jeff, if I recall correctly I had a 2020 with silver rubber stamped cab numbers and a 2020W tender with white "Lionel Lines" lettering rubber stamped on the side. The loco and tender were from 1946. I could be wrong but I believe after 1946 Lionel switched to silver lettering on those and most other tenders.

Over the years buying trains from their original owners, I have seen locomotives and tender both stamped in silver, and a mix set where the color didn't match on both. So I wouldn't discount that your set isn't as shipped from the factory.

1950 773 Hudson: Silver 773 on cab and white heat stamp lettering on tender.

Yes, some were white and silver lettered. I had a 1666 from 1947 I just sold that had white tender lettering and silver cab numbers, have also seen it on a 239 from the mid 1960's and some variations of the 685 Hudson.

Be aware that there are some fairly good reproduction tenders shells out there. They have been out for quite some time, and may have developed some patina.

Thank you all for your informative input.  My take-away is the answer is yes.  Lionel did sell factory original loco/tender sets with silver numbers and white tender lettering.   There seems to be no record on which locos this could apply to.  Jeff

Nearly all die cast steam locomotives had numbers in silver while tenders were lettered white. This is from two different processes where the die cast locomotive numbers were rubber stamped while plastic tenders were hot stamped. Look closely at the tender you will see the plastic around the lettering is slightly melted. But there are variations where the cab number may be white and the tender silver. The consistent thing about Lionel steam locomotive numbering and lettering color is the inconsistency.

Here's a link to a decent online guide; http://www.tandem-associates.c...ionellocomotives.htm

Bogie