C&O ( Chessie System) boxcar with additional MEC Marking

6-9470 was a lionel "CHICAGO" box car.

Gunny

Could you check the number? I tried to look up an image of Lionel 6-9470 online, but it is a green EJ&E boxcar.

according to Greenberg  9470 was E.J&E.....1984-1985

OK I believe the car in question is 6-9740.

Well railroads can't share or loan cars, but can lease a car to another railroad.

My guess is it could be meant to model a car sold by Chessie System to Maine Central, who just painted out the reporting marks and added their own "MEC" without doing anything else. Legally, the reporting marks indicate the owner of the car, the other writing with a railroad name and slogans or heralds are technically irrelevant.

OR...Maine Central did own some all-yellow boxcars. It could be Lionel mixed something up and put MEC on a Chessie car instead of an MEC car and nobody caught the error. However, the Lionel car doesn't seem to be selling online for very much, so if it is a factory error it must have not been a rare one?

wjstix et el--you are all so right-I gave the wrong MPC number-sorry-it is, as said, # 6-9740. Also-you all are correct that the car is common ( came in a few sets and as a single sale item)-with all having the C&O/ Chessie System and MEC markings. I was just wondering/ trying to learn  whether the Chessie System/C&O "connection" with the MEC was something which actually existed ( like, for example, the relationship between the PRR and BAR sharing a few diesels depending on the time of the year). In any case, thanks-it is folks like you all which make this hobby so much fun for this old guy !!  P Hering

I have the 6464 type box.  I thougt MEC was for MECHANICAL.  Then again, it could be a CS-MEC pool arrangement of some sort?  A CS car using MEC leasing? Or the reverse?  Lionel error?

It was made during the Chessie manis of early MPC Lionel.

There is no real life connection. I believe there were actually two pieces of Lionel MPC equipment that wore Chessie paint but included MEC marks by the road number; A blue high cube and a yellow boxcar.

I have that Chessie System box car stored away.

I thought they meant to have WM or MOW reporting marks but made an error.

There were Chessie System, yellow, WM insulated box cars built by Fruit Growers Express that lasted for about 15 years. 

Andrew

The Chessie System C&O and WM cars looked like this car.

https://www.walthers.com/pc-f-...hesapeake-ohio-22657

Somebody at Lionel at the time could have jumbled up the C&O, WM reporting marks and ended up putting MEC instead.

Andrew

Here is the WM version of the Chessie System insulated Box Car.

https://tycotrain.tripod.com/w...eightcars/id127.html

Andrew