LIONEL Hi-Cube variations?

Original owner(s) must have done some "improvements" 

GRAMPS is correct.

The first run of the Hi Cubes (in the late 70s) had diecast wheels. I believe this was 9600 - 9610 plus the Disney cars.

The second run (in the 80s) had plastic wheels.

Here are some pics of Lionel Hi-Cubes... along with Atlas O Hy-Cubes:

 the YEllow UP was the "Cheapie" Version of the MPC Hy-cube cars. They had molded body colors with one color heat pad printed RR logos, [ sometimes incorrect colors to boot!] and plastic wheels with one operating coupler at one end.

As one can see some of the differences in the earlier MPC Hi-Cube run compared to the Cheapening 1980's run of the same car

The Earlier run came in a red box. the cars were also PAINTED and had some nice Pad printing on them, esp the white ends with "excess Height" warning on them.  As stated above, they had die cast wheels and manually operating couplers on both ends.

BTH- should anyone care, the Lionel 027 Hy-Cube was really the size of a Standard O Boxcar. They looked hy- cubed when placed next to a Lionel 6464 boxcar [which was squashed in sized to begin with] or an MPC standard Boxcar. The Atla sO Hi- Cubes are Full scale and Dwarf the Lionel MPC models.

The Lionel Hy-cube cars are kinda nice, and cheap, but WAY to narrow when next to a MTH or Atlas car.....Size overall OK but why so narrow???

Thanks for the replies - and further confirmation about the difference in quality between the red box versions and the black and white box versions. (that was going to be my next question!)

My red box New Haven - I noticed the paint smudge in the inside of the box. Paint is so much nicer.

For sure I'm only going after red box hi cube from now on.

I can actually live with some of the plastic colors - but RED and YELLOW they used is horrible!

Might be fun to add interior lighting to a string of these plastic hi-cube cars and make a translucent, glowing night train.

The Lionel Hy-cube cars are kinda nice, and cheap, but WAY to narrow when next to a MTH or Atlas car.....Size overall OK but why so narrow???

Because at the time they were introduced, 027 track was Lionel's cataloged track system.

When I was building a new layout some years ago, I had "forced" the track a little bit in a couple of places - there is some slight flexibility with tubular track. When I did a test clearance run, the bottom door guides on the doors of the Lionel hi-cube box cars being referenced here, were hitting the housing of the 027 switch boxes. I didn't think I had forced the track that much, but obviously "not much" was enough to create a clearance issue.

Also, remember, at the time these cars were developed the market was mostly traditionally sized oriented. The cars were obviously tooled to blend in with these sorts of products.

The growth in the scale trend in 3-rail trains is a recent development for the past couple decades at best. How people today do you see clamoring for the 1970's developed "Standard O" Lionel cars?

Roving,  I have a Lionel 6-25064 CP Hi-Cube I'm looking to sell if you are interested. It's new in the box, never run.