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Were they made post war? I think its just a matter of swapping out the trucks with some from a post war car. If you want a better more accurate car you could use the trucks from a Lionel plastic NYC 19000 caboose but you would have to move the mounting point inboard were they should be and where they were on the 717 caboose.

Pete

Last edited by Norton

Is the frame stamped with 2857? A number of cars were released right after the war with their pre war bodies and numbers unchanged but cataloged with a new number. Tank cars and auto box come to mind. I would think the trucks on your car didn't come along until a year later. Even with plain wheels they should have flying shoe pickups. This may just be a 2957 with coil coupler trucks.

Last edited by Norton

That is the mold number. The item number would probably be rubber stamped on the bottom or on the sides in the small printing at the end. I have one at home I will have to check when I get home tonight. On the caboose the trucks are easily  changed so a number stamped on the body or an original box are the only ways to tell for sure what it’s origin is. 

I just checked my David Doyle, and McComas & Touhy, plus the website Postwarlionel.com and none of the reference the 2857 Caboose yet clearly it exists both in the 46 Catalog and actual rolling stock. 

I have no Greenbergs, does he make mention of them?

Further research shows while the 2857 was pictured in the catalog, it was never produced, the Berkshire set delivered with a 2457 PRR tin caboose. It would follow that the ones shown so far are pre war 2957s with post war trucks. 

Pete

Last edited by Norton

All kind of interesting.  I have a 717 with truck-mounted couplers and a brass Williams repro with Lionel 717 trucks.  Both are stunningly good looking models.  I suspect the Williams is less expensive, but it looks almost as good - maybe better in some respects.  The Williams started out as a repro 2957.

Pete,

Greenberg’s Guide (1945-1969) reads:

“2957 N Y C  Circa 1946, originally manufactured 1940-42, refitted with postwar staple-end trucks with coil couplers by either Lionel service stations or owner. This caboose style, with considerable differences was revived by Lionel, Inc. in 1986 in New York Central and Boston & Albany versions.”

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