Great sets at the O-27 head
Lionel assigned its five top-of-the-line O-27 outfits retail prices ascending from $59.95 to $69.50, the latter sum a hefty amount surpassed by only two of the firm’s O gauge sets. So O-27 enthusiasts were looking forward to trains loaded with play value.The big news for fans of passenger trains was the brand-new foursome of silver-painted O-27 streamlined models with elegant red lettering. Three of those cool newcomers – nos. 2432 Clifton Vista-Dome, 2434 Newark Pullman coach, and 2436 Summit observation – made up the rolling stock in the no. 1516WS, led by a new 2065 small Hudson and 2046W tender.
Also retailing for $59.95 was one of the two new outfits headed by the new no. 2245 F3 Texas Special diesel units. In addition to being the being the first F3 duo having a single motor, those red-and-white engines were the first offered in an A-B combination.
Outfit no. 1517W was a four-car freight train boasting three new cars. In addition to the green 6462-25 gondola, consumers admired the nos. 6464-225 Southern Pacific boxcar (never used in another cataloged set) and 6427 Lionel Lines porthole caboose. The final component was a no. 6561 die-cast metal flatcar with an orange or silver cable reel.
Interestingly, the advance catalog had shown this set as having a no. 6464-1 Western Pacific boxcar and not the SP model. Also, the porthole caboose had been labeled for the Pennsylvania RR, thereby making it the 6417 from the year before.
For $65, Lionel offered outfit no. 1519WS, a freight train with five cars and a 2065 small 4-6-4 steamer and 6026W whistling tender. Two of the models featured animation: the nos. 3461-25X green log dump car and 3482 operating milk car and platform. The rest was new to this year, notably the nos. 6462-75 red-painted New York Central gondola, 6356 NYC yellow stockcar, and 6427 Lionel Lines porthole caboose.
Next, listed at $69.95, came outfit no. 1521WS, which matched a 2065 with a 2046W whistling tender. Packed with that five-car work train were the nos. 3620 searchlight car (new for 1954), 6561 cable reel car, 6460 black crane car, and 6419-25 work caboose. Key to this set was the new no. 3562 black-painted operating barrel car.
Lionel concluded its O-27 roster with the no. 1520W passenger set, also at $69.50. This three-car train, which Lionel named “The Texas Special,” came with the 2245 F3 combination, along with three of the four new no. 2400-series silver streamlined cars with red lettering: the nos. 2432 Clifton Vista-Dome, 2435 Elizabeth Pullman coach, and 2436 Summit observation. The 2435 has the reputation of being rather difficult to locate.
In the next installment: A year of outstanding O gauge sets
This is a sample of the in-depth content found in our 200-page special issue publication,
Lionel Trains of the 1950s.