Episode 121: Is this the best Lionel operating car of the Postwar era?
In this episode, we take a look at what must be considered the most successful operating car in Lionel’s Postwar era. In terms of catalog longevity, ease of operation and maintenance, and the all-important fun factor, Lionel’s milk cars reign supreme.
But the story of the milk car begins with another operating car - the #3454 Automatic Merchandise Car.
The 3454, cataloged in 1946 and 1947, used an ingenious mechanism to open the door of the O27 boxcar and fling miniature crates of Baby Ruth candy bars into a trackside bin - or, depending on the track voltage, BEYOND the bin. The crates were loaded into the car through a hatch in the roof. As the operating button was pressed on the special operating track - a #6019 section for O27 operators or a UCS section for regular O track - the pickup shoes under the trucks completed a circuit to an electromagnet connected to a ratchet and pawl system inside the car. The crates slid down a loading chute one at a time and landed in a rectangular launching seat. Pressing the button once opened the car door and simultaneously launched the box of candy. Releasing the button closed the door and reloaded the mechanism for the next launch. The original crates actually had “Baby Ruth” inscribed on them - reproduction crates generally do not.
There was also a #3854 merchandise car in 1946, using the same mechanism but in a scale-sized, Prewar carryover boxcar. These are very difficult to find today.
While the #3454 was fun and worked well, it was missing a human element. So, beginning in 1947 Lionel’s design team changed the mechanism slightly by adding a human figure that pushed metal milk cans out the door and onto a trackside platform and, like the #3454, used an undersized O27 boxcar. Original cars came with either 6 or 7 cans, depending apparently on the whims of the production crew. Operation of the new #3462 required the same UCS or #6019 track section as the merchandise car. The #3462 was produced in 1947 and 1948. Later, Lionel made subtle changes to the inside operating mechanisms of these cars, creating the #3472 Milk Car made from 1949 through 1953, and later the #3482 for 1954 and 1955. There are subtle differences in the appearance of these different versions, such as white plastic or unpainted aluminum doors and type of trucks, but the basic operation of each of these cars is identical.
In 1955, the mechanism of the Milk Car was moved into a near-scale refrigerator car that better matched Lionel’s line of #6464 boxcars. The #3662 operated essentially the same as the shorted milk cars, except another mechanism change, allowed the action to occur at a slower pace than on previous models. As a result, the milk cans supplied with the #3662 were non-magnetic, unlike their predecessors, as the slower speed allowed them to remain on the platform without the assistance of magnetism. #3662 cars were offered off-and-on through 1966 with only minute changes.
In 1959 and 1960 a special version of this car, the #3672, was decorated for Bosco syrup. This attractive yellow car features a special matching platform as well as special yellow cans with Bosco markings in red. The attractive color scheme and unique style of this car make it very attractive to collectors, but the operation is identical to the #3662.
While Postwar production of the various milk cars ran from 1947 through 1966, the cars mainly went on hiatus from then until the new millennium, with the exception of a few limited runs. However, the cars found new life in the 2000s as Lionel has made a number of versions, from Postwar reissues to Christmas Egg Nog cars.
Lionel Polar Express Hot Cocoa Car: amzn.to/3tu9NCG
While #6019 and UCS track sections have been out of regular production since the 1960s, Lionel makes a FasTrack section to operate these cars today - although it will set you back $40 or so for a single piece of track!
Lionel Fastrack Operating Section: amzn.to/3E4AmTJ
Toy Train Tips And Tricks is a channel devoted to the operation, repair, history, and collecting of classic 3-rail O and O27 gauge trains made by Lionel, Marx, K-Line, Menards, and other manufacturers.
Keep the trains running!
How To rewire Uncoupling Tracks: • All About Lionel Uncou...
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases at Amazon.com made through links on this channel.*
Music:
Vibin’ 53 by Peyruis | / peyruis
Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Facebook: / ttttlocomaniac
Visit my page featuring REAL trains: / @thelocomaniacchannel6790
#Lioneltrains #Trainset #Trainrepair #Traincollecting #Ogauge #Oscale #O27 #Postwar #MPC #Accessory #Operating
3 ноя 2022
