I just looked in the 1950 catalog. The 2343 and 2344 were $43.50. The 2343C and 2344C B units were $11.95. The other locomotives that year were 2330 at $37.50, 622 at $25, 736 at $37.50, 6035 at $37.50, 681 at $32.50, and 2036 at $21.50.
Here’s a fun perspective.
According to one inflation calculator, in 2007 dollars (adjusted for inflation from 1950) those products would cost the following today…
2343 & 2344 = $370.91
2343C & 2344C = $101.89
2330 = $319.75
622 = $213.16
736 = $319.75
6035 = $319.75
681 = $277.11
2036 = $182.32
**Birds…**you read my mind. Interesting stuff. I had just gotten to the point of determining with Bob’s help that on the front end one would have paid 54% more in 1950 for a 773 Hudson versus a 2046 Hudson of the same year. Most of us wish we knew back then what time and rarity would bring now?
Need to hunt down an inflation chart.
Thanks,
Jack
Thank you Bob and Mel for the retail pricing on these 1950 engines.
It is easy wonder why folks wouldn’t spring for the pricier units when so few extra dollars were involved. The fact of the matter was, post war, things were not all a bed of roses. I lived in a 2 bedroom apartment with my parents, 2 sisters, and my grandfather. Housing was tight until new housing caught up with the explosion in population.
Jack
Jack;
You make a good point. $ 20.00 or $ 30.00, or $ 45.00 doesn’t seem like much today, but back in the 1940’s and 1950’s that really was a good size piece of change. I was always thankful for whatever I received for my train, even if it was just a Plasticville building or two!!!
Another way for people to understand why folks may have bypassed a postwar F3 and chose an ALCo FA is the 24% price differential between them. Or the 54% price differential between the two Hudsons!
Jack
This is the closest I could come matching the Lionel postwar 2031 ALCo FA-1 paint color and scheme to the real deal.
The FB-1 was the B unit in real life and, as discussed in a previous post, was a common part of various engine configurations, though Lionel never produced a dummy B unit to go with the AA pair. The 2031 engines were released as an AA pair and were not sold as part of a set.
While I read the ALCo FA-1 was utilized in both a freight and passenger capacity (including commuter rail), I could only find pictures of Rock Islands hauling freight. I also could not find where any of the 16 original RI FA-1 ALCos survived the scrap heap. More research needed.
Jack
CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE
| 2031
Rock Island
Alco Diesel AA Units
1952 - 1954 | 
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I just got home from a train show, where I paid list price for a 1950 773 with 2426W tender.
For those who might not have been following this topic, the list price was $50. I put it on the track and just now powered it up. It runs fine, the e-unit works, the headlight lights, the smoke unit smokes, and the whistle blows. It’s a little dirty; and the tender is missing a wheelset, some railings, and some steps.
It was in one of those big plastic tubs that venders push under the table. I saw the tender first. It took me a second to realize that one of the locomotives in the tub belonged to it. The vender was a G-scaler and seemed anxious to get rid of the stuff. When he asked for $50, I paused a second, trying not to seem too eager, before agreeing. I tipped a few three-railers off. I hope he asked a little more for the rest of the early prewar pieces that he had when he saw how popular they were.
I have both the 2031 and 2041 Rock Islands Alcos. I am under the impression that of all the regular production early alcos, being the yellow UP, Erie, grey & silver UP, all siver UP, and Rock Island, that the Rock Island brings the biggest dollar. I know that I have seen less 2031’s than any of the others. I also think it looks the best.
As has been posted, the 2041’s were made in 1960 only. Folks who were in the hobby back in the early 1970’s may recall that Lionel held a big parts clearance sale, and released a very large quantity of 2041 cabs, as well as 2024 cabs, and unpainted FM and F3 cabs. They may have done EP-5 cabs too. I am not positive on the EP-5. There were also horse car and caboose cabs.
Because these cabs were readily available, many people, myself included, used these cabs to replace broken ones, regardless of the original roadname. So both the 2024 and 2041 cabs often show up on the wrong chassis. Finding them on the correct chassis is actually rather difficult.
A large quantity of 2041 cabs with the red band, but no lettering also became available a while back. I don’t recall exactly when, but it was after 1984, and before Madison Hardware closed in NYC. According to what I was told by the owners, the cabs came from Madision Hardware.
AA Pair of 1950 Union Pacific 2023 grey nose ALCos went for $4,995 on Ebay, won by a bidder at a live auction. They must be rarer than I thought.
Please add me to the list RI 2031 AA owners.
Two years ago I purchased a small postwar collection (no boxes) from a gentlemen whose real estate properties my son was doing electrical maintenance for. They were talking one day, and he mentioned to my son that he had some old trains for sale.
The RI 2031 Alco AA set was included among a 2025 steam engine and tender, numerous freight cars, Chatham green passenger car (don’t know if he ever had the complete set), operating cattle and milk cars, 456 Coal Ramp, Rotary Beacon, Highway Signal, and ZW transformer in the collection. Everything is in operating condition.
I won’t mention the price I paid for everything, but suffice to say the seller was satisfied with my offer and I received far more than my money’s worth from this collection.
Lou
**LOU…**welcome to the thread on postwar FA-1 ALCos and the RI 2031.
I seem to have whacked my own post that contained a list of this RI band of brothers that you quoted. In it I think I noted that while the ALCo’s won’t make the list of TOP 5 POSTWARS (smaller than the near scale F3s and lacking the pulling power of a dual motored engine set), they were an integral part of the train stable for countless postwar baby boomers. I think I mentioned that I have seen excellent (rated) examples of the Rock Island 2031s on Ebay in the past year that sold for $1,000+, one that got $1,515…not bad.
I only wish that more would post on their FA-1 ALCos, including the Union Pacific (2023 and 2033) and the Erie (2032). Or the later postwar 2XX samples that introduced many more road names and sets that included a B unit.
These deisels got many of us into the train hobby when the retail price of an F3 was simply out of reach.
Jack
[quote user=“sessal”]
Please add me to the list RI 2031 AA owners.
Two years ago I purchased a small postwar collection (no boxes) from a gentlemen whose real estate properties my son was doing electrical maintenance for. They were talking one day, and he mentioned to my son that he had some old trains for sale.
The RI 2031 Alco AA set was included among a 2025 steam engine and tender, numerous freight cars, Chatham green passenger car (don’t know if he ever had the complete set), operating cattle and milk car
There now seems to be just 5 of us band of brothers on the Forum with the postwar RI 2031 ALCo: ogauge/Dennis H., 3railguy/John L., sessal, cwburfle, and me.
Dennis has actually gone out on a limb and included this one as an honorable mention in the Top 5 postwar engines thread. I may have to join his bandwagon before the poles are closed on the Top 5 thread.
Jack
I actually really like that prototype paint scheme above, always have. I have the 2032 Erie’s as well. I was lucky enough to aquire them via my father from a fellow employee. The lot included the complete 1467W outfit and a 44, 6844,3410 helo car and a bunch of other stuff all really nice. Its neat when you can find trains that way and get the story. Funny thing was here, my dad paid him some money and the co-worker, being a big gun guy, wanted to buy another gun. Story goes the wife decided they needed a fence instead. Good stuff, we all go through it!
LIONEL # 2023 UP ALCo FA-1 DIESEL AA UNITS (1950-1951)
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UNION PACIFIC ALCo FA-1 #1632
LIONEL # 2031 ROCK ISLAND ALCo FA-1 DIESEL AA UNITS (1952-1954)
ROCK ISLAND FA-1 ABA #158
I ran into one of the guys today that I tipped off about the vendor who sold me the 1950 773 for $50. He said that the vendor continued to sell off the rest of the tubs at ridiculously low prices even after the word got out. I think he said the 2343 and 2344 ABA sets went for about $30 each and a 2332 for something similar.
Bob…I’m surprised you didn’t clean the guy out. Maybe you wanted to run as fast as you could with the 773, worried the guy would change his mind. [:D]
Jack
Jack, in fact, I have been kicking myself ever since for not making him an offer for the whole thing. I even heard him say to his friend before I bought the 773 that he would like to sell the lot. But I was so surprised by his low number that I didn’t have the presence of mind to ask his price for all of it. I never imagined that he would go so low.
The local modular club is having a public affair this afternoon. I’m thinking of taking the locomotive up there to show it off.
New to this form… Just re-energized my interest in Lionels Post-War. Been collecting over the years mostly C8 to Mint with original boxes. So in reference to the 2031 posts… I purchased a set box 2175W 1951 with a complete set quite a few years ago… when it arrived, instead of the Santa Fe 2343 twins… there was a seperate sale set box of 2031 Rock Islands… C8 to C9 depending on your view point and whose selling and whose buying. the 1952 rarer production flat roof. with boxes and inserts all orig. the rest of the cars in the 2175W set where in the same conditon and the original set cars from the 2175W set. Set box too was and still is in C-8 to C-9 Shape. Been looking for a set of Santa Fe’s 2343 from 1951 with original boxes and inserts to finish the set… in C8 to C9. anyway… I love the look of the 2031… paint and striping are great. So as I am re-energized… I would appreciate anyone pointing me into a direction of quaility lionel Santa Fe 2343 1951 to finish that set up … Mark
WELCOME TO THE FORUM, MARK. [#welcome] OUR 2031 ROCK ISLAND FA-1 NUMBERS ARE GROWING, ALBEIT SLOWLY! ARE YOU RUNNING YOURS?
JACK