I recently purchased a Lionel 2419 work caboose that looks in fine shape. However, the tool boxes are unpainted and marked with part number 2420-8 on the inside on the first panel and with the letter R on the inside on the last panel of the top of the tool boxes. Also, the cab is gray painted green plastic with the part number 2419-8. The couplers are appropriate, the lettering is rubber stamped and all the rest of the parts that are supposed to be there are there. The seller reports that a friend of his has a 2419 purchased by him from Madison hardware that has the same cab part number. Can anyone tell me if this is an original Lionel, and Original Madison Hardware, or a repro mish-mash?
My 2419 has the same numbering. It implies the 2420 was designed first and the 2419 used some of the same parts. The cab would have been unique to the 2419 because of the number on the outside. I would bet the later 6419/20s would also have tool boxes numbered 2419-x. Sal Olsens’s web site has copies of original Lionel parts lists for a lot of post war items. The numbers for both new old stock and repro parts follow the Lionel part designations. Another example of this, many parts for a 6457 caboose are listed as 2357.
OOOOps, correction. I should have said the 6419s and 20s would have 2420 tool boxes, not 2419.
Thanks for reminding me about Sal’s data. According to his DB V4.1 CDROM, the following numbers existed:
Caboose 2419 2420 6119 6419 6420 My 2419 In Question
Tool Box 2419-8 2420-24 6119-8 2419-8 No Data 2420-8 (R)
Cab 2419-12 2420-2 N/A 6419-2 No Data 2419-9 (Correction!)
So, I guess I’m still in the dark as to it’s origins except I’m going to guess that the tool boxes are repros since there was no part no. 2420-8 in 1947 and they are unpainted . But I don’t know what the heck to think about the cab. But you say your’s is the same number, and so did the other guy whose car came from Madison Hdw.
Those numbers were supposed to be in a table, but the control characters must not have conveyed. So here’s the hard way.
Caboose-----2419------ 2420------ 6119------ 6419------ 6420------ My 2419 In Question
Tool Box-----2419-8— 2420-24-- 6119-8— 2419-8— No Data— 2420-8 (R)
Cab---------- 2419-12-- 2420-2------ N/A ------6419-2— No Data-- 2419-9 (Correction!)