| In 1946 Lionel produced an array of outfits similar | | | | track section; pair of 1121 remote-control |
| to those in their prewar catalogs. Among these | | | | turnouts; UTC Lockon; 926-5 instruction booklet; |
| offerings were 23 sets. This broad spectrum of | | | | 1041 60-watt transformer. |
| sets allowed Lionel to offer outfits at several | | | | While the 1419W provided the owner with a coal |
| prices, with the least expensive outfit retailing for | | | | empire, the 1421W, also priced at $85, created a |
| only $24.95, while the deluxe outfit was $85.00. | | | | lumber empire. Trailing the 2020 steam turbine in |
| 1946 was the debut year of many new designs, | | | | the set was a die-cast 3451 log dump car to be |
| unlike the previous year which only rehashed | | | | used in conjunction with the 164 log loader. The |
| previously produced products. New motive power | | | | 1964 log car carried five unstained logs and was |
| included the O-Gauge 726 Berkshire, produced by | | | | rubber stamped in silver. The pick up shoes were |
| installing a 2-8-4 mechanism in a boiler based on | | | | wired with blue wire, and a pair of 1121 |
| the prewar 226E, and the all-new 6-8-6 | | | | remote-control turnouts was included in order to |
| Pennsylvania turbine. The latter was offered in | | | | incorporate the 164 in the track layout. A silver |
| O-Gauge outfits as catalog number 671, while | | | | 3454 operating merchandise car added even |
| those included in O27 outfits were numbered | | | | more action to the train, which was surprisingly |
| 2020. To the lower end of the line was a | | | | finished with a plain red, non-illuminated 2472 |
| streamlined 2-6-4 with the catalog number of 221. | | | | caboose. Like the 1419WS, many examples of |
| New freight cars were introduced as well. The | | | | this set have been found with a 75-watt 1042 |
| 2411 "big inch" flatcar shared its die-cast frame | | | | transformer rather than the listed 60-watt 1041. |
| with the 2419 and 2420 work cabooses. Also | | | | This train in excellent condition is worth approx. |
| using die-cast frames were the new dump cars: | | | | $1500 and in like new condition is worth approx. |
| 3451 for logs and 3459 for coal. The new 2460 | | | | $1500. |
| crane also had a die-cast frame, and rode on a | | | | The following are some of the most sought after |
| pair of six-wheel trucks. These trucks shared | | | | Lionel O-Gauge outfits from 1946: |
| many components with similar six-wheel trucks | | | | 2110WS--Lionel Three-Car Passenger-- Retailed |
| used on Bakelite-bodied 2625 passenger cars and | | | | for $75.00 |
| the die-cast-bodied 2426W tender used by the | | | | Included: 671 6-8-6 steam turbine locomotive with |
| 726. | | | | operating headlight and smoke; 2466W early coal |
| The engineering used to produced the 1945, 2452 | | | | whistle tender; three 2625 heavyweight Pullmans; |
| gondola, was expanded. The 2454 boxcar, 2465 | | | | eight OC curved and five OS straight track; RCS |
| Sunoco tank car and 3454 operating merchandise | | | | uncoupling/operating section; 167 whistle controller; |
| cars included plastic bodies mounted on steel | | | | UTC Lockon; 926-5 instruction booklet. |
| frames. The 2452 was continued, and joined by a | | | | To create a premium O-gauge passenger set, |
| second gondola, the 2452X, which lacked the | | | | Lionel revived it prewar Bakelite "Irvington" |
| brake wheels and barrels that adorned the 2452. | | | | passenger car. The postwar incarnation of this car |
| The low-end O27 sets contained many cars that | | | | included newly designed six-wheel trucks with |
| were reworked from prewar designs, but as | | | | knuckle couplers--derivatives of these trucks |
| more of the year passed, increasing numbers of | | | | were used on the 2460 crane and 2426W tender |
| new products were produced, which were | | | | as well. The car bodies were painted maroon or |
| included in more expensive outfits. Following up on | | | | reddish-brown in contrast to the prewar color of |
| the success of the 1945 knuckle couplers was a | | | | medium brown. To tow this passenger train, Lionel |
| spectacular new feature included in the better | | | | used its replica of the Pennsylvania 20-wheel |
| sets, smoke. Even more spectacular, but much | | | | steam turbine, the 671. This set in excellent |
| less widespread, was Electronic Control-the latter | | | | condition is worth approx. $1750 and this set in |
| available only in set 4109WS. As was the case in | | | | like new condition is worth approx. $2975. |
| 1945, the 1946 outfit boxes were simple | | | | 2113WS--Lionel O-Gauge Three-Car Freight |
| corrugated cartons with pasted-on labels to | | | | Outfit--Retailed for $67.50 |
| identify the set they contained. | | | | Included: 726 2-8-4 Berkshire steam locomotive |
| The following are some of the most sought after | | | | with operating headlight and smoke; 2426W |
| Lionel O27-Gauge Outfits from 1946: | | | | die-cast whistle tender; 2855 black Sunoco single |
| 1400W--Lionel O27 Passenger Set-- Retailed for | | | | dome tank car; 3854 operating merchandise car; |
| $35.95 | | | | 2457 illuminated caboose; eight OC operating |
| Included: 221 2-6-4 steam locomotive with | | | | merchandise car; 2457 illuminated caboose; eight |
| operating headlight; 221W sheet-metal tender; two | | | | OC curved and sever OS straight track; RCS |
| 2430 blue Pullman cars; 2431 blue observation; | | | | uncoupling/operating section; 167 whistle controller; |
| eight 1013 curved and three 1018 straight track; | | | | UTC Lockon; 926-5 instruction booklet. |
| 1019 O27 remote control track section; UTC | | | | Premiering in outfit 2113WS was the new 2-8-4 |
| Lockon, 926-5 instruction booklet; 1041 60-watt | | | | Berkshire steam locomotive. Though a 2-8-4 |
| transformer. | | | | would be a staple of Lionel's O-gauge sets into the |
| This set was a slightly more expensive version of | | | | 1960s, the 1946 model was unique. The smoke |
| the 1400 outfit. For the an extra $5.95 over the | | | | unit was based on a light bulb, the motor and |
| 1400, a 221W whistling tender replaced the 221T, | | | | reversing E-unit was mounted horizontally, and the |
| and the transformer was upgraded to a 1401 | | | | handrails mounted with turned stanchions. The |
| 60-watt unit. In excellent condition, this set is | | | | earliest versions of the 726 were equipped with |
| worth approx. $650. In like new condition this set | | | | what collectors refer to as the "large stack" |
| is worth approx. $1400. | | | | motor. Later, the number of field laminations was |
| 1407B--Lionel O27 Switcher Bell Outfit-- Retailed | | | | reduced, resulting is what is known as a "short |
| for $37.50 | | | | stack" motor. |
| Included: 1665 0-4-0 steam switcher with | | | | The corrugated component box was unique to |
| operating headlight; 2403B slope-back tender with | | | | the 1946 locomotive. Sealed with prewar-style |
| ringing bell; 2560 crane; 2452X gondola; 2419 | | | | orange and blue sealing tape, the carton was |
| work caboose; eight 1013 curved and five 1018 | | | | marked with a manufacturer's seal that stated, |
| straight track; 1019 O27 remote control track | | | | "GAIR BOGOTA CORR. & FIBRE BOX |
| section; UTC Lockon; 926-5 instruction booklet; | | | | CORP." The ends of the box were stamped with |
| 1037 40-watt transformer. | | | | "No. 726" in small lettering. The cars in tow were |
| This train was powered by a 1665 0-4-0 switcher, | | | | just as unique. Though cataloged as the common |
| which was a revamped prewar 1662 switcher. | | | | silver 2755, the tank car included was actually the |
| Among the changes made to the locomotive | | | | scarce black 1855. The prewar semi-scale boxcar |
| were the installation of the new postwar trucks | | | | tooling was revived and modified with the addition |
| on the tender, and mounting Lionel's new knuckle | | | | of a roof hatch and internal mechanism to create |
| couplers on the rear of the tender and pilot of | | | | an operating merchandise car, the 3854. This car |
| the locomotive. Mounting an injection-molded | | | | is one of the most difficult to find items from the |
| plastic cab and two injection-molded plastic | | | | postwar era. In excellent condition this outfit is |
| toolboxes onto the die-cast body casting created | | | | worth approx. $2000. In like new condition this set |
| for the 2411 flatcar crated the 2419 work | | | | is worth approx. $3200. |
| caboose. A die-cast smoke-jack was installed on | | | | 2114WS--Lionel O-Gauge Three-Car Passenger |
| the caboose cab. The sheet metal 2560 crane car | | | | Outfit--Retailed for $77.50 |
| was carried over form the prewar line in its | | | | Included: 726 2-8-4 Berkshire steam locomotive |
| original colors of yellow cab with red roof. The | | | | with operating headlight and smoke; 2426W |
| 1946 production of these cranes included | | | | whistle tender; three 2625 heavyweight Pullmans; |
| two-piece booms that were riveted together, and | | | | eight OC curved and five OS straight track; RCS |
| had the Lionel name molded in. In excellent | | | | uncoupling/operating section; 167 controller; UTC |
| condition this outfit is worth approx. $900. In like | | | | Lockon; 926-5 instruction booklet. |
| new condition this outfit is worth approx. $1500. | | | | This was the most expensive passenger outfit |
| 1421WS--Lionel O27 Freight Train--Retailed for | | | | offered in 1946. The three Bakelite 2625 Irvington |
| $85.00 | | | | passenger cars presented the 726 with a |
| Included: 2020 6-8-6 steam turbine locomotive | | | | formidable load, especially those locomotives |
| with operating headlight and smoke; 2020W early | | | | equipped with the later "short stack" motor. The |
| coal whistle tender; 3451 operating log car; 2465 | | | | die-cast tenders were equipped with die-cast |
| Sunoco double-dome tank car; 3454 merchandise | | | | whistle housings and, though initially stamped in |
| car; 2472 non-illuminated Pennsylvania N5 caboose; | | | | white, ultimately were lettered in silver. In |
| 164 operating log loader; ten 1013 curved and five | | | | excellent condition the outfit is worth approx. |
| 1018 straight track; 1019 O27 remote control | | | | $2500 and in like new condition is worth $4000. |