Lionel Classic Period Steam Locomotives
All information and trains supplied by Russ MacNair unless otherwise noted
Lionel No. 261 Steam Locomotives
Lionel No. 262 Steam Locomotives
Lionel No. 261 Steam Locomotives
General Information
The Lionel No. 261 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive was introduced in 1931 and was cataloged in 1931 and in 1935. The locomotive was included with several cataloged and uncataloged passenger and freight sets in these years. The No. 261 Steam Locomotive utilized a sheet metal boiler and cab. The frame, steam chest, boiler front and pilot are diecast and the locomotive has an operating headlight. The locomotive has plates with the number and “Lionel Lines” on the sides of the cab. The No. 261 Steam Locomotive has no reverse unit and runs forward only. The No. 261E locomotive has a remotely operated reverse and it has a lever on the top of the boiler that engaged or disengaged the reversing unit.
The No. 261 Steam Locomotive was typically paired with a No. 257T 4-Wheel Tender in cataloged sets. However, the locomotive also came with a No. 261T Tender in at least one uncataloged set. The No. 257T Tender has a sheet metal body in black. The tender has brass trim and a brass plate on the sides which reads “Lionel Lines”. The tender has a latch coupler and copper journals. The No. 261 / 257T Steam engine and tender combined measure 16-inches in total length.
The No. 261E Steam Locomotive was always paired with a No. 261T 8-Wheel Tender. The No. 261T Tender has a sheet metal body in black. The tender has nickel trim, a plate on the sides which reads “Lionel Lines” and a circle “L” plate on the rear of the tender. The tender has a latch coupler and nickel journals. The No. 261E / 261T Steam engine and tender combined measure 16-inches in total length.
Variations of the No. 261 / 257T Locomotives are limited to brass or brass and copper trim on the No. 257T Tender. Variations of the 261E / 261T Locomotives are limited to brass or aluminum plates on the sides and a brass or aluminum circle “L” plate on the rear of the No. 261T Tender.
Lionel No. 261 Steam Locomotives
1. No. 261 / 257T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in black with black frame, copper and brass trim, and brass plates on the sides of the cab (1931). The engine has red wheels with nickel rims. The No. 257T Tender is black with brass trim and brass plates on the sides of the tender.
2. No. 261 / 257T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in black with black frame, copper and brass trim, and brass plates on the sides of the cab (1931). The engine has red wheels with nickel rims. The No. 257T Tender is black with brass and copper trim and brass plates on the sides of the tender.
3. No. 261E / 261T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in satin black with black frame, nickel trim, and aluminum plates on the sides of the cab (1934-1935). The engine has black wheels with black rims. The No. 261T Tender is black with nickel trim, brass plates on the sides of the tender, and a brass circle “L” plate on the rear of the tender.
4. No. 261E / 261T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in satin black with black frame, nickel trim, and aluminum plates on the sides of the cab (1934-1935). The engine has black wheels with black rims. The No. 261T Tender is black with nickel trim, aluminum plates on the sides of the tender and an aluminum circle “L” plate on the rear of the tender.
Lionel No. 262 Steam Locomotives
General Information
The Lionel No. 262 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive was introduced in 1931 and was cataloged through 1934. The locomotive was included in several cataloged passenger and freight sets during this period. The locomotive was also included in many uncataloged passenger and freight sets through 1938. The No. 262 Steam Locomotive was very similar to the No. 261 Locomotive and utilized a sheet metal boiler and cab. The frame, steam chest, boiler front and pilot are diecast and the locomotive has an operating headlight. The locomotive has plates with the number and “Lionel Lines” on the sides of the cab. The No. 262 Steam Locomotive has a manual reverse unit that is controlled by a lever inside the cab. The No. 262E locomotive has a remotely operated reverse and it has a lever on the top of the boiler that engaged or disengaged the reversing unit.
The No. 262 Steam Locomotive was always paired with a No. 262T 8-Wheel Tender. The No. 262T Tender has a diecast body and has brass trim and brass plates on the sides which reads “Lionel Lines”. The tender has a latch coupler and copper journals. The No. 262 / 262T Steam engine and tender combined measure 16-inches in total length.
The No. 262E Steam Locomotive was typically paired with a No. 262T 8-Wheel Tender as described above. However, the locomotive also came with a No. 262T 8-Wheel Tender that had a sheet metal body that was similar to a No. 261T Tender also described above. Some later No. 262E Locomotives were also paired with a No. 265W/T Tender.
Variations of the No. 262 Locomotives include the color of the body and frame, the use of orange striping, brass, copper, or nickel trim, brass or aluminum plates on the sides of the cab, and the color of the wheels and rims. For the last No. 262E Locomotives, the piping on the boiler was changed from one sand pipe from the steam dome and one sand pipe from the sand dome on each side of the boiler to two sand pipes being connected to the sand dome on each side of the boiler. The later sand pipe arrangement was prototypically correct. In addition, two plastic marker lights were added to the boiler front of the No. 262E Locomotive. Variations of the No. 262T Tenders include the use of orange striping, latch or early box coupler and nickel or copper journals.
Lionel No. 262 Steam Locomotives
1. No. 262 / 262T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in black with black frame, orange stripes, copper and brass trim, and brass “262 Lionel Lines” number plates on the sides of the cab (1931). The engine has a manual reverse unit controlled by a lever inside the cab and red wheels with nickel rims. The No. 262T Tender is black with a diecast body with sheet metal frame and coal pile, orange stripes, brass trim, and brass “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has a latch coupler and copper journals.
2. No. 262 / 262T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in black with black frame, copper and brass trim, and brass “262 Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1931-1932). The engine has a manual reverse unit controlled by a lever inside the cab and red wheels with nickel rims. The No. 262T Tender is black with a diecast body with sheet metal frame and coal pile, brass trim, and brass “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has a latch coupler and copper journals.
3. No. 262E / 262T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in black with black frame, copper and brass trim, and brass “262E Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1933-1934). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and red wheels with nickel rims. The No. 262T Tender is black with a diecast body with sheet metal frame and coal pile, brass and copper trim, and brass “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has a latch coupler and copper journals.
4. No. 262E / 262T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in black with black frame, copper and brass trim, and brass “262E Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1933-1934). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and red wheels with nickel rims. The No. 262T Tender is black with a sheet metal body with brass trim, brass “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender and a brass circle “L” plate on the back of the tender. The tender has a latch coupler and copper journals.
5. No. 262E / 265W 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in satin black with nickel trim, and brass “262E Lionel Lines plates on the sides of the cab (1936-1938). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and black wheels with nickel rims. The No. 265W Tender is satin black with a sheet metal “waffle top” body with nickel trim, and aluminum “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has an early style manual box coupler and nickel journals.
6. No. 262E / 265T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in satin black with nickel trim, and aluminum “262E Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1936-1938). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and black wheels with nickel rims. The piping on the boiler was changed from one sand pipe from the steam dome and one sand pipe from the sand dome on each side of the boiler to two sand pipes being connected to the sand dome on each side of the boiler. In addition, two plastic marker lights were added to the boiler front. The No. 265T Tender is satin black with a sheet metal “waffle top” body with nickel trim, and aluminum “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has an early style manual box coupler and nickel journals.
Lionel No. 249 Steam Locomotives
General Information
The Lionel No. 249E 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive was introduced in 1936 and was cataloged through 1937. The locomotive was included in several cataloged passenger and freight sets during this period. The locomotive was also included in numerous uncataloged passenger and freight sets through 1940. The No. 249E Steam Locomotive was very similar to the No. 261 and No. 262 Locomotives and utilized a sheet metal boiler and cab. However, the piping on the boiler of the No. 249E Locomotive was changed from one sand pipe from the steam dome and one sand pipe from the sand dome on each side of the boiler to two sand pipes being connected to the sand dome on each side of the boiler. The later sand pipe arrangement was prototypically correct. In addition, two plastic marker lights were added to the boiler front of the No. 249E Locomotive. The frame, steam chest, boiler front and pilot are diecast and the locomotive has an operating headlight. The locomotive has plates with the number and “Lionel Lines” on the sides of the cab. The No. 249E Steam Locomotives have a three-position E-Unit.
When included in cataloged sets, the No. 249E Steam Locomotives were paired with either a No. 265W or 265T Tender. The No. 265W/T Tenders have a sheet metal “waffle top” body with nickel trim and aluminum “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tenders have either a latch or an early style operating box coupler and nickel journals. The No. 249E / 249WT Steam engine and tender combined measure 17-inches in total length. Uncataloged sets also came with Nos. 2265W, 2225T/W, or 261T Tenders.
Variations of the No. 249E Locomotives include the color of the body, frame and pilot, nickel or chrome trim and the color of the wheel rims. Variations of the No. 265W/T Tenders include the color of the body and frame and nickel or black journals.
Lionel No. 249 Steam Locomotives
1. No. 249E / 265T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with chrome trim, and aluminum “249E Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1936-1938). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and black wheels with black rims. The No. 265T Tender is gray with a sheet metal “waffle top” body with nickel trim and aluminum “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has an early style manual box coupler and nickel journals.
2. No. 249 / 265W 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with chrome trim, and aluminum “249 Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1936-1938). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and black wheels with black rims. The No. 265W Tender is gray with a sheet metal “waffle top” body with nickel trim and aluminum “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has an early style manual box coupler and nickel journals.
3. No. 249E / 265W 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with chrome trim, and aluminum “249E Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1936-1938). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and black wheels with nickel rims. The No. 265W Tender is gray with a sheet metal “waffle top” body with nickel trim and aluminum “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has an early style operating box coupler and nickel journals.
4. No. 249E / 261T 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in satin black with chrome trim, and aluminum “249E Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1936-1940). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and black wheels with steel rims. The No. 261T Tender is black with a sheet metal body, nickel trim, brass “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender and a brass circle “L” plate on the rear of the tender. The tender has a latch coupler and nickel journals.
5. No. 249E / 265W 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in satin black with chrome trim, and aluminum “249E Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1936-1940). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and black wheels with steel rims. The No. 265W Tender is satin black with a sheet metal “waffle top” body with nickel trim and aluminum “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has an early style manual box coupler and nickel journals.
6. No. 249E / 2265W 2-4-2 Steam Locomotive in gunmetal gray with chrome trim, and aluminum “249E Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the cab (1940). The engine has an E-Unit reverse unit and black wheels with steel rims. The No. 2265W Tender is gray with a sheet metal “waffle top” body with nickel trim and aluminum “Lionel Lines” plates on the sides of the tender. The tender has an early style operating box coupler and black journals.
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