PREWAR “O” GAUGE TINPLATE, PASSENGER CARS, EARLY, No. 601, No. 602

Lionel Early Passenger Cars

All information and trains supplied by Russ MacNair unless otherwise noted

Lionel No. 600 Passenger Cars

Lionel No. 601, 602 Passenger Cars

Lionel No. 603, 604 Passenger Cars

Lionel No. 610, 612 Passenger Cars

Lionel No. 702 “Supply” Passenger Car

Lionel No. 601, 602 Passenger Cars

General Information

The Lionel No. 601 Pullman Passenger Car and No. 602 Mail Car were introduced in 1915 and were issued through 1923. The Nos. 601 and 602 were mid-sized passenger cars. There was no observation car offered to match the Nos. 601 and 602 passenger cars. These passenger cars were included as components of many early mid-level passenger sets. The sets typically included two No. 601 passenger cars and a No. 602 mail car, but a few smaller sets only included one of each of the cars.

The Nos. 601 and 602 Passenger Cars measure 7-inches in length. The cars all have “New York Central” rubber stamped in gold above the windows. The No. 601 Pullman cars all have wood-grained window frames and doors. The No. 602 Mail Cars all have wood-grained baggage doors. The cars all have hook and slot couplers and the cars do not have journals. The cars are not illuminated.

Variations of the Nos. 601, 602 Passenger Cars include differences in the color of the body and the rubber-stamped data on the underside of the cars. Early versions of the Pullman cars did not have celluloid window inserts, but later versions did.

Lionel No. 601, 602 Passenger Cars

1. No. 601, 602 Passenger Cars in dark green (1915). The No. 601 Pullman has the number rubber stamped in gold on one end of the car. The No. 602 Mail Car has the number rubber stamped on the sides of the car. The No. 601 Pullman Car has no celluloid window inserts and the cars have no stamping on the underside. The cars have early style (Type 1) trucks.

PHOTOS NEEDED – No. 602 Mail Car

2. No. 601, 602 Passenger Cars in dark green (1915). The No. 601 Pullman has the number rubber stamped in gold on one end of the car. The No. 602 Mail Car has the number rubber stamped on the sides of the car. The No. 601 Pullman Car has no celluloid window inserts and the cars have no stamping on the underside.

PHOTOS NEEDED – No. 602 Mail Car

3. No. 601, 602 Passenger Cars in dark green (1917). The No. 601 Pullman has the number rubber stamped in gold on one end of the car. The No. 602 Mail Car has the number rubber stamped on the sides of the car. The cars have “The Lionel Lines / New York / Made in U.S.A.” rubber stamped on the underside of the car. The No. 601 Pullman Car has celluloid window inserts.

PHOTOS NEEDED – No. 601 Pullman

4. No. 601, 602 Passenger Cars in dark green (1919- 1923). The No. 601 Pullman has the number rubber stamped in gold on one end of the car. The No. 602 Mail Car has the number rubber stamped on the sides of the car. The cars have “Made in U.S.A. / The Lionel Corporation / New York” rubber stamped on the underside of the car. The No. 601 Pullman Car has celluloid window inserts.

5. No. 601, 602 Passenger Cars in orange (1922- 1923). The No. 601 Pullman is actually numbered “603”, but it matches the No. 601 Pullman Cars pictured above. The No. 601 Pullman has the number rubber stamped in gold on one end of the car. The No. 602 Mail Car has the number rubber stamped on the sides of the car. There is no stamping on the underside. These cars were uncataloged. Refer to the 603, 604 Passenger Cars for photos.

PHOTOS NEEDED – No. 602 Mail Car