Click or Scroll Down
GENERAL INFORMATION
No. 3359 OPERATING DUMP CAR
No. 3459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
No. 3469 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
No. 3559 AUTOMATIC DUMP CARS
No. 5459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
GENERAL INFORMATION
Many of the differences that indicate the year(s) of production have to do with the trucks and couplers. Below is a guide to understanding these differences.

flying shoe truck with brown fiber board, the coupler head is only riveted to the support
1946

staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and swedged (pinched) to the support
1946

staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and staked (crosswise) to the support
1947 – 1948

plain web on knuckle, black pin
1945 – 1953

engraved web on knuckle, black pin
1954 – 195

engraved web on knuckle, black pin and uncoupling tab

engraved web on knuckle, silver pin and uncoupling tab
1955 – 1956

engraved web on knuckle, silver pin and uncoupling tab, hole in back of coupler head
1957 – 1958
x

rivet flared down in the magnetic activator flap, without hole in activator flap
1948 early

rivet flared down in the magnetic activator flap, with hole in activator flap
1948 – 1950

rivet flared up in the magnetic activator flap,
with hole in activator flap
1950 – 1958


in the upper corners of the fixed back side of the bin the rivet was flared facing out 1946 – 1950 as seen in the left photograph and during 1950 and till the end of production it was flared side in and the top of the rivet is visible as seen in the right photograph
COAL


each car came with a No. 207 bag of artificial coal, printing on one side of bag and printing varied
No. 160 UNLOADING BINS
each car came with an unloading bin
BLACKENED METAL BIN
1946 early

6 3/4″ X 2″ X 15/16″


No. 160 BAKELITE BIN
black with speckles
possible dating 1946 – 1952 more information requested

7″ X 3″ X 3/4″


No. 160 BAKELITE BIN
black without speckles
1946 -1953

7″ X 3″ X 3/4″


No. 160 PLASTIC BIN
black
1954 – 1958

8 3/8″ X 3 5/16″ X 3/4″


No. 160 UNLOADING BIN SEPARATE SALE

mid classic box flap number 160 – 5, with printed OPS information


No. 3559 AUTOMATIC DUMP CARS
No. 3559 AUTOMATIC DUMP CARS
1946

sheet metal frame painted black with steps at all four corners
sheet metal dump bin painted red
black Bakelite cover over operating mechanism
3559 rubber stamped in silver on bottom
black wires
two operating flying shoe trucks with brown fiber boards
D0037






flying shoe truck with brown fiber board, the coupler head is only riveted to the support
1946
No. 3559 AUTOMATIC DUMP CARS
1946

sheet metal frame painted black with steps at all four corners
sheet metal dump bin painted red
black Bakelite cover over operating mechanism
3559 rubber stamped in silver on bottom
blue wires
two operating staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0038






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and swedged (pinched) to the support
1946
No. 3559 AUTOMATIC DUMP CARS
1947

sheet metal frame painted black with steps at all four corners
sheet metal dump bin painted red
black Bakelite cover over operating mechanism
3559 rubber stamped in silver on bottom
blue wires
two operating staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0040






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and staked (crosswise) to the support
1947 – 1948
No. 3559 AUTOMATIC DUMP CARS
1948

sheet metal frame painted black with steps at all four corners
sheet metal dump bin painted red
brown Bakelite cover over operating mechanism
3559 rubber stamped in silver on bottom
black wires
two operating staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0039






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and staked (crosswise) to the support
1947 – 1948
No. 3559 AUTOMATIC DUMP CARS
1948

sheet metal frame painted black with steps at all four corners
sheet metal dump bin painted red
black Bakelite cover over operating mechanism
3559 rubber stamped in silver on bottom
black wires
two operating staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0060






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and staked (crosswise) to the support
1947 – 1948
BOXES



Art Deco box without toy logo and without flap number



Art Deco box with toy logo and without flap number



early classic box without flap number

liner for early classic box


INSTRUCTIONS


No. 3559-4 dated 5-46 printed blue on blue paper
No. 3459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
No. 3459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
1946

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
silver painted aluminum tray with blue heat stamped lettering
with blue wires
with two staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0030






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and swedged (pinched) to the support
1946
No. 3459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
1946

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
black painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
with blue wires
with two staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0029






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and swedged (pinched) to the support
1946
No. 3459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
1947

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
black painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
with black wires
with two staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0030






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and staked (crosswise) to the support
No. 3459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
1948

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
green painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
with black wires
with two staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0031






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and staked (crosswise) to the support



Art Deco box without toy logo and without flap number


INSTRUCTIONS


No. 3459 – 28 dated 7 – 46, printed blue on blue paper, two pages




No. 3451 – 27 dated 5 – 47, printed blue on blue paper, four pages




No. 3451 – 27 dated 2 – 48, printed blue on blue paper, four pages
No. 5459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS WITH ELECTRONIC CONTROL
No. 5459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS WITH ELECTRONIC CONTROL 1946 – 1946
with the casting with the “NO. 5459”

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
black painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
with black wires
with electronic receiver and green colored decals on both sides of car (one missing on above car)
with “NO. 5459” casting number
with two staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0042






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and staked (crosswise) to the support

note “NO. 5459” casting number
No. 5459 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS WITH ELECTRONIC CONTROL 1946 – 1946
with the casting with the “NO. 3459”

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
black painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
with black wires
with electronic receiver and green colored decals on both sides of car (one missing on above car)
with “NO. 3459” casting number
with two staple end trucks with coil couplers
D0041






staple end trucks with coil couplers, the coupler head is riveted and staked (crosswise) to the support

note the “NO. 3459” casting number


ART DECO box without toy logo


No. 3469 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
No. 3469 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
1949

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
black painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
with black wires
with two staple end trucks with magnetic couplers
D0051






staple end trucks with magnetic couplers with rivet flared down in the magnetic activator flap
No. 3469 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
1950

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
black painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
in the fixed back side of the tray the two rivets, one in each top corner, are flared side inward beginning in 1950
with black wires
with two staple end trucks with magnetic couplers
D0034






staple end trucks with magnetic couplers with rivet flared down in the magnetic activator flap
No. 3469 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
1950 (late – 1951)

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
black painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
in the fixed back side of the tray the two rivets, one in each top corner, are flared side inward beginning in 1950
with black wires
with two staple end trucks with magnetic couplers
D0046






staple end trucks with magnetic couplers with rivet flared up in the magnetic activator flap
No. 3469 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
1952

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
black painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
in the fixed back side of the tray the two rivets, one in each top corner, are flared side inward beginning in 1950
with black wires
with two bar end trucks with magnetic couplers
D0035






bar end trucks with magnetic couplers with rivet flared up in the magnetic activator flap
No. 3469 AUTOMATIC DUMPING ORE CARS
1954

black painted diecast frame with brake wheels at both ends
black painted aluminum tray with white heat stamped lettering
in the fixed back side of the tray the two rivets, one in each top corner, are flared side inward beginning in 1950
with black wires
with two bar end trucks with magnetic couplers
D0036






bar end trucks with magnetic couplers with rivet flared up in the magnetic activator flap
BOXES



overstamped Art Deco box with toy logo, underlying box is a 3459





mid classic box without flap number





mid classic box with flap number 3469 – 10, with printed OPS information





mid classic box with flap number 3469 – 19


early classic box with X after the number, used with sets and signifies that the box contains only the dump car, the dump tray is placed in the set box
INSTRUCTION SHEETS


No. 3461 – 11 dated 2 – 49, printed blue on blue paper, four pages


No. 3461 – 11 dated 11 – 49, printed blue on blue paper, four pages


No. 3461 – 11 dated 2 – 50, printed blue on white paper, four pages




No. 3461 – 11 dated 4 – 50, printed blue on white paper, four pages


No. 3461 – 11 dated 9 – 50, printed blue on white paper, four pages


No. 3461 – 11 dated 2 – 52, printed blue on white paper, four pages


No. 3461 – 11 dated 1 – 54, printed blue on white paper, four pages
No. 3359 OPERATING DUMP CAR
No. 3359 OPERATING DUMP CAR
1955

unpainted gray plastic bins with black heat stamped lettering
unpainted red base
two bar end magnetic couplers with black knuckle pins
D0027







packet number 3359 – 78

contents of packet, appropriate instruction sheet would be included




No. 3359 OPERATING DUMP CAR
1956

unpainted gray plastic bins with black heat stamped lettering
unpainted red base
two bar end magnetic couplers with silver knuckle pins with tabs
D0049







packet number 3359 – 78

contents of packet, appropriate instruction sheet would be included




INSTRUCTIONS




No. 3359 – 79 dated 9 – 55, printed blue on white paper, four pages




No. 3359 – 79 dated 12 – 55, printed blue on white paper, four pages