Lionel Classic Period Electric Locomotives
All information and trains supplied by Russ MacNair unless otherwise noted
Lionel No. 248 Electric Locomotives
Lionel No. 250 / 252 Electric Locomotives
Lionel No. 251 Electric Locomotives
Lionel No. 253 Electric Locomotives
Lionel No. 4 / 254 Electric Locomotives
Lionel No. 256 Electric Locomotives
Lionel No. 253 Electric Locomotives
information and pictures courtesy of “The MacNair Collection” unless otherwise noted
General Information
The Lionel No. 253 Electric Locomotive was introduced in 1924 and was issued through 1936 making it one of the longest running prewar locomotives. This 0-4-0 Electric Locomotive was loosely based on the New York Central and New Haven Railroad box cab electric locomotives. This locomotive was included as a component of many smaller cataloged prewar sets and examples from cataloged sets are quite common. Lionel also issued the No. 253 Electric in many uncataged or “Special” sets, many of which were produced for Macy’s Department Store. The uncataloged No. 253 locomotives can be very difficult to locate and a few are very rare.
The No. 253 Electric Locomotive measures 9 ¾-inches in length. All have two headlights located on the roof at the ends of the locomotive. The headlights are non-directional and both are illuminated when the loco is moving in either direction. The No. 253 locomotive has a manual reverse which is controlled by a lever through the frame. The “Lionel” and “253” plates have black lettering. The No. 253E locomotive has a remotely operated reverse. It also has a lever through the frame that engages or disengages the reversing unit. The “Lionel” and “253E” plates have red lettering. Later No. 253E locomotives were designated with a rubber stamped “E” on the sides of the locomotive.
Variations of the No. 253 Electric Locomotives include the evolution of the drive wheels from spoked to disc and the headlights from strap to cast. Other notable variations include body color, frame color, insert color and nickel or copper journals. The locomotives have either combination latch or latch couplers.
Lionel No. 253 Electric Locomotives
PHOTOS NEEDED
Early No. 253 Box – Opens on Top.
Later No. 253 Box – Opens on End
1. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in wine (1924). The body color is also often referred to as maroon. Locomotive has a black frame; brass insert; brass trim; nickel decorative pantograph, whistle and journals; strap headlights and spoked drive wheels.
2. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in gray (1924). Locomotive has a black frame; brass insert; brass trim; nickel decorative pantograph, whistle and journals; strap headlights and spoked drive wheels. This locomotive was a component of a single Macy Special uncataloged set.
3. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in dark green (1925-1926). Locomotive has a black frame; brass insert; brass trim; nickel decorative pantograph, whistle, flag holders, air tanks and journals; strap headlights and spoked drive wheels.
4. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in dark green (1925-1926). Locomotive has a black frame; brass insert; brass trim; nickel decorative pantograph, whistle and journals; strap headlights; and spoked drive wheels.
5. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in mojave (1926-1927). Locomotive has a black frame; brass insert; brass trim; nickel decorative pantograph, whistle, air tanks and journals; strap headlights and spoked drive wheels.
6. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in mojave (1926-1927). Locomotive has a black frame, brass insert, brass trim, nickel journals, strap headlights and spoked drive wheels.
7. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in mojave (1928). Locomotive has a black frame, brass insert, brass trim, nickel journals, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels.
8. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in dark green (1928). Locomotive has a black frame, brass insert, brass trim, nickel journals, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels.
9. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in peacock blue (1928-1932). Locomotive has a black frame, orange insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels.
10. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in peacock blue (1930-1932). Locomotive has a black frame, orange insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive also has an orange stripe around the base of the cab.
11. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in dark green (1929). Locomotive has a black frame, orange insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive was a component of a single Sears Special uncataloged set.
12. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in red (1929). Locomotive has a black frame, yellow insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive was a component of a single Macy Special uncataloged set.
13. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in light green (1930). The body color is also referred to as pea green. Locomotive has a black frame, orange insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive was a component of a single Macy Special uncataloged set.
14. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in red (1931-1932?). Locomotive has a black frame, yellow insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has a pendulum reverse. This locomotive was a component of a single Macy Special uncataloged set.
15. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in dark green (1931-1932?). Locomotive has a black frame, yellow insert, brass trim, copper journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has a pendulum reverse. This locomotive was likely a component of a Special uncataloged set.
16. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in terra cotta (1932). Locomotive has a black frame, yellow insert, brass trim, copper journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels.
17. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in terra cotta (1932). Locomotive has a maroon frame, yellow insert, brass trim, copper journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels.
18. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in terra cotta (1932). Locomotive has a maroon frame, yellow insert, brass trim, copper journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has a pendulum reverse.
19. No. 253 Electric Locomotive in apple green (1932-1934). Locomotive has a dark green frame, yellow insert, brass trim, copper journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels.
20. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in apple green (1932-1936). Locomotive has a dark green frame, yellow insert, brass trim, copper journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has a pendulum reverse.
21. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in peacock blue (1933-1934?). Locomotive has a black frame, orange insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has an E-unit reverse and was identified as a 253E locomotive with a rubber stamped “E” on the sides of the cab. The 253E locomotive in peacock blue was never issued with “253E” brass plates.
22. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in peacock blue (1933-1934?). Locomotive has a black frame, orange insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has an E-unit reverse and was identified as a 253E locomotive with a rubber stamped “E” on the sides of the cab. This locomotive also has an orange stripe around the base of the cab.
23. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in terra cotta (1933-1934?). Locomotive has a maroon frame, yellow insert, brass trim, copper journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has an E-unit reverse and was identified as a 253E locomotive with a rubber stamped “E” on the sides of the cab.
24. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in apple green (1933-1936?). Locomotive has a black frame, yellow insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has an E-unit reverse and was identified as a 253E locomotive with a rubber stamped “E” on the sides of the cab.
25. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in apple green (1933-1936?). Locomotive has a dark green frame, yellow insert, brass trim, copper journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has an E-unit reverse and was identified as a 253E locomotive with a rubber stamped “E” on the sides of the cab.
26. No. 253E Electric Locomotive in apple green (1933-1936?). Locomotive has a dark green frame, yellow insert, brass trim, copper journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. This locomotive has an E-unit reverse and was identified as a 253E locomotive with a large rubber stamped “E” on the sides of the cab.
27. No. 450 Electric Locomotive in red (1931). Locomotive has a black frame, brass insert, brass trim, nickel journals, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. Although basically a No. 253 locomotive, this locomotive was numbered “450” and has “Macy Special” on the center brass plate on both sides of the cab instead of “Lionel”. This locomotive was a component of a single Macy Special uncataloged set.
28. No. 450 Electric Locomotive in apple green (1935-1936?). Locomotive has a dark green frame, brass insert, brass trim, cast headlights and disc drive wheels. Although basically a No. 253 locomotive, this locomotive was numbered “450” and had “Macy Special” on the center brass plate on both sides of the cab instead of “Lionel”. This locomotive was a component of a single Macy Special uncataloged set.
PHOTOS NEEDED
Early No. 253 Box – Opens on Top.
Later No. 253 Box – Opens on End
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