Lionel Classic Period Cabooses
All information and trains supplied by Russ MacNair unless otherwise noted
Lionel No. 817 Cabooses
General Information
The Lionel No. 817 Cabooses were introduced in 1926 and were issued through 1939. The No. 817 Cabooses always had manual couplers. The No. 817 Cabooses measure 9-inches in length. The cabooses typically had contrasting colors for the body and roof, but later cabooses were solid red. The frame was always black. The cabooses have metal plates to identify the number and “Lionel Lines”. The cabooses were not illuminated.
Variations of the No. 817 Cabooses include different body, roof and cupola color; different railing material and color; different window material and color; nickel or copper journals; and metal identification plates in brass or aluminum. Early plates had sans serif (block) lettering. Later plates had serif lettering. Early cabooses have latch couplers. Later cabooses have early style manual box couplers. Early cabooses also had a paper lubrication sticker on the underside. The very first cabooses had a short wheelbase measuring only 4 7/8-inches between the trucks, center to center. All of the other cabooses have a standard wheelbase measuring 5 1/2-inches between the trucks, center to center.
Lionel No. 817 Cabooses
PHOTOS NEEDED
1. No. 817 Caboose in peacock blue with dark green roof and peacock blue cupola (1926). The cars have orange painted windows, brass plates with sans serif lettering, brass railings, and nickel journals. The cars have a short wheelbase and latch couplers.
PHOTOS NEEDED
2. No. 817 Caboose in peacock blue with dark green roof and peacock blue cupola (1927-1930). The cars have orange painted windows, brass plates with sans serif lettering, brass railings, and nickel journals. The cars have latch couplers.
3. No. 817 Caboose in peacock blue with dark green roof and peacock blue cupola (1931). The cars have orange painted windows, brass plates with sans serif lettering, brass railings, and copper journals. The cars have latch couplers.
4. No. 817 Caboose in peacock blue with dark green roof and peacock blue cupola (1931). The cars have brass windows, brass plates with sans serif lettering, brass railings, and nickel journals. The cars have latch couplers.
5. No. 817 Caboose in peacock blue with dark green roof and peacock blue cupola (1931). The cars have brass windows, brass plates with serif lettering, brass railings, and copper journals. The cars have latch couplers.
6. No. 817 Caboose in red with peacock blue roof and red cupola (1931-1934). The cars have brass windows, brass plates with serif lettering, brass railings, and copper journals. The cars have latch couplers.
7. No. 817 Caboose in red with red roof and red cupola (193?). The cars have orange painted windows, brass plates with serif lettering, aluminum railings, and copper journals. The cars have latch couplers.
8. No. 817 Caboose in red with red roof and red cupola (1935). The cars have nickel windows, brass plates with serif lettering, chrome railings, and nickel journals. The cars have latch couplers.
9. No. 817 Caboose in red with red roof and cupola (1935). The cars have nickel windows, brass plates with serif lettering, aluminum railings, and nickel journals. The cars have latch couplers.
10. No. 817 Caboose in red with red roof and cupola (1936). The cars have nickel windows, aluminum plates with serif lettering, chrome railings, and nickel journals. The cars have early style manual box couplers.
11. No. 817 Caboose in red with red roof and cupola (1935-1939). The cars have nickel windows, aluminum plates with serif lettering, aluminum railings, and nickel journals. The cars have early style manual box couplers.
Lionel No. 2817 Cabooses
General Information
The Lionel No. 2817 Cabooses were introduced in 1938 and were issued through 1942. The No. 2817 Cabooses always had operating couplers. The No. 2817 Cabooses measure 9-inches in length. The early cabooses were solid red. Later cabooses had a contrasting brown roof. The frame was always black. Early cabooses have metal plates to identify the number and “Lionel Lines”. The last cabooses had rubber stamped number and information. The cabooses were not illuminated.
Variations of the No. 2817 Cabooses include different body, roof and cupola color; different railing material and color; different window material and color; nickel or black journals; and aluminum identification plates or rubber stamped number and information. The aluminum plates have serif
lettering. Early cabooses have early style operating box couplers. Later cabooses have late style operating box couplers.
Lionel No. 2817 Cabooses
1. No. 2817 Caboose in bright red with bright red roof and cupola (1938-1939). The cars have nickel windows, aluminum plates with serif lettering, aluminum railings, and nickel journals. The cars have early style operating box couplers.
2. No. 2817 Caboose in dark red with brown roof and cupola (1939-1940). The cars have white painted windows, aluminum plates with serif lettering, red painted railings, and black journals. The cars have late style operating box couplers.
3. No. 2817 Caboose in dark red with brown roof and cupola (1940-1942). The cars have white painted windows, rubber stamped number and information, red painted railings, and black journals. The cars have late style operating box couplers.
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