6415 LIONEL SUNOCO 3-D TANK CAR, 53-55, 64-66, 69

The Sunoco 3-Dome Tank Car No. 6415 was available from 1953 until 1955, was again produced from 1964 until 1966, and was also available during the last year of the Post War Period in 1969. This  silver-painted tank car was mounted on a  black plastic chassis with a metal under carriage that secured the trucks. The 1953-55 production had bar-end trucks, while the 1964-66 came with late AAR trucks, and the 1969 production reverted back to bar-end trucks.

The three-colored "SUNOCO" logo, reporting data, and the Lionel "circled L" were rubber-stamped on the sides. The intensity of the paint on the rubber stamp varies from car to car and is sometimes  blue, but can be as intense as a ver BLdark blue  that it appears almost  black.

Of note is that the reporting data has three variations:

1. Five lines of data only.
2. Five lines of data with "TANK."
3. Five lines of data with "6415.".

There are also two variations in the SUNOCO logo:

1. Shows "CAPACITY 6600 gallons."
2. Shows "CAPACITY 8000 gallons."

To complicate the situation even more, there are two variations in the circled-L Lionel logo:

1. WHITE "L" on a BLUE circular background.
2. WHITE "L"  on a BLUE circular background with an additional BLUE circle surrounding the BLUE background.

These changes account for the five variations:

Variation A: Shows 6600 gallons with a circled-L logo with a surrounding BLUE circle. Has a SILVER brake stand and came with bar-end trucks. 1953-1955 production.

Variation B: Shows 8000 gallons; data has "TANK," a circled-L logo with a surrounding  blue circle. Has a SILVER brake stand and came with bar-end trucks. 1953-1955 production.

Variation C: Shows 8000 gallons; data has "6415," a circled-L logo with a surrounding  blue circle. Has a SILVER brake stand and came with bar-end trucks. 1953-1955 production.

Variation  Shows 8000 gallons; data has "6415", a circled-L logo without a surrounding BLUE circle. Has been found with either a SILVER or BLACK brake stand and came with bar-end trucks. 1969 production. Came in a Hillside checkerboard box.

Variation E: Shows 6600 gallons; data has "6415," a circled-L logo without a surrounding BLUE circle. Has a BLACK brake stand and came with AAR trucks. 1964-1966 production.