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LIONEL

LIONEL X3454 AUTOMATIC PRR OPERATING MERCHANDISE CAR 46-47 VARIATION (B) BLUE LETTERING

LIONEL X3454 AUTOMATIC PRR OPERATING MERCHANDISE CAR 46-47 VARIATION (B) BLUE LETTERING

$95.00 USD
$95.00 USD
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The Automatic Merchandise Box Car No. 3454 was available in 1946 and 1947. Lionel would use this car to perfect the mechanism that would be used in the No. 3462 that premiered the following year. This mechanism was mounted on a sheet metal chassis that has four steps at each of the corners.
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This SILVER painted box car is most often found with DARK BLUE heat-stamped lettering that included a Pennsylvania Railroad logo above the car data on the right side. Today, a premium is paid for cars that still retain a shiny SILVER finish. Used Type 3 staple-end trucks that have electronic coil couplers.

The merchandise car came with six No. 3814-53 "Baby Ruth" plastic merchandise crates that were manually loaded through a hatch in the roof and were unloaded electronically with the use of a UCS or No. 6019 track section into a waiting No. 160 Unloading Bin at track side. The plastic crates are usually REDDISH BROWN in color, but have also been found in BLACK and RED colors. These crates have been reproduced but the reproductions are BROWN in color and do not have the "Baby Ruth" imprint.

The crates came in a No. 3454-51 Envelope along with a No. 3454-47 Instruction Sheet. A picture of this envelope is shown below.

There are three variations:

Variation A: Used Type 3a trucks and the lettering is DARK BLUE almost BLACK in color. The roof hinge pin was not visible on the end of the car.

Variation B: Has RED heat-stamped lettering. This is most likely an early production run.

Variation C: This is the same as Variation A, except that the lettering is DARK BLUE and the roof hinge pin shows through on the side of the car. 1947 Production.

 

This could make a great addition to your collection railroad layout or gift for a friend

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