Lionel Models Postwar 41, 42 and 59, Military Transportation Corps ID Guide

In this series we review a grouping of related Lionel Post War trains. 

 

 In this post we will take a quick look at some of the smaller "Motorized Units" in Lionel's Military Transportation Corps.  Here we cover 3 military motorized units in particular, the 41, the 42 and the 59.  From 1955 until 1963 Lionel  produce the following three smaller  "motorized"  units. These were inspired by real world  " gas turbine"  yard "Switchers" 

The Number 41 the  United States Army Unit, was first produced in1955.  The 41 was unpainted and had heat-stamped lettering.   It is extremely hard to find a 41 and its counterparts, the 42 and 59 with the window struts intact. Many were broken during normal handling and use.    Shown below is one of my own Number 41.

#41 United States Army Unit with window struts intact

The Lionel Number 42 Picatinny Arsenal model is shown below. The 42 was only produced in 1957.   The 42 gas turbine unit featured an unpainted body in OD Green and had heat stamped lettering with white handrails. No interior lighting but had light lenses installed on the front and the back. Other features included Magnetic couplers, a decorative horn, 3 position unit.

#42 Picatinny Arsenal - window struts intact

Lionel U.S.A.F Minuteman Number 59 Gas Turbine shown below, was only produced in 1962 and 1963. The chassis was chemically blackened, had a white unpainted body with red and blue lettering.  Like the 41 and 42 it has headlight lens on each end, 3 position unit and operating couplers. While all 3 are popular with collectors, the Lionel Number 59 is more sought out by collectors. 

 

Next update we will cover the # 50 gang car, track cleaning car and some of the many trolley.  FYI - A trolley car was Lionel's first offering produced. More about that in another post.