The Most Wanted Lionel Postwar Steam Engines Revealed!

The top 10 most sought-after Lionel steamers of the post-war era, on this episode of Toy Train Tips & Tricks. Hello again, this is Mike. And if you're like me, the steam locomotives made by Lionel in the post-war era... That's 1945 to 1969... hold a special place in your heart. For me, it's not only about their running characteristics or their balanced good looks... But also the history of the models. I'd like to imagine what it was like for the original owners of each of my Lionel steamers... To receive such a special locomotive for Christmas, for a birthday... Or from saving up newspaper route money. There's something timeless about these models... Whether it's a humble scout locomotive, or a mighty scale Hudson, or Jay, or Berkshire. But while all of these models hold a special place in our hearts... Some stand out above the others. Either because of extra details, or unusual features... Or just because the model is particularly rare or unusual. In order to create an objective listing of the top 10 most sought-after models... You know, an apples-to-apples comparison you might say... I used the values listed in the 2025 edition of the Greenberg's Pocket Price Guide to Lionel trains... For models in excellent condition. Now, before you blow up my comments... Yes, there is significant debate among collectors about how closely the values of the Greenberg Guide... Reflects actual prices that can be expected at a typical swap meet or eBay auction. Remember that condition plays a key role in value. Truly mint-in-the-box examples will command higher prices... While prices fall off quickly between excellent and good condition items. In any case, using the same mode of comparison... List prices for excellent condition items provides us with a solid baseline for comparison. There is one exception in this case, which I will discuss at the end of the video. So, let's dive in and check out Lionel's top 10 post-war steamers. In 10th place, we find the last, and in some ways the best... Of Lionel's post-war Pennsylvania S2 steam turbine locomotives. While sharing the same undersized boiler as the previous editions of the model... Such as the 2020, 671, and 681... This model, produced in 1954 and 1955... Is the only one to include the lubrication linkage at the front of the valve gear. It also sports a classy white stripe along the running boards... And a prototypical number 6200 in the keystone logo on the smokebox door. The model also includes magnetraction, smoke, a three-position reverse unit, and a headlight... Along with the number 2046W-50 Pennsylvania streamlined type tender with a whistle. This sharp looking and smooth running steamer... Comes in at $522 in excellent condition, according to the guide. What a difference a number can make! Our 9th place locomotive was marketed as an O-gauge steamer... While it is identical in every way, except the model number, to a fairly common 027 steamer. The number 2065-027 steamer was a spruced-up version of the number 2055-464 Baby Hudson... That was introduced in 1953. Based on a Santa Fe prototype... These 464 steamers were designed to be much easier to assemble and maintain... And thus cheaper to manufacture... Than the Pennsylvania K4 Pacific type locomotives that they replaced in the 027 product line. In 1954, Lionel wanted to give these models more of a hefty look... So they redesigned the boiler front to include the detail of an Alesco-style feedwater heater. While, incidentally, leaving the boiler casting of another feedwater heater intact on top of the boiler. These steamers, now number 2065, must have been super-duper super-powered. But Lionel also needed the steamer to fill the bottom spot of the regular O-gauge line. Rather than creating another model... Lionel simply changed the number of the number 2056 to 665. Whether in the form of a number 2055, 2065, 665, or the O-gauge version of the 2055... The number 685... These little steamers are great runners and great pullers. With magnetraction, smoke, a headlight, and one of several whistling tenders... They are a treat to operate. Even though the 665 is not particularly rare... It was produced from 1954 through 1959... And then again in 1966... It is valued at more than twice that of its identical twin, the number 2065. So, if you want a great little steamer at a bargain price... Choose the 2065 or the plain front 2055. If you want the model favored by collectors... Choose the 665 with a price of $573 in excellent condition. Our eighth place entry, incidentally, has eight drivers. Yes, it's the classic number 726-284 Berkshire locomotive. Based on a Boston and Albany prototype... The number 726 went through a number of design changes between 1946 and 1949. And in this case, we are looking at the 1947 edition of the model. That model featured a then-new coil-heated smoke unit... A slightly longer boiler casting than the 1946 version... And a three-position reverse unit with the control lever protruding from the top of the boiler. This variation is notable for its blackened metal flag holders. Paired with a sharp-looking number 2426W six-wheel Lionel tender... This number 726 looks as good as it runs... And it is valued at $579 in excellent condition. It's time for a Toy Train Tips and Tricks twin spin... As our seventh place steamer is also a number 726... But this time, the original 1946 version. The boiler casting on this version features smaller sand domes... And the reverse unit control lever does not protrude through the top of the boiler. This variation is also identifiable by the nickel-covered flag holders. The smoke unit on this version is the less reliable bulb type... But operators and collectors like the unbroken look of the boiler on this version... And it is valued at $690 in excellent condition. Sometimes your marketing team has a great idea... And sometimes they create... Crystal Pepsi... New Coke... The Edsel... Or the Lady Lionel set. Yes, our sixth place entry is the Lionel number 2037-500... A rather common 264 steamer... But this version was only available in that infamous pastel-colored sales disaster from 1957. It was like a pink nightmare. The idea of a pastel-colored train set for girls missed the point... That girls who liked trains like realistic-looking trains. And girls who didn't like trains didn't care what color they were. Now, maybe Lionel was ahead of its time. And perhaps if they had waited until 1959... And instead had introduced the Barbie Dream Express... It may have been a different story. But as it was, unsold sets were frequently repainted so dealers could unload them. Ironically, there have been many reproductions and reimaginations of the Lady Lionel over the years... Including a pink GG1 made by K-Line. But original, excellent condition pink 2037s are currently listed for $942 in the Greenberg Guide. And I'd like to pause the video for just a moment and ask that if you're enjoying the video so far... Please like it, share it, subscribe to the channel... Just let YouTube know that you like this type of content. And you may even consider supporting the channel financially through a membership. Members have access to exclusive video content... Early access to regular videos when possible... Plus shout-outs, special messages, special photos, and other special features. Just click on the membership button at the bottom of the video near the subscribe tab. And whether you are a member, a subscriber, a regular viewer, or are just stopping by... Thank you for watching the video and thank you for your support. Now, back to our video. As we enter the top five, we come across a locomotive that to true rail fans... Can only be described as toy train blasphemy. What do I mean? Imagine for a moment a Ford 150 truck driver placing a Dodge Ram decal on his vehicle. Imagine giving a Red Sox fan season tickets to see the Yankees. Imagine a proud fan of Auburn University football sporting a Roll Tide t-shirt. Get the idea? Now imagine the Lionel number 773 scale Hudson... A descendant of the classic pre-war number 700E... A model based on the J1E class 464... The most iconic locomotive of the New York Central Railroad... Paired with a number 736W whistling tender with the name... Pennsylvania! And lasered upon it. And even bookending the set in which it came was a Pensy porthole caboose. Made only in 1964, four years before the NYC and Pennsylvania formed their disastrous shotgun merger... That resulted in the Penn Central and eventually the virtual collapse of the railroad industry in the northeastern United States... This edition of the scale Hudson also lacked the detail of its forefathers... Including lacking the valve gear guides. But if you are looking for a number 773 and you're on a budget... This model railroad abomination may be your best bet. Coming in at a bargain price of only $955 in the Greenberg Guide. In fourth place, we have a classic model of a prototype steamer that can still be seen in operation today. The Norfolk and Western class J484 steamer. The N&W's primary business was coal... And the road showed allegiance to its customers by resisting the invasion of diesel locomotives as long as possible. Built in the N&W's own shops, the J class represented the final chapter of American steam locomotive design. And with its bullet nose and streamlining, it looked as good as it ran. Lionel introduced its version of the J class in 1957... After a customer not only suggested it, but actually made an operating prototype from a Lionel Berkshire. Lionel studied the models, made a few adjustments, and the number 746 was born. There are two main variations of the model. The first, made in 1957 and early 1958, is decorated with a stripe that is shorter than the full length of the tender. And it also includes the number 746W. Our version, in fourth place on our list, is the later version made from 1958 through 1960... Which features a more prototypical full length stripe. This classic model with the long stripe tender is valued at just under $1,000 in the Greenberg Guide. In third place is the final appearance of the number 773 Hudson. This final version, made from late 1964 until 1966, features a locomotive that is identical to our fifth place entry, having no valve gear guides. But this time, finally, Lionel paired the scale Hudson with a New York Central tender. The first time this happened in the entire post-war era. Only now, near the end of the original Lionel Corporation, did the 700 series scale Hudson get a proper New York Central tender. Although, some versions of the 1965 catalog still showed the model with a Penzi tender. This late version of the number 773, with New York Central tender, in excellent condition, is listed at $1,040 in the Greenberg Guide. And then, there were two. In second place is a model that I briefly mentioned earlier. The number 746J class steamer with the short stripe tender. So, why is the less prototypical and, in my opinion, less visually appealing short stripe version more valuable? Simply because it is less common. This version, made in 1957 and early 1958, will set you back $1,089 in excellent condition, according to the Greenberg Guide. And that leads us to number one. The most sought-after Lionel steamer of the post-war era. The 1950 edition of the 773 scale Hudson. Made only in 1950 in honor of Lionel's 50th anniversary, the model features the valve gear guides missing on other versions of the 773. Plus, it is paired with the very desirable number 2426W six-wheel tender with the whistle and the reverse mechanism located in the tender. This model was the closest any post-war Hudson got to the pre-war 700E. And that's what makes it the most desirable of all post-war Lionel steamers. This model comes in with a price of just over $1,300 in excellent condition, according to the Greenberg Guide. And then there's that exception. While researching this video, I came across a listing that made no sense whatsoever to me. On page 65 of the 2025 edition of the Greenberg Pocket Price Guide is the entry for Lionel's number 2036 steamer. Made only in 1950, this is nevertheless a somewhat common and low-detailed locomotive, although it is a solid runner. While the guide lists the locomotive in good condition for $41, which is in line with what I have typically seen, the excellent condition listing? An incredible $1,474, which would make this little 027 steamer the most sought-after Lionel post-war steamer? Well, obviously, it's not. Just to make sure I hadn't missed some rare variation, I cross-checked other guides, and obviously, this price is a misprint. So, be careful out there. Even reputable price guides are sometimes wrong. I certainly hope no one paid $1,000 for this common steamer based on the listing in this guide. But what about my personal collection? What is my most valuable post-war Lionel steamer? Well, I would have to answer that it's this number 2055. Why? Because it's the first post-war steamer that was added to my collection... part of a Christmas gift in 1982 or 83. And for me, this rugged little steamer running around our Christmas tree layout was a portal back into time... to another age and another place... a place that I only knew from watching TV sitcoms. It was magical! And so, whatever train is YOUR most valuable, be sure to keep the trains running! And we'll catch you next time with more toy train tips and tricks!