Lionel pre-516rs

LIONEL STANDARD GAUGE 516 RED HOPPER WITH CAPACITY LETTERING

Much like the 216, the 516 that was cataloged from 1928 until 1940 was remarkably consistent throughout the production run. The cars were always painted red and, in most cases, had a black sheet metal simulated coal load installed in them

As originally produced, the cars had trucks with nickel journals, brass trim and brass plates with black lettering

As part of what was believed to be a special production run intended for use in special coal train sets from 1929 to 1930, some of the cars had reporting marks and various other data rubber-stamped in gold on the sides

Copper journals appeared in 1930 or 1931

Separate sale cars were produced without simulated coal loads

As a rule, cars that were originally produced with loads will have evidence of these, either through wear or damage from the removal of the load

In 1935 the journals reverted back to nickel

Some of these cars were also rubber-stamped with the gold reporting marks

Strangely, some of the copper journal equipped cars were also produced with nickel trim and black lettered brass plates

In 1936 or 1937, the plates began to be made of aluminum with black lettering. The trim and journals were nickel.

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