model train set on track

Custom 6464 Archive Sets

e*Train Issue: Jun 2002   |   Posted in:

by Bob Mintz

While roaming the aisles inside of the Holodrome at this past April 2002 York, I came across a group of unfamiliar looking boxcars.

Having gotten my first Lionel set in 1958, I was more accustomed to the catalogues from that point forward.

Thanks to Greenberg Publishing, I was able to get their series of all Lionel catalogues from 1900 through 1969.

Since I too was “established” in 1954 such as the TCA was, I wanted to see what was popular in Lionelville during that period.

I have also collected all of the Postwar 6464 boxcars, including some of the major variations. Lo and behold, there were several unique pieces on this particular vendors table.

The vendor told me that he used a laser process that would copy Lionel’s style to a “tee”, or “tie” as would be the case.

This particular vendor was also able to recreate a 6464-300 Rutland solid shield, that the Standards Committee had trouble identifying the real one from the reproduction.

Flying out of the pages of the 1953 catalogue, we have two cars that were shown in a certain color scheme, but were never regularly produced that way.

One is the Great Northern in orange with decal and the other is the Minneapolis & St. Louis in green with gold lettering.

Another page from that same catalogue shows # X3484 AT&SF operating boxcar.

To really give collectors a run for their money (or have their money run), a Western Pacific in red lettering in a silver paint scheme was also made.

For further information of this producer of custom painted and pad printed model trains, contact:

RGS Limited Editions
184 North Main Street
Old Forge, PA 18518

Phone (570) 457-6805
Fax (570) 457-6814
[email protected]