www.StandardGauge.com LibertyShip.com
 
 Late State Cars   |   Sefton's State Sets   |   Home  |   Back
 
Lionel State Set Details and Catalog Prices
 
 
State sets were offered for six years. There seem to be more of the 1929 four-car sets in collections than all of the other versions combined. The Green 414 was only cataloged in 1929, yet the photo above shows one with late details that was made in 1933 or 1934. Note the rivet detail on the car ends and the brass journals. This was not a "separate sale" car -- it came in a 409E Olympian set. Many photos are linked on the "Late State Cars" page.
 
Set   Years   Name   Consist   Color   Length
411E   1929   Transcontinental Limited   381E-412-413-414-416   Green   9' 1"
411E   1930-33   Transcontinental Limited   408E-412-413-414-416   Brown   9' 0"
409E   1930-34   The Olympian   381E-412-413-416   Green   7' 2"
433E   1931-33   20th Century Limited   400E-400T-412-413-416   Green   8' 3"
 
Differences in Early (1929-30) and Later (1931-34) State Cars
 
Early cars have cast journals, later ones have brass journals.
   Note that all 400E tenders have brass journals (The 400E was introduced in 1931). 
 
Early cars have two-tone roofs (roof ventilators are the same color as car body)
Later car roofs were painted after the ventilators were installed (one-tone roof).
  Unless they were made up to match leftover stock (see the 414 photo at the top of this page).
 
Early cars have no rivet detail on their ends.
Later cars (1931-34) generally have rivet detail on their ends
 
Early cars have a unique, large oiling instruction paper label inside their roofs.
Middle cars have a freight-car style oiling instruction paper label inside their roofs.
Later cars do not have any paper labels.
 
Early cars have car number plates on the left, and the Lionel Lines plate on the right.
Later cars have car number plates on the right, and the Lionel Lines plate on the left.
 
Greenberg Vol. 1, page 124, shows a 433E set box stamped Brown, Ivory, GM.
   This indicates a Gun Metal 400E with three Brown state cars.
 
Greenberg Vol. 4, page 14, shows four car boxes with 1933-35 tape stamped Spec. Green, Ivory.
   This indicates an Ivory-windowed 414 Illinois car was offered, although not in a catalogued set.
 
 Pricing Item Car Set of Loco Track & Set
Year Number Price Cars Price Set Box Price
1929 411E $17.50 $70.00 $44.50 -4.50 $110.00
1929 408E     $47.50    
             
1930 411E $15.00 $60.00 $47.50 -10.00 $97.50
1930 409E $15.00 $45.00 $44.50 -4.50 $85.00
             
1931 411E $15.00 $60.00 $47.50 -10.00 $97.50
1931 409E $15.00 $45.00 $44.50 -4.50 $85.00
1931 433E $15.00 $45.00 $42.50 -2.50 $85.00
             
1932 411E $15.00 $60.00 $39.50 -2.00 $97.50
1932 409E $15.00 $45.00 $32.50 -12.5 $65.00
1932 433E $15.00 $45.00 $45.00 -5.00 $85.00
             
1933 411E $13.50 $54.00 $35.00 -19.00 $70.00
1933 409E $13.50 $40.50 $30.00 -20.50 $50.00
1933 433E $13.50 $40.50 $42.50 -8.00 $75.00
             
1934 409E $15.00 $45.00 $30.00 -20.00 $55.00
1934 408E     $45.00    
1934 400E          
             
1935 Cars $15.00        
1935 408E          
1935 400E     $45.00    
             
1933 was the depth of the Great Depression and Lionel was in receivership. See their price cuts in the table to the right.   1933 vs. 1930 Price
Set 411E -28%
Set 409E -41%
Loco 408E -26%
Loco 381E -33%
 
Late State Cars   |   Sefton's State Sets   |   Home  |   Back
 
Copyright © 2008 Jerry Wagner. All rights reserved. San Francisco TCA 74-6574 wagner@ourtoolbox.com