160 Dump Bin

Production: 1946 - 1969

History
The 160 Dump Bin was introduced in 1946 to accompany the 3459 operating Ore Dump car. The bin was later used for any ore or log dump car offered by Lionel in a set. 160 dump bins are common and easy to locate.

Features
Standard features of the 160 dump bin include: black molded tray with the Lionel Circle L logo in the center.

The initial 160 dump bin -- probably only offered for a portion of 1946 -- was a stamped sheet metal bin. Its size and shape are very close to the size and shape of the dump bin located on the 3459 or 3469 ore dump cars.

The first non-metal 160 dump bin was a 7" bakelite tray. Almost all are solid black, however speckled versions do occasionally surface. The speckles versions are hard-to-locate.

The final version of the 160 dump bin is a thin plastic tray. The length of this is 8 1/4" and is a bit more flexible than the bakelite version. Unfortunately, it is also easier to crack this version. This longer version was introduced in 1955 to accommodate the 3359 twin dump car.

Additional Detail, Photos & Box Information
As with many of the smaller individually packaged items sold by Lionel, locating the original box is usually more difficult than locating the item. The 160 was offered for separate sale only between the years 1952 and 1955. All reported boxes are for the shorter bakelite version. A box for the longer plastic tray version has not yet been reported. The separate sale box for a 160 dump bin is rare.

Metal Version - Assumed to have been produced for a portion of 1946. This is a rare item.
Short Bakelite Version - Top Bin in the photo above - All bakelite trays are 7" in length and generally all black.
Long Plastic Version - Lower Bin in the photo above - All plastic versions are 8 1/4" in length and all black.

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