6042 Lionel

Production: 1959 & 1962 - 1964

History
The 6042 Lionel gondola was introduced by Lionel in 1959 and is a common item. At the time, it was an all-new style for the short gondola.

The 6042 was originally introduced in 1959 as a black gondola. After 1959, it did not re-appear in the Lionel catalogue until 1962, this time as a blue gondola. In either case, the gondola was available with with two unmarked canisters, two unmarked cable reels or sometimes with no load at all.

For 1963 and 1964, Lionel eliminated the printing on the exterior and (in most cases) the two canisters were also eliminated. This basic molded blue unlettered gondola was still known as the 6042 gondola within Lionel, but now without any external graphics or printing.

Features
Standard features on the 6042 Lionel Lines gondola include: unpainted body (either black or blue), usually AAR trucks but sometimes Arch-bar trucks, usually two fixed couplers plus a molded brakewheel. When lettered, the lettering was always white.

Additional Detail, Photos & Box Information

Black - Production assumed to be only 1959.
Blue - Shown in the photo above - Produced in 1962 and 1963.
Unlettered Blue - (Second photo above) - Produced in 1963 and 1964.

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