6812 Track Maintenance Car

Production: 1959 - 1961

History
The 6812 was a newly designed freight car by Lionel for 1959. It is a prototypical model of maintenance cars used by railroads in the northeastern part of the United States. Many of these real-life maintenance cars can still be seen in use today as they are used inspect overhead catenary systems.

Features
Standard features of the 6812 Track Maintenance Car include: red unpainted flatcar with white lettering, simulated control panel, maintenance platform, two men molded in blue rubber with painted hands and face, plus a brakewheel stand and brakewheel. AAR trucks were standard -- each with an operating coupler. The maintenance platform can be raised or lowered with a crank on top of the platform.

There are several variations of this car, all involving the color of the control panel and maintenance platform. Although the maintenance platforms are all interchangeable with the control panel, the combinations listed below are the only ones produced by Lionel:

• Dark yellow control panel with a dark yellow maintenance platform.
• Lemon-yellow control panel with a lemon-yellow maintenance platform.
• Cream-colored control panel with a cream-colored maintenance platform.
• Black control panel with a black maintenance platform.
• Black control panel with a gray maintenance platform.
• Gray control panel with a gray maintenance platform.
• Gray control panel with a black maintenance platform.

The dark yellow, lemon-yellow and cream-colored models were produced in 1959 and part of 1960. The black and gray colors were introduced sometime in 1960 and ended in 1961.

Additional Detail, Photos & Box Information
Both yellow versions and the cream-colored models are slightly harder to locate than any of the black or gray models. Be careful of the railings on the maintenance platform -- they are extremely fragile and frequently cracked or broken.

The length of this flatcar is approximately 11 1/4" long (coupler to coupler).

Dark yellow superstructure - Slightly harder to find.
Lemon-yellow superstructure (Shown in second photo above) - Slightly harder to find.
Cream-colored superstructure - Slightly harder to find.
Black superstructure - Easier to locate.
Black control panel with gray platform - Easier to locate.
Gray control panel with gray platform - Easier to locate.
Gray control panel with black platform - Shown in first photo above. - Easier to locate.

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