# Car Number Scheme?



## oblunde (Oct 27, 2013)

What's the basic logic/scheme for numbering Standard gauge rolling stock. What's the difference between 200/300/500 etc numbering series? or the engine and locomotive numbers.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Try this site: www.pwrr.org/rrm/ 

I found it on Google. 


Don


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

The reporting marks (initials) are assigned to each railroad uniquely, and identify the car's owner.

The actual car numbering system is different for every owner (including not just railroads here, lots of leased and privately owned cars out there).

Number series are often re-used over time (particularly when some railways have a history that goes back 100+ years) but you should never seen two ABC 1234s at the same period in time. The reporting mark + number combination uniquely identifies each piece of equipment.


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## oblunde (Oct 27, 2013)

Interesting,,,,, I thought I was in a model train newbie forum asking a question about Lionel Standard Gauge toy trains. My quest continues. Thanks for the replies


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

oblunde said:


> Interesting,,,,, I thought I was in a model train newbie forum asking a question about Lionel Standard Gauge toy trains. My quest continues. Thanks for the replies


You are in a Model Railroad Forum. How old is your Lionel stuff? If it's new, as I recall, MTH has the licensing and tooling to reissue/remake the Lionel Standard Guage stuff.

Lionel numbers can be part numbers, set numbers, it just depends on what you have. Pictures would be good also. Also their car numbers and values can be found in Greenburg's.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

oblunde said:


> Interesting,,,,, I thought I was in a model train newbie forum asking a question about Lionel Standard Gauge toy trains. My quest continues. Thanks for the replies


OK, sorry, well you didn't mention Lionel, and a lot of questions on model railroad forums are also about real trains that our models are based on. And all railway equipment is numbered for identification, and each company has their own numbering systems. But the initials are centrally assigned to keep track of a car's owner.


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## oblunde (Oct 27, 2013)

I don't have any but just trying to figure out the difference in the numbers on the old old standard gauge stuff. The two digit #s seem to be older have different couplers but are they generally the same as the three digit #s but then there is the 3xx, 5xx serries. Is there some logic to it?


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

oblunde said:


> ..............Standard gauge rolling stock. .............


I thought you were talking about real trains.

Most of my model numbering matches the real stuff. By the way welcome to the forum.


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