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The Locomotives
Whether or not the movie directly inspired Lionel's choice is questionable, but Lionel and Disney had a relatively close relationship over the years, and Lionel's service manuals directly referenced the movie in its background material on the locomotive. It would not be surprising if a couple light bulbs went off in the heads of Lionel's design team after seeing the movie.
At any rate, three years after the movie was released, The General hit the Lionel rails. The engine was quite unlike any other steam engine Lionel had produced up to that point. The design was clearly steam, but the motor was a modified version of the ones used in Lionel's Alcos and NW-2 diesels. The shell was all plastic, but the gearing and extra weight in the body made the engine a somewhat strong puller for its size. Its high gearing and large drive wheels also gave it a high top speed.
The small boiler also made manufacturing the engine a challenge. Until the mid-1980s the handrails on each side of the engine served as the wires to the smoke unit and light bulb. There was no room for a whistle in the small tender, so in train sets Lionel would equip a passenger car with the whistle instead. This design is also proof that some things do not lend themselves to miniaturization--Lionel was still using the whistle-in-the-passenger-car technique in 2007.
Lionel Generals are also distinctive in their lack of color or production variations.
The Postwar Era Generals
1862 Western and Atlantic (1959-1962)
Known as the "O27" General, the 1862 is a basic model that lacks smoke or magnetraction. It was included in three different sets. First it headed up a set called The Old Timer, which included a 1866 mail car and a 1865 passenger car. The 1862 was included in another set that included the two passenger cars along with a 1877 flatcar with horses, but it did not include track or transformer. Two years later, the set swapped the flatcar for a no. 3370 Sheriff and Outlaw car and added the track and transformer back in.
The matching tender has a non-operating coupler with 'W&ARR' and '1862T' on the side.
1872 Western and Atlantic (1959-62)
At first glance, the 1872 is identical to the 1862 except for the number. However, the 1872 also includes a smoke unit and magnetraction. An easy way to tell a 1872 from a 1862 without looking at the number is to look at the smokestack. The 1872 has a smoke unit in it, while the 1862's stack is hollow.
Like the 1862, the 1872 was included in a set with a matching mail car [number 1876] and a 1877 flatcar with horses. However, the 1872 was sold with the no. 1875W passenger car, which had a whistle inside of it.
The matching tender has a non-operating coupler with 'W&ARR' and '1872T' on the side.
Both the 1862 and 1872 were very popular and are relatively common today. Fragility more than scarcity dictates their value; many Generals have had some of their detail parts broken off over the years. Fortunately replacement parts are readily available.
Also, be careful when buying a 1862 or 1872 to make sure that the tender included with the engine is the correct match. Some 1862s and 1872s have gotten their tenders reversed over the years.
1882 Western and Atlantic (1960)
The third Postwar General is one of the most highly sought of all steam locomotives from the era. The 1882 was never in the Lionel catalog but was instead produced as part of a special set for Sears. The set included the common 1866 mail car, but also included two cars exclusive to the set, the 1887 flatcar with horses and the 1885 passenger car in a sharp blue and white paint scheme.
Today the set is known as the 'Halloween Set', named after the engine's distinctive black and orange paint job. Highly prized by collectors, the 1882 is much harder to find than the 1862 or 1872, and finding a set with its original box is a true rarity. The set was reproduced in 2004 [see below].
The MPC Era Generals
The General was phased out of the Lionel line as interest in model trains waned in the 1960s, and for 15 years the 4-4-0 was absent from the Lionel catalog. During that time General Mills and its subsidiary Model Products Corporation [MPC] took over Lionel's train production in 1969-1970. Focusing on basic models at first, the MPC team began reintroducing more complex pieces as the 1970s wore on, and in 1977 the General returned to Lionel's rails.
8701 [#3] W&ARR (1977-79)
The 8701 General was essentially a reissue of the 1872, but with black and red with gold lettering replacing the gray, red and green with gold lettering paint scheme. It has smoke and a headlight but no magnetraction. In 1978 the matching mail car, passenger car and horse car [numbers 9551, 9552 and 9553] made a comeback.
Cataloged for three years, the 8701 is relatively easy to locate, but like most separate-sale sets of the 1970s and 80s, the cars are much easier to find than the engine.
8004 Rock Island and Peoria (1980-81)
In 1980 the 8701 was dropped, and a new 4-4-0 lettered for the Rock Island and Peoria took its place. The 8004 was the first Lionel General not lettered for the Western and Atlantic. Three matching passenger cars, numbered 9560. 9561, and 9562 were also produced.
The distinctive feature of the 8004 is its chromed boiler. Great care must be taken when handling this engine, as the chrome is susceptible to smudging.
Though less common than the 8701, both engines are worth about the same on open market today.
8005 Santa Fe (1980-82)
The first five Generals all shared the same motor and drive train, using the standard Lionel universal AC/DC motor, geared to the trucks in a way that made the engines good pullers. In 1980, Lionel decided to use the General in a starter set called the James Gang. To keep the set from being prohibitively expensive, the insides of the General were redesigned, giving it a DC can motor with no reverse unit. This cut the cost of the set considerably, but the 8005 is a distinctively cheaper-looking model than its predecessors.
The 8005 will only run on DC power. Trying to run it with a conventional Lionel AC transformer will burn out the motor. Over the years some 8005s have been modified to run on AC current.
The James Gang was one of the most popular sets of the MPC era, and the 8005 is a relatively easy engine to locate in today's marketplace.
8104 [#3] Union Pacific (1981)
During the 1980s Lionel produced several locomotives available only through JC Penney's annual Christmas catalog. The first was the 8006 Atlantic Coast Line 4-6-4 in 1980, and the following year Lionel used the General as its JC Penney special, giving it the same chrome body as the 8004 but applying Union Pacific markings. The engine was also sold with a matching display case.
The 8104 shares the same features as the 8701 and 8004 locomotives, with a headlight and smoke.
The 8104 is the second-rarest of the MPC-era Generals and is somewhat difficult to locate. Like the 8004, the chrome body is easily smudged by dust and fingerprints, so the display case definitely comes in handy with this model.
No matching cars were made for this engine.
8315 Baltimore and Ohio (1983-84)
In 1983 the James Gang set was dropped and was replaced by another 1800s-vintage set. This set included a 4-4-0 numbered 8315 with a mail car [7215] and two passenger cars [7216 and 7217], all painted in Baltimore and Ohio colors. The engine was mechanically identical to the 8005, with a DC motor that will not run on regular Lionel AC transformers. Unlike the 8005, however, the 8315 has an operating headlight.
While the proceeding James Gang set was produced in high numbers and is common, the Baltimore and Ohio set is today one of the most in-demand of all MPC-era starter sets. The entire set is very sharp when put together and is popular with collectors. Also, no other set made in the last 25 years looks quite like it, which keeps demand for the set high. At Trainz, this set in Mint condition sells for about the same amount as many of the top-of-the-line MPC sets in the same condition.
8410 Redwood Valley Express (1984-85)
Lionel went back to the General-format starter set for a third time in 1984, bringing out the 1403 Redwood Valley Express set. The set included a 4-4-0 numbered 8410, along with four inexpensive freight cars.
Like the 8005 and 8315, the 8410 has a DC motor and will not run using conventional Lionel AC transformers. However, the 8410 is distinctive in that it is the only Lionel General ever produced without a balloon-type smokestack common to wood-burning 4-4-0s built in the 1850s and 1860s. Instead, the 8410 has a tall, thin stack more commonly seen on coal-burning Generals built in the 1870s [but the 8410 still has wood in its tender--a bit of creative license on the part of Lionel].
Like most Generals, the 8410 is relatively common, but when found it is often missing a couple trim parts or has sustained some minor damage from rough handling by overzealous youngsters. Replacement parts are easy to find.
8630 [#3] W&ARR (1986)
The last General of the MPC era is also the hardest to locate General of the era. In 1986 Lionel produced a special set available only through American Express. This set included the 8630 Western and Atlantic General, which was externally identical to the 8701 of 1977, but has a can motor and electronic reverse in place of the postwar-style AC motor. However, unlike the three starter set 4-4-0s of the early 1980s, this can-motor equipped General will run on AC power. All Lionel Generals produced since have used nearly the same motor and reverse unit setup found in the 8630.
Like the 8701, this engine also features smoke and a headlight. This engine and its four matching cars were all unique to this set.
The 8630 is seen much less often than the similar 8701.
The Modern-Era Generals
In 1986 Detroit real estate mogul Richard Kughn bought the Lionel train business from General Mills, and the Modern Era began. The late 1980s and early 90s saw a rapid expansion of Lionel's product line, and the General was part of that growth, and Lionel would use this popular design in new and creative formats and sets.
18702 [#8702] Virginia and Truckee (1988)
From the early1970s to the mid '90s Lionel produced sets available exclusively through their network of authorized Service Stations. These uncatalogued 'Service Station Specials' were popular with collectors and starting in the late 1970s they included engines and cars exclusive to the sets. In 1988 Lionel produced a General set in Virginia and Truckee colors for its annual Service Station Special set, and called it the Dry Gulch Line. The set included an engine numbered 18702 and three matching passenger cars.
The engine is mechanically identical to the 8630 and has the same features.
The set sold reasonably well when released, but the 18702 is seen less often than some of the earlier Generals. It is also seldom found broken away from the set. Despite it being a bit of a challenge to locate, the engine is still reasonably priced.
18008/18013 [#4] Disneyland Railroad [1990]
In 1990 Lionel produced a special engine to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California. For years, special propane-powered 4-4-0s have pulled trains on the Disneyland Railroad. It was only natural that Lionel would use its nearly-identical General to honor the legendary theme park.
Internally the engine is identical to the 8630 and 18702 predecessors, but externally it has a more elaborate paint scheme and more intricate gold trim. Interestingly, the wheels on the locomotive and tender trucks were plated, a first for Lionel.
The engine was sold with a display case. It was also sold without the case, and in this guise the engine was listed under number 18013.
While prized by many collectors, the 18008 is in fact a bit more common than most Generals from the 1970s and 80s. Part of this is due to the fact that Disney-related Lionel items are almost always good sellers, and that this engine was produced right as the toy train renaissance of the early 1990s started to take hold. Today the engine is easier to find than often thought and makes a great conversation piece.
18716 [#8716] Lionelville Circus (1990-91)
 
In 1990 Lionel added a circus train to its line of starter sets. The Lionelville Circus special featured a 4-4-0 at the front end, which featured a red and green color scheme.
The engine used the then-standard can motor and electronic reverse combination for power, the same that had been used on the previous four Generals. It has a headlight but no smoke.
The Lionelville Circus Special was a popular set and it is relatively easy to locate, but the engine is not often found broken away from the set.
18720 [#1865] Union (1999)
After 15 years as a regular item in the Lionel line, the General took most of the 1990s off. After the 11716 Lionelville Circus set was dropped in 1991, the design would not reappear for eight years. When it did, it would appear in two sets that have been quite popular with collectors.
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The first was the 18720 Union 4-4-0, which was part of the 21900 Union Civil War Train Set. The engine used the same drive train and internal parts as the previous Generals, and has smoke and a headlight. The engine has the number '1865' below the cab windows.
18721 [#1861] Confederate (1999)
At the same time, a set was made for the Confederates as well, numbered 21901. The engine was 18721, and had the number '1861' on the cab. Like the Union engine, the Confederate engine had smoke and a headlight as well.
Both sets are today a bit tough to locate but are not overly expensive. The engines are almost never found broken away from the sets.
18723 Union Pacific (2002-03)
After the Civil War sets, the General would disappear again for three years. The first of the 21st-century Generals was the 18723 Union Pacific, used to head up the 31928 Great Train Robbery Set in 2002.
The engine had the same features as the Union and Confederate engines, with the only difference being in the paint.
18725 [100] World of Disney (2003)
In 2003 Lionel introduced the World of Disney train set, and heading it up was a 4-4-0 identical in design to the 18723, but painted in Disney colors.
52301 [#1882] LCCA 'Halloween' General (2004)
For years Lionel has produced special sets, engines and cars for various collecting organizations. In 2004, The famous 1960 'Halloween' General Set was reproduced for the Lionel Collectors Club of America [LCCA]. The engine was a dead ringer for the original Halloween engine, complete with '1882' on the side. Internally, however, the engine has the same can motor and electronic reverse unit found in all Generals made since the mid-1980s.
A popular set with collectors, this reissued set is seldom seen on the open market today, and the engine is almost never sold individually.
18730 [#13] Transylvania RR (2005)
For 15 years following the release the 18008 Disneyland 4-4-0 in 1990, all Generals had been sold as part of sets. In 2005, Lionel catalogued a separate-sale 4-4-0 as part of its growing Halloween-themed line. Featuring smoke and a headlight and a whimsical Transylvania Railroad paint scheme, the 18730 was designed to head up the lengthening list of Halloween cars entering the Lionel line.
Relatively inexpensive and neat conversation starter, the 18730 is still easy to find.
18732 North Pole Central (2006)
Image courtesy of lionel.com
Deciding that what was good for Halloween was also good for Christmas, in 2006 Lionel added the General to its Christmas line, decorated in [of course] red and green and numbered [of course] 25, and lettered for the North Pole Central.
The engine has the same internal characteristics as the 18730 Transylvania engine.
Like the Transylvania engine, the North Pole 4-4-0 was a good seller and is still relatively easy to locate.
18737? [#312] Great Western (2007-08)
Image courtesy of lionel.com
The General returned to starter sets in 2007 at the head of the 30034 Great Western Train set, which included a passenger car with a whistle. The engine featured smoke and a headlight.
The set has been a good seller and is still readily available. The model number, 18737, is a best-guess based on Lionel's numbering system (if anyone knows the exact number, please let us know!). The engine has the number 312 on the cab.
38658 [#1892] W&ARR (2008)
Image courtesy of lionel.com
In 2008 the General returned in Western and Atlantic markings for the first time since 1986. However, this engine had two features that distinguished it from the previous W&A Generals. First, it was painted green and black vs. the red and black of the earlier models. Secondly, this engine included the Trainsounds system in the tender, marking the first time a General was ever produced with sound. The engine has number 1892 on the cab.
The 38658 has the same drive train as previous models and also includes smoke and a headlight. Matching cars were announced in the 2009 Lionel catalog.
38659? [1877] Fort Worth and Western (2009)
Image courtesy of lionel.com
In the 2009 Ready-to-Run sets catalog Lionel announced a new set, the 30116 Lone Ranger Wild West set. It includes a new 4-4-0 decorated in Fort Worth and Western colors. Mechanically the engine is identical to the 38658 from 2008 and this engine includes the Trainsounds sound system.
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