Lionel produced a trio of smaller building kits in the MPC era: The Watchman's Shanty, The Barrel Platform, and the Lumber Shed. None of these structures gets much press but you see them at the shows either un-assembled in box or removed from a layout. They make for a good evening project that can be personalize with a little paint and weathering.
 |
| Lionel Lumber Shed 6-2720 |
There is nothing really fancy about either of these models but they have a few little intriguing details. All of them came with a figure and a handful of detail pieces such as barrels, a ladder, or hand tools. The Watchman's Shanty is probably the only Lionel branded building to include a dog. Of the three I really like the Lumber Shed best. The workbench area is especially interesting.
 |
| workbench area has some tools |
The Lionel Lumber Shed first appeared sometime in the MPC era. My 1978 catalog has it as 6-2720 with a painted plastic workman. The shed shows up in later years as kit too. It was cataloged as 6-2705 and 6-12705 in those days (maybe 1986-1996?) By then the workman came just in flesh color and the walls were cast in brown rather than green. In 2016 the kit was
re-released again as 6-81629. Unlike a lot of the re-releases of MPC structures, this one never was made as a pre-built model. The Watchman Shanty and the Barrel Platform both have been released as pre-built with lights in the last decade. The Barrel Platform masqueraded as a
Christmas Cocoa Barrel Shed in 2015.
What amazes me is the how much either of these models now cost. You can find the newest releases of these 3 models retailing between $30 and $45 each. Even the old new stock fetches between $20 and $30. I think that is rather steep for a small plastic structure with little detail. In the March 1983 issue of Model Railroad Craftsman, Charles Ro advertised the Lumber Shed for $3.20. Then in June issue of Model Railroader, TrainWorld had the new version 6-2705 listed for $4.50. So why now does this model outpace inflation? And let me note the newest release is no different that the 6-2705 model and it is
still a kit. Somebody could scratch-build something similar for less. The price point for this kit should be around $12-$15.
I found mine on ebay for $6 already built and missing pieces. I may have gotten one cheaper at a show but still a good deal.
Comments