>>11341232You can basically divide MPC era Lionel into three groups. The first is the cheap mostly plastic starter set stuff that went to DC can motor steam and diesel switchers by the mid to late 1970's. The second is the mid range diesel sets that were usually headed up by a GP7, GP9, GP20 or U36B. Until about 1984 or so these all had a single postwar style open frame AC motor and mechanical reversing unit. Early versions had traction tires while later models had Magnatraction. Late MPC era these went to truck mounted can motors and electronic reversing units with traction tires. F3s started as the same stripped down single motor models that Lionel was making in the 1960's, but as the era wore on, details and features started getting added back in and by the end of the MPC era, F3s had all their exterior details added back and had twin AC motors. High end MPC were locomotives like your GG1 and the big Hudsons. In 1980, the 2-8-4 Berkshire was back and in 1981 the Norfolk & Western J Class returned wearing 611 livery. This is also when they started playing around with the Berkshire tooling by adding or subtracting wheels to make different types, like the Great Northern 4-8-4, which is really a repaint of the previous year Union Pacific Berkshire with a four wheel front truck.
