Bidspirit auction | Lionel O Gauge New York

Lionel O Gauge New York Central Jet Powered Budd RDC M-497 - A Lionel O gauge model of the New York Central M-497 jet-powered Rail Diesel Car (RDC), also known as the Black Beetle. The model features a silver-colored body with black horizontal banding and characteristic roof-mounted simulated jet engines with red nose cones. The side of the car bears a printed New York Central System oval logo near the front door and the road name NEW YORK CENTRAL in a black band along the upper edge. The car number M-497 is printed on the lower side panels. The model is constructed with a combination of die-cast metal and plastic components, featuring die-cast metal trucks. It is equipped with a Pullmor motor, Magne-Traction, and realistic jet engine sounds. Operation is transformer-controlled for forward, neutral, and reverse directions. The item includes its original orange and blue cardboard box and a custom-fitted styrofoam inner packing tray featuring blue lifting ribbons and an embossed circular logo reading LIONEL SINCE 1900. An adhesive label on the box end identifies the item as NEW YORK CENTRAL JET POWERED BUDD CAR RDC with the model number 6-38401. , The model appears to be in mint, unused condition, still contained within its original clear protective plastic wrap (photo 1). No visible paint chips, scratches, or wear are present on the body or the simulated jet engines (photos 2, 3, and 4). The trucks and couplers show no signs of track use or wear (photo 4). The styrofoam insert is clean and intact (photo 1). The exterior cardboard box shows significant shelf wear, including surface tearing, creasing, and paper loss, particularly on the end label where some text is obscured (photo 5). A piece of blue adhesive tape with the handwritten number 513 is present on one side of the box (photo 6).