3520
Lionel Lines
Rotating Searchlight Car
1952 - 1953

item# A004-0000007

The 3520 Rotating Searchlight Car is similar to the earlier 6520 searchlight car. The newest feature on the 3520 is a remote-control operated on-off switch. This switch allows the operator to activate Lionel's 'Vibro-motor' which in turn begins rotating the searchlight lens. The 3520 is a smooth running and reliable operating car. Due to its history of being a reliable performer and having a limited two year production run, this car is still in demand by both collectors and operators. Clean examples with original boxes are becoming harder to find.

Standard features on the 3520 include: painted gray die-cast depressed-center frame with black lettering, vibration motor, metal footsteps at each corner, a remote-control on-off switch plus a simulated orange generator. A single brake wheel with brake stand is also included and mounted at the opposite end of the searchlight. Almost every 3520 came with bar-end trucks. However, some of the very earliest 1952 production cars might have included leftover staple-end trucks.
The searchlight bracket (metal bracket holding the plastic searchlight lens) has been produced in three variations. The most common bracket is aluminum with four holes. There is also a harder to find eight hole aluminum version. However, the most difficult to find is a chemically blackened eight hole version. A photo of all three bracket variations is available in the chart below.
The final point regarding variations has to do with the lettering style. The most common version is the sans-serif style. The more difficult version is the serif lettering style.
 Sans-Serif Lettering -  Produced in both 1952 and 1953.
 Serif Lettering - More difficult to locate than the sans-serif version.

3520 Rotating Searchlight Car
Variation	Years
Sans-Serif Lettering	1952 - 1953
Serif Lettering	1952 - 1953
Searchlight Bracket Variations	1952 - 1953

3520 Rotating Searchlight Car
	Condition	Price	Comments
	7	$ 55.00	Available for sale is a clean, all-original rotating searchlight car. The car has been tested and works perfectly. Even the lens cap is an original postwar cap.
	7+	$118.00	Now available for sale is the rare version with the darkened base on the searchlight. This freight car has been fully cleaned, tested, serviced and works perfectly. There is no rust on the base, trucks nor wheels.
	9/OB	$155.00	Up for sale is a stunning, all-original rotating searchlight car from 1952. Included with the beautiful freight car is a solid OPS Stamped Box, insert, instructions and the rare darkened-base searchlight housing.

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