1955 Topps Rails and Sails trading cards tell the tale of trains and boats. These may not be the most modern forms of transportation today, but there’s a lot of history. And, man, if these cards aren’t gorgeous.
1955 Topps Rails and Sails Checklist Details
The Rails and Sails checklist has 200 total cards. The first 130 is the “Rails” portion of the set while the final 70 cards are the “Sails.” Each has their own design.
The 130 Rails cards look at different types of trains. Fronts have bright, bold illustrations worthy of a travel poster. There’s a white frame, logo and train name. Backs are similar to baseball cards from the era. Also done in color, there’s a description of the train as well as stats showing off what it can do.
The Sails cards are also illustrated. However, the design shifts to a full-bleed one with no borders. Backs take a similar descriptive approach, albeit with a different layout.
At 200 cards, piecing together a set now can be challenging even if things were simple and straightforward. It’s not. Large chunks of the checklist (#81-100 and #151-200) are considered short prints. So not only are they tougher to find, but you can expect to pay a little more for them.
1955 Topps Rails and Sails trading cards remain quite popular today. Even if the subject matter is somewhat dated, there is history behind it. The colorful design is another draw that makes the set timeless.
1955 Topps Rails and Sails Trading Cards Checklist
Looking to add to your collection or want to browse the set? Here’s a current listing of 1955 Topps Rails and Sails cards currently listed on eBay.
SP notes shorts prints, which are in smaller supply.
1 Locomotive “999”
2 Covered Hopper Car
3 Electric Locomotive
4 First Electric Type
5 “Daylight” Streamliner
6 Camelback Loco
7 Electric Locomotive
8 Electric Locomotive
9 Steel Caboose
10 Ballast Dump Car
11 Stock Car
12 Steam Turbine Loco
13 Three-dome Tank Car
14 Wooden Tank Car
15 Chlorine Container Car
16 Enclosed Cab Loco
17 Depressed Center Flat Car
18 Steam Loco
19 Tank Locomotive
20 Steel Box Car
21 Diesel Loco
22 Shark Nose Diesel Loco
23 PCC Trolley
24 “Mississippi”
25 “North Star”
26 Diesel Switcher
27 Rack-rail Loco
28 Electric Locomotive
29 Ballast Hopper Car
30 “William Mason”
31 Wedge Snow Plow
32 Diesel Streamliner
33 First Consolidation
34 Rotary Snow Plow
35 Inspection Engine
36 Diesel Switcher
37 Refrigerator Car
38 Pacific Type Loco
39 Steam Locomotive
40 “Holman’s Absurdity”
41 First Diesel
42 Diesel Switcher
43 Wooden Caboose
44 “Muddigger”
45 Switching Engine
46 Birney Trolley Car
47 Forney Locomotive
48 Bay-window Caboose
49 “Fireless Cooker”
50 “Rocket”
51 Gas-turbine Locomotive
52 Diesel Locomotive
53 Vista Dome Coach
54 Gas-electric Car
55 “York”
56 “General”
57 Steam Locomotive
58 “Lafayette “
59 Sailing Car
60 Stephenson’s “Rocket”
61 Street Car
62 McKeen Motor Car
63 “Eddy Clock “
64 One-dome Tank Car
65 Casey Jones’ Loco
66 Cable Car
67 Live Poultry Car
68 Diesel Locomotive
69 Crampton Loco
70 Electric Locomotive
71 Horse Treadmill Car
72 8-Wheel Trolley
73 Wrecking Crane
74 Wootten Camelback Loco
75 Rail Diesel Car
76 “Sandusky”
77 Observation Car
78 First Mogul
79 Stourbridge
80 Steam Locomotive
81 “South Carolina” SP
82 Diesel Locomotive SP
83 Commodore Vanderbilt SP
84 Pulpwood Car SP
85 1902 “20th Century” SP
86 Articulated Type SP
87 Early Switcher SP
88 Electric Type SP
89 Passenger Car SP
90 Incline SP
91 Theatrical Car SP
92 Demonstration Loco SP
93 “John Bull” SP
94 Experimental Loco SP
95 0-6-0 Switcher SP
96 Dining Car SP
97 Sugar Cane Car SP
98 Ore Car SP
99 Automobile Box Car SP
100 Private Car SP
101 “Joshua Rhodes” SP
102 Steam Streamliner SP
103 Refrigerator Car SP
104 The “Hiawatha” SP
105 Narrow Gauge SP
106 “Best Friend” SP
107 The “Pioneer” SP
108 Subway Train SP
109 Electric Type SP
110 Electric Type SP
111 Streamlined Steam Loco SP
112 0-8-0 Switcher SP
113 Camel Type SP
114 “Old Ironsides” SP
115 Grasshopper Type SP
116 Multiple Unit Train SP
117 Open End Day Coach SP
118 Electric Type SP
119 High Pressure Loco SP
120 Cab Forward Loco SP
121 ACF Talgo SP
122 Steam Locomotive SP
123 Red Arrow Express SP
124 Monster SP
125 Streamliner SP
126 Steam Locomotive SP
127 Single Wheeler SP
128 Steel Box Car SP
129 Baldwin Locomotive SP
130 First “Zephyr” SP
131 War Galley
132 Whale Back
133 Destroyer
134 Caravel
135 Express Cruiser
136 Norwegian Long Ship
137 Santa Maria
138 Fishing Vessel
139 Skaffie
140 U.S.C.G.C. Comanche
141 Canal Boat
142 Charles H. West
143 Indian Canoe
144 Flat Boat
145 Anne Morgan
146 East Indiaman
147 Show Boat
148 Herring Drifter
149 Fishing Junk
150 Outrigger Canoe
151 Ferry Boat SP
152 Queen Elizabeth SP
153 Fishing Cruiser SP
154 Submarine SP
155 Oyster Boat SP
156 Greek War Ship SP
157 Net Tender SP
158 Dutch Botter SP
159 Ore Carrier SP
160 Trawler SP
161 Freighter SP
162 Egyptian Ship SP
163 English Hoy SP
164 Catamaran SP
165 Tramp Steamer SP
166 Sub-Chaser SP
167 Light Ship SP
168 Surf Boat SP
169 Oil Tanker SP
170 Steam Packet SP
171 Brigantine SP
172 S.S. United States SP
173 Hawaiian Liner SP
174 Torpedo Boat SP
175 Miss Liberty SP
176 Gloucesterman SP
177 Racing Boat SP
178 Cruiser SP
179 Crash Boat SP
180 U.S.S. Indiana SP
181 Tuna Clipper SP
182 Harbor Dredge SP
183 Speed Boat SP
184 Constitution SP
185 Whale Ship SP
186 Salvage Tug SP
187 Fire Boat SP
188 S.S. Caronia SP
189 Landing Ship SP
190 U.S.S. Missouri SP
191 Hastings Lugger SP
192 Shrimp Boat SP
193 Minesweeper SP
194 Coble SP
195 Great Eastern SP
196 Roman Trireme SP
197 English Warship SP
198 Tow Boat SP
199 Hospital Ship SP
200 Flat Top SP