Need help in identifying the maker of these art bars and when they might have been produced

OPA

I'm at a loss. Can't find any info online or ebay.

ricko

I cannot help with dates.... However, when I used to go to coin shows (out west), locomotives were a popular art bar design.... several dealers would have large selections of them. Not sure why, I guess they were a popular collecting design at the time. Cheers, RickO

OPA

Yup, but I do not recall seeing the above ones. Could be a more recent produced ones, sponsored by Lionel model trains?

Weiss

I'm stumped. One or two out there now, one sold recently for $97. No other info anywhere.
They don't look like the older style to me. 1980s?

Hemispherical

Found a sold auction, but no details about the bar: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lionel-Trains-Santa-Fe-F3-Diesel-Engines-Silver-Art-Bar-B5016-/332782692660?nma=true&si=YwSyTj19v1s6renlPt4Y8QBBRk8%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Lionel catalogs from 2011 to present, have not looked through them:
http://www.lionel.com/catalogs/

OPA

Checked their catalog, but found no reference of any silver bars. It's possible that the bars may have been issued with their annual subscriptions. I emailed Lionel an inquiry, with pictures of both bars, with hopes of getting an answer, but I'm not holding my breath.

OPA

Response from Lionel: No one knows anything about the bars, but will check around with some of the "old timers." My suspicion is that the bar(s) may be older than then I first suspected - circa 1990's.