WELCOME TO CRAIG’S “COOL STUFF”
SOME COOL THINGS I HAVE FOUND OVER THE YEARS
INTRODUCTION ON LAYOUT PLANNING
I was always intrigued by all the ways Lionel encouraged their young engineers to build bigger layouts and thus buy more product. All those catalogs with suggested layouts some even listings what was needed to construct the layout. Lionel even went a step further with the printing set ( shown below ) sending these young engineers to develop their creativity and design a layout from scratch. But that was not the only product Lionel produced in the postwar years to help these hobbyist. Below are shown five “TEMPLATES” that Lionel produced and each’s information. Also a planning kit from Hirth Hobbies.
LIONEL’S TRACK LAYOUT PRINTING KIT
SHOWN IN THE 1953 “AT YOUR SERVICE THE ANSWER BOOK ON LIONEL TRAINS”
SHOWN IN THE 1954 “LET’S PLAN THE FINEST LIONEL LAYOUT IN TOWN!”
TOP — instruction sheet
TOP LEFT — sealed new box without shipping label
TOP RIGHT — opened box with shipping label
MIDDLE LEFT — printing pieces as they came in one piece
MIDDLE RIGHT — ring used to hold printing pieces and metal container with red ink
BOTTOM — some of the printing pieces separated, a full set contains “O” gauge right and left switches, 90 degree crossing, a straight track and curve track, a half section of a straight and curve track, the same for “027” with the exception of the half tracks, and an Lionel “L” logo
TEMPLATES FOR LIONEL ” 027 ” LAYOUTS FORM 1061 11 – 52
EACH PIECE HAD TO BE CUT OUT INDIVIDUALLY THEN PEEL AND STICK ONTO A CLEAN HARD SURFACE, COULD BE USED AGAIN
TEMPLATES FOR LIONEL ” 027 ” LAYOUTS FORM 1061 REV. 11 – 55
EACH PIECE HAD TO BE CUT OUT INDIVIDUALLY THEN PEEL AND STICK ONTO A CLEAN HARD SURFACE, COULD BE USED AGAIN
TEMPLATES FOR LIONEL ” O ” GAUGE LAYOUTS 1/8 ACTUAL SIZE FORM 982
EACH PIECE HAD TO BE CUT OUT, THEN COULD BE LAID ON ANY SURFACE, NO PEEL AND STICK
TEMPLATES OF LIONEL ACCESSORIES FORM 1364 8 – 53
EACH ACCESSORY HAD TO BE CUT OUT INDIVIDUALLY THEN PEEL AND STICK ONTO A CLEAN HARD SURFACE, COULD BE USED AGAIN
TEMPLATES FOR LIONEL ” SUPER O ” LAYOUTS
EACH PIECE HAD TO BE CUT OUT INDIVIDUALLY THEN PEEL AND STICK ONTO A CLEAN HARD SURFACE, COULD BE USED AGAIN
” PLAN – IT ” TRACK LAYOUT SET FOR ” O ” OR ” 027 ” THREE RAIL
HIRTH HOBBIES, CHICAGO, ILL.
REVERSE SIDE OF ENVELOPE
WHEN YOU ARE ON THE HUNT YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE IT LEADS
THE SEARCH
If you did not know, besides postwar Lionel I collect Lionel science sets. After many years of including them in my postwar search I was pleasantly surprised to find the collaboration of Triang and Lionel in science sets. It gave me something else to search for. Anything the Triang / Lionel group produced was done in England. Therefore I look at a lot of adds from “across the pond”,
WHAT MAKES A GREAT DAY
I thought I had discovered the entire relationship between the two in the slot cars and science sets. So a couple of years ago was I surprised to find these “TRIANG / LIONEL MICROSLIDES”. Each box contains six slides of mounted specimens. One has lost what ever it was. They are each very nicely labeled with what little bug it is. In everything I have researched to date in adds and catalogs is there a mention of the two companies doing anything jointly with microscopes, separately but not jointly. You just never know what you may find if you look.
A & P SALESMEN SAMPLES
THE CHASE & ACQUISITION
A friend of mine that deals in junk called me and told me about a box of junk up for bidding on EBay. He told me to look at the pictures and look for the strange cars in the bottom of the box. I never knew how many boxes of junk are for sale on EBay so after a long search I finally found the box. It was a real large box full but with all the pictures I finally found the trains. A few days later I became the new owner and shortly thereafter it was delivered to my home.
THE ANTICIPATION GROWS
I unpacked the junk being careful and when I got to the bottom these are what I found. The two cars were filthy so I took them out and carefully dusted them off. Each car has one piece decals different on both sides. The boxcar advertises fresh produce which was transported in boxcars and savings at A & P a generic advertisement. The tank car advertises milk on one side and coffee on the other, two liquids that could be transported in a tank car.
THE INVESTIGATION
The boxcar is a 1954 No. 6464 – 100 TYPE 2A clear shell painted silver. It has had the feather and some lettering wiped off. In their place four different one piece decals were applied, one on each side of the doors on both sides. Also on each side a red paper with white lettering circular A & P logo was applied. It appears unrun.
THE INVESTIGATION DEEPENS
The tank car is a silver painted 6465 dating from 1952 also. Like the boxcar some of the decorations have been wiped off. In their place two different one piece decals were applied, one on each side of the car. Also on each side a red paper with white lettering circular A & P logo was applied, one of which has fallen off. It also appears unrun.
THE DECALS
The boxcar decals read “FRESH PRODUCE” door “FROM THE FINEST FARMS””COME SEE!” door “COME SAVE AT A & P” The tank car decals read “SERVE THE BEST IN YOUR HOUSE / SERVE WHITE HOUSE / BUY AT A & P””SOME OF THE MOST WONDERFUL COWS/IN THE WORLD HAVE DONATED TO THIS CAR OF/ A & P’s WHITE HOUSE EVAPORATED MILK”
LIONEL & ADVERTISING
Lionel sold advertising on their trains and accessories. Think of everything they placed on these items, railroad names such as Santa FE and N.Y C. among many. Manufacturing companies such as ” U. S. Steel” and “SUNOCO” . The many billboards.
THE SALESMEN
Advertising salesmen would make an appointment to meet with company officials to pitch their wares. Any salesman knows not to come empty handed, they need to bring examples of what they are selling. So they would have samples made inhouse to bring with to put on a dog and pony show. These samples were not fancy just something to stimulate conversation and maybe get another meeting.
THE CONCLUSION
I believe these are the sample cars that the Lionel salesman brought with to his meeting with A & P. I have heard from another collector that he has a Coke a Cola sample. Think how many might still be out there!
AS REQUESTED PHOTOS OF MY COLLECTION
TRAIN ROOM
SCIENCE ROOM
VISITORS
Mike Noday, Al Peterson and Craig 1/25/24
WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO NEXT ?