I have a collection of Lionel Catalogs and Flyers from 1961-2011 (actually through 2015, but I haven’t added all of the newer ones). I’d like to fill in the holes in my collection, but I don’t know what I’m missing since Lionel used many different names for their catalogs, i.e. Consumer, Pre-Toy Fair, Toy Fair, Classic, Traditional, Christmas, etc.
Since ebay is my main source for what I’m looking for, I need to know the specific names/titles and year for each catalog and flyer. That way I can have ebay search for what my collection is missing. Does anyone care to help me out?
I have lists of K-Line catalogs and flyers I could use some help with also. I’d appreciate all I can get.
If you click on a K-Line list, it will open up in a new window at full size.
The Lionel list opens in a new window also, but it makes itself fit your screen. If you click on that list, then it will open to full size, but you’ll have to scroll down to see it all.
I had a heck of a time trying to figure out how to get those pics loaded here!
My initial plan was to get an already existing (hopefully) complete list, and then transfer my data to it by changing the stuff in the list I had to a bold font. Since nobody here appeared to have a ready-made list, I’m going to add new entries of stuff I don’t have in a smaller, italicized font. Once I acquire them, I’ll change the font to the bigger, non-italicized font.
I created and have updated my lists using OpenOffice Calc.
Here are a few facts about OpenOffice:
It is FREE!!!
It contains various utilities similar to and compatible with Microsoft Office utilities such as Word and Excel.
Files/products created by OpenOffice can be saved in OpenOffice or Microsoft Office formats.
Files/products created by Microsoft Office can be opened, modified, and saved in OpenOffice or Microsoft Office formats.
OpenOffice Calc is comparable to Excel.
The reason I detailed all of the above about OpenOffice is because I am willing to send anyone a copy of any or all of my lists for their own use in the format of their choice. Just send me your e-mail address and I’ll attach the list(s) you want. Then you can keep track of your own collection without having to start from scratch.
Please notify me if you know of any additional information I should add to my lists. After making updates to my lists, I’ll replace the ones here with the updated versions.
I hope these lists can be useful to members here.
As you’ve probably noticed already, the Lionel list contains catalogs and flyers, while the K-Line lists have the catalogs separate from the flyers. Which format do you think is better? Should I separate the Lionel catalogs into separate lists also, or should I combine the K-Line lists similarly to the Lionel list?
Looking at the stuff on my Lionel list, 1996 appears to have had the most publications with an output of 6. Most years have at least 2 catalogs. Later years usually have a couple of flyers added. That means, on average, there are usually about 4 items in recent times. My goal of trying to collect all of Lionel’s output from 1960-present is definitely doable. My biggest problem is knowing for sure how much was issued each year though. Additions identified by others will help me narrow my scope when searching through ads in newspapers, Craig’s List, and ebay.
Back in the mid-90’s, I used to frequently visit an elderly gentleman in Portsmouth, VA who used to run a Lionel train shop from the attic of his house. He had a lot of stuff stuffed into all kinds of nooks and crannies up there. During one of my visits, he happened to mention he still had new, old stock copies of most of their catalogs from the 1960s-present (1995?). It was then I told him I’d like to buy one of each. It took him awhile to dig through all of his boxes, but that’s where I got the bulk of my collection. He was very knowledgeable about the history of Lionel, and I miss listening to all of his anecdotes. I was in the military at the time with a family of five, so my budget was fairly limited then. However over the years I ended up buying quite a lot of rolling stock from him. Most of his stuff was new, old stock which he sold for retail prices. I think he charged me only $1-$2 tops for each catalog. I don’t recall him ever charging collector’s prices for anything. Occasionally he’d tell me the high prices some pieces commanded on the collector market, but he’d tell me he was in it for the love of trains and promoting the hobby more than anything. Many times he’d show my son (about 7 years old at the time) items that were fun/unique and well within my b
One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post was that I’m a big Doctor Who fan since the 70s when WTTW-TV, Chicago’s local PBS on channel 11. I started buying Doctor Who Weekly with #1 in 1978, and I continue to do so now that’s it’s closing in on #500.
I like your rotating TARDIS pic. Back in 1985, I created some animation on my dad’s original Commodore 64. It consisted of the TARDIS spiraling around the screen while the Doctor Who Theme played. Working on that using (PEEKS, POKES and 4 different colored SPRITES moving in unison for those techy types) the BASIC command interpreter was my introduction to the computer programming world. (A year later I joined the U.S.A.F. where I was trained to become a computer programmer—a field I remained in for 20 years.)
How long has the TTC been around? When are the meetings? What are the dues? When are TTC excursions scheduled? Is there an Orient Express with Mummy available? That’s the only time I remember the Doctor riding a train. The only other train I remember on the show was in “The Deadly Assassin” when he almost got run over after his foot had gotten stuck between the rails in a turnout.
Bottom line: How about telling me all about the TTC?
Boy, you said it!
I certainly was surprized at all the documents included in the HSL Lionel Modern Era Catalog disk (no longer available).
Some of the price guides include a section on paper/catalogs. I guess I’d look there if I wanted to know what was released.
Tony TTC is a few of us that talk BS mainly at night on yahoo conference about 10:30 P.M. sometimes later. We just nicked named it as we use to say we were going to catch the tardis tonight or we caught the tardis lastnight and had chat with who ever was there it use to be like 8 of us it’s mainly now down to about 3 or 4 as a couple have some big things going on in there life thats just wearing them out and thats unwind time
I was unfamiliar with HSL, so I did a quick search on the web. It appears they no longer sell any Lionel stuff at all. Did they sell a DVD with catalog and flyers from 1970-present?
The truth is, I’m not interested in detailing ALL Lionel paper. I’m only looking to list all of the catalogs and flyers that highlight specific ‘O’, ‘O27’, ‘Large Scale’, ‘Standard Gauge’, ‘HO’, and ‘S’ locomotives, rolling stock, and accessories. Instruction sheets, ads for licensed products like soap, hair gel, gum, stools, clocks, watches, and the like are what I would exclude.
Tony I have to take some pics of a Lionel set you may or may not know about I have it in original box and with original paperwork I believe just need to pull it out of the closet it wasn’t really a big seller.
it is set 7-1100
It’s lionel but push power and some where between O and G to be honest I picked it as never seen it before and thought it would a nice novelty.
Only to my knowelage anyway made curve track and I have enough for a complete circle
I don’t remember seeing that train before, but back in the 90s I bought a little kids train made by Lionel called The Happiness Express. It also ran with push power.
Was there a flyer for the Lionel Happy Huff ‘n’ Puff?
Thanks for taking the time to list all of that information. It’s definitely a big help for me.
I’ll look through my catalogs, and I’ll list what I find by Sunday night. I’m sorry about the delay in answering, but I hadn’t been on this site for a couple of weeks.
A little more information. There were two catalogs for the years '82, '83, and '85; Traditional and Collector Series. LTI combined the two in '87 into a single catalog.
More information isn’t needed. The titles were different. The word “Collector” was replaced with the word “Traditional” for the other catalog during those years.
I did notice something I hadn’t before. Lionel celebrates their anniversary years a year late, because they ignore the year 1900—their 1st year in business. That’s why the 85th anniversary is celebrated in 1985 rather than 1984 as it should have been.
I may be wrong here but if you start in say 1900 as you say it would be 1901 for your first anniversary so 1985 would be the 85th year, until 1985 they would not have 85 years of business it should not of been 1984 that would be like saying if you where born in 1960 you where 10 in 1969
