Roger,
I just got the above mentioned book yesterday and I have very much enjoyed it so far. I missed those years ( 1950-1954 ) since I wasn’t born until 1957. I have always been curious about that period in Lionel’s history because it was the pinnacle of the post WW2 Lionel Corporation. Your scholorship is first rate as always. Thanks for writing this book and giving those of us that missed it a window into this time frame.
Regards,
George
Wow. That is fast. We didn’t receive our office copies until about 2 pm yesterday!
I ordered one and look forward to getting it.
Roger
I look forward to reading the book, but I’m not sure I agree with the arbitrary definition of 1950-54 as Lionel’s “golden years.” Personally, I’d have said that 1945-1955 better fit that description. I got my first Lionel locomotive in 1951, and it sure seemed pretty golden to me.
I believe that term was used due to it being Lionel’s golden anniversary years.
I received mine this noon and gave a brief look through.
WOW!!!
It is all that I had expected and more, excellent!
It is a pleasant reminder of the years past, with my Family setting up and playing with our ‘Big’ LIonel electric trains and Lionel accessories.
Thank you all at Kalmbach Publishing for such a wonderful publication and nostalgia.
Ralph-Tarin-O
I’ll pickup one at October YORK. As always, I’m sure it’s very informative and a needed addtion for any collector.
Mine came too. Its great!
Roger
Did all of the copies go out at once or did they go out in batches? I am a little concerned because I still haven’t received my copy yet.
Earl
[quote user=“Ogaugeoverlord”]
I believe that term was used due to it being Lionel’s golden anniversary years.
[/quote
thanks for clearing that up… i had always thought “golden years” referred to retirement and i couldn’t see the connection.
It’s a great issue! I had a 221 set that my dad purchased for me before I was born (1947), and a 2035 set afterwards, which we set on a layout he built around the same time, about 5 x 9’. We had an oval with a siding, the oil derrick, gantry crane, #97 coal loader, operating milk car, operating cattle car, girder bridge, crossing gates, semaphore, block signal, and it started me on a life-long hobby!
I have been enjoying this book for nearly a week. It has helped me to trace the order in which my dad bought LIONEL things for our Christmas layout.
Great job by Roger Carp and team as always! “Highly recommended,” as they say in the publishing biz.
Got mine right before the weekend and I’m not liking it. Seems to be reminding me of all the things I missed out on as a kid.
Roger: After looking at the earliest known 6464 that is illustrated on p. 74, a question comes to mind?. Logically, this would have been early 1953 production test shot of just the shell and someone afterwards has added the remainder including the Type 7 bar end trucks with the uncoupling tab that date from 1955 and also added the multi-block door which also began in 1955. Other than this minor comment, another most enjoyable compendium of Lionel history. Best regards, John
After missing the boat with the early order special, I picked up a copy from a bookstore. Just like “Lionel’s Showroom Layouts” it’s the text that really shines!
Seems like there’s always plenty of stuff to be learned from Roger’s work, not all of it concerning trains. Although I received my first electric train set in 1951, an American Flyer passenger set, I had no idea that inflation had exploded to twenty-percent at that time.
I also enjoyed Roger’s theorizing about the behind the scenes machinations and motivations of the various engineering and marketing staffers at Lionel.
A very good read.
Pete