Around 1950-51, My dad did the repairs for both Nicholas Smith Trains & William Becker Trains located on 11th & Arch St. Dad & I would go to the Lansdale Reading Railroad station, load my Radio Flyer wagon into the baggage car, and take the train to Philadelphia on Friday night when we finished dinner. My wagon contained 2 bushel baskets , one for Smith & one for Becker. We would deliver the finished repairs to each, refill the baskets again w/ more repairs and return home. Dad did this for several years for about 3 months before & after Christmas. Eventually Dad asked for more money repairs , as he was paid a flat rate. Mr. Becker refused, and that train ride ceased. Dad was doing repairs locally in the area, but needed a new source for parts, and joined up w/ Mr. Jerry Caselle who ran a bicycle / train repair shop called Hill Cycle Shop in Chestnut Hill. Mr. Caselle had a train repair parts section in the basement that has parts cabinets floor to ceiling about 35' long covering both sides of the basement. Jerry was a direct customer w/ Lionel on both parts & general merchandise. His general merchandise order was always cut back by Lionel, so one year , 1955, he ordered almost twice as much hoping that Lionels usual cutback would give him what he really wanted. Jerry was devasted when Lionel shipped 100% of his order. Jerry w/ his parents help, stored trains in their house and his. Within a year, Jerry, to make room, unboxed about 25% of the delivery and dis-assembled for parts. I eventually bought out the entire remaining parts collection, including the cabinets , about 1985, when Jerry passed on. I personally had my first store in 1958 (15 years old ), selling HO trains, and bought out 18 stores of their train parts by 1968. I had always given my father all of the Lionel parts for his business. My mother used to drive me to B. Paul Distributors on Allegheny Ave. in Phila. until I got my drivers license. Dad passed on in 1998, and I inherited his remaining stock of parts. I am getting carried away here.
HAPPY FATHERS DAY!! Harry