Another Angela Trottas boxcar??

Far as I know this one never got assigned a Lionel PN.  Back when TM when doing their yearly Modern Era price guides this was looked into, but didn't find a definitive answer.

Ed,

Thanks for your reply. Where are you getting these pictures from?? Yes that is the exact car I'm trying to find out about. Does it have any value?? Where and wen was it issued?

Paul

Paul,

Photo is my car.  If I recall these were sold at the TCA Museum before 1996 York meet.

2 hrs before the cars were sold already there would be folks on line. Next day you would see the cars at the York show with $150 to $200 price tags.  As with most Modern Era items, these types of cars have also dropped in value.  Hard to say what its worth, as just a guess I would saw maybe $50 ?

ED,

OK, Thanks for your reply, and thank you for the photo. I too bought mine at the TCA museum the day before the York meet in the Spring of 1996. Greenberg lists the 52226 as $100 in mint condition. I would guess your estimate of $50  to the $100 would be abut right. I made a mistake in my word description of the car. It says "April 1996, not "Spring 1996 as I 1st described. Do you know what the N.T.T.M.C. stands for on the lower right of the car body ?? I see your an engineer. Likewise.

Paul

I can help with 4 out of 5 letters... I'm betting on National Toy Train Museum XXXXX.  I'm drawing a blank for the "C" though.  Club?  Car?  Collection?  Collectors?

Anybody?  1996 was a LONG time ago!!! 

David

NTTMC = National Toy Train Museum Committee ?

Ed, and David, Your both pretty close to right! I was thinking about your explanations of the N.T.T.M.C. , and for the hack of  it, I looked  at the box again. There it  was on the end flap. Under the name of the car.

'National Toy Train Museum Committee Car"!! Ok it's two "C's"?? Now I'm further confused as I see Ed's ca rhas the same marking? Isn't it unusual for us both to have a committee car?

Paul

Paul - Think they all have the NTTMC markings.  Found this photo online.  I'm not aware of any variations of this boxcar.

There may be exceptions, but I don't think (my opinion / observations only) these cars would draw much interest in today's environment if priced between $50 and $100 (certainly not on the high side).

This particular one is just before I was involved in O Gauge and TCA.  the Greenberg price on the other Museum car we discussed in the other thread is not likely seeing too many sales at that level.  (again, IMO).

As a group, there seem to be far fewer people interested in stuff like this once the initial attraction is over at issue time.  See similar cars such as the Hellgate Bridge Boxcars, the Neil Young Horde BoxCar, and the Macy's Parade cars (from 2006 to 2009).  Most of these, you'd be lucky to get $25 for today, I think.

-Dave

I'll second what Dave says.  Guys were falling all over themselves to be the first in line for those TCA Museum cars when they were made available.  Now you would be lucky to find someone to pay $50 for one, I would think.  Also, the graphics are certainly rudimentary compared to what is coming out of Lionel today with their new made-in-USA cars.

Well, Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the subject car. I guess I reluctantly agree with your thoughts about the value of this car and others like it. Although they commemorate some event or significant even, I think the basic probble is that the basic box car used is the cheapest thing Lionel ever made. The only ad on is the plastic brake wheel, and they used cheap plastic coupelers and trucks. Their not to scale, and just aren't what collectors are looking for!   I guess I'll just wait for an opportunity to move them out of my collection. I have learned a lesson however!

Paul

Paul, they do at least have stamped metal frames, don't they?  At one time in the '80's- '90's Lionel was using a plastic frame that clicked up into place in the boxcar shell.   A couple of my annual Christmas cars had those plastic frames.  I'm not sure if they even use that on even the cheapest starter sets anymore.