LIONEL 2 CHRISTMAS CARS FROM 2012

@Dave Nichols posted:

I was looking through a box of cars and found 2 pretty much alike Christmas cars from 2012. One made in China #7-29976 in regular orange box. The other #6-29976 made in USA with the newer style box with more of a see thru top.  Both have the same wording and designs.  However the USA model is fancier with a silver metallic paint finish.  Much nicer.  Just wondering why 2.  It's not a club piece or anything like that ?

Lionel's initial batch of 2012 Christmas boxcars was USA made by a subcontractor who, for some reason, had to pull out of its supply agreement with Lionel.  Only a fraction of the 2012 Christmas car orders were filled, so Lionel ordered a back-up batch from its regular source in China (which didn't arrive until at least a month after Christmas, if I recall).  You can tell the Lionel cars that were made by the failed sub-contractor: all of them came in the Lionel boxes with the larger see-thru window that curved onto the top a bit.  I have the initial Christmas car from them, as well as Peanuts Halloween & Christmas boxcars offered that year.  I assume the USA-made Christmas car is rarer, maybe would cost more if found today compared with the Chinese follow-up.    Merry Christmas!

Ron has the story correct.

Lionel's first supplier of American-made boxcars went belly-up prior to shipping any product, I believe.

Their second supplier, ironically about five miles from their former manufacturing operation in Michigan, went out of business in the middle of producing several items for 2012. The 2012 Christmas Boxcar was shorted enough that an additional run was ordered for overseas production.

TRW