Hello all
Lionel entered the toy train world in 1901 by adding an electric motor under a Converse floor toy .... ... magic ! Joshua Cohen and Harry Grant were in the market to provide electric trolleys as store displays to attract the public . The same motorized frame was used on a wood gondola that merchants could ad the daily special inside and have it circle the front window to draw the masses toward the window .
In Bruce Greenburg's most recent excellent guide to Lionel Standard gauge ... ( and 2 7/8") he describes.. the current thought that the Converse trolley was Lionel first adventure into all things flanged. The Converse trolley sans the floor wheels was the basis to build a motorized unit that would fit under the floor ..... the gauge was a secondary concern ..... a new gauge was born 2 7/8" ....
The little company grew each season adding a total of 6 different body styles ( among those 6 basic styles there are numerous variations , based on a small seasonal manufacturing period.) Outside of Lionel's little office / workshop/ factory on Murray St in NYC the trolley rolled on the street and on the elevated ...not "trains" ..hence the pattering of trolleys and assorted rolling stock found on urban trolley lines.
Lionel's 2 7/8" line, tower over other toy trains of the time , Carlisle and Finch who had been selling 2" trolleys since 1896 and trains 1899. Perhaps the large 2 7/8" gauge was considered "too " large for expansion of the line causing Lionel to dump 2 7/8" and begin 2 1/8" in the end 1906 ( which was listed as 2" in their catalogs, and grew to be named "standard gauge " which at the time was not standard, and the 2 " claim not doubt caused no end to trouble for those who really made 2" that measured 2" , folks like Howard , Knapp and the big fish C&F).
Here we have a 1902 Converse trolley ...motorized and sold as a Lionel #300 , selling for $6.00 including a circle of track, ribbon rail with wood ties... the basic entry level C&F trolley was $3.50 in comparison. Then you had to go and find some batteries , dry or wet cell , or a hand operated dynamo ..
Looking for original Lionel 2 7/8" track to run it on .
Cheers Carey
