Madison Hardware, Glen Uhl, and Other Custom Lionel Items

This may not count for what your asking, but it sorta does. My dad had some postwar that he had boxed up and stashed away. I would take them out and run them on the layout, and it would drive him NUTS! I remember one was the red Lehigh Valley hopper with white lettering. Another was this lone passenger car. It has no stripes at all, and lettering on only one side. I was told Madison Hardware got this as a Lionel factory reject, but Madison sold it anyway. I don’t know if there are more cars like this out there. I think after Richard Kughn bought Madison Hardware this kind of thing came out of the woodwork.

*Edit* Looking at these pictures, I should put that dumb bulb in the 6557 caboose. I searched everywhere to find that special bulb! That’s another car my dad would be annoyed when I would run it.

Uhl's Timken Boxcars

Source - Uhl hisself

Glen Autoloader

Legit on left, Madison autos on right.

Hudson Products Lionel reefer.

Ed  Are you absolutely certain that those green autos are from the old Madison Hardware ( MH ) ?  Some time ago I became interested in these autos and there are a few threads about them on this forum.  I spoke with a number of folks who use to go to the MH store and who are knowledgeable about Lionel. All firmly believe from observations at the store  that the only Lionel autos made by MH were in the four traditional 6414 colors-blue, red, yellow, white. Clearly Lionel had some green and brown cars-I believe that these were never done by Madison-nor were any of the other colors which show up on ebay ( like tan, black, etc.) Apparently before MH was sold, the owners sold their 6414 auto mold to another train store and they continue to make the cars in various colors and since they are using the MH mold, they advertise the cars as original MH cars. At least that is how I have come to understand the later production of these automobiles. turtle 7

Saw this and want it bad... think it’s from Madison hardware?

I have a 6463 tank car with black ends, which I understand MAY be a Madison Hardware item. Please see attached. I bought it on the bay in 2005, before the same, modern car was released. Mark

I was in MH some years ago, and one of the owners was in a near rant with me about people accusing them of making after market items and passing them off as original. My feeling was that “the lady doest protest too much””.  I had some problem believing him.   But I couldn’t be sure.
Alan

I believe the repro cars are slightly smaller in length then the originals.

@Joseph Giuffre posted:

Saw this and want it bad... think it’s from Madison hardware?

I believe I read somewhere that they did make those.

I had many dealings with Carl and Lou over the years and bought quite a few unique items which came with a long story. If you can find a copy I suggest you read the Madison Hardware story, now out of print. There is a section on items they had re-produced. Great read. Happy Holiday to all.

Pete Semetis TCA 75-7361

Madison Hardware did make those diners, they made them during WW2. They needed stock to sell. I have one on my layout, They also produced a bunch of tank cars in the 60's. n 1962 or 63 Lionel did a run of 6572 Railway Express Reefers. They are light green. Madison also took 6468 New Haven boxcars and put brown doors on them and sold them well into the 1970's.

Regarding the book, A Madison Hardware Story, I wrote a chapter along with a few other formites...

I found these at Madison Hardware when they moved to Detroit.  Don would let you walk around the warehouse and pick the stuff you wanted (most of the time).  Found these in the bottom of a box that had lots of trains parts on top.  You had to dig to find some good items.  Those were great days.  Merry Christmas to all.  Mike TCA 76-9745

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