Old train set question

I also remember it was in the long narrow Styrofoam box like the regular sets came in. Some research I found showed promotional sets for Sears were in square boxs some orange. So this confuses me even more on what it might have been.

Lionel 6-1381 Cannonball.  Or  6-1081

Neither of those came with figure 8 track set.

Unfortunately what you describe is a majority of the starter sets Lionel had back then. From the packaging to the cars to the transformer, they were very common.

Remember many other chain stores sold Lionel at Christmas time. Western Auto, Firestone Tire, and any number of hardware stores. Some like Western Auto had special sets. Don

Was the engine die cast or plastic? Don

Could it be this one? Don

That was a Sear's set as I recall.

The 6-1183 Silver Star was my first set and I got it around 1972. It had a blue transformer and was a figure 8 but definitely had the red stripe on a gray plastic engine. Good luck with your search - hope you find which one it was.

Look for the set or at least the engine on e bay and you can find the cars on e bay also.

Silver Star was my first set as well, still have it.  Ditto to what Randy B said.

A hobby shop I was in before Christmas had the set in the box.  

I did not see inside box to see if complete.  They don't list the trains they have on their site,  mostly an RC shop.

Will send info if interested.    

The set box for my 6-1183 says 'Silver Star' on the front and 'Silver Starr' on the side. Never change, Lionel!

I ran it some recently. Still runs like a champ, albeit a gray, plastic champ but it's the one that got me hooked.

Thanks for all the replies! and Happy New Year! To answer Don yes it was plastic. Black with white numbers and Pennsylvania on side of coal tender. That rules out the Silver Star and the Southern Express. I forgot about Western auto we did have a large one in town as well. The blue transformer showed up in early 70s. The figure 8 narrows it way down. That is what is throwing me off. The Silver Star matches perfectly except the locomotive and Tender mine was all black with white numbers and Silver Star is gray with red stripe. It has to be a promo for a store. That makes it harder to find info on. Sounds like my best bet is to get a Silver star set ad then find a locomotive to match.

I would like to thank all who tried to help. After much looking and watching Ebay I finally found it. Only difference is mine had a red flat car. The reason I could not find it is it appears to be a special addition. There is no model number but it is missing one end flap to the box. I say special addition because it has a sticker on the front of the box that says die cast. I am attaching the pictures of the box.

Congrats on finding your set!  It looks like you have set # 1291. Per Greenberg's, that was sold through Sears in 1972, and was not in the Lionel catalogue. Contents were:

8042 Pennsylvania loco, black, die-cast metal, smoke, headlight, no sound; 9062 Penn Central caboose; 9022 ATSF flatcar; 9141 BN gondola; 9012 TA&G hopper. This one did have the figure-8 track, too.

The ATSF flatcar can be found in both red and black.

I love following a mystery like this!

Especially, one with a happy ending!

Peter

My parents bought me the Circa 1971 Silver Star Set with 6-8141 2-4-2 plastic Steam Locomotive and tender in Gunmetal Gray with red stripe and Mighty Sound of Steam when the loco tether was connected to the tender. It came with a yellow 6-9020 Union Pacific flat car with black plastic stakes, a Light Blue 6-9011 Great Northern hopper, green 6-9142 Republic Steel Gondola with cannisters and jade 6-9062 Penn Central Caboose packed in a styrofoam container with a light blue 6-4150 50W transformer. Most likely purchased at the Bailey's Crossroads ToysRUs in Northern Virginia where in 1973, I got to pick out a navy & yellow  6-8250 AT&SF GP-9 from what appeared to me at the time to be a huge wall of Lionel MPC trains.

A one size fits all box.   Each set probably put together from whatever was on hand.