Picking out your Christmas train 1939

Nice!  Not a diesel in sight!

I didn't know that Standard Gauge was still available new in 1939. 

I need to get me some OO 2-rail track - I have one of the full-detailed 2-rail OO Hudsons. So much like the 700E, yet so much smaller.

(Can't use HO track; British OO uses incorrect HO gauge; Lionel's had properly gauged track.)

WOW What a bargain 16.50 for a tinplate Hellgate bridge!

@D500 posted:

I need to get me some OO 2-rail track - I have one of the full-detailed 2-rail OO Hudsons. So much like the 700E, yet so much smaller.

(Can't use HO track; British OO uses incorrect HO gauge; Lionel's had properly gauged track.)

@D500

Gar Graves has it at http://www.gargraves.com/sectionaltrack.html#oocurve. Scroll to the bottom of the page.

Thanks for posting. Enjoyed the look-back.

Hal

Wow, such a vast product line.  Rather impressive.  Even had some of these items years ago.  Have been restocking those child hood items with late model versions.  Several late Hudsons and a two dozen 21" Madison cars.  Hard to believe the ratio of 1939 Hudson cost to income compared to today's ratio.

What a neat look through, thanks for posting Quietman.

My father would've been 9 years old in 1939...I believe he had the 1037 freight set. He once told me about a friend that had the airplane thing...that made an impression on him from what he said.

The inflation adjustor is interesting as well. Given that those toys were made in the USA back then, I wonder whether working for Lionel as a factory worker that was considered a good-paying job or not.

I used do it this way, I would lay out the assumptions that I was X years old and starting on year X, say 1938 or 39, my parents would spend a specific amount each year on Christmas and Birthdays and then I would map it out for the next 4-5 years through the catalogs picking out a wide range of trains and accessories.  Great fun.  I probably have one of those lists somewhere.

Hah, can’t believe I found it that fast!! Here you go, assumed $50 per Christmas, but did not do birthdays so I guess you could reduce it to $30 & $20 for each as well. Would have had a great railroad!! In my opinion, it would be an awesome way to work to planning a time specific prewar concept layout.

Great post of that old catalog. What surprised me was how many options were available for any given set; whistle, transformer, etc. Must have been very hard for dealers to stock.

I pretty quickly got the mental image of boys of 1939 looking through that catalog and thinking “wow, I sure wish we were rich enough to get that set”. Many of those items were aspirational dreams I imagine for most American boys of the period.

@Frank Mulligan posted:

Nice!  Not a diesel in sight!

I didn't know that Standard Gauge was still available new in 1939.

Yup, Lionel did not discontinue Standard gauge until late 39 and into 40. This being for the same reasons why O gauge subsided to HO and smaller gauges. America became more mobile and American homes became smaller. Also, O gauge trains were both cheeper to produce and purchase. When you think about it, this catalog is possibly the last Lionel catalog to offer Standard gauge.

Very cool. Just realized my dad has the 146w passenger set. I knew it was older than him but never checked it out. Still runs great by the way.

Let me add my thanks for posting this too.