Newsletter: December 1997
In this issue:
Mike Schneider visits the New Madison Hardware (Part 2)
by Mike Schneider
Around the corner from the display room we went, following our
tour guide. The view was like opening a vault and entering into
what many believe as Lionel's greatest era - the post war times of
1945 to 1969. Cheryl and I were introduced to an unassuming,
elderly gentleman named Ed.
"Ed will take you from here. Do you need any parts?"
"Just a few items." was my reply (failing to mention the three
pages of parts tucked under my arm).
"Where did you get your parts numbers?" asked Ed.
"A Greenberg repair manual." I replied.
He looked at me dead in the eye and said, "Good! That's what
we use here. What's your first number?"
From that moment forward Ed
and I became big buddies. And did Ed know his numbers!! Stored in
his brain were not only the revised numbers from the Greenberg
manual, but also the original parts numbers. He did everything from
memory - not once did he need to look anything up. Many of the
parts I purchased were original pre-revised parts. After we
finished pulling parts, Ed showed us the remainder of the
warehouse. Since he was now our best friend, he let us go pretty
much where we wanted. I will say this - Madison Hardware is the
premier place in the USA for finding original Lionel parts. A word
of caution though. If you do not know exactly what you are looking
for, you'll be in trouble.
After our shopping spree, we went back to the display room to
tally our parts order. While Ed was working on the parts, I took a
couple of NY Central stock cars off the shelf to purchase. Good to
very good condition @ $22 each. My eyes kept going back to the
unpriced Northern Pacific GP-9. Cheryl said, "I bet it's
expensive."
Now I went into sales mode. "Don't worry, honey. We're under
budget."
Cheryl came back quick with "How do you know, darling? You
don't even have a total on the parts yet!"
OOPS! She almost got me. It's amazing how the creativity comes
alive when your back is against the wall. "Now Cheryl, I've seen
these Northern Pacifics at the train shows from $250 to $350,
depending on condition. Even though this is restored and repainted,
it looks brand new and is an excellent runner. Let's at least ask
what the price is." So off to Ed and the calculator we went.
He greeted us with:
"Your parts come to $280.75. Is there anything else?"
Cheryl poked me, "There goes your budget."
Undaunted I whispered, "And this GP-9?"
After Ed ran three sets of numbers, he looked at me and said,
"You know this is a restored/repaint, don't you?"
I said, "Yes. Does that make a difference in the price?"
My best friend responded, "You bet it does. $167.00 - is that OK?"
I turned to Cheryl and started humming the theme song to
'Rocky'. Ed said to go into the back office and pay for our items
and see him on the way out.
As we turned away, Cheryl asked me, "By the way, what was the
budget?"
I was so excited I blurted out, "Who cares - we're on
vacation!!" On the trip to the back office, I noticed a door that
said 'MANAGER' was ajar. What was inside the room was the viewing
highlight of our trip.
(To be continued in January 1998 newsletter).
Plasticville
by Jim Herron
When looking over layouts at train shows or in Classic Toy
Train or "O"Gauge Magazines, did you ever notice there is always a
piece of Plasticville somewhere on the train board? On the dozens
of videos I've watched with my son Andrew, invariably there are
pieces or whole villages of Plasticville. I've seen Plasticville
banks, fire houses, motels, ice cream stands, churches, cathedrals,
gas stations, police stations, post offices, supermarkets, hardware
stores, drug stores, men's shops, town halls, schools, hospitals
and, if you can find them, fruit stands, greenhouses, turnpikes,
airport administration buildings and hangers next to runways.
There must be phone booths next to Union Station, but I just
haven't found them yet!
Why so much Plasticville? I asked myself that question when I
was assembling my layout. I decided I used it because I liked it.
(Unfortunately, land on my layout is scare, so I don't have room
for the house under construction or the garage or Plasticville
car.) It gives off an aura of the 1950's. While the pieces are
not to scale, they do wear well. They usually retain their color
and are almost kid proof, especially if you have a little one who
loves to play with barns and barnyard animals. They are easy to
put together - they have to be because there were never any
instructions on or in the box. They are also a good investment. I
have had a few pieces for about 40 years and would see about a 400%
return if I sold them. So, what's not to love?
Some of us remember when almost all pieces of Plasticville
ranged in price from $ .99 to $3.99. Now it costs a mortgage
payment on a Cape Cod Plasticville house to buy anything! Any
piece that is mint, in the box without glue, teeth imprints and
crayon marks costs a small fortune. I've found Mr. Lionel, Mr.
Loco, Mr. Noma and Mr. GGI. Now I'm looking for Mr. Plasticville
so I can buy his collection and retire to Plasticville heaven.
The history of Plasticville goes back about 50 years and it is
making a resurgence with a new product line coming out in October.
In acquiring all of my Plasticville villages, towns and TV
stations, I found someone in Pennsylvania who has written a catalog
for prospective collectors, buyers and runners. It is called
"Plasticville, An Illustrated Price Guide." It seems to be a good
price guide and is quite accurate, listing all the variations and
colors. It is available at train shows. If you can't find it,
call Bill ("Mr. Plasticville") Nole at (717) 343-2236.
So, when you're working on your layout, save a place for the
pond or tower. I've left room for the bridge, in case I ever want
to jump.
Product Reviews
by Jim Herron
Thomas the Tank Engine, along with the passenger cars Annie
and Clarabelle (you may remember the latter name from the famous
Howdy Doody show clown of the same name) have arrived just in time
for Christmas from Lionel. Items in the set are sold separately.
All can be purchased for under $150. It is quite sparse - no
lights, sound or operating couplers - but it should be
well-received by the kid market. The colors and accurate and it
seems to run very well, albeit a bit slow (probably to prevent
derailments).
The latest book to grace the shelves is a historical,
colorful, 128-age hard-covered book on the real railroads Lionel
copied, called the "Lionel Inspiration", by William J. Brennan.
It's priced at $50 and has some wonderful photographs and
catalogues along with the history behind it all. It is a good
read. Enjoy!
MTH RailKing Flat Cars w/ Trailer - the two new offerings have
trailers in the Norfolk Southern "Triple Crown Service" and NY
Central "Pacemaker Freight Service" paint schemes. Graphics on the
trailers and flat cars are crisp, and the cars ride well on
die-cast trucks. These will make a nice addition to your intermodal
consist.
It looks like one of the best values out there is the K-Line
Collector's Club. I had Andrew join last year and for a $45
membership, he received an M-15 Kennecott Copper Company (KCC)
Diesel. Not a bad deal! In addition, they have come up with some
really interesting, varied and well-built products for KCC members.
These include the Timken Tank Cars (Two-pack) made of an all metal
base and frame, Kennecott Copper Company Ore Car 4-pack sets (2)
and the Pennsy FA-2 A-B-A "Fleet of Modernism" Alco Diesel Engine
Set. For those joining or renewing in 1998, one of the KCC items
is a Kennecott Work Caboose with rotating searchlight. So, join up!
Product News
by Jim Herron
Those of us looking forward to having the Mike's Train House
Sinclair Service Station under the Christmas tree are probably in
for a disappointment.
Offered in the MTH 1997 Volume 1 Catalog and
originally due out in October, a prototype of this operating
accessory was conspicuously absent at the MTH booth in York (TCA
meet) in mid-October. It is also not on the list of (numerous)
items that dealers should expect to be delivered between now and
the first of the year. One rumor has this accessory not being out
until March. As one local retailer put it, "The more MTH grows, the
more they become like Lionel!"
WEB News
by Walt Sklenar
Congratulations to HTOS
for becoming the first local model
train club in the U.S. to be listed in the Clubs for collectors and
operators section of Classic Toy Train's Web Site. In their
December issue CTT requested information from train clubs
nationwide regarding location, operating hours, meetings,
membership dues, and copies of recent newsletters. This info was
forwarded to CTT, and within a week word was received that HTOS had
made the limelight. Our (newly expanded) Web Site location is also
listed (although not a direct link).
A CHRISTMAS WISH
by Jim Herron
For those of us lucky enough to have been exposed to the joys
of toy trains at some point in our lives, the Christmas Season
often holds special meaning and memories that last a lifetime. Many
of us have fond childhood memories - going with Dad or Mom to the
local department or hardware store to see the latest Lionel
offerings, wishing and hoping to get anything from Lionel's latest
catalog, the excitement of finding that first train underneath the
Christmas tree, the endless hours of running the 5:15 around the
Christmas tree or on that 4 x 8 sheet of plywood. As grown ups, we
can enjoy this great hobby with friends and family (a little more
willing to share the controls?). We can experience our children's
excitement as they unwrap their own train treasures and understand
those feelings our parents felt many years back.
The toy train hobby is, in its essence, one of tradition and
traditional values. You might be hard pressed to find a better way
to build friendships and family ties year round than by spending
more time together at the controls, planning a new layout, or
building that farm scene.
Here's wishing the HTOS family and friends all the joys that
go with the Holiday Season, may all your engines run like the day
they were new, and may this Holiday Season leave us with memories
and traditions that last a lifetime.
