Lost in the fifties again
Another chance to celebrate Lionel during a golden decade
1950-59: The magnificence of Lionel’s trains
Discover a golden decade filled with innovation, color, and lots of fun!
Celebrating a golden year
The leading American maker of toy trains marked 50 years of glory
Snazzy streamlined passenger trains for the O-27 line
The story behind the no. 1464W “Anniversary Set” and its successors
Joltin’ Joe’s Lionel TV show
Backstage at the Lionel Clubhouse television program
Stars of 1950
Nos. 455 oil derrick and pumper and 20 countertop display
Sticking with the established line
A static market and wartime demands held back the company
Lionel trains on Broadway
The props were the best part of a short-lived musical
The making of Lionel’s consumer catalog
Illustrations of the no. 6656 stockcar take on importance
Stars of 1951
Nos. 2026 steam engine and tender and 3472 operating milk car
Seeing momentum pick up again
The postwar line came of age in a number of ways
Lionel engages the Western Pacific
The story behind the WP diesels and operating boxcar
The greatest year for accessories
Four classics entered the line in 1952
Stars of 1952
Nos. 3520 searchlight car and 624 Chesapeake & Ohio NW2 diesel switcher
The right track for success
Many triumphs – and a few marketing mistakes – characterized this key year
Discovering the earliest known 6464 boxcar
An undecorated model whose interior reveals fascinating clues
A magazine ad conveyed the joys of Lionel trains
Alex Ross used his son to promote Lionel
Stars of 1953
Nos. 6468 Baltimore & Ohio double-door boxcar and 497 coaling station
Marking what was Lionel’s finest year
A line brimming over with classic sets, locomotives, and rolling stock
Final tribute to an unsung hero
Joseph Hanson developed the classic no. 310 billboard sets
Enter the Train Master
This elegant behemoth debuted in two varied sets in 1954
Stars of 1954
Nos. 50 section gang car and D-131display layout
Maintaining a delicate balance
Sales and production executives aimed to blend realism with fancy
Mysterious sets from 1955
A few answers about four oddball Lionel outfits
Spectacular public display
Lionel built an 8 x 16-foot layout for Storytown, U.S.A.
Stars of 1955
Nos. 352 ice depot set and car and 2028 Pennsylvania RR GP7 road diesel
Walking the tightrope
Corporate leaders believed they could retain their balance and dominance
Two trendsetters from the Baltimore & Ohio
A pair of special boxcars highlighted the line for 1956
Lionel trains star on television
West Coast salesman Jim Stewart supplied the trains
Stars of 1956
Nos. 6468-25 New Haven double-door boxcar and 626 B&O 44-ton diesel
Pushing into new parts of the market
Tentative efforts to reach customers with different priorities
Lionel’s longest train
Set no. 1585W promised an entire roster for kids
An iconic set for young ladies
Time to appreciate the unforgettable “Girl’s Train”
Inspiring 1,000 layouts
Lionel introduced an amazing display in the 1957 consumer catalog
Stars of 1957
Nos. 746 Norfolk & Western steam engine and 3494-550 and 3494-625 operating boxcars
Offering more with a bit less
Many terrific trains to reach more customers
Down on the farm with Lionel
Four freight cars helped O gaugers play farmer or rancher
Black sheep of the 1958 roster
The no. 2329 Virginian rectifier had its very own look
Stars of 1958
Nos. 175 rocket launcher and 968 TV transmitter set
Changing of the guard
Somehow, Lionel assembled another great roster
Celebrating the admission of Alaska to the Union
Lionel developed a cool set and some classic cars to welcome the 49th state
Using cereal to promote Lionel
Winners of a Cocoa Puffs competition received a display layout
Star of 1959
No. 3366 circus car and corral
