Buying Lionel Trains in 1958. Volume 1, Spending 250.00 as a KID!
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- čas přidán 8. 06. 2024
- A trip back in time with 250.00 to spend as you want from the 1958 Lionel Consumer Catalog. You only have so much money to spend and tough decisions will have to be made. What would you buy as a KID? Volume 1 is as a KID and the companion Volume 2 will look at it as a "Collector". What fun and Rare Lionel trains would you buy and how would you spend that 250.00. (Remember, 250.00 in 1958 was equivalent to 2000.00 in today's money!)
Part of the Rare and Unusual Postwar Lionel Toy trains highlighted on this channel. Enjoy!
Brian - Zábava
My grandpa had the 1958 catalog, and I'd spend many hours flipping through the catalog dreaming about owning the trains. Takes me back to when I was little before i had any trains
Awesome, such a great catalog with fantastic trains. Glad to stir up some good memories! Brian
1958 was my favorite lionel catalog
Yeah, this catalog is full of great sets and accessories for sure. Hard to keep it under budget! Thanks. Brian
When I was a kid in the 70's, a $20 bill was like a $100 bill today.
For sure, Trains were more expensive than you think, 250 did't go as far as I wanted either! Wanted to buy so much more!!! Thanks.Brian
@BriansTrainRoom That 746 shrouded J set with the smoking caboose would have been on the top of my list too, everything else was gravy.
Great video Brian. Neat seeing vintage catalogs.
Yeah, the old catalogs are so much fun to flip through and I do wish I could go back in time and buy what I want. Thanks. Brian
Hey Brian, cool video, you made some wise choices. I would have gotten the military set and the 746 set also.
Thanks, that is what spoke to me, but there are many ways to spend that 250.00. Had to have that J set for sure!! Thanks. Brian
Great vid fun idea!
Had a blast doing it, plus was harder than it sounds. Try it! What would you buy? Working on Volume 2. Thanks. Brian
Funny how fast money runs out even with $250.
A 746 set would've come home with me. I'd probably settle for one expensive set and one inexpensive set. So go for the 1600 cheaper passenger set and all out with the 2525WS work train. That puts me with $110.05 left over for maybe a ZW, extra track, a few accessories, and some extra cars.
Yeah, that 250.00 went faster than I thought. Still got a load of trains and ain't complaining. Hard to go wrong with one of those 746 sets! Thanks. Brian
Perspective would be different for me. In 1958, the F3 was still a very modern engine. I’d have gone with the Santa Fe F3 set.
Love that! The Catalog has so much cool stuff and everyone finds something different that they really wanted. The SF sets were awesome and just didn't have the budget for them. The J set gave the most play value and one of the other awesome engines available in 1958. Great exercise and hard to keep in under 250! Thanks. Brian
Just to see the catalog was the highlight !
Back in 1958 i only had Marx. As you said $ 250.00 was a lot of money then.
Even then cost wise LIONEL was pricey vs. Marx for many a kid, parents. or other relatives.
That said both brands quality wise were made to last back then. My Marx whistle station, & bell ringing crossing signal still work today.
Totally fun to go though for me as well, can't image how cool it was to see it first time in 1958. Had a hard time keeping in budget for sure. No doubt they were expensive and Marx trains filled that gap of providing great trains and play value. Appreciate the comment and don't forget to like and subscribe if you haven't already. Thanks, Brian.
@@BriansTrainRoom Been subscribed for some time know. Greet that you have a lot of collector support! KEEP those video's coming ! ! Waiting for part 2. Have the # 3927 track cleaning car. Still works today !
@@user-iy5fs7ls2o Awesome, thank you. Brian
You need to remember this....Most states had no sales tax.....Also, close to Christmas was heavily discounted.
Yeah, I know I left out taxes, Nothing fun about those! And yes, I would have gotten so much more after Christmas on sale! Fun exercise! B
Nah, don't overthink it, just go with the premise and have fun with it!
Damn, I NEVER had that rich aunt!*LMAO*
Yeah, me too, but had fun with this one! Working on the as a "collector" episode. Tougher choices. Thanks Brian
Really enjoyed this!
We need a Time Machine!!
For sure! 250 dollars is a lot of money, but really didn't go as far as I thought it would. Really had to make some tough choices! What would you have bought in 1958 as a KID? Thanks,. Brian
Like I said before, definitely a 746 set would have gone home with me as either a kid or collector. You stretched that $250 to the nose!!
No doubt, had to do it. The 2521WS is fantastic and what boy would not want that one! Loaded with play value. Could have spent 1000.00 easy and still had to get stuff off my list! Thanks. Brian
Looking forward to the collectors view for this. My bet would be a girls set, the nicer 746 set (too lazy to refer set numbers lol), and if there’s any money left over some space/military items. At least that’s my guess
@@joshuacampbell9990 Yeah, doing my research on this one, tougher than it looks. Actually a lot of Separate sale stuff in this one.
What a cool idea for a video. Loved that. Thanks Brian.
Thanks, was super fun to do! Try it, harder than it sounds to cut down and only spend 250.00! thanks Brian
Fantastic video Brian! I've flipped through my catalogs many times, dreaming of what I'd buy back in the day.
I must admit, the handling of that super crisp 1958 Catalog did make me cringe. I wouldn't even handle a well used original like that. A photocopy or reprint yes but never an original.
Yeah, love this exercise and with only 250 to spend, makes for some tough choices. I was fortunate enough a number of years ago to score a ton of NOS 1958 Catalogs. So they are not as crispy as some you see. I did handle it with clean hands and really only messed with it during filming. At least I didn't break out a sharpie like some kids would have back in the day!!!! :). I will use the same one for Volume 2, so I don't mess up a second copy. Thanks for the note and the feedback. Brian
Yeah, with only 250.00 had to make some tough choices. A number of years ago, I picked up a pile of NOS 1958 Catalogs. I only handled this one for filming and will use it again for Volume 2. It held up beautifully, used clean hands and it has no tears. Appreciate the comment and feedback. Brian
Always been a little fantasy/thought experiment of mine, what if I got to go back in time for a day with what I make now in that time's money to spend.
Thing is, if I went back and bought it, it might be kept out of the hands of whomever bought it originally, which might have devastating consequences on my return. Time paradoxes and other time travel issues can really put a damper on your day...
Assuming I could avoid all that and my little day trip to the past ultimately did no harm, besides going shopping I'd love to just go sight-seeing and experience a lot of the things I've heard about from older people.
Probably cap it all off by finding a stretch of busy tracks somewhere and settling down for a picnic to watch the steam locos work.
Ultimately a bittersweet experience. I'd be happy bringing back my souvenirs, but I'd be sad too knowing how it all turns out and be quite sorry to have to leave.
As to what to buy? As much as I'd love to give the clerk the saucer-eyes by saying "Erm, one of everything, please." I'd probably go a 746 steamer, in a set or by itself, as that's the one Lionel steam loco I just can't find in an affordable price in 2024 dollars. For sheer giggles, maybe a 773 Hudson, a Santa Fe F3 passenger set, and a brace of accessories too.
Yeah, the experience of going back in time alone would be mind-blowing and lets just say it would not effect the future to keep our minds and ease. I would also like to have visited the factory and taken pictures!!! I think getting the 746 set was a no brainer, had to do it! It was expensive then too, so made me make some tough choices as to what to cut. Fun exercise and harder than it looks to keep under budget. Thanks. Brian
If the trend continues you may find an affordable 746 before much longer. From what I and others have observed prices on Post-Wars are dropping unless they're 100% mint, with the box, and with the papers. 746's are no exception. So if you don't mind one having a bit of wear on it be patient, one will come your way.
Appreciate the tip, thanks. For the time being I'm making do with one of the little MTH Bantam J's, and I do like it a lot, but a 746 J is defintely up there on the wish list.
@@Shipwright1918 I've got one of those Bantam J's myself, I've had it since the 90's and it still runs well! A great purchase on my part! I'd like to get a 746 too, I'm hoping to run into one in rough exterior condition but OK mechanically. I can handle a repaint easily and if the original finish is poor I see no sin in a refinish job. I'm patient.
Same here, don't care about the box or the paint so long as it runs fine, I'd give it a good home.
Have a 2065 that's definitely worn, but runs like the day it was built. Most of the time I tend to go for O27 engines as the don't get much attention from the collectors, making them more affordable, but they're identical to the O counterparts aside from the numbers.
I would have gone with two Super O sets
ZW
A pair of switches
And more straight track ...
Maybe an accessory or two if the budget allowed..
$250 was a lot of $ in 58
But it doesn't go as far as one thinks.
Also makes me wonder how many High end sets actually were sold?
I think Lionel lost $ in 58..
But still these were expensive toys.
Somewhere along the next few years they dropped the price of super O to .35/ a section.
.
And, back in 58, many dealers were discounting.. so that $250 would have got more trains than at list price..
For example a 4.95 block single sold for $3.00...
So 25 to 30% discount was available out there.
All True, I certainly would have done some discount shopping in late 1958 or after Christmas and LOADED up. I was a little shocked at how fast you could spend 250 at retail in 1958. Two Super O sets would have blown most to the budget right off the bat, and as a KID I was looking at it as what jumped off the page and that 212 military set was cool! Fun exercise and harder than it looked. Thanks for the comment and please subscribe if you have not already done so! Brian
OOOOOO, crazy Aunt Mazie's dropped $250 on me to indulge myself with! Woo-Hoo! Here we go!🤩
OK, since l like things simple and want the most bang for the buck I'm going for the 2521WS N&W Freight Set. Why? Because I LOVE the N&W Class J's, best passenger steam locomotive ever built! "But Wayne," you say, "It's pulling a freight train!" Yes, I know it's a disgrace to have a Class J pulling freight but we're gonna fix that, don't you worry!
OK, next I'm getting that 2526W Santa Fe Super Chief set. BUT, I'm gonna have the Class J pull those gorgeous aluminum Lionel Lines passenger cars and have those smelly 'ol diesels pull the freight cars from the N&W set. There! Now God's in his Heaven and all's right with the world and steam's at the point of a beautiful passenger train, just as The Man intended!
Now comes a ZW transformer to move all that heavy metal around and I'm picking up $20 worth of extra Super O straights. I like long straight runs and will open the curves a bit. I don't need switches, I like to just set 'em up and watch 'em roll.
So let's see the tally here:
$90 for the N&W set. (Yeah, I know it's priced $89.95 in the catalog but I'm not falling for that old retail trick!)
$100 for the Santa Fe set.
$40 for the ZW.
$20 for the extra track. There we go, $250! Right, if someone wants to split hairs sure I've got ten cents left over. If the hobby shop has a gumball machine I can get ten gumballs, hopefully all red ones because as we all know the red ones taste best! THAT takes care of the left-over dime!
What do you think folks?
Love it, got two Super O sets with tons of play value, at least got a horse car for an accessory! Needed that ZW to run it but no switches!!! Plus a cold Coke to drink while enjoying it! Fun exercise and NO right or wrong way to do it!. You know you could have just bought the Passenger cars separate sale and had even more money left over!!! Good stuff, Thanks, Brian
Great video. I would have had to make some real tough decisions with the sets, cars and accessories. It would have been almost like being in the candy store! Too bad you couldn't just fire up the printing press in the basement!
Crazy hard to do, try it. As a kid, I would have wanted the whole catalog, the sets looked amazing with so much to offer. I think 1958 is one of the better years! I really worked hard to look at it from a 10-12 year olds eyes and get the stuff that jumped out of the catalog. I could have spent thousands! What would you have bought? Thanks. Brian
I'm going to take a different approach than you. I'm going to establish the Super "O" 5' x 9' layout first then more trains, accessories and rolling stock can be added later. I rather have something fantastic to run the train(s) on than just run the trains on a tiny oval.
OK here's my list and taken right from an actual Lionel factory built layout so I can be a kid and do that:
23 #31 Super "O" curve track $11.50
39 #32 Super "O" Straight track $19.50
16 #34 Super "O" Half Straight $8.00
7 #33 Super "O" Half Curve $3.50
2 #112-125 Remote Left Switch $23.90
1 #112 Pr. Remote Switch $22.50
5 #32-20 Power Blade Insulator $1.25
6 #62 Power Lockon $0.60
7 #61 Ground Lockon $2.45
1 #110 Graduated Trestle $5.95
1 #111 Elevated Trestle $3.95
1 #214 Girder Bridge $1.95
1 #321 Trestle Bridge $4.95
1 ZW Trainmaster Transformer $39.95
1 2525WS Super "O" N&W Work Train $100.00
Total $249.95
And a nickle left over for chewing gum to put in my sister's hair.
I chose the 2525WS because I need both of the culvert loaders, extra Super "O" track and the 39-5 Complete Operating Set to build the layout. Very cool set too with that 746. I had to hold off on a couple more 112-125 switches for the spurs, but my birthday will be coming around soon so grandma will get me those.
That is fantastic and even had 5Cents to spare! Hard to go wrong with the 746 set either way and you have a fantastic layout to go with it. Those switches are expensive aren't they! Awesome purchase. Thanks. Brian
@@BriansTrainRoom And I still have it: czcams.com/video/B-C2o0sr5_Y/video.html
@@BriansTrainRoom And I still have it: czcams.com/video/B-C2o0sr5_Y/video.html
@@BriansTrainRoom You watch my layout yet?
@@worldsgreatestride Yeah, waiting for the explosion! Great layout and love the super O.
A girls train set! Ewww. Who would want that. 😂 Myself I would have gone with the Virginian electric for sure.
Nice, a little bit of a funky engine, but part two desirable sets. No wrong way to do it! Thanks. Brian
Great vidio, whats your aunts number haha. As a working kid in the 60s i made about $30. bucks a week so guess i could get the cheap one and next week get some tracks and switches , great fun. Thanks for the morning coffee...
Sure thing, she is single!. 555-XXXX. Yeah, 250 was a ton of money back then and I really had to work hard to keep it under budget to get solid play value. Would have bought the whole catalog if had the money. Thanks. Brian.
What about the sales tax? Those switches you bought are useless with the amount of track the set comes with. What kind of a layout are you going to build with 12 curve, 8 straight and one pair switches? At the very best, a boring one. Thinking like a kid in a candy store. Where’s dad at to put some practically into the purchase.
All True, but was in a state with no sales tax and I suppose my rich aunt felt sorry for me because my dad was out in Vegas gambling all our money away:). Yeah, wish I had a few more dollars for track, but at least a short siding for the set. Super O was available for a few more years after that, so the potential is there! Remember, as a kid, practicality is not in my vernacular yet. Wanted what looked cool in the catalog. Fun exercise. What would you have bought? Tougher exercise than it looks. Some sacrifices had to be made. Thanks Brian
@@BriansTrainRoom I'm going to take a different approach than you. I'm going to establish the Super "O" 5' x 9' layout first then more trains, accessories and rolling stock can be added later. I rather have something fantastic to run the train(s) on than just run the trains on a tiny oval.
OK here's my list and taken right from an actual Lionel factory built layout so I can be a kid and do that:
23 #31 Super "O" curve track $11.50
39 #32 Super "O" Straight track $19.50
16 #34 Super "O" Half Straight $8.00
7 #33 Super "O" Half Curve $3.50
2 #112-125 Remote Left Switch $23.90
1 #112 Pr. Remote Switch $22.50
5 #32-20 Power Blade Insulator $1.25
6 #62 Power Lockon $0.60
7 #61 Ground Lockon $2.45
1 #110 Graduated Trestle $5.95
1 #111 Elevated Trestle $3.95
1 #214 Girder Bridge $1.95
1 #321 Trestle Bridge $4.95
1 ZW Trainmaster Transformer $39.95
1 2525WS Super "O" N&W Work Train $100.00
Total $249.95
And a nickle left over for chewing gum to put in my sister's hair.
I chose the 2525WS because I need both of the culvert loaders, extra Super "O" track and the 39-5 Complete Operating Set to build the layout. Very cool set too with that 746. I had to hold off on a couple more 112-125 switches for the spurs, but my birthday will be coming around soon so grandma will get me those.