N Scale From 1960s Sears Christmas Wish Books

Hardcoaler Apr 15, 2021

  1. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    Very cool. There are many things I wish I had photographed, too. There are at least three layouts committed only to memory, now. Of course, the one in my avatar was the MW/Life-Like TOL layout as pictured in my post, above.

    And, you are correct in your recollections of "Treble-O-Trains". They were unpowered but the shells were the same as Treble-O-Lectric. The chassis was different and some had the detailed truck sides like yours and others had less detailed sides.

    The green British F7 was one of the featured items in the TOT line. :D

    Doug
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2021
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  2. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    I don't recall seeing a Sears Christmas catalog. My parents wouldn't have asked us to make a wish in one. I have two older brothers and nine younger so the pickins were low. :(
    But still fun. :LOL:
     
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  3. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Is there an author name or ISBN number which could be posted, in order to search for a copy of this book?
     
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  4. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    The Toy Train Department - Electric Train Catalog Pages from the Legendary Sears Christmas Wishbooks of the 1950's and 1960's
    by Thomas W. Holland
    ISBN: 1887790004

    The Toy Train Department. Volume 2, Electric Train Pages from the Great Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalogs of the 1950's and 1960's
    by Thomas W. Holland
    ISBN: 1887790063

    I withdrew only the Sears book and it mostly shows Lionel and Marx trains, but as I posted, there's a smattering on N and some HO too.

    I have another one of the series on the way to my branch library, More Boys' Toys of the Fifties & Sixties - Toy Pages from the Great Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalogs, 1950-1969 by by Thomas W. Holland, ISBN: 1887790055. That should be a fun read.
     
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  5. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Is this a soft over book?
     
  6. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yikes! Doing some searching, the cheapest i can find are in the $65.00 to 85.00 range, going on up to over $250.00!
     
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  7. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    In 1969, you could still buy Treble-0-Electric from America's Hobby Center.
    img20210421_08471580.jpg img20210421_08385946.jpg img20210421_08415059.jpg img20210421_08464002.jpg img20210421_08450311.jpg img20210421_08423515.jpg img20210421_08403363.jpg img20210421_08454223.jpg img20210421_08481740.jpg img20210421_08394957.jpg
     
  8. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    I used to go to AHC all the time as a kid. And as a teenager I would bicycle there in 15 mins. But the owner Marshall was some character!
     
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  9. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    In 1969 I was 20 years old and in the military. Didnt have time for trains. BUT...its still cool to look back at what was available then. (y)(y)
     
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  10. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    While I was enjoying the freedom of attending class in college when I was 20 years old, THANK YOU (and the many thousands) for protecting our country so I CAN go to class every day! :love:
     
  11. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    Yes, all are soft cover and not in color like the catalogs were.
     
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  12. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    WhAt? Good grief. They're fun, but definitely not worth that to me at least. Greenberg's reproduced Lionel catalogs in full color and they're listed in the link below. It reads that all are out of print. Actual eBay completed sales range from $60 to $80, and one bid at $200 for Vol. IV: 1945-1954.

    https://www.tandem-associates.com/lionelcatalogs.htm
     
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  13. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    Oh man, I spent hours looking at AHC's ads when I was a kid. Thanks for these Russell! Remember "Road Name Our Choice" on some items? :D
     
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  14. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    I have a few of those little AHC catalogs, too, They kept sending them to me after ordering some things from them in the sixties, mostly Treble-O-Lectric rolling stock in road names Wards didn't sell. Wards only sold Union Pacific and Andy Barnett from International Models, in New York, convinced Lone Star to make the trains in some eastern road names too, which they did. Hence, NH, B&M, etc.

    $9.95 for a complete set. Such a deal as $9.95 was usually the price for a single F7 from IM. Wards sold them for $4.95.

    Doug
     
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  15. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    The AHC catalog was my main source for N scale I got into. When I finished the draft, marriage and education. It was available at a shop near the work place and I didn't need to wait for home delivery out in the country.
     
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  16. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    I remember as late as the mid-1980s when Model Railroader magazine became hugely thick, perhaps over half of the content being ads. I began to tear out the few articles I wanted to keep and threw the balance in the trash. Then came the Internet and magazine advertising changed forever.
     
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  17. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Oops. Well, that is a negative factor in my consideration.....
     
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  18. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    Mine too. They did it to keep costs down I'm sure, but the choice also reduces the impact of the illustrations and enjoyment of the book.
     
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  19. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    I would call it a show stopper.
     
  20. umtrr-author

    umtrr-author TrainBoard Member

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