Dec 2002 - Lionel Collectors Club of America

Wishes 9700 series boxcar. Painted white, the special boxcarhas the Kraft Holiday Wishes logo to the left of the door. Tothe door’s right are four products whose trademarks are knownthroughout Lionelville. The great tasting foods that proudlyadorn our collectable car are Jell-O, Post, Maxwell House,and Oscar Mayer. Talk about a car that has Lionel collectorsdrooling!The remainder of the cars and the RS-3 that heads up theset are the same as the 2002 cataloged 6-31924 Union PacificFreight set. Kraft commissioned Lionel to create 6,250 sets. Ihave also been told that four add-on cars are in the works.Considering all that great tasting and good for you foods thatKraft and Nabisco make, teamed up with Lionel’s designdepartment, I eagerly look forward to some really imaginativecars. If you will permit me — I would welcome in mycollection tank cars, each decorated for Kraft bottled saladdressings. How about a plug door reefer for each of the cheesesKraft makes? I could go on, but I’ll head to the roundhouse,lower my boiler pressure and wait to see what the talenteddesign team at Lionel dreams up.A Collector’s View from the CabooseThe years of attending train meets and finding tables fullof high quality post 1970 made in the U.S.A. Lionel trains iscoming to an end. I’ve come to this conclusion from all thereports I’ve received from LCCA members who attend theirlocal train meets and from my own observations whileattending train meets last spring and fall. Lionel F3s and SD-40s that are new, in clean boxes from both the MPC and LTIeras are getting very hard to find. The same can be said forthose wonderful collector sets from the same eras. When itcomes to uncataloged China Lionel, many of you have reporteddifficulty in obtaining for your collection, sets like the FarmAll and uncataloged rolling stock such as our beloved LCCAconvention cars.There’s never been a better time to collect Toy Fair cars.Prices are at an all time low. I think this condition will lastonly a short time. So don’t procrastinate and find yourselfstranded at station, “I Should Have.”In ClosingI would like to wish each of you and your families awonderful Christmas and a great New Year! Please keep ourbrave service personnel and our law enforcement officers andfireman in your thoughts and prayers the holiday season.Happy Tracks!Dennis Leon CladThere’s a LCCA membership form locatedon the inside front page of the ghost cover.Help support your club and pass it onto a fellow Lionel collector.You’ll make a friend for life.14The Lion Roars December, 2002