Bruette
Well-Known Member
I pulled out my Greenberg's Guide To Lionel HO Volume II 1974-1977 This time to actually read the entire book. The experts on this forum have peaked my interest in Lionel HO once again pointing out several facts I did not know and I thank you all for your input.
The first time I used this book I only used it as a reference to identify the variations in the GP9 Lionel HO locomotives to help me identify the Lionel made locomotives as opposed to the Kader made locomotives. Much of the information I learned recently from the experts on this forum was in fact in the book.
Lionel's first venture into HO in 1957 was with all HO products being made for them by 3 different manufacturers. They did not actually make their own HO products until they acquired the Hobbyline diework in 1959. This information was garnered by reading the introduction to the book that I had originally passed over. I really want to find a copy of Greenberg's Guide To Lionel HO Volume I 1957-1956, but I don't want to pay $100 for it so I will have to keep looking.
Lionel's second venture into HO in 1974 was just the opposite, They started out making all of their own HO locomotives and rolling stock in Mount Clements Michigan with the exception of some shells being made in Canada. They ended up with other manufacturers making HO for them.
George J. Horan the Author of the 2 books on Lionel HO estimates that as much as 85% of all the Lionel HO sold was made for Lionel by other manufacturers.
I am not a collector in the traditional sense. I buy every train with the intention of running it, sooner or later. I don't buy trains as investments, I buy them to play with them. I buy trains that appeal to me for many reasons not the least of which is sentimental reasons.
Last but not least I want to tell everyone George J. Horan is in poor health, his eyesight is falling and his dexterity is nearly gone. He has been selling off his extensive collection of the HO trains he loved and collected since 1946. From his book I learned he had much more then Lionel HO. He began with Hobbyline later he collected Athearn, Globe, Varney, Revell and English. His Athearn collection is featured in Greenberg's Guide To Athearn Trains. My thoughts and prayers are with him. It is a sad thing, but one day it will happen to all of us.
The first time I used this book I only used it as a reference to identify the variations in the GP9 Lionel HO locomotives to help me identify the Lionel made locomotives as opposed to the Kader made locomotives. Much of the information I learned recently from the experts on this forum was in fact in the book.
Lionel's first venture into HO in 1957 was with all HO products being made for them by 3 different manufacturers. They did not actually make their own HO products until they acquired the Hobbyline diework in 1959. This information was garnered by reading the introduction to the book that I had originally passed over. I really want to find a copy of Greenberg's Guide To Lionel HO Volume I 1957-1956, but I don't want to pay $100 for it so I will have to keep looking.
Lionel's second venture into HO in 1974 was just the opposite, They started out making all of their own HO locomotives and rolling stock in Mount Clements Michigan with the exception of some shells being made in Canada. They ended up with other manufacturers making HO for them.
George J. Horan the Author of the 2 books on Lionel HO estimates that as much as 85% of all the Lionel HO sold was made for Lionel by other manufacturers.
I am not a collector in the traditional sense. I buy every train with the intention of running it, sooner or later. I don't buy trains as investments, I buy them to play with them. I buy trains that appeal to me for many reasons not the least of which is sentimental reasons.
Last but not least I want to tell everyone George J. Horan is in poor health, his eyesight is falling and his dexterity is nearly gone. He has been selling off his extensive collection of the HO trains he loved and collected since 1946. From his book I learned he had much more then Lionel HO. He began with Hobbyline later he collected Athearn, Globe, Varney, Revell and English. His Athearn collection is featured in Greenberg's Guide To Athearn Trains. My thoughts and prayers are with him. It is a sad thing, but one day it will happen to all of us.
