Leonard Auction, Addison, IL (February 2019) Image 6: Lionel Model Train #42 Locomotive, Pre-war, Standard gauge Image 5: Lot of 10: Lionel Pre War Accessories Morphy Auctions, Denver, PA (October 2018) Image 4: Lionel Pre-War Standard Gauge No. Morphy Auctions, Denver, PA (September 2017) Image 3: Lionel Pre-war Standard Gauge No. Stout Auctions Toy and Train Specialists, Williamsport, IN (April 2016) Image 2: Lionel prewar standard gauge gray 400E steam locomotive with tender Morphy Auctions, Denver, PA (September 2015) Image 1: Lionel Standard Gauge Pre-War No. Recent auction results indicate that pre-war Lionel trains generally sell for a few hundred dollars per lot, with exceptional examples selling for a few thousand dollars. Pre-war Lionel trains can sell anywhere from twenty dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on the rarity of the piece and its condition (among other factors). Because people could not afford expensive model trains, the smaller Lionel O gauge trains became more popular and Lionel Standard gauge was discontinued in 1939. Lionel model trains experienced wide popularity throughout the 1920s, but business declined sharply during the Great Depression. Lionel O gauge trains were introduced in 1915, the size that eventually became Lionel’s most popular product. Lionel developed many different model engines and rail cars, as well as accessories, to allow consumers to set up their trains into life-like layouts. Lionel’s own marketing message, which proclaimed that Lionel track was the “standard of the world,” later evolved into the Lionel standard gauge train size we know today. A three-rail “standard gauge” track, designed to minimize short circuits, was developed to go along with the transformer. For safety reasons, the batteries were soon replaced by a 110 volt transformer. The first Lionel electric trains were powered by wet-cell batteries, which were, of course, dangerous. Lionel developed and perfected its model designs and layouts during the Pre-War Era (1901 – 1942). The look, style, and quality of Lionel model trains are linked to different phases of the Lionel Corporation and the business conditions that the company experienced, so collectors should pay particular attention to the date the Lionel model trains were manufactured.īelow, explore are prime examples of trains and accessories sold from the Invaluable price archive, organized into four different eras of Lionel production. Today’s train market is increasingly becoming a buyer’s market due to that supply and demand.” Pricing is always subjective among buyers and sellers. Once the originality has been compromised, prices take a steep turn downward from their original counterparts. “Buyers truly want all-original trains that have never been tampered with. At this point, more high-grade items are coming available to the market to simply supply and demand metrics,” says Wylie Stivers, owner at Toys, Trains and Other Old Stuff. “Current Lionel train market trends show that collectors of pre-war trains still exist, but the numbers are getting smaller as the new generations are losing interest. While collectors do note some decline in the popularity of the hobby (due to the rise in electronics and video games and the general cost of model railroading), collecting remains active online and new interest in model trains has emerged through model railroad Christmas products that draw on the power of nostalgia. Lionel collectors tend to have a lifelong passion for model railroading. At auction, Lionel train sets, pieces, and accessories can sell for a few hundred dollars or for a few thousand dollars, depending on the rarity and condition of the piece. Lionel trains’ value varies depending on design, materials, and era. Lionel Trains’ Value and Collecting Trends By 1906, Lionel was well established as an electric model railroad manufacturer. The train caught on and soon Lionel was manufacturing model electric trains for consumers. Cowen’s first electric train, The Electric Express, debuted in 1901 and was initially designed as a display for toy stores. The Lionel Manufacturing Company was founded by Joshua Lionel Cowen in 1900 in New York City. Lionel trains specialize in O gauge model railroad products, which include realistic models of engines, freight cars, passenger cars, cabooses, buildings, and other Lionel train parts. Arguably the best-known name in the model railroad industry, iconic model train company Lionel, LLC has manufactured model trains and model railroading accessories since 1900.
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