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Had some friends, who do a lot of antique and flea market sales, over for a couple of days and they brought me an old LIFE Magazine from December 13, 1937.   In it there is a great article with photos about the Lionel factory, at that time.  Some interesting statistics, too:  Like 1937, the biggest year in history for Lionel, ends up with a gross income of $3,500,000.  That's an amazing figure, in my mind, considering that the average Lionel set cost about $10 or $12.

 

This was also the year that the scale Hudson, the 700E, was introduced, which sold for $75, a huge amount in those depression years, more than an average person might earn all week.  There are several pages with photos of the factory in operation.  In 1937, Lionel was still located in Hillside, NJ at the "old" plant and the photos show a lot of hand assembly and operations.  As I recall, they moved to Irvington about 1941

 

Kind of an "all railroad" issue, because the cover shows a Southern Pacific, GS-1 in the Sacramento  shop for major repair and inside is an article about how the RR's are trying to get a 15% increase in freight rates.  These were the later days of the "great depression", before WWII had begun, although signs of war had already started.  Ads from that time include a bunch of RR ads, as well as a number of 1938 automobile ads.

 

Paul Fischer

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Thanks for posting, that was very intersting. I did notice all of the prices for things listed in the various ads and it got me thinking...

Using an inflation calculator the 700E at $75 would cost you $1238.57 in 2015. That puts the high price of many modern Lionel steam engines in context. It also demonstrates that engines like the VL Big Boy are in a league all their own. 

Just thought it was an interesting observation.

 

Jay in Ottawa

Originally Posted by ed h:

Very interesting article, can check it out online here:

 

Life Magazine Dec 13th 1937

Thanks so much for posting the link to Life's 12/13/37 issue.  A great trip back in time.  I was very surprised to see the great color advertisement for Interwoven Socks.  My Grandfather on my mother's side of the family was a foreman at the Interwoven factory in Martinsburg, West Virginia at the time the advertisement was posted.  Interestingly, the Interwoven plant at Martinsburg was touted to be the largest sock mill in the world.  The huge complex still exists today but is entirely vacant.  The article on the 700E was very informative. 

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