Hagerstown is an interesting footnote in very late PW production.
From different articles that I have read, it appears that the then CEO of Lionel Robert Wolfe mothballed the Hillside factory after 1966 production was completed, and moved the limited production left to the Porter/Spear factory in Hagerstown. It would be a safe assumption that only what was needed for the limited production of '67 and '68 went to Hagerstown, not to mention that at that time production of the motors and e-units went to Japan.
After Ron Saypol became CEO (again), and negotiations started with General Mills early in 1969 only the Hillside factory is mentioned in the history that I have, as well as the fustration of getting parts back from Japan. The 1969 consumer catalog (the last for the Lionel Toy Corporation) lists the address as Hoffman Place in Hillside. I don't have a copy of the 1968 folder to see what it lists as the address, and there was no catalog in '67.
Ken
Originally Posted by Mike W.:
What are the item #s for these Hillside assembled units? Can's believe there are no pics recorded anywhere of Hillside under operation with General Mills. History lost for sure. Were the tools and equipment in Hagerstown moved back the NJ?
