Lionel Hallmark for 2013

Rather disappointed it's not the Girl's Train 2037.....

I don't always get the miniature, but this sounds like a winner to me.  

I think the 2037, now that the mold is made, will reappear as the Girl's set loco sometime as a special, whether that is this coming October, or some October in the future.

Don't know if this has been posted already, but I just found out this week that the special this year is the 2037 in pink, the girls train.  From what I can tell, it's only the engine. Hallmark dealer thought it was ugly.  I had to explain its significance to her, and still she thought a pink train was ridiculous!  I think this one will be hard to hind, many dealers will not order quantities.  Either that or the will have too many and then paint them black to sell the over stock, LOL!

As soon as I heard the standard one would be a black 2037 I figured that means the girl's train will be the special. Interesting choices, and as usual I'll just wait until they get blown out on eBay to buy them.

I want the mini set!

It is going to be interesting to see how the Hallmark girl's train locomotive sells. I don't think many Hallmark collectors are aware of the history of the girls train. Most of the comments I have heard are along the lines of "Why is the locomotive pink?"

It is also interesting the miniature ornament represents new subject matter. I don't collect the mini ornaments, but I think the past minis have been based on previous regular size Hallmark Lionel ornaments.

I will get all of them...A 2037 started it all many years ago and I still like them.  When. Would the special one be released,  If its the Pink 2037 I will buy it too...

The special pink 2037 is set for October release.

Thanks, I don't want to miss it because I think that onIsis a smaller edition.

Picked up the offerings today.

Noted the Lionel "O" seems to be sideways on the tender (I think they are all like that, even the box art has it printed sideways).  I'm assuming the PW engine itself did not look that way?

Other than that, they seemed OK.

-Dave

Wife got them all today.

@Dave45681, Here is a photo of my Lionel Lines tender and 2037.  Does the "O" look like this?

The M&StL set will be out in Oct.

Tim,

Thanks.  Might be the same, it's a little hard for me to tell from the angle of your picture.

Here's pics of both sides of the tender.  Light isn't good, but you can probably see what I mean here.  Looks like the font used has a pronounced elongation of the O, which I would think would make it stretch out vertically.  This looks like it's stretched horizontally, almost like the "O" is rotated 90 degrees.

Maybe it's just me.  Other fonts can sometimes make a 0 longer vertically to contrast it to the O, which normally is closer to round.  This just looks like it was beyond just round.

In contrast, here's a pic of the caboose, which looks more "normal" to me.

In any event, it's not that big a deal, just looked a bit odd to me.  I'm not intending to enjoy it any less either way!

Thanks for checking a real one for me.

-Dave

I got mine today to and love them.  As far as the small odd details...thats what happens when you send China a photo and say "make it look like this." 

True in concept.  I did do a double take when looking at a few boxes this year.  For the trains, it is China, but a few others I picked up are either Thailand or Sri Lanka.

Even for a large quantity (compared to O gauge trains) buyer like Hallmark, it seems China is not always the best answer any more.

-Dave

The flattened O looks correct, my Lionel Lines tenders have it as well.

Many of the Lionel tender lettering styles include a flattened "O"

Jim

Thanks for all the responses and additional pics of the real deal.

Guess I learned something today.   While I don't own one of these, I've probably seen enough of them over the years it shouldn't have looked weird to me.

-Dave

I miss the litho tin Hallmark train ornaments.  Why did they drop those?  They did an annual loco...and a 25th Anniversary set.  Then there were the blown glass Lionel ornaments...I was lucky enough to have received those as gifts.  Made in Poland...where most blown glass is made.

Do any of the Keepsake Ornament Collector's out their know if any of the early pieces were USA Made..or China since day 1?

So do I!  Missing only one for my collection.  Could definitely use more for my year-round all-tin Christmas tree display (on a small metal armature tree).

Never mind the possible printing error, I just got mine this week and as can be seen in the above pictures, the hook that attaches to the engine is on the wrong end of the tender! It also looks like the caboose has the hook on the wrong end as well.

I opened it up to see if I could switch them, but they have been heat staked on.

Kevin

I noticed the coupling issue right away....I think they need to get train people involved with the production of these.......

Grabbed them all on Saturday. I also ordered the M&STL work train. I was at my Hallmark Store to get my Bobby Orr ornaments!

My daughter's interests (besides trains) includes the original "Knight Rider" series. If there are any others here, Hallmark has the "KITT" with sound and lights. Sort of like the "Ghostbusters" car a few years ago. FYI.

I'll check when I get home this evening and let you know, Mike.  I have them all displayed year-round, so it's easy enough to check.

The one I'm missing is 1986 from the Tin Locomotive series.  My mom, when she was alive, used to buy the annual issue for me each year, but missed 1986 because my sister had inadvertently told her that I had already bought it.  She mistook another ornament for the 1986 Tin Locomotive when I was visiting her home before the holidays that year.

Not any more, you're not. Please check your email!

Gilly