lionel playworld locations lionel playworld locations

Was formerly Hills/Ames. Again, using this same cover (with the Playworld logo dropped in where the Elson's one appears here). What do you think? Lionel, which filed for Chapter 11 in June 1991, operates a chain of toy stores under the names Lionel Playworld, Lionel Kiddie City and Lionel Toy Warehouse. When other U.S. companies began using Lionel's standard, they usually called it wide gauge. After they sold their train assets to General Mills, Lionel began opening toy stores Lionel Playworld being one of them. Location: Colorado. The building had been vacant for ten years and was in a state of disrepair, according to Fire Chief Don Huber. July 1993, Lionel Kiddie City & Playworld; Shop Lionel (Kiddie City/Playworld), toy capital of the world! 1460 Chester Road, Yulee, FL - (opened May 9, 2013) - Has a Justice & Brothers section. Indicates that the user entered a raw comic with a grade of 9.6. [6], By the end of World War I, Lionel was one of three major U.S. toy train manufacturers. Lionel bought the American Flyer brand name and product line in May of that year in a $150,000 deal; however, Lionel lacked the money to exploit them and filed bankruptcy less than four months later, on August 7, 1967. The Philadelphia-based Lionel Leisure Inc. also is closing its other toy stores in the West, they said. You STILL grew up in Miami if you remember. Lionel Playworld Location: United States Education: High school or equivalent, Experience: 4 years, 2 months Connect Request Sent. The Lionel Corporation, which owned dozens of stores by the name of Lionel Kiddie City and Playworld, was one of the most popular toy retailers in the country. Lionel Playworld was across the street from Zayres on 87th ave and Coral Way I remember it well. Had that been the case, it was a short-lived greatness: Lionel's 1955 sales were some $23 million, while rival Marx's toy (more than just trains) sales were $50 million. I used to not eat lunch at school some weeks and ride . [2] Meanwhile, Lionel's closest competitor also was fading: in January 1967, the parent company of rival American Flyer, the A. C. Gilbert Company, went bankrupt. During the post-war period, Lionel produced a construction set, utilizing a unique component set. 1111 Rochester Lane, Tacoma, WA - (opened July 17, 2015) - Has a a Justice & Brothers section. Let Lionel (Kiddie City/Playworld) turn that frown upside down! When the company declared bankruptcy in 1975, it was the largest retailing bankruptcy of the year, according to the University of California Press. One year later, Lionel began production of their famous Santa Fe F3. By 1953 Lionel profits reached their highest level, during postwar, at over $32 million. As the 1950s progressed, Lionel sales began to decline in proportion to the growing prevalence of space and military-themed toys and slot car racing sets all coinciding with the decline in rail travel and the launching of Sputnik, which began the space-race between the United States and Soviet Union, along with their associated military build-up as the Cold War progressed after World War II. All Rights Reserved. The buyer was Cowen's grandnephew, Roy Cohn (businessman and attorney to Senator Joseph McCarthy) who replaced most of Cowen's management. USA Store Fanon Wikia is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Corporate spokesman Joel Weiner said it is the company's policy to refer all calls to him, but he also refused to comment. The company's debt, however, caused detrimental finance troubles for Ames, experts told CBS News. Lionel ran into financial trouble during the early 1980s recession and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 1982. As a direct descendant of the pre-war 763E locomotive, in 1950, Lionel released the 773, another scale Hudson. Initially, the company specialized in electrical novelties, such as fans and lighting devices. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. [2] By February 1993 Lionel had closed all but 29 stores in six states, concentrating on the markets of Philadelphia, central New Jersey, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Cleveland, Ohio and south Florida. I was just remembering all the places I bought toys at. Lionel also introduced the so-called Lionel Wartime Freight Train, a detailed set of cut-and-fold models of Lionel trains printed on cardstock which was notoriously difficult to put together.[6]. "He already knows what he's getting," she said of Jeffrey as she loaded packages into her van, "but he'll forget by Christmas.". Read All Reviews (910) 863-9450. In 1975, Lionel introduced a 75th anniversary freight set that consisted of their U36B diesel engine and rolling stock that included images of catalog covers and logos from Lionel's past. Lionel Playworld: DC Super Heroes Comics #3 (DC Comics) - Promotional Giveaway Includes 3 Full Length Stories 1st story is Super Friends #43 (Reprint) 2nd story is Adventure Comics #480 (Reprint) 3rd story is Green Lantern #139 (Reprint) (NY stores), This page was last edited on 10 December 2022, at 20:04. They were busy snatching up marked-down items. Wanamaker created large-scale seasonal sales, money-back guarantee, and a fixed-priced system. The Lionel toy stores (doing business as Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, and, until 1990, Lionel Toy Warehouse) were American toy store chains under the ownership of Lionel Corp. Kiddie City Toy Stores were started in the 1960s. Lionel Playworld was the kids' Southside toystore mecca in the '70s) -- for more shopping and beg to see a movie at the Thunderbird Theater drive-in . Follow Unfollow Block Report Inappropriate Share RUSSELL Riggs profile . Lionel Kiddie City is an American toy store chain under the ownership of Lionel, LLC. The Story of Joshua Lionel Cowen & His Lionel Train Company by Ron Hollander. [18] Additionally, Lionel found it difficult to compete on price with the larger Toys "R" Us, and it attempted to expand too rapidly in a weakened economy. Pulleys, gussets, and splices were also included. By the early 1980s, Lionel operated some 150 stores,[17] under the names Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, and Lionel Toy Warehouse. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Products; Get Started; Hobbyists; Find A Dealer; Lionel Store; Support; Facebook; YouTube; Instagram; Pinterest; Twitter; Subscribe to e-mails. It was rebranded as Lionel LLC in 1995. A spokeswoman at the Brickyard administrative offices said that the Lionel outlet opened there just four years ago on Oct. 21, 1987. Lionel Playworld Entry Level Customer Service Representative in the United States makes about $13.86 per hour. Meanwhile, non-specialty discount stores expanded their toy sections and undercut the prices of specialty toy chains. Vanessa Lyman Employment Services Counselor at Riverside County Department of Public Social Services But the Midvale manager and other managers refused to answer any other questions about the closures, referring all inquiries to the corporate headquarters in Philadelphia. Unable to reach an agreement for reorganization with its creditors, on June 2, Lionel announced its intention to liquidate all of its stores and go out of business. Shop Pay Lionel resisted, and the fight drained the company of cash. Park-specific features: Playworld creates playground equipment for a variety of locations, from schools to churches and more. In 1989, Robert I. Toussie L.P., a partnership of several retail executives, attempted to buy the company. from 1950 to 1951, Lionel produced the 736 Berkshire, which was basically a 726 with Magne-Traction. Trademark Overview. The world needs play. Here are a few familiar names that might have delighted you as a kid, but that no longer exist. No tenant has been selected to replace Lionel, she said. Was NY the only place to have non LIonel Playworlds? Kiddie City Toy Stores were started in the 1960s. Kiddie City Toy Stores were started in the 1960s. Its outer rails were 218inches apart, which did not match any of the existing standards that other manufacturers had been using since 1891. Lionel ran into financial trouble during the early 1980s recession and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 1982. The shop, though only 2,000 square feet, was right next to an AMC movie theater and Lionel Playworld in a high-profile area in Mesa. By the early 1970s, the Zayre chain had more than 200 locations across the country. ???? Lionel Train Watch. Borders Books at the Biltmore . Additionally, Lionel found it difficult to compete on price with the larger Toys "R" Us, and the chain attempted to expand too rapidly in a weakened economy. On September 8, 1965, Joshua Cowen died at the age of 88 in Palm Beach, Florida.[9]. From 1953 all the way until 1968, the 736 was produced again. Lionel had been a staple for a major toy retailer for as long as i could . After filing for bankruptcy twice, the Kiddie City chainshut down for good in 1993 thanks, in major part to a competitor by the name of Toys 'R' Us. By 1991, the chain had regrown to 100 stores and was the fourth-largest toy retailer in the country, but it once again ran into trouble[clarification needed] due to a combination of factors. Cowen hoped the public's fascination with railroads and electricity would draw attention to other goods for sale. From 1969 until 1993, the Lionel Corporation operated a chain of toy stores under the names Kiddie City, Playworld, and Toy Warehouse. Lionel Kiddie City was an American Toy store under the ownership of Lionel Corp.. By the early 1980s, Lionel operated some 150 stores, under the names Toy City, Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, Lionel Toy Warehouse, and Lionel Toy Town. [2] In 2006, Lionel's electric train became the first electric toy inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. "When the Lights Went out at Lionel", Liebeck, Laura: "Deja vu all over again: Lionel re-visits Chapter 11", Discount Store News July 8, 1991, "Liquidations leave Toy's R US, Kay-Bee toying alone", Discount Store News, July 5, 1993, "Lionel Leisure 'branches out': toy retailer acquires part ownership of closeouter", Discount Store News, September 17, 1990, Liebeck, Laura: "Child World is grounded: rescue by Lionel falters", Discount Store News, August 3, 1992, "Lionel closing 27 stores in struggle for survival", Discount Store News, February 1, 1993, Last edited on 23 December 2022, at 14:49. Company founder Joshua Cowen officially retired that same year. 1111 Rochester Lane, Tacoma, WA - (opened July 17, 2015) - Has a a Justice & Brothers section. [6] Many diesel, electric, and steam engines made after 1950 had Lionel's Magne-Traction, which made the wheels magnetic to grip the track better. Location & Directions Get Directions. The Lionel toy stores (doing business as Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, and, until 1990, Lionel Toy Warehouse) were American toy store chains under the ownership of Lionel Corp.. History. Lionel Playworld (Toys 'R' Us who? Sharing memories of LIONEL toy stores. Mc Crorys or Woolworths, Waldenbooks and playing games at Gold Mine or Tilt. http://bit.ly/dfFSSU [11], In 1959, Cowen and son sold their interest in the Lionel company and retired. Neither product line was as popular as its O-gauge trains. Discover After the spinoff, TJX Companies was made up of Hit or Miss, T.J. Maxx, Chadwick's of Boston, and the defunct Zayre Corp. which renamed itself as TJX Cos. Message More Share . Lionel, LLC currently owns all trademarks and most of the rights associated with the Lionel Corporation. The business direction of the Lionel company changed: it added subsidiary companies unrelated to toy train sets among them were Dale Electronics, Sterling Electric Motors, and Telerad Manufacturing. Starting in 1915, Lionel followed most of its U.S. competitors and adopted the smaller O gauge standard for its budget-level trains. none. The Logo for playworld was a kangaroo and her joey, funny they got smashed by a giraffe, lol---- Lionel Corporation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia By the early 1980s, Lionel operated some 150 stores [12], under the names Toy City, Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, Lionel Toy Warehouse, and Lionel Toy Town. By February 1993 Lionel had closed all but 29 stores in six states, concentrating on the markets of Philadelphia, central New Jersey, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Cleveland, Ohio and south Florida. Susan Datz Edelman, who handles investor . After the Lionel Corporation sold the rights to manufacture trains to General Mills in 1969, the Modern Era began the following year with train products being reproduced and introduced. By the early 1980s, Lionel operated some 150 stores, under the names Toy City, Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, Lionel Toy Warehouse, and Lionel Toy Town. Copyright 2023 BOTW. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The Lionel Corporation was on the right track for decades, opening in 1900 and chugging along until the '90s. Lionel attempted to keep the pace with the changing trends by offering space and military-themed train sets and coming out with their own HO line of trains. Email [email protected]. Ed from Jax by Lionel Playworld. In 1985, General Mills spun off its Kenner-Parker division, with Lionel being placed under Kenner-Parker. Apple Pay Park playground fitness equipment options: Kids and . 338 - Luzhu. The brand rose to prominence in 1976 following a series of television commercials featuring Johnny Cash, himself a Lionel collector.[16]. What is Taoyuan Address Format? Concepts. none of this issue. Let's Remember LIONEL No promotions or spam. $18.00 . In 1947, Lionel produced a model of the Pennsylvania Railroad's GG1. Currently, the iconic building houses a wide variety of tenants, including Facebook and AOL. 1460 Chester Road, Yulee, FL - (opened May 9, 2013) - Has a Justice & Brothers section. The first W.T. Employees at the Midvale and Brickyard Plaza stores confirmed Monday that the sales are a prelude to the shutdown of Lionel's Utah operations. [21] Unable to reach an agreement for reorganization with its creditors, on June 2, 1993, Lionel announced its intention to liquidate all of its stores and go out of business.[22]. Was formerly Hills/Ames. Instead, the public approached store owners about buying trains, prompting Lionel to begin making toy trains for the general public. Let's treat everyone with respect. Grant was another popular discount chain in the early and mid-20th century. By 1939, Lionel had discontinued its standard gauge products, concentrating instead on the more-affordable (and lucrative) O-gauge and OO gauge, which it had introduced in 1938. She returned Monday with 5-year-old Jeffrey in tow, buying the requested items at generally lower prices. Over the years, the company based the displays on common themes like "The Night Before Christmas.". Starting in the 1980s, Lionel began to issue more postwar-derived operating accessories, such as the Lumber Mill, Ice Depot, and News Stand. Beginning in the 1960s Lionel attempted to further diversify into other product lines, such as phonographs, science, weather station and plastics engineering kits while toy train sales continued to decline and with the company enduring a series of management turnovers. Marshall Fields, was once the second-largest department store in the world, in addition to being one of Chicago's main tourist attractions on State Street. In 1988, Zayre Corp. sold its 392 department stores to the Ames chain in order to focus solely on its merge with TJX Companies. Ames was started in 1958 in Massachusetts by brothers Milton and Irving Gilman. The company owned a number of toy store chains, including Lionel Playworld, Lionel . Kiddie City Toy Stores were started in the 1960s. Lionel declined rapidly after 1956, because hobbyists preferred the smaller but more realistic HO scale trains, and children's interest shifted from toy trains to toy cars. Was formerly a Kmart store. Lionel Playworld Toy Store Commercial (1987) comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment Was formerly a Kmart store. Woolworth, which opened in 1879 in Utica, New York, was one of the original discount stores, also known as five-and-dime stores at that time. During the post-war era, Lionel was primarily competing with Louis Marx and Company and American Flyer. The family-owned local firm suffered three slow years, but last year Christmas sales improved and 1991 looks even better, Hammond said. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Summary. Within a few years, he also added an in-store restaurant and elevators. 725 W Redbridge Street Albany, NY - (Opened January 22, 1988) - Has a Justice & Brothers/Disney section. Efforts to increase train set profitability and/or sales by cheaper manufacture (largely by replacing castings and folded sheet metal with unpainted injected-molded colored plastic) were largely unsuccessful; 1957 was Lionel's last profitable post-war year. Elie's Deli near 44th st and Thomas (Mediterranean food ) . 725 W Redbridge Street Albany, NY - (Opened January 22, 1988) - Has a Justice & Brothers/Disney section. Lionel Playworld is a very popular website offering gift vouchers and eGift Cards to the people of the United States. The Lionel trademarks were purchased by Richard Kughn, a real estate magnate who had bought the Lionel model train line from General Mills in 1986. . In 1991, it sold its trademarks to Lionel Trains, Inc. for $10 million and eventually went out of business in 1993. Whether this was an accidental misreading of Mrklin's 2 gauge specifications or an intentional incompatibility is unclear, but Lionel marketed the non-standard track as "The Standard of the World," and soon adopted the name in catalogs as Standard Gauge and trademarked the name. Google Pay Lionel Playworld 604 Layman Avenue Millersville, PA 17551 US . The federal status of this trademark filing is EXPIRED as of Monday, November 16, 1998. 337 - Dayuan. The product widely credited with saving the company was a wind-up handcar featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse which operated on O gauge track, and sold for $1. jimmii. . One of the biggest toy retailers in Utah is shutting its doors just in time to give bargains to early Christmas shoppers. By 1922, Lionel was competing mainly against American Flyer and Ives. The factory was destroyed by a fire on April 5, 2004. By the early 1980s, Lionel operated 150 stores, under the names Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, and Lionel Toy Warehouse (rebranded as Lionel Kiddie City in 1990). Lionel resisted, and the fight drained the company of cash. These and other efforts to improve its financial standing were unable to keep Lionel from going into receivership in May 1934.[6]. [1] Lionel trains have been produced since 1900, and their trains drew admiration from model railroaders around the world for the solidity of their construction and the authenticity of their detail. none. Media Contact Company Name: Lionel Playworld Paypal Receipt No: 1198-1713-9169-4048 Name: Paul J. Conrad Address: 2477 Margaret Street Houston, TX 77087 Phone: 713 845 7878 Health & Medicine; . Feb 16, 2022 #8 Lionel Playworld was where I collected the majority of my childhood Star Wars collection! [6], The Great Depression badly hurt Lionel. Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, and Lionel Toy Warehouse. Ok, have a question about Playworld. "There were a few good sales, but Lionel is generally more expensive than Walmart or other stores," Nadene Dahlstrom commented. For a time it was the second-largest toy store chain in the United States. Lionel Playworld was always way . 3. Also in 1922, Boucher bought out VoltAmp and started making what was known as the "Rolls-Royce" of standard gauge trains. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Joined Jun 12, 2009 Messages 2,602 Reaction score 1,385 Location Space. Day 14 of the 25 Days of a Ghostly ChristmasMiss Playworld so much!! Many of Lionel's steam locomotives of this period, had a new feature: smoke, produced by dropping a small tablet or a special oil into the locomotive's smokestack, which contained an electric heating element. Meta Pay Dec 31, 2013 - Pictures of seventies and Eighties toy and department stores volume 6 1970's Ohio Valley Galleria, Stubenville, Ohio - (opened March 7, 1986) - One of the mall's original tenants. By submitting this review you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. . The front . Now, the accessory cost $139 to begin with which I think is crazy considering . Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Rolling stock debuted with "fast-angle wheels" with needlepoint bearings. [3] Unable to reach an agreement for reorganization with its creditors, on June 2, Lionel announced its intention to liquidate all of its stores and go out of business.[4]. Toy trains and model railroads were its main claim to fame. While Lionel i believe was in decline as a whole at this point, TRU entering into the Colorado Springs market did not help any for their business. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! He said he would give no information beyond what was printed in Sunday's ad. During both the pre-war and post-war eras, Lionel made many models of electric locomotives; during the post-war era, Lionel made models of the EP-5 and Virginian EL-C in addition to the GG1. After reducing itself in size to 55 stores, it emerged from bankruptcy in September 1985. Lionel's earliest trains were larger than the sizes commonly available today, running on two-rail tracks with the rails 2.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}78inches apart. I remember a Zayres in Chicago and Lionel Playworld in Miami. One year later, Lionel released a model of the American Freedom Train to celebrate the nation's bicentennial. Reply Delete. Lionel ran into financial trouble during the early . Lionel started the postwar period in 1945 with a train set introducing remote-control uncoupling. Jamaican Blue coffee house (technically in Scottsdale ) . In 1986, Lionel was sold again, this time to toy train collector and real estate developer Richard P. Kughn of Detroit, Michigan; it became Lionel Trains Inc (LTI). Now, Lionel, LLC operates thousands and thousands of locations in all 50 states of the USA, the District of Columbia, and US territories under the names Lionel Toy City, Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, Lionel Play Town, Lionel Toy Warehouse, and Lionel Toy Town. Categories. none of this issue. We found three silver ones in the snowy region north of Hebra tower, just west of the Qaza Tokki maze. There's curious debate about the interiors. Lynels can be found with one of three different weapon sets: the Lynel Sword & Shield, the Lynel Spear, and the Lynel Crusher. By the early 1980s, Lionel operated some 150 stores, under the names Toy City, Lionel Kiddie City, Lionel Play Town, Lionel Playworld, Lionel Toy Warehouse, and Lionel Toy Town. Lionel's most popular toy train ever mass-produced was the Santa Fe F3, numbered 2333, released in 1948. The Lionel Corporation, which owned dozens of stores by the name of Lionel Kiddie City and Playworld, was one of the most popular toy retailers in the country. Toys "R" Us Toys "R" Us Babies "R" Us Build A Bear Workshop Learning Express Toys The Lego Store Toys "R" Us Kay Bee Toys Lionel Playworld "Remembering the former LIONEL PLAYWORLD location, Westgate & Military, Palm Beach, Florida. Hours of operation not available for this business. For farming materials best face the red ones, because they are the easiest of the bunch (but drop the lowest level loot). W.T. The Georgia locations that included supermarkets were in tandem with a Colonial/Big Star which originally opened the stores as Richway Foods. An internal reorganization in 1973 caused Lionel to become part of General Mills' Fundimensions group, and a new line of scale-sized freight cars, called "Standard O", was introduced that same year. The ad said all sales are final and told customers to bring cash or credit cards only, but didn't mention that the stores were being closed. Here's a look at a few toy stores that aren't around anymore: Source: Comic Book, The Los Angeles Times. Delivery time is estimated using our proprietary method which is based on the buyer's proximity to the item location, the shipping service selected, the seller's . Each comic has the same cover art, but the background colors and the three-issue interiors are different for each book. The Lionel Santa Fe 2333 Diesel locomotive, an EMD F3 in the colorful Santa Fe "Warbonnet" paint scheme that was introduced in 1948, became the Lionel company icon and the icon of the era, and the 2343, 2383, and 2353 Santa Fe F3's even improved on it. The discount chain was once the fifth-largest retailer in the country, but it came to an end in a big way. In 2006, Marshall Fields became part of the Macy's chain. The locomotive was the 224, a pre-war carryover 2-6-2 prairie. During the pre-war era, Lionel competed with Ives Manufacturing Company, Boucher Manufacturing Company, Dorfan, Louis Marx and Company and American Flyer. DC had a similar deal with Lionel Playworld and produced a similar five-issue series with them. The store's famous Christmas window decorations began in 1897 as a toy display. Additionally, Lionel criticised the durability of competitors' products in ads targeted at parents.[6]. [25] The former Lionel assembly factory was located at 50625 Richard W. Blvd, Chesterfield a short drive from the office building. Mastercard [6], The 19461956 decade was Lionel's Golden Age. We're all in this together to create a welcoming environment. [24] Certain retailers like FAO Schwarz or Toys R Us have doubled down on running a single flagship store or promised a comeback, respectively. [15] In 1974, Lionel began to offer trains in HO scale for the first time since the postwar period, where they were last cataloged in 1966. Lionel ran into financial trouble during the early 1980s recession and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 1982. Much later, in 2014, Greenberg's Guide to Lionel Trains concluded differently: the first Lionel product was the motorized Converse Trolley, with the Electric Express being made to diversify the motor's use. [19] After a string of unprofitable quarters, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 14, 1991. [13] Lionel began making a variety of scientifically oriented, hands-on educational toys, designated "Lionel-Porter." Camelview 5 theater . Exterior lights and cheerful carnival music highlight the action. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. PayPal -->> With the exception of a few complete vintage TOYS R US & CHILDREN'S PALACE circulars, i've been sitting on several random pages of incomplete LIONEL PLAYWORLD circulars from my former Design Teacher's archives ( in which i inherited years back ). We understand how to make your playground fit the feel of a park. The ride slowly builds in speed, thrilling its riders as the seats swing further out. In 1952, the Korean war caused a shortage of magnetic materials, so Lionel reissued the 726 as the 726rr (726 rerun). [6], During the 1950s, Lionel outsold its closest competitor, American Flyer, by nearly 2:1, peaking in 1953.