What issues of CTT contained free, extra bonus supplements?

[phrankenstign]

In the past month I've been bagging, boarding, and organizing my collection of Classic Toy Trains from 1987-present.  I've subscribed to CTT over the years.  However there were periods when my subscriptions would lapse, and it would be months---even years---before I'd resubscribe.  During those periods, I'd buy CTT at newsstands.  Sometimes CTT would be bagged with free, extra bonus supplements.  I didn't know it at the time, but those bagged supplements were only included with newsstand copies---subscribers didn't get them (according to Mr. Weller).  Here are pics of them:

1) January 2005, Number on cover: 618122

2) 2009, Number on cover: 618103_2009

3) October 2009, Number on cover: 618229_2009

 

4) 2009, Number on cover: 618236

5) 2010, Number on cover: 618243_2010

6) January 2011, Number on cover: 618229_2011

7) 2011, Number on cover: 618258

8) 2012, Number on cover: 618274_2012

9) 2013, Number on cover: 618277 2013

10) September 2014, Number on cover: 618229_2014

You've probably noted #3 and #6 were scanned while inside the bag that had originally contained it plus the current issue of CTT.  As you probably also noted, all incorporated the same statement on the cover, "A supplement to Classic Toy Trains magazine".

The #3, #6, and #10 supplements appear to be the same.  Upon examining them closely, I noticed a difference.  There is a small number on the bottom right corner that is different.  The numbers have two parts separated by the character "_".  The first number appears to uniquely identify the supplement since all three have the same number of "618229"---all the other supplements have different, unique numbers.  The second one appears to be the year the supplement was added to the (then) current issue.  To verify this, I checked the copyright year on the inside of each supplement and on all of the other supplements that had a two-part number on the cover.  In all cases, the second part was the same as the copyright year.

Originally, I only had four supplements in my collection.  I wondered if there were more, and if so, which issues came bagged with them.  I've noticed CTT back issues have been offered for sale here at this very site, and I wondered if it was possible to order the bagged issues that came with the free supplements.  Mr. Keller suggested I call the 1-800 number to find out.  I did.  The very helpful customer rep who answered knew exactly what I was talking about.  She told me bagged issues were not sold through the web-site.  However they did have all of the supplements in stock, and she was authorized to send one of each to any current subscriber free of charge.  Since my current subscription had lapsed awhile back, she'd be able to send the supplements I'd missed if I resubscribed.  She also told me if I kept an eye out for future bagged issues with supplements, I could call to get those sent out free also.  That did it for me.  I asked her to sign me up immediately for a three-year subscription, and she did.

I believe she told me there were a total of eight different supplements over the years.  I now know she was not including variants in her count.  What I forgot to ask her was which issues originally came bagged with the supplements.  I'm going to call back tomorrow to find out if she knows.  If she doesn't, then hopefully someone here knows.

I know there are many people here who only care about actual toy trains---not the magazines about them.  That's fine.  However I'm sure there are other CTT collectors who will be interested in making sure they've got these supplements to complete their collections.

For true completists, Mr. Carp added:

Roger Carp

Hi,

If your collection of Classic Toy Trains is going to be complete, then you need to add the extra special-interest publications we have done. They have new material not published in the regular magazine, plus loads of great pictures.

 All-Star Electric Trains of the 1950s

 More All-Star Electric Trains

 Lionel Trains: Showroom Layouts (2011)

 Lionel Trains: Golden Years, 1950-54 (2012)

 Lionel Trains: Golden Years, 1955-59 (2013)

 Lionel Trains: Best Accessories (2014)

 Lionel Trains: Finest Store Displays (2015)

Good luck,

Roger Carp

Senior Editor

[phrankenstign]

FYI The toll free number to call for FREE, EXTRA BONUS SUPPLEMENTS (for current subscribers only), back issues, and subscriptions is 1-800-533-6644.  If you happen to talk to a service representative who is a woman with a very friendly voice, please tell her Tony (phrankenstign) Ortega says, "Hi, and thanks again for all the help!"

[phrankenstign]

Yesterday I received the free supplements in the mail the CTT customer service rep had sent me.  I scanned and then added those pics of them to my initial post.  I also updated some of the text to include new things I've discovered upon close examination of those added supplements.

[phrankenstign]

I added pic #10 and changed some of the text associated with it.  This supplement appeared to verify assumptions I'd made previously but hadn't documented here.