SUNDAY PUZZLE FUN 11-22-20 MAKE A WISH 4

[pennytrains]

MAKE A WISH 4
54 WORDS

You’re going to have to wish a little bit harder.

1. The start of the new decade brought big changes.  First of all, HO “Hobby-(_ _ _ _)” trains were now taking up (_ _ _ _ _ _) percent of the (_ _ _) train space.
2. All Marx trains were sold under the (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) name and were labeled as “(_ _ _ _ _ _ _) Gauge”.  (_ _ _ _ _ _ ‘ _) outfits retained their (_ _ _ _ _ - _) and O27 Gauge labels, but they were not quite as spectacular as the year before.
3. The best was set No. 49N9693 priced at $48.94 (_ _ _ _), $5 down, which was headed by No. 218 Santa Fe (_ _ _ _) diesels with “(_ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _)” horn.
4. The lone Super-O set advertised featured three (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) cars; the Nos. 3419 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Launching car, 3444 “(_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) gondola car“, and 3512 “(_ _ _ _ _ _ _)-and-ladder-car”.  A No. 6816 “(_ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) tractor-dozer car” and an SP-type caboose added play value.
5. The train pages got a bit more mixed-up in 1961.  As usual, (_ _ _ _)/Allstate sets showed up first, and set No. 79N9643C was a good buy for $29.88 ($5 less if you didn’t want the “(_ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _)” switches).
6. After passing by two pages of Allstate HO trains, with “(_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) appeal”, and two pages of slot car sets, you found Lionel’s (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) offerings.
7. Just (_ _ _ _ _) O27 sets, two pulled by 2-4-2’s and one by Alco’s, but now there was half of a page of Lionel HO sharing space.
8. 1962 was better for Lionel.  Three “(_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Outfits” paired O27 sets with their HO counterparts, including set No. 49N9655, priced at $29.75 “NO (_ _ _ _ _) DOWN”.
9. This 6-Unit set with “(_ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _)” cars was pulled by the No. 2365 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) & Ohio GP-7 diesel.  More importantly, this (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) outfit rostered a much sought-after car, the No. 6413 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) Capsule Carrying Car.
10. A year later, Lionel managed to get only (_ _ _) set and (_ _ _ _) accessories offered in the (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _).  As if that wasn’t bad enough, Lionel’s 9-Unit (_ _ _ _ _ _) freight had to go head-to-head with the 79N9719L Allstate 6-Unit freight.  “(_ _ _ _ _ _) set” $29.88, no money down.
11. To be fair, the Allstate set included two (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _), a 49N9733 plastic (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) crane (which (_ _ _ _ _) hadn’t featured since 1955), a 49N9732 steel (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) bridge, a station and several small accessories providing “fun possibilities”.
12. A similar set was offered in 1964, but now there were three more cars for only one (_ _ _ _) more!  But that wasn’t the big news.  No, it was the two (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) sets Lionel packaged for Sears.
13. A bargain at $19.89 was the No. 49N9820 “New Military (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _)”, Lionel set No. 19326, which featured the No. 3666 “(_ _ _ _ - _ _ _)” missile firing car.
14. Interestingly, the illustration of set No. 9820 shows a No. 242 loco and (_ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _) tender instead of the No. 240 which was exclusive to this set.
15. Priced at $29.99, the 79N9807L “(_ _ _ _ _) Steam Freighter” was the last great Lionel set of the 1960’s.  This four car outfit was powered by the No. 237 steam loco and included a No. 321 Trestle (_ _ _ _ _ _), a 310 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Set, a pair of 1022 switches, and something you could only get at Sears.
16. The No. 346 Operating Culvert (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) was the (_ _ _ _ _ _) version of the No. 345.  The accompanying No. 6342 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) car was packaged separately, not in the accessory box as was the case with the Nos. 342 & 345.
17. Believe it or not, I’m writing this puzzle’s questions on Halloween and coincidentally I just learned that Sean Connery has passed away.  Why is that relevant?  Because I had been wondering how I was going to address the subject that there were no toy trains in the 1965 Christmas Book.  (Remember, these puzzles deal with only the mail-order catalogs and not with what Sears sold in stores.)  However, there was one heck of an amazing James (_ _ _ _) slot car set on pages 446 & 447 which almost makes up for the lack of 3-rail equipment.
18. 1966 provided the last high point for toy train lovers.  For only the second, and sadly last time, (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) managed to get one last set featured in this grand (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) advertising campaign.
19. The 79N9803L (_ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _) train set didn’t have Flyer’s best steam loco, but the six (_ _ _ _)-scene (_ _ _ _ _ _) included in the set’s $29.99 price plus the five (_ _ _ - _ _) panels priced at $4.97 or $6.99 each made for a memorable exit for the classic brand.
20. Lionel’s postwar last hurrah came the next year with the No. 635 (_ _ _ _ _) Pacific NW2 switcher you could find (_ _ _ _) at Sears.

The story doesn’t end in 1967 of course.  Lionel had trains advertised in 1970and beyond in what was now officially the “Sears Wish Book”.  Want to see more?  Check out http://www.wishbookweb.com/the-catalogs/.  Also, if you’re like me and not lucky enough to have a collection of Sears Christmas Books from the Golden Years of toy trains, you might be fortunate enough to locate a copy of “The Toy Train Department: Electric Train Catalog Pages from the legendary Sears Christmas Wishbooks of the 1950’s and 1960’s” Edited by Thomas W. Holland, which was my primary source.

[pennytrains]

MAKE A WISH 4
54 WORDS

You’re going to have to wish a little bit harder.

1. The start of the new decade brought big changes.  First of all, HO “Hobby-(SIZE)” trains were now taking up (THIRTY) percent of the (TOY) train space.
2. All Marx trains were sold under the (ALLSTATE) name and were labeled as “(REGULAR) Gauge”.  (LIONEL’S) outfits retained their (SUPER-O) and O27 Gauge labels, but they were not quite as spectacular as the year before.
3. The best was set No. 49N9693 priced at $48.94 (CASH), $5 down, which was headed by No. 218 Santa Fe (ALCO) diesels with “(DEEP-TONE)” horn.
4. The lone Super-O set advertised featured three (OPERATING) cars; the Nos. 3419 (HELICOPTER) Launching car, 3444 “(ANIMATED) gondola car“, and 3512 “(FIREMAN)-and-ladder-car”.  A No. 6816 “(ALLIS-CHALMERS) tractor-dozer car” and an SP-type caboose added play value.
5. The train pages got a bit more mixed-up in 1961.  As usual, (MARX)/Allstate sets showed up first, and set No. 79N9643C was a good buy for $29.88 ($5 less if you didn’t want the “(HAND-OPERATED)” switches).
6. After passing by two pages of Allstate HO trains, with “(HOBBYIST) appeal”, and two pages of slot car sets, you found Lionel’s (CHRISTMAS) offerings.
7. Just (THREE) O27 sets, two pulled by 2-4-2’s and one by Alco’s, but now there was half of a page of Lionel HO sharing space.
8. 1962 was better for Lionel.  Three “(MATCHING) Outfits” paired O27 sets with their HO counterparts, including set No. 49N9655, priced at $29.75 “NO (MONEY) DOWN”.
9. This 6-Unit set with “(SPACE-AGE)” cars was pulled by the No. 2365 (CHESAPEAKE) & Ohio GP-7 diesel.  More importantly, this (PROMOTIONAL) outfit rostered a much sought-after car, the No. 6413 (MERCURY) Capsule Carrying Car.
10. A year later, Lionel managed to get only (ONE) set and (ZERO) accessories offered in the (WISHBOOK).  As if that wasn’t bad enough, Lionel’s 9-Unit (DIESEL) freight had to go head-to-head with the 79N9719L Allstate 6-Unit freight.  “(EITHER) set” $29.88, no money down.
11. To be fair, the Allstate set included two (SWITCHES), a 49N9733 plastic (DERRICK) crane (which (SEARS) hadn’t featured since 1955), a 49N9732 steel (TRESTLE) bridge, a station and several small accessories providing “fun possibilities”.
12. A similar set was offered in 1964, but now there were three more cars for only one (CENT) more!  But that wasn’t the big news.  No, it was the two (EXCLUSIVE) sets Lionel packaged for Sears.
13. A bargain at $19.89 was the No. 49N9820 “New Military (FREIGHTER)”, Lionel set No. 19326, which featured the No. 3666 “(LONG-TOM)” missile firing car.
14. Interestingly, the illustration of set No. 9820 shows a No. 242 loco and (SLOPE-BACK) tender instead of the No. 240 which was exclusive to this set.
15. Priced at $29.99, the 79N9807L “(GIANT) Steam Freighter” was the last great Lionel set of the 1960’s.  This four car outfit was powered by the No. 237 steam loco and included a No. 321 Trestle (BRIDGE), a 310 (BILLBOARD) Set, a pair of 1022 switches, and something you could only get at Sears.
16. The No. 346 Operating Culvert (UNLOADER) was the (MANUAL) version of the No. 345.  The accompanying No. 6342 (CULVERT) car was packaged separately, not in the accessory box as was the case with the Nos. 342 & 345.
17. Believe it or not, I’m writing this puzzle’s questions on Halloween and coincidentally I just learned that Sean Connery has passed away.  Why is that relevant?  Because I had been wondering how I was going to address the subject that there were no toy trains in the 1965 Christmas Book.  (Remember, these puzzles deal with only the mail-order catalogs and not with what Sears sold in stores.)  However, there was one heck of an amazing James (BOND) slot car set on pages 446 & 447 which almost makes up for the lack of 3-rail equipment.
18. 1966 provided the last high point for toy train lovers.  For only the second, and sadly last time, (GILBERT) managed to get one last set featured in this grand (NATIONAL) advertising campaign.
19. The 79N9803L (ALL-ABOARD) train set didn’t have Flyer’s best steam loco, but the six (SNOW)-scene (PANELS) included in the set’s $29.99 price plus the five (ADD-ON) panels priced at $4.97 or $6.99 each made for a memorable exit for the classic brand.
20. Lionel’s postwar last hurrah came the next year with the No. 635 (UNION) Pacific NW2 switcher you could find (ONLY) at Sears.

The story doesn’t end in 1967 of course.  Lionel had trains advertised in 1970and beyond in what was now officially the “Sears Wish Book”.  Want to see more?  Check out http://www.wishbookweb.com/the-catalogs/.  Also, if you’re like me and not lucky enough to have a collection of Sears Christmas Books from the Golden Years of toy trains, you might be fortunate enough to locate a copy of “The Toy Train Department: Electric Train Catalog Pages from the legendary Sears Christmas Wishbooks of the 1950’s and 1960’s” Edited by Thomas W. Holland, which was my primary source.