SUNDAY PUZZLE FUN 12-6-20 THREE FOR CHRISTMAS

[pennytrains]

THREE FOR CHRISTMAS
55 WORDS

1. (TOY) trains and (CHRISTMAS).  They go together like bacon and eggs.  But other than just (THREE) products, nothing about (LIONEL) or (AMERICAN) (FLYER) trains were really specific to the (HOLIDAY) season prior to 1969.
2. Sure, there were (RED) Comets and Green (DIAMONDS) and cars and (ACCESSORIES) galore painted in those colors.  But no specific Christmas products before 1935 and only two after that.
3. For two years during the Great (DEPRESSION) Lionel manufactured the Nos. 1105 and 1106 (HANDCARS) using (IVES) design (CLOCKWORK) motors.
4. At one end of the car stood (SANTA) (CLAUS) holding the (HANDLES) of the pumping lever.  On his back was his white toy sack with (MICKEY) (MOUSE) awaiting delivery to a lucky child.
5. The opposite end of the “Lionel Santa Car”, as they were known, featured a green (TREE), undecorated except for hints of (SNOW), planted in a red pot riding the extended platform also used on the No. 1103 (CHICK-MOBILE).
6. Unlike the No. 1105, which sometimes had a (GREEN) base, the 1106 was always painted red.  The main difference however, was that the 1106 lacked the (SACK) upon Santa’s back and was intended for export to (EUROPE).
7. Lionel advertising proclaimed “Oh Boy!  Here’s What You Want for (X-MAS)” while the American Flyer (MANUFACTURING) Company warned consumers to “(SELECT) your Christmas train (WISELY)!”
8. In fact, (TRU-VUE) Incorporated of (ROCK) Island Illinois made a filmstrip titled “Santa’s (WORKSHOP)” inside the Flyer factory on (HALSTED) Street in Chicago to help cement the link between Christmas and toy (TRAINS).  This film was released in 1938 by the way, but John A. (GRAMS) in his December 1998 CTT article identified the (MODELS) photographed as being from the 1933 product line.
9. Then BAM!  In 1959 both Lionel and Flyer cataloged (FLAT) cars carrying trees.  But which came first?
10. The A. F. No. 24558 “Christmas Tree (TRANSPORT) Car” was painted (TUSCAN) and came lettered for (CANADIAN) Pacific.  The (CATALOG) image showed the car loaded with a veritable (FOREST) of trees, but in reality the car only came with (FOUR).
11. The trees were packaged in a (PLASTIC) bag which was (STAPLED) closed and could be either the hard-(RUBBER) type or the (FIBER) kind (rubberized fiber attached to a plastic trunk) over the car’s two year run.
12. Also available in 1959 and 1960 was Lionel’s No. 6826 car.  Okay.  I don’t know what species of (WEED) they used for the load but the only thing “(EVERGREEN)” about the clumps of greens placed on the car is the (DYE) they were dipped in.
13. Doing a bit of math, at 1:48 the roughly eleven inch long “trees” would be 44 feet tall.  A wee bit large for the average (POSTWAR) American household!  Maybe they were intended for public (DISPLAYS) in Lionelville town squares?
14. Comparing the two, (GILBERT’S) car looks refined and designed while Lionel’s smacks of desperation.  This suggests that Lionel was playing catch-up.  Maybe they should have purchased (PLASTICVILLE) pines instead of plucking ground cover to compete?
15. At any rate, that was it for the first 69 years of production from Lionel and 62 years for American Flyer.  Why?  We may never know for sure.  Personally I believe that decision makers at both companies held one ideal above everything they did.  Nurture a child’s (IMAGINATION) and let them take things from there.  And didn’t you do just that?

[pennytrains]

THREE FOR CHRISTMAS
55 WORDS

1. (_ _ _) trains and (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _).  They go together like bacon and eggs.  But other than just (_ _ _ _ _) products, nothing about (_ _ _ _ _ _) or (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) (_ _ _ _ _) trains were really specific to the (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) season prior to 1969.
2. Sure, there were (_ _ _) Comets and Green (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) and cars and (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ P_ _ _ _) galore painted in those colors.  But no specific Christmas products before 1935 and only two after that.
3. For two years during the Great (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Lionel manufactured the Nos. 1105 and 1106 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) using (_ _ _ _) design (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) motors.
4. At one end of the car stood (_ _ _ _ _) (_ _ _ _ _) holding the (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) of the pumping lever.  On his back was his white toy sack with (_ _ _ _ _ _) (_ _ _ _ _ ) awaiting delivery to a lucky child.
5. The opposite end of the “Lionel Santa Car”, as they were known, featured a green (_ _ _ _), undecorated except for hints of (_ _ _ _), planted in a red pot riding the extended platform also used on the No. 1103 (_ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _).
6. Unlike the No. 1105, which sometimes had a (_ _ _ _ _) base, the 1106 was always painted red.  The main difference however, was that the 1106 lacked the (_ _ _ _) upon Santa’s back and was intended for export to (_ _ _ _ _ _).
7. Lionel advertising proclaimed “Oh Boy!  Here’s What You Want for (_ - _ _ _)” while the American Flyer (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Company warned consumers to “(_ _ _ _ _ _) your Christmas train (_ _ _ _ _ _)!”
8. In fact, (_ _ _ - _ _ _) Incorporated of (_ _ _ _) Island Illinois made a filmstrip titled “Santa’s (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _)” inside the Flyer factory on (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) Street in Chicago to help cement the link between Christmas and toy (_ _ _ _ _ _).  This film was released in 1938 by the way, but John A. (_ _ _ _ _) in his December 1998 CTT article identified the (_ _ _ _ _ _) photographed as being from the 1933 product line.
9. Then BAM!  In 1959 both Lionel and Flyer cataloged (_ _ _ _) cars carrying trees.  But which came first?
10. The A. F. No. 24558 “Christmas Tree (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Car” was painted (_ _ _ _ _ _) and came lettered for (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Pacific.  The (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) image showed the car loaded with a veritable (_ _ _ _ _ _) of trees, but in reality the car only came with (_ _ _ _).
11. The trees were packaged in a (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) bag which was (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) closed and could be either the hard-(_ _ _ _ _ _) type or the (_ _ _ _ _) kind (rubberized fiber attached to a plastic trunk) over the car’s two year run.
12. Also available in 1959 and 1960 was Lionel’s No. 6826 car.  Okay.  I don’t know what species of (_ _ _ _) they used for the load but the only thing “(_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _)” about the clumps of greens placed on the car is the (_ _ _) they were dipped in.
13. Doing a bit of math, at 1:48 the roughly eleven inch long “trees” would be 44 feet tall.  A wee bit large for the average (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) American household!  Maybe they were intended for public (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) in Lionelville town squares?
14. Comparing the two, (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ ‘ _) car looks refined and designed while Lionel’s smacks of desperation.  This suggests that Lionel was playing catch-up.  Maybe they should have purchased (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) pines instead of plucking ground cover to compete?
15. At any rate, that was it for the first 69 years of production from Lionel and 62 years for American Flyer.  Why?  We may never know for sure.  Personally I believe that decision makers at both companies held one ideal above everything they did.  Nurture a child’s (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) and let them take things from there.  And didn’t you do just that?