SUNDAY PUZZLE FUN 12-19-21 IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME IN THE CITY

[pennytrains]

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME IN THE CITY 1
56 WORDS

1. “Strings of street lights, even (STOP) lights, blink a bright red and green” say the lyrics of my favorite (CHRISTMAS) song, first sung in 1950 by William “Fred Mertz” (FRAWLEY) believe it or not.  But (LIONEL) fans probably had (BLUE) and (ORANGE) on their minds during that holiday season, and a lucky few got to make the pilgrimage to 15 (EAST) 26th Street in New York City to see “The Greatest (LAYOUT) Ever Built!”  That’s a quote from “Lionel’s (SHOWROOM) Layouts” (the CTT SIP from 2011) that I happen to agree with.
2. Just imagine being ten years old and holding your mother’s hand (Mom would have insisted, New York is a big place after all!) as you passed by the massive (MOCK - UP) of the front end of the Pennsylvania Railroad’s (TURBINE) locomotive and into the hallowed hall where the 16 by 32 foot “New Lionel (PANORAMA)” awaited your gaze.
3. However, the roar of at least (FIVE) trains running on independent lines, plus switchers working in the east side (YARD) and all the various (TRAINS) and (ACCESSORIES) being demonstrated both on and off the main table probably caught your ears long before the layout came into your line of sight.
4. Very likely it (SNOWED) recently in (LIONELVILLE), especially if you’re visiting after (THANKSGIVING).  And maybe you can’t “hear the snow (CRUNCH)” as the song says, but surely you would “see the kids (BUNCH)” around LIONEL’S “big scene”.  You may have had to be very patient to get your turn at the (RAILING) that surrounds the big table.  And, hopefully, Mom (or Dad or whoever brought you to see this miniature (WONDERLAND)) will give you ample time to see it from every angle possible.
5. Take the (SOUTH) end for example.  It would be a crime to miss all the (ACTION) taking place at Lionelville’s main (PASSENGER) terminal.  Maybe you were lucky enough to see this part of the layout before the No. 115 Lionel (CITY) Station was replaced by the No. 132 Illuminated Station With (AUTOMATIC) Train Control.  This simple change helped to cement the idea that the “age of enameled steel” was coming to an end and the “age of (PLASTICS)” was at hand.
6. All those (RED) roofed No. 156 (ILLUMINATED) Station Platforms lined up in front of the station, (TEN) of them to be exact, represent the earliest days of plastics manufacturing.  With roofs and (BASES) made of (PAINTED) Bakelite, they’re probably not the only things you’ll see made of that (COMPRESSION) molded material.
7. Lionel’s magnificent semi - scale renditions of the Pennsy’s GG-1’s are hauling strings of deluxe (HEAVYWEIGHT) Bakelite passenger cars on the (UNDERGROUND) tracks.  The longer of these two lines would later be “(DAYLIGHTED)” at the opposite end of the layout to better demonstrate the marvels of (MAGNETRACTION).  Not to mention the hand made (CATENARY) installed along this line.
8. Above the station you spy Lionel’s No. 671R, the “portable” version of the locomotive you walked past at the showroom entrance.  It’s leading set No. 4109WS, the (ELECTRONIC) Control Set, around the “figure eight” shaped track line on the highest of the layout’s three (LEVELS).  This line doesn’t use an 020 or 020X (CROSSOVER) though.  Instead it provides a perfect environment for demonstrating the (NON - DERAILING) feature of Lionel’s (TURNOUTS).
9. At the south end of the high line is what could be called a “(CUL - DE - SAC) community”.  Although you may have had a hard time seeing the (HAND - MADE) houses unless someone hoisted you up onto their shoulders.  Strangely, there’s a four - sided yellow (TRAFFIC - LIGHT) suspended over the circular street.  Maybe it tells residents when it’s safe to back out of their driveways?
10. A neat roadway (RAMP) leads up to this level on the (WEST) side, and it is intersected by a road that traverses a delicate (TRESTLE) bridge above the (FOUR) tracks on the layout’s main level.  They bend in and back out on this side of the table to allow for the placement of tracks and accessories near the table’s edge.  In my humble opinion, this is one of designer Robert (SHERMAN ‘ S) best ideas.
11. You may have heard of Mr. Sherman if you were a subscriber to Lionel’s (MODEL - BUILDER) Magazine where this gentleman was a consulting editor.  But he wasn’t alone of course!  Lionel wisely hired the team at (DIORAMA) Studios to design and construct this masterpiece.
12. Since the word count is getting high, I’ll quiz you on their names in part 2.  In the meantime, let your mind’s eye listen to the “(CHILDREN) laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile, and on every street corner you’ll hear…”
    
    To be continued…

[pennytrains]

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME IN THE CITY 1
56 WORDS

1. “Strings of street lights, even (_ _ _ _) lights, blink a bright red and green” say the lyrics of my favorite (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) song, first sung in 1950 by William “Fred Mertz” (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) believe it or not.  But (_ _ _ _ _ _) fans probably had (_ _ _ _) and (_ _ _ _ _ _) on their minds during that holiday season, and a lucky few got to make the pilgrimage to 15 (_ _ _ _) 26th Street in New York City to see “The Greatest (_ _ _ _ _ _) Ever Built!”  That’s a quote from “Lionel’s (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Layouts” (the CTT SIP from 2011) that I happen to agree with.
2. Just imagine being ten years old and holding your mother’s hand (Mom would have insisted, New York is a big place after all!) as you passed by the massive (_ _ _ _ - _ _) of the front end of the Pennsylvania Railroad’s (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) locomotive and into the hallowed hall where the 16 by 32 foot “New Lionel (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _)” awaited your gaze.
3. However, the roar of at least (_ _ _ _) trains running on independent lines, plus switchers working in the east side (_ _ _ _) and all the various (_ _ _ _ _ _) and (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) being demonstrated both on and off the main table probably caught your ears long before the layout came into your line of sight.
4. Very likely it (_ _ _ _ _ _) recently in (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _), especially if you’re visiting after (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _).  And maybe you can’t “hear the snow (_ _ _ _ _ _)” as the song says, but surely you would “see the kids (_ _ _ _ _)” around LIONEL’S “big scene”.  You may have had to be very patient to get your turn at the (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) that surrounds the big table.  And, hopefully, Mom (or Dad or whoever brought you to see this miniature (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _)) will give you ample time to see it from every angle possible.
5. Take the (_ _ _ _ _) end for example.  It would be a crime to miss all the (_ _ _ _ _ _) taking place at Lionelville’s main (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) terminal.  Maybe you were lucky enough to see this part of the layout before the No. 115 Lionel (_ _ _ _) Station was replaced by the No. 132 Illuminated Station With (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Train Control.  This simple change helped to cement the idea that the “age of enameled steel” was coming to an end and the “age of (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _)” was at hand.
6. All those (_ _ _) roofed No. 156 (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Station Platforms lined up in front of the station, (_ _ _) of them to be exact, represent the earliest days of plastics manufacturing.  With roofs and (_ _ _ _ _) made of (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) Bakelite, they’re probably not the only things you’ll see made of that (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) molded material.
7. Lionel’s magnificent semi - scale renditions of the Pennsy’s GG-1’s are hauling strings of deluxe (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Bakelite passenger cars on the (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) tracks.  The longer of these two lines would later be “(_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _)” at the opposite end of the layout to better demonstrate the marvels of (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _).  Not to mention the hand made (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) installed along this line.
8. Above the station you spy Lionel’s No. 671R, the “portable” version of the locomotive you walked past at the showroom entrance.  It’s leading set No. 4109WS, the (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Control Set, around the “figure eight” shaped track line on the highest of the layout’s three (_ _ _ _ _ _).  This line doesn’t use an 020 or 020X (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) though.  Instead it provides a perfect environment for demonstrating the (_ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) feature of Lionel’s (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _).
9. At the south end of the high line is what could be called a “(_ _ _ - _ _ - _ _ _) community”.  Although you may have had a hard time seeing the (_ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _) houses unless someone hoisted you up onto their shoulders.  Strangely, there’s a four - sided yellow (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _) suspended over the circular street.  Maybe it tells residents when it’s safe to back out of their driveways?
10. A neat roadway (_ _ _ _) leads up to this level on the (_ _ _ _) side, and it is intersected by a road that traverses a delicate (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) bridge above the (_ _ _ _) tracks on the layout’s main level.  They bend in and back out on this side of the table to allow for the placement of tracks and accessories near the table’s edge.  In my humble opinion, this is one of designer Robert (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ ‘ _) best ideas.
11. You may have heard of Mr. Sherman if you were a subscriber to Lionel’s (_ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _) Magazine where this gentleman was a consulting editor.  But he wasn’t alone of course!  Lionel wisely hired the team at (_ _ _ _ _ _ _) Studios to design and construct this masterpiece.
12. Since the word count is getting high, I’ll quiz you on their names in part 2.  In the meantime, let your mind’s eye listen to the “(_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _) laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile, and on every street corner you’ll hear…”
    
    To be continued…