Customer Reviews

Inside The Lionel Trains Fun Factory: The History of a Manufacturing Icon and The Place Where Childhood Dreams Were Made

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I made a mistake in picking this up. From the cover and title, I thought it would be about the Lionel trains I and so many other kids grew up.

Not remotely.

This is a book for Lionel hobbyists and aficionados, people who dote on every detail of Lionel's history. It is a biography of the company, a detailed exposition of the Lionel manufacturing process, its buildings and people. It is predicated on an early ad for the company featuring founder Joshua Lionel Cowen inviting boys (back then, the target market for toy electric trains) to join him on a "trip thru my factory" so they could learn "why Lionel trains are better".

Author Robert Osterhoff is a retired Xerox executive. He is a mediocre writer, with s ponderous style - but a superb researcher. The amount of detail contained in this book is nothing short of astounding. Reproductions for old city platbooks show where the factories were located; copies of incorporation forms; reproductions of stock certificates reflect the growth and decline of the company. Catalog covers are reproduced, but alas, not the products within their covers. There are dozens of photographs of factory buildings occupied by Lionel during its histories, including many of the facilities as they exist today, abandoned or being used by others.

Above all, this is a history of the origins of Lionel, its rise to dominance in toy trains and its rather sad decline, something many of the boys who played with Lionel trains paid no attention to. Reading about it decades after I last played with a Lionel train is sad. Lionel became a victim of the "conglomerate" craze of the 1950s - 60s when entrepreneurs used buckets of borrowed money to create hodgepodges of unrelated companies that were supposed to create profits through "synergy". A lot of money was lost and many fine old companies went down the tubes.

Through his rather dense prose and abundant illustrations, Osterhoff does tell the story of Lionel trains. While this volume is clearly aimed at the Lionel enthusiast, the casual reader may find it interesting as well - but the hobbyist will gain the greatest benefit from this book.

Jerry

This book is the kind of book you can not put down. The more you read - the more you will want to read. There is so much detail, facts and photographs from 'behind the lines' of the Lionel production factory that up to now was not readily available. Unless you were an employee or knew an employee during the classic era of Lionel production, it would be difficult to obtain this information. It takes the hobby of collecting Lionel trains to a new level because now, as when John Schmid's 'Authoritative Guide to Lionel Promotional Outfits' was released, it expands the knowledge base of seasoned and novice collectors alike. A must have to add to your Lionel reference collection or would make a great gift. Enjoy!

This book is the most complete book you will ever find about Lionel's factories and the people that worked in them. It's an incredible book and very through. Every Lionel fan needs this book

Really and outstanding piece of work. Shows loads of effort and work on the writers part. A must have book for everyone having and interest in Toy Trains. I give it 5 Stars.

Bob Ohls, former owner and operator of a Hobby Shop and a Lionel Value Added Dealer for 18 years.

THis book is a wonderful insight into the internal workings of the Lionel train factory. If you enjoy vfintage Lionel Trains....the truly great ones from the 30s-50s you will enjoy this book. This book is an essential part of every toy train collectors library.

Very interesting reading from cover to cover. Old and new Lionel equipment is still sought after as if it was gold. The book takes you from beginning (early 1900 to final ending of production in 2001 in the United States. All products are now made off shore in a factory in China, and then shipped to customers in the U.S.

This book gives one a lot of interesting facts about the history of the greatest toy train maker in the world. They have survived all kinds of problems, and are still producing trains for collectors/operators of all ages.

very interesting and quite informational. illustrations were very good, husband likes it very much.

Without a doubt, this book is the holy grail of Lionel trains and their manufacturing plants. In depth written and photographic history as never told in one book. If you are serious about Lionel trains and their history, this is a must have book for your library. 5 Stars!

I bought this book expecting it to be filled with Lionel trains and the making of Lionel trains but was sadly disappointed. Even the picture on the cover is totally misleading. Instead of the trains and the manufacturing of such, it was mostly legal papers, drawings, inside photos of the old abandoned buildings, papers signed by Joshua Cowen, history of the buidings and Joshua Cowen and so on. If your a history buff and would enjoy seeing all that stuff fine. But if you thought it would be filled with the manufacturing of Lionel trains with lots of photos of same forget it. Wasted money.