Customer Reviews

Lionel: A Century of Timeless Toy Trains

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

 

 

This is best described as a "coffee table" book, both because of its large format of 11" by 12" and because of its content. While the text gives an adequate overview of the history of Lionel electric trains, it does not approach the depth and detail that has already been attained by other authors. Perhaps it is best compared to a textbook for a freshman level survey course, somewhat on the superficial side and with scant detail but adequate to provide a general understanding of the topic. While there is a bibliography, there are no citations within the text, so it is impossible to pursue the author's source for any particular claim or assertion. As disturbing as this are textual omissions; for example, while external socio-economic factors are often cited as causes for the decline of large-scale electric trains in the late 1950s through the 1960s, other authors have also called into question the competency of internal management once Lionel passed from its founder's control. Yet, there is no hint of mismanagement in Ponzol's book, and very few names are named anywhere in it. Inasmuch as the book is "officially licensed" by Lionel, one must wonder whether special pains were taken to avoid any innuendo or slight where the Lionel name might be concerned. Speaking of omissions, the list of model train clubs in the back omits one of the major ones, the Lionel Collectors Club of America, while including a listing for the defunct Lionel Ambassadors Club.

The full-color photography occupies a major portion of the book, with quite a few full-page photos. Most of the pictures are of extreme close ups of Lionel locomotives, cars and accessories chosen to provide examples of the major manufacturing eras of Lionel trains, i.e., pre war, post war, and modern. This is not intended as a photographic inventory of all or even most Lionel production, and only a very minute percentage of that production appears. Many photos focus sharply on a front corner of the model, allowing everything else to dissolve into a blurry cloud. Considering the extensive depth of field achieved by using a pinhole lens, this blurring must result from a conscious artistic decision, one that should have been reconsidered.

Better histories are available in Ron Hollander's "All Aboard!" and in Tom McComus and James Tuohy's six-volume set "A Collector's Guide and History to Lionel Trains," although neither extends to the present day. The "Collector's Guide" volumes also contain a fairly comprehensive photographic inventory of Lionel production through 1980. However, for those who want an overview of Lionel's history without committing the time required to study multiple volumes, Ponzol's book does provide a satisfactory solution packaged in an attractive, well bound volume.

The Lionel toy company celebrates its one hundredth year of supply the children (and adults!) of the country with toy trains, settings and accessories. Lionel trains are famous world-wide and the favored collectibles of legions of fans and collectors of all ages. In Lionel: A Century Of Classic Toy Trains, ardent and knowledgeable collector Dan Ponzol provides a wealth of detailed information on specific sets, rare models, a history of the company, wonderfully illustrated throughout with reproduced images from legendary catalogs and Lionel train ads, as well as representative models from his own expansive collection. This coffee table showcase book is a "must" for all true Lionel train fans.

This is the best book I have ever read about Lionel trains. It is complete with pictures, history, and popularity. This is a must for all train collectors young and old. I'm a model train expert and I learned some things I didn't even know from this book! My hat is off to this auther because he did such a wonderul job.

This book is for everyone who always wanted a Lionel set, and never got one. The photographs accurately capture the marketing appeal of the sets and take you back to when you were eight years old and a Lionel train set was what you wanted for Christmas. The book commemorates 100 years of Lionel trains.

For those who know Lionel as a company and as a product well, this volume will probably prove to be disappointing. It is an "overview of the company's development and the way its products reflect the eras in which they were produced." Now, there's nothing wrong with that, but those who know Lionel well already have that perspective. So if you are an expert, I suggest that you avoid this book.

The strength of of this book lies in the photographs by Bill Milne. He has done a fine job of capturing the child's eye view of the cars and accessories. You can almost feel the rug pressing against your cheek as you remember lying sideways to get a closer look at ground level of someone else's new set.

Many of the pieces I had not seen before, especially from the 70s and on. If I had a place to put a set, I'd almost be tempted to make a belated start.

I was pretty familiar with Lionel over the last 50 years, so it was the early years that added to my knowledge. The founder, Joshua Lionel Cohen (later changed to Cowen), was interesting to me. He had a good technical background for toy trains, having been educated at Cooper Union and partially completing degree work in engineering at Columbia. His first job was for Acme Electric Light Company, which made many small electric appliances. He developed a way to ignite magnesium more evenly, and used that to found his own company to make fuses for the military. This led to a light for illuminating plants, a fan, and finally a battery-powered train. The rest is history.

The text comes across like something out of a fan magazine more than as a legitimate history. As an "authorized" version, undoubtedly the people at Lionel had some influence. I graded the book down one star for lack of insight into what all of this history means.

Think about how toys create aspirations and lives. What toys created what aspirations in you? Did an erector set cause you to take engineering courses? Did a microscope help establish a career in biology? If you had a toy train, how did that influence you?

What gifts should you give your children and grandchildren this holiday season to make for the best aspirations in their lives for the years ahead?

This "licensed" Lionel book has been corporately washed and shoved out the door. The photography is stylish, but hardly informative. Lionel buffs want the real story of Lionel's rise and fall, rise and fall with real people behind the pictures. For a Lionel fan, this book is a big disappointment. A better book just came out entitled "Lionel: America's Favorite Toy Trains" by MBI Publishers. It is everything this book isn't - and cheaper.

This book is great for train enthusiasts, and I was totoally pleased with the service of this vendor. Highly recommend!

This book will seem a little standoffish with way the pictures are in this book, very clear and close. Then I realized the importance of this was for you to look at only the Lionel Train in the Photograph. All the pictures are excellent and some even feature non Mint items. The text in what I think a little basic.It is good for the Pre, Post War era with some detail but then just skims through MPC to present. All in all the pictures is what makes this book great anyways

I thought that this is an excellent book about the standard train company of the world called Lionel. I thought the book gave a good prospective of the company, but unbenonst to all, Lionel is not quality. If you want high quality railroading, you should look at a company called Mike's Train House and I think they should make a book about them. Overall, I would like to say, Happy 100th Birthday Lionel!