| 1969 was not the best year for Lionel, but an interesting year for the collector. This was the second postwar catalog to use color photographs of the product line(1966 was the other). Hence becoming a great reference piece for collectors. For the most part the catalog sets were all new with a brandnew set box with pasted pictures of the set on the exterior(finally). But for the most the sets were made up of old inventory with some rare varations. Even though the cover showed a 2331 FM, it wasn't offered. Engines included; 2041 R.I. Alco AA, 2024 C&O Alco A, 645 U.P. Switcher, all the diesels were new for 1969, and a 2029 steamer(the rare 1968 version assembled and stamped Japan). Rare rolling stock included; 3376 Giraffe car with yellow letters, 6415 Sunoco tankcar with metal trucks. But the big news for the collector was the five reissued 6464's(-75, -200, -400, -500, -725). The 6464-725 was cataloged as a 6464-425, but created a scare black -725 by mistakingly using the org.-725 heat-stamp and then packing it in a -425 box. "- 425" was the original suffix for the black N.H. issued in 1956, and the intended reissue number in 1969(the photo in the catalog is a -425). For todays collector the big news was the basic rolling stock was repackaged in new checkboard boxes with Hillside, NJ or Hagerstown, MD printed on them, and with rubber-stamped item ends. The catalog was an 8 printed pages, with the artwork cover (accessory pages were drawn). A simple year and catalog, but extremelly hard to find. |
