Anyone know the answer? I don't.

http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve...=800108941#800108941

According to LCCA... The last made-in-the USA Lionel train was manufactured at the Michigan factory in August, 2001. That manufacturing facility has now been closed and Lionel trains are now produced in the Pacific rim according to the precise high quality standards of Lionel LLC

http://www.lionelcollectors.or.../collecting_faqs.asp

Thanks, guys, but neither reply answers the specific question.

Ah, A trick question. Where is Neil Young when you need him??

http://www.coldsplinters.com/2...dreamer-of-pictures/

From looking at the boxes in the hobby shops and toy stores there were many train sets with most components made in China between 1996-2001.

Andrew

So is the question the last 100% made in USA train set or last train set no matter if some it was made in Mexico/China/etc.?

If 100% - then I would say 1969 or before...

I am sure some components of TMCC engines were made overseas...

I know that the last engine made in USA was the Nickel Plate semi-scale Berkshire.

This is a really interesting question that I would like to know as well. Mainly just for curiosity sake. In addition, it would be neat to know the following as well:

Last Engine: Nawlins said NKP Berkshire
Last Set:?
Last piece of rolling stock: ?
Absolutely last piece of anything (rolling stock, engine, part or even maybe an accessory)?

Getting sentimental TOOG

Charlie

quote:

If 100% - then I would say 1969 or before...

Yes - 1965 or earlier to be safe.

If anyone is in contact with Mike Bragga, he probably could answer the set question. Kind of a trick question, Since starter set steamer boilers were made in Macaw for quite a while, most of the rest of the set was made in Chesterfield. A GP engined diesel set was probably the last mostly US content set made. I believe one of the first sets to be made in Asia was the 2nd run of the O gauge Thomas. First year Thomas were US made and much better quality.

quote:

This is a really interesting question that I would like to know as well. Mainly just for curiosity sake. In addition, it would be neat to know the following as well:

Last Engine: Nawlins said NKP Berkshire
Last Set:?
Last piece of rolling stock: ?
Absolutely last piece of anything

I can pretty much assure you the last cataloged set made in America was the #6-31919 T&P Eagle passenger set. It also may have been the very last of anything made here in America.
Last pieces of actual cataloged RS were the the #6-17271 RI & #6-17272 Rail box standard O boxcars assembled just prior to that set...
Joe

quote:

I know that the last engine made in USA was the Nickel Plate semi-scale Berkshire.

I know that what they advertised--however I have that they put together a few Hudsons left over from the gold Hudson run after the NP was complete.
Scott Smith

quote:

Originally posted by scott.smith:

quote:

I know that the last engine made in USA was the Nickel Plate semi-scale Berkshire.

I know that what they advertised--however I have that they put together a few Hudsons left over from the gold Hudson run after the NP was complete.
Scott Smith

Cool piece of history...thanks Scott.

Is #38015 that Hudson that was produced in very limited quantities...50 perhaps?

quote:

Is #38015 that Hudson that was produced in very limited quantities...50 perhaps?

That's the one I was referring to. Only in the model train business would you see an item with a certificate saying it is the last one and a collectible only to find out it is marketing spin and a totally false statement.
Scott Smith

quote:

Originally posted by bigo426:

quote:

If 100% - then I would say 1969 or before...

Yes - 1965 or earlier to be safe.

I believe some of the MPC sets were 100% made in the USA as were some made under the LTI banner. Later LTI starter sets started with foreign made transformers and then later steam engine shells.

How about the 773 #38015 being the last eng made in USA. This eng was made from left over parts from the Century Club 1 offering.

I have heard about this story as well, but something does not seem correct.

I have the CC1 Hudson, and nowhere does it state on the engine that it is "made in the USA". All my other Lionel’s that were made here have it stamped on the shell or chassis.

It does say on the box, "Guaranteed, made and litho in the USA".

My question is, if the CC1 was not made in the US, than how could the Hudson #38015 be made in the US?

It does not seem logical that Lionel would have had the parts shipped back to Michigan and reassembled to make that many Hudson’s.

Again, I don't have proof one way or the other, but it just does not make sense.

Does anyone have something additional to add, other than "I heard from..."

Charlie

The Century Club I brochure stated that all items in the series would be made in Michigan.

I didn't know about the 38015 Hudson. Please tell me more...was it cataloged? Can they still be found in new condition?

quote:

Originally posted by Nawlins:

quote:

Originally posted by scott.smith:

quote:

I know that the last engine made in USA was the Nickel Plate semi-scale Berkshire.

I know that what they advertised--however I have that they put together a few Hudsons left over from the gold Hudson run after the NP was complete.
Scott Smith

Cool piece of history...thanks Scott.

Is #38015 that Hudson that was produced in very limited quantities...50 perhaps?

190 Hudsons were made, and distributed EQUALLY among the TOP TEN Lionel Dealers...this is not the last USA Locomotive...there is an older thread on here documenting this answer...this engine runs around $1500!!!

Isn't this information that the TCA should have nailed down and, therefore, an easy question to answer.

Do they have an archivist or "librarian" sitting at a phone at the HQ just waiting for calls to render information?

If that organization doesn't keep track of this type of information...what do they do?

I just emailed them to see what they have to say.

quote:

Isn't this information that the TCA should have nailed down and, therefore, an easy question to answer.

Do they have an archivist or "librarian" sitting at a phone at the HQ just waiting for calls to render information?

Over the continuing 109 year Lionel timeline, the TCA timeline of accuracy ends at 1969.
Joe

quote:

Originally posted by threerailnut:

quote:

This is a really interesting question that I would like to know as well. Mainly just for curiosity sake. In addition, it would be neat to know the following as well:

Last Engine: Nawlins said NKP Berkshire
Last Set:?
Last piece of rolling stock: ?
Absolutely last piece of anything

I can pretty much assure you the last cataloged set made in America was the #6-31919 T&P Eagle passenger set. It also may have been the very last of anything made here in America.
Last pieces of actual cataloged RS were the the #6-17271 RI & #6-17272 Rail box standard O boxcars assembled just prior to that set...

Joe

I thought the last rolling stock produced were the PRR and Santa Fe Crewtalk Cabeese?

quote:

I didn't know about the 38015 Hudson. Please tell me more...was it cataloged? Can they still be found in new condition?

~Michael

The #38015 Hudsons were reassembled from unsold and extra CC-1 Hudsons months prior to the last cataloged steamer, the NKP Berkshire. released in Feburary of 2001.
The confusion came about ( confirmed to me by Dick Maddox) because they were warehoused for months before it was made known to dealers in April 2001 after the NKP's release.
As it turns out, dealer hype took over to get the long dollar as nowhere did Lionel ever state it was the last American made engine, only the last Hudson. All 193 engines were divided up equally by Lionels top 10 dealers.
Eventually that mark fell as well.. The last reassembled American made Hudson ended up as a small release (under 100) of customer returned Gold Hudsons.
These gold shells were all reconditioned and reassembled (bodies reattached to frame)somewhere late in June of 2001 and returned to those dealers who were shorted on the first release.....
BTW, Lionel produced track in Chesterfield well into 2002.
Joe

quote:

I thought the last rolling stock produced were the PRR and Santa Fe Crewtalk Cabeese?

Jim

Jim, It was all produced within a few short months. It's hard to say without accurate documentation if those cabeese were the last pieces of RS or which came later. They were the last separate sale cabeese..
Makes no difference, This is finite history here It will eventually show the 2001 end of production will become the most significant event in Lionels continuing 109 year historic timeline. I'm not really interested in preserving what the Chinese can do better. I buy the cool new Lionel afterglow stuff to run, have fun with and eventually unload for something better just like every other non essential item I own.
There are plenty of lasts to record. From the small American made WB series to the last GG-1 to the last diesel to just about everything Lionel manufactured in the states before the plant was shuttered for good..
Some of that great original American made stuff dates back to the early MPC era.
PW era Lionel collectors will scoff at this, but those last reissues were some of the very best most highly detailed trains Lionel ever built.
In time all will become highly prized to those who appreaciate iconic collectables of old Americana.
Joe

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JC642,

I know one of the first starter sets made overseas in 2001 was the QVC Soo Line GP-9 TOFC set.

Set 21970 (2000-2001) has an interesting variation, the 2000 made US sets have a one dome SP tank car. Apparently when the move to China was started in 2001 there was an issue involving the 1d tank car tooling, so the 2001 China made sets contain a 3 dome tanker, which is actually assigned the same Lionel SKU number, 26110.

I worked at Fryer's Store at the time of the changeover, and I bought a Pere Marquette Berkshire, based on the 736, which was supposedly the last mass-produced loco made in the US. That is the only reason I bought it, although it is a nice traditional sized loco with a basic Railsounds tender. Just for what it is worth.

quote:

threerailnut writes: All 193 engines were divided up equally by Lionels top 10 dealers.

Math doesn't work!

quote:

I worked at Fryer's Store at the time of the changeover, and I bought a Pere Marquette Berkshire, based on the 736, which was supposedly the last mass-produced loco made in the US. That is the only reason I bought it, although it is a nice traditional sized loco with a basic Railsounds tender. Just for what it is worth.

Um... the Pere Marquette Berk came out a good ten years before Lionel moved over-seas.

Jon

quote:

I bought a Pere Marquette Berkshire, based on the 736, which was supposedly the last mass-produced loco made in the US

Actually what you bought was Kughn's first modern era remake of the PW Berk produced with new tooling.
I remember it well.
A nice engine with great sounds for its day.
Joe

quote:

Originally posted by threerailnut:

quote:

I bought a Pere Marquette Berkshire, based on the 736, which was supposedly the last mass-produced loco made in the US

Actually what you bought was Kughn's first modern era remake of the PW Berk produced with new tooling.
I remember it well.
A nice engine with great sounds for its day.
Joe

Joe,

I agree...that was one sweet running engine. I remember it was compared to a Railking Mohawk in one of MTH's first videos.

Oh well, wrong again! I should have known as it has the same sounds as the Reading T-1, from 1989. Doesn't change the fact that it is one of my favorite locos, even with a "non-anthracite" roadname. It does run nice, smokes well, and with the Railsounds tender, is just the right volume for a small layout in the home. Thanks for setting me straight.

Ok, so to bring this back on topic it looks like some of the answers are as follows:

Last Set: (original question) 6-31919 T&P Eagle passenger set. This was a maybe; can anyone add to, or dispute this information?

Last loco: NKP Berkshire, the Hudson in question came a month(s) or so before the Berk. This was confirmed to me as well by Tony Wallis from Americas Best Train. He was/is sure the Hudson came before the Berkshire.

Last Rolling Stock: PRR and Santa Fe Crew talk. Again, can anyone post any additional information regarding these pieces?

Last Accessory: Track. Someone posted that the track machines were moved in June 2001 from the factory. Not necessarily out of the country, just out of the Lionel factory.

This information has been collected from this thread as well as a few older messages. As was said above, any additional information to these questions would be appreciated by everyone.

Charlie

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Charlie,

Thanx for the summary, Charlie. Where's Todd Wagner when we need him?

Thank you, Charlie...excellent work.

quote:

Last loco: NKP Berkshire, the Hudson in question came a month(s) or so before the Berk. This was confirmed to me as well by Tony Wallis from Americas Best Train. He was/is sure the Hudson came before the Berkshire.

The last engine Lionel produced, the NKP Berk has been safely preserved, Here's an X-ray shot in its buried hideout.
Never again will it be be seen or touched by humans...Maybe overpreserved?..

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JC642,

Hi Guys:

A friend e-mailed me about this thread and asked if I could correct and/or add to some of the info being tossed around.

Off the top of my head, most everything mentioned so far is about right with the exception of the Rock and Railbox Standard O boxcars. These came a few months before the last bunch of Rolling Stock, and were actually decorated in the Orient.

I'll try to dig-out my marked-up 2000 Volume 2 and 2001 Volume 1 "transition" catalogs, and I'm sure a few things will pop into my head when I get a minute to review.

Regards,
Todd Wagner

quote:

Off the top of my head, most everything mentioned so far is about right with the exception of the Rock and Railbox Standard O boxcars. These came a few months before the last bunch of Rolling Stock, and were actually decorated in the Orient.

Todd, I don't have the box handy to confirrm it, but I checked my records from when I researched it back in 2001. It shows both those cars were produced in Chesterfield, not in China during those final months.
Joe

quote:

Last Set: (original question) 6-31919 T&P Eagle passenger set. This was a maybe; can anyone add to, or dispute this information?

I will play the doubting Thomas role...does anyone have this set? What do the individual cars and loco have stamped on it?

I guess I would have thought that a lower end starter set in 2001 would have come from over the big ponds...that is - I am just wondering if it is 100% USA made or just some of it...

quote:

Originally posted by BRIAN WHITE:

quote:

Originally posted by bigo426:

quote:

If 100% - then I would say 1969 or before...

Yes - 1965 or earlier to be safe.

I believe some of the MPC sets were 100% made in the USA as were some made under the LTI banner. Later LTI starter sets started with foreign made transformers and then later steam engine shells.

Since the last U.S. production has been established, I'd be interested to know about the first foreign Lionel production. I don't have any firsthand info, but I've read the following: the 2029's from 1968 were the first pieces made in Japan. MPC's trains were all American made until sometime in the late 70's or early 80's, when some items were made in Mexico. Which were the first of those?

I've heard that Dick Kughn insisted on all production being returned to the U.S., as a condition of his purchase of Lionel. When did LTI start making trains overseas, and where?

As far as track goes. The pieces of regular O and o27 track were made in USA up until 2001 correct???

I have a 1990 O crossover that says made in Hong Kong??

When did switches and operating track sections move to Hong Kong?

quote:

As far as track goes. The pieces of regular O and o27 track were made in USA up until 2001 correct???

I have a 1990 O crossover that says made in Hong Kong??

I believe I read somewhere a while back a few items, accessories, switches and some shell decorating had been subcontracted offshore as early as 1990.
Others around here may have more accurate data to support that.
Joe

Didn't someone mention a while back that the O22 switches, crossovers, and operating tracks were made in China even before 1969?

Surprised no one has mentioned the 26565 "With Appreciation" SP type caboose that was given to the workers before the plant closed. Wonder when this item was made ?

quote:

I've heard that Dick Kughn insisted on all production being returned to the U.S., as a condition of his purchase of Lionel. When did LTI start making trains overseas, and where?

I read somewhere it was in 1999 that some production was moved to China and Korea.

quote:

Surprised no one has mentioned the 26565 "With Appreciation" SP type caboose that was given to the workers before the plant closed. Wonder when this item was made ?

I include the very few items Lionel subcontracted offshore while they remained a domestic manufacturer in my Last American made collection...
Others may see it different..but a good example would be the 10 sets of modern era 6464's. Nine sets were made here, the 10th in China but was delivered well before the plant closed...Or, the 17 pieces in the very collectable WB collection. 1 piece was made offshore.
I'm neither a nitpicker or rivet counter..Until I get what I want, I actually hope I'm the only one interested in this stuff.
When I show friends my layout, most want to hear more about the items up on the shelf (last American made Lionels) then watching trains circle the layout below..
Joe

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JC642,

The diecast postwar style flatcar issued in 1996...claimed made in USA on the box but the casting said "Made in Korea"

Joe, I don't mean to hijack the thread, but what were all of the Warner Bros pieces and which one was made offshore?

quote:

Originally posted by threerailnut:

I include the very few items Lionel subcontracted offshore while they remained a domestic manufacturer in my Last American made collection...
Others may see it different..but a good example would be the 10 sets of modern era 6464's. Nine sets were made here, the 10th in China but was delivered well before the plant closed...Or, the 17 pieces in the very collectable WB collection. 1 piece was made offshore.
I'm neither a nitpicker or rivet counter..Until I get what I want, I actually hope I'm the only one interested in this stuff.
When I show friends my layout, most want to hear more about the items up on the shelf (last American made Lionels) then watching trains circle the layout below..
Joe

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Battaglia:
Joe, I don't mean to hijack the thread, but what were all of the Warner Bros pieces and which one was made offshore?

Yes, please do tell! (I had thought the last 2 were probably the Taz Bobbing Head Car and Pepe/Penelope "Fragrance of Love" Tanker, but that would be 2 pieces)

-Dave

I don't think Lionel ever made many items one hundred percent state side. Unless we go back to the twenties or before. Even in the thirties, fourties and fifties Lionel imported most of their motor and gear assemblies from Italy.
I beleive Mr Carusso owned the factory.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike W.:
Didn't someone mention a while back that the O22 switches, crossovers, and operating tracks were made in China even before 1969?

China, before 1969? It would have been as likely that Lionel trains were made in the Soviet Union. If you mean Taiwan or Hong Kong, I don't think they had the chops to make such stuff, at the time. I suspect all postwar track was U.S. made.