Word: toying
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...even allowed himself to be photographed with his grandchildren in front of one of the company's sleek shiny locomotives. Railroad engineers themselves had openly admitted that its rolling stock was the best in the field. The company was Lionel Corp., world's biggest maker of toy trains...
...gave his middle name to the company, was a pioneer in electrification. Onetime apprentice with Henner & Anderson, early makers of dry batteries, he spent his teens inventing a flashlight, finding new uses in surgical instruments for small electric bulbs. At 20, struck with the idea of electricity for toy trains, he founded Lionel Corp., produced a locomotive, coach and caboose operated by a dry battery for $6. Today, 35 years later, Lionel electric trains start, stop and reverse by remote control. One of President Cowen's prides is the fat 400E, a standard (2¾ in.) "hog," which, with...
Theoretically the desire for toy trains is unlimited. President Cowen's biggest problem, which is also the problem of many another toymaker, is the marked seasonal character of his business. The sales curve starts to climb steeply in October, sinks almost out of sight after Christmas. It takes an enormous amount of capital to keep Lionel Corp. going during its nine lean months. Last May, hampered by lack of capital, with some $296,000 owing to creditors, Lionel Corp. slipped into receivership...
...make a Mickey Mouse handcar to scoot around Lionel tracks. During the winter 235,000 were sold at $1 apiece. President Cowen, nearly always one jump ahead of U. S. railroad men, streamlined his trains. At last year's Century of Progress in Chicago he exhibited a toy replica of the Union Pacific's crack M-IOOOI-the first toy train built absolutely to scale (1/45th). Orders began streaming in by the thousands. Last week in Newark, U. S. District Judge Guy L. Fake, congratulating the receivers on their prompt rehabilitation of the company, terminated the receivership, handed...
...glad to chant: "The best holiday trade since 1930." Christmas shopping in Washington started ten days earlier and was 30%, ahead of last year. Two big Atlanta department stores reported their business up 25%. In Memphis and Dallas there were merchants who were rubbing their hands over 50%, increases. Toy buying in Chicago was the best since boom days. And sober estimates last week placed the probable dollar volume of holiday buying 16%, above a year ago and the actual volume of goods abreast...