Chasing Mystery Toy Trains

 In my previous post about "clones", I showed two 0-4-0T side tank locomotives that were basically identical to the Lima Alco side tank (which itself is a duplicate of the old Mantua model). In my quest to determine more about these, and why they are so similar to the Lima models, I wandered far and wide. 

Well, as far and wide as I can travel.

I know that the battery powered version was sold in sets through Woolco and Woolworth in the early 1980's. That set included a passenger car.

(From eBay)

They also sold a version with a cute little diesel that vaguely resembled some GE locomotives.

(From eBay)

The cars definitely look like some of Lima's, specifically the gondola and tank car (I have yet to compare the passenger car). But the track is what they call "EZ-Groove". The Apple Toys (no affiliation with the technology company) was simpler.

(Personal collection)

But the track was better, and in fact looks like a copy of Lima Crick track.

By the early 1980's, Woolco's in the US was gone, and many of the products that they carried went to their progenitor, Woolworth, including a few train products, but as near as I can remember, these sets were gone. I have no idea who carried the Apple Toys set.

The clockwork set appears to have actually come along later. It was sold by an outfit called "Small World Toys", no affiliation with same companies using that name today. It was also pricier.

This is where Playart gets briefly involved, and may in fact be related. They sold a few cars that were derived from Lima's cars, and not just the Crick line (see the Playart page at the Lima Classic site). Playart also marketed an ALCO 0-4-0T that used a shell identical to Lima's version.

(From eBay)

There is a definite evolution, however, from the original Lima shell through the Playart and Apple/Small World Toys versions. The fuel bunker on the Lima and Playart versions is  still relatively short, but the battery powered version had the bunker extended due to the nature of the motor and battery installation. This version was carried over through the clockwork version.

(Personal Collection)

Let's go back to the rolling stock for a moment. 

(Personal Collection)

Here, the Apple Toys are on the left, Small World Toys the right. The simpler are obviously the Apple brand, being just one piece shells, cast in coupler hoops, and stickers. The Small World Toys cars are better, being multi-piece, with printed lettering and swiveling hook/loop couplers.

(Personal Collection).

This is where out story ends, unfortunately. 

I suspect that Playart was involved, but their trains were also gone by the early 1980's, with some being picked up by Model Power. As near as I can tell none of the Lima derived trains transitioned over, and seemed to have just faded away, replaced by newer, though not necessarily better, generations of toy trains. 

Perhaps the story doesn't end there, but that remains to be seen.