MARCH 2002 INDEX

Lionel, at the 1973 New York City Toy Fair, first issued their Toy Fair cars. However, not all of the cars were boxcars. For several years, a refrigerator reefer was produced instead.

For the years 1973 and 1974, a slow selling regular production model was used with the only difference being an overstamp to mention the New York Toy Fair of that particular year.

Starting in 1975, a special issue car was made for dealers. Inevitably, the dealers sold these to collectors, sometimes for exorbitant prices.

The early years may, or may not have had boxes included. The 1976 box was consistent with that year's Bicentennial celebration; a red, white and blue box. In other years, a label was used on the end flaps, rather than having a box specifically printed for this car.

Most notably, the 1996 box was all blue, a rare variation considering the usual orange, or orange and white boxes. Only the dwarf signal, and possibly one other item came in a similar all blue packaging.

The 2000 boxcar was similar to a car produced that year, sans the electronics and illumination.

Not all toy fair cars commemorated the NYC Toy Fair, traditionally starting on the second Sunday in February. Two items that are to be included in this category include the 1976 Canadian Toy and Decoration Fair held before NYC Toy Fair and a Preview for Toy Fair 2000 actually held on October 4-6, 1999.

All in all, the Toy Fair cars are an interesting group to collect.

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1973 - #9708 (REGULAR PRODUCTION) UNITED STATES RAILWAY MAILCAR, RED, WHITE AND BLUE DOORS/BODY, RED ROOF/ENDS W/"NEW YORK TOY FAIR" OVERSTAMP	1974 - #9723 (REGULAR PRODUCTION) WESTERN PACIFIC BOXCAR ORANGE W/"WELCOME NEW YORK TOY FAIR" OVERSTAMP
1975 - #9762 "WELCOME TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, 75TH ANNIVERSARY, RED W/SILVER ROOF	1976 - #7704 "WELCOME TOY FAIR" BOXCAR "LIONEL SALUTES AMERICA" BOXCAR BICENTENNIAL COLORS, RED ROOF/DOOR/ENDS
1976 - #7705 "WELCOME TO THE 1976 CANADIAN TOY & DECORATION FAIR" BOXCAR WHITE W/RED ROOF/DOOR/ENDS	1977 - #7807 "WELCOME TOY FAIR" BOXCAR "TRAINS N TRUCKIN", GREEN WITH GOLD ROOF/DOOR/ENDS
1978 - #7815 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "BIG TRAINS FOR SMALL HANDS", SILVER W/RED ROOF/ENDS	1979 - #7816 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, WHITE W/GOLD ROOF/ENDS
1980 - #7817 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" BOXCAR "COMMEMORATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF JOSHUA L. COWEN", WHITE W/RED DOORS/ROOF/ENDS	1981 - #0512 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" REGRIGERATOR REEFER, WHITE W/BLUE ROOF/ENDS
1982 - #7519 TOY FAIR REGRIGERATOR REEFER, WHITE W/RED DOOR/ROOF/ENDS	1983 - #7521 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" REGRIGERATOR REEFER, WHITE W/ RED DOOR AND BLUE ROOF/SIDES
1984 - #7523 TOY FAIR REGRIGERATOR REEFER, WHITE W/BLUE DOORS AND RED ROOF/SIDES	1985 - #7524 TOYFAIR REGRIGERATOR REEFER, WHITE W/BLUE ROOF/SIDES
1986 - #7525 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, WHITE W/BLUE DOORS/ROOF/SIDES	1987 - #19900 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, RED W/SILVER ROOF/SIDES
1988 - #19902 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, SILVER W/BLACK DOORS/ROOF/SIDES	1989 - #19907 "NEW YORK TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "SOUNDS GREAT", WHITE W/GREEN DOORS
1990 - #19911 "CELEBRATE WITH LIONEL AT TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, WHITE W/RED DOORS, BLUE ROOFS/SIDES	1991 - #19914 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, WHITE W/BROWN DOORS, ROOF/SIDES
1992 - #19917 "TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "PULLING TOGETHER TO BRING BACK THE MAGIC", WHITE W/BLACK ROOF/SIDES	1993 - #19923 "WELCOME TO TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS", WHITE W/BLUE DOORS/ROOF/SIDES
1994 - #19931 "TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "YOUR TICKET TO MODEL RAILROADING EXCITEMENT", WHITE W/RED DOORS/ROOF/ENDS	1995 - #19937 "DEALER PREVIEW" BOXCAR, "THE CONTROL IS IN YOUR HANDS", WHITE W/BROWN DOORS/ROOF/SIDES
1996 - #19947 "TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "THE LIONEL CORPORATION", BLUE W/ORANGE DOORS	1997 - #29217 "DEALER PREVIEW" BOXCAR, "AIREX-A DIVISION OF THE LIONEL CORPORATION", SILVER W/BLACK DOORS/ROOFS/SIDES
1998 - #19956 "TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "LAS VEGAS, NEVADA", WHITE W/BLUE DOORS/ROOF/SIDES	1999 - #19977 "TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "ENGINEER SOME FUN", WHITE W/ORANGE DOORS AND BLUE ROOF/SIDES
2000 - #26284 "NEW YORK TOY PREVIEW" BOXCAR, "OCTOBER 4-6 1999", YELLOW W/ORANGE DOORS/ROOF/SIDES	2000 - #19989 "NEW YORK TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "1900-2000", BLUE
2001 - #19996 "NEW YORK TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "A LIFETIME INVESTMENT IN HAPPINESS", TWO TONE BLUE, LIGHT BLUE W/DARK BLUE DOORS/ROOF SIDES	2002 - #29904 "NEW YORK TOY FAIR" BOXCAR, "LIONEL 2002", CREAM W/BLUE DOORS/ROOF/SIDES