# Flyer boxes



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

I know approximately the years of the blue on yellow, and the yellow on blue flyer boxes, but what about the other colors, such as all red with the clear window, and the mostly white with red strips?? I believe the red boxes are around the 1991-92 time frame, but unsure of the mostly white...


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

If you are asking about Lionel production based on your '91, '92 dates the answer is the White with red stripes came first. Then the Red boxes, After that blue and yellow. The blue and yellow had both molded plastic inserts and cardboard with the car wrapped in plastic. When I get back home on Wednesday I can check the years.
For Gilbert production 1946 was the blue/yellow with the prewar "Tru-Model" legend. 1947 to about 1954 was blue/yellow and yellow/blue depending on the product. There were also some plain beige cardboard boxes in those years. About 1956 the red/white boxes showed up Then came the plastic tubes with the black endcaps. Pikemaster brought red boxes with cellophane windows.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

AmFlyer said:


> If you are asking about Lionel production based on your '91, '92 dates the answer is the White with red stripes came first. Then the Red boxes, After that blue and yellow. The blue and yellow had both molded plastic inserts and cardboard with the car wrapped in plastic. When I get back home on Wednesday I can check the years.
> For Gilbert production 1946 was the blue/yellow with the prewar "Tru-Model" legend. 1947 to about 1954 was blue/yellow and yellow/blue depending on the product. There were also some plain beige cardboard boxes in those years. About 1956 the red/white boxes showed up Then came the plastic tubes with the black endcaps. Pikemaster brought red boxes with cellophane windows.


You know, I forgot about those other variations.. I had the set with the 355 Baldwin, and those boxes were red and white. I also have newer stuff with that molded plastic window, and come to think of it, I also have the 5 digit boxes with the cellophane windows.. Man, a guy could get confused!!


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

In the mid 50's sets came with multiple kinds of individual boxes in the set box as inventory was used up. The set box labels changed design and color as well. Then the set boxes changed from plain to printed designs. The first try at a printed set box was way back when the Farm Set was introduced. Sets were made with no individual boxes. Some engines and action cars came in corrugated cardboard wrap and some had that wrap inside a plain cardboard box. Then engines and action cars were put in red/white boxes with steam engines and tenders in two separate boxes. Uncatalogued sets switched over to plain cardboard set boxes with no label, just a black ink stamping. Collecting can be so much fun.


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