| Growing up, many of today's elder citizens might | | | | United States with a coast to coast rail network. |
| recognize almost every model train maker by name. | | | | Cowen was a successful inventor and soon he built |
| They grew up in an industrial era where the train was | | | | his first toy train. He was also a pretty stout salesman, |
| becoming a huge part of their life. This article is an | | | | touting that his product would prepare boys for life |
| introduction into the famous of model train makers and | | | | working on the rails. As the Lionel model Train |
| how they got there. We will cover Lionel and Marklin; | | | | Company grew, so did the bonding of fathers and |
| these are two fascinating companies with different | | | | sons as they pieced together the Lionel model train |
| stories. | | | | sets. |
| The Lionel train company started when Joshua Lionel | | | | Eventually, America changed, the automobile became |
| Cowen's family arrived in New York and they took | | | | popular and people left the cities. There was a |
| note of the "golden spike" meeting of the Union Pacific | | | | temporary lackluster about the railroads but that is |
| and Central Pacific rail road lines which unified the | | | | being depressed as the nation dwindles in recession. |