Canadian Tri-ang Railways - The 1970 Special Train Sets
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Simpsons-Sears 1970 Christmas Catalogue
Illustrated in the 1970 Simpsons-Sears Christmas Catalogue, above, is the (top) Special Set No. 909 5-piece CN Diesel Freight Set and (below) the Standard Set No. 918 Steam Switcher Freight Set
1970 Special Train Set for Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears
Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears 79N 40270 DL 5-piece CN Diesel Freight Set
This set has exactly the same Simpsons-Sears 1970 Catalogue reference number as the 1969 issued set.
Set No. 909The R.681 Track Layout Pack included with these sets slightly varies from the Simpsons-Sears 1970 Catalogue illustration which incorrectly showed two sidings rather than a passing loop and one siding.
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The set was composed of the R.0551 CN Diesel Locomotive, R.3421 CN Car Transporter, R.1111 CN Hopper Car, R.1290 C&O Railways Refrigerator Car, R.1151 CN Caboose, Model 1000 Transformer and R.681 Track Layout Pack (containing a large oval of Super 4 Track with a passing loop and one siding).
The retail price was $29.98 Canadian. |
The difference in the printing of the box lid of this late 1970 version of Set No. 909, to that of the 1969 issued Set No, 908 / 909, is very noticeable. The box is effectively a 'blank' which was used for any of the sets. The 'Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears' label which also shows the track layout and the set number is not present. A few sets have been discovered like this which indicates that it is correct and not an accidental omission.
It seems likely that Simpsons-Sears required further stocks of Set No. 908 / 909 to meet the demand from their customers and requested some additional sets at the last minute. Therefore an emergency supply of boxes had to be found. With no available stocks of the correct Simpsons-Sears set labels, it was decided just to rubber hand stamp the number onto the box lids.
It seems likely that Simpsons-Sears required further stocks of Set No. 908 / 909 to meet the demand from their customers and requested some additional sets at the last minute. Therefore an emergency supply of boxes had to be found. With no available stocks of the correct Simpsons-Sears set labels, it was decided just to rubber hand stamp the number onto the box lids.
Set No. 9081 for Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears
Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears Ret. No. R40264 5-piece Canadian Pacific Diesel Freight Set
Click on the picture of the Set No. 9081 box label (above) to go to the page specifically dedicated to this set This set utilises the exact same format inner tray as that used in the 1969 release Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears Special Set No. 908 (and Set No. 909). Just the colour of the plastic differs. The sets were issued with a variation of contents. Basically the set contains, as constants: the R.0552 Canadian Pacific Diesel Locomotive, R.1111 CN Hopper Car, R.3423 CP Rail Car Transporter, R.1152 Canadian Pacific Caboose, Model 1000 Transformer and R.681 Track Layout Pack plus either a Newsprint Car, a Refrigerator Car or a Stock Car. |
Set No. 910 Tri-ang CN Freight Train
This set is a later version of a set that was first issued in 1969 which contained a yellow plastic inner tray in the set box. Here, the all-white-sided box base includes a blue inner tray which dates this set to early 1970. The set was composed of the R.55 CN Diesel Locomotive, R.111 CN Hopper Car, R.563 Flat Car with Three Ford Vans, R.235 CN brown Canadian National Pulpwood Car, R.115 CN Caboose, Model 2200 Transformer and R.167 Track Pack. There is a minor variation to the original 1969 set contents; the R.235 CN brown Canadian National Pulpwood Car has now replaced the black version of the model. |
Set No. 920 Tri-ang CN Freight-Train
This set is based on Set No. 910, originally issued in 1969; the only differences being the Gondola Car has been substituted for the original CN Hopper Car and the more modern black Model 1000 Transformer is now included. The set was composed of the R.0551 CN Diesel Locomotive, R.1160 Rock Island Lines Gondola Car, R.563 Flat Car with Three Ford Vans, R.2351 black CN Canadian National Pulpwood Car, R.1151 CN Caboose, Model 1000 Transformer and R.167 Track Pack.
It seems likely that this Special Set was made available to the smaller retailers, for the 1970 Christmas trade, in order to be able to have a special train set to offer their customers in competition with the larger retailers and home shopping companies. |
Set No. 921 - No information available at present
Set Nos. 922 for The Bay & Morgan'sIt would appear that at least two distinct versions of this set were made for The Bay and Morgans.
These sets are based on the 1969 TS.905 Canadian National Diesel Freight Set. |
Set No. 922 The Bay & Morgan's
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Set No. 922 The Bay & Morgan's
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Set No. 923 - now appears to have been issued as Set No. 9232 made for Eaton's - more information below
Set No. 9232 for Eaton's
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Set contents - known
It is possible to confirm that the following items were included in the set - R.0551 CN Diesel Locomotive, R.115CN orange-red Caboose, Model 1000 Transformer and R.167 Track Pack (containing an oval of Super 4 Track).
Set contents - not known
What is not known is exactly how many other freight cars were included in the set or what they actually were.
However, it is fairly certain that there would have been two further 'short' freight cars plus, most probably, a 'long' freight car such as the R.3421 CN Car Transporter or a 60ft Flat Car with Containers (such as the R.6631 CN 60ft Flat Car with three 20ft Canadian National Containers).
These would have fitted very neatly into the box base and only required one or two additional packing inserts at most.
However, it is fairly certain that there would have been two further 'short' freight cars plus, most probably, a 'long' freight car such as the R.3421 CN Car Transporter or a 60ft Flat Car with Containers (such as the R.6631 CN 60ft Flat Car with three 20ft Canadian National Containers).
These would have fitted very neatly into the box base and only required one or two additional packing inserts at most.
I am very grateful to Grant Vargo for all the photographs and information relating to this set.
Set No. 924 - No information available at present
Set No. 925 CP Rail Freight-TrainThe set is believed to have been made for various retailers including Woodward's and
The Bay & Morgan's This set is a variation on the 1970 Set 914 CP Rail Diesel Freight Set and utilises the same pre-formed inner tray.
The set was introduced in 1970 with Super 4 Track and continued to be available from 1971 through to 1973 with System 6 Track included in the set. Top: The 1970 set was composed of the R.0553 CP Rail Diesel
Locomotive, R.1290 C&O Railways Refrigerator Car, R.1363 red CP Rail Box Car, R.1261 CN Stock Car (with CN logo), R.1153 CP Rail Caboose (the scarcer version with the long, rather than the short, steps), Model 2200 Transformer (or more usually, the Model 1000 Transformer) and R.167 Track Pack (containing an oval of Super 4 Track). There are variations in each of the pictured sets; basically each set is composed of the R.0553 CP Rail Diesel Locomotive, R.1290 C&O Railways Refrigerator Car, R.1363 red CP Rail Box Car and R.1153 CP Rail Caboose (with the long steps), plus one other box car or stock car, which appears to have varied from set to set, together with transformer and track. Middle: the R.1353 green CP Rail Newsprint Car has replaced the brown CN Stock Car in this set. Bottom: the pictured set dates from 1972-1973. The brown R.136CN Box Car is now included instead of the brown CN Stock Car.
The oval of Super 4 Track in the R.167 Track Pack has been replaced by a R.705 Track Pack, in HORNBY RAILWAYS packaging, which contains a circle of System 6 Track. Also included with the set would have been the black Model 1000 Transformer. |
Set No. 9261
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The use of the last digit '1' in the 4-digit set number strongly suggests that this set was made for the retail outlets of Simpsons and Simpsons-Sears. (See notes on 'Sets with 4-digit numbers' in the introduction to the '1970 Special Set 9081')
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