1966 - The last year for Lines Bros. Inc. in the USA
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1966 - Tri-ang Hornby
By 1966 a new address appears for Lines Bros. Inc. - that of 1107 Broadway, New York 10.
Two order form / price lists exist dated January 31, 1966. What is strange is that the two 1966 lists contain different items. One is a six page list which gives the retail price (in US$) for everything. The other is a two page list with a selection of sets and locos that do not appear on the main list: these tend to be cheaper items and only the 'net price' is given (again quoted in US$). One interpretation is that the larger main list, which was quite extensive, was of items that would be ordered from the UK, if requested, and served as a retail price list whereas the shorter list contained a selection of different items held in America that the New York company offered wholesale. 1966 appears to be the last date for the existence of Lines Bros. Inc. In 1966 a new name appears - that of De Luxe Topper Corporation, Elizabeth, New Jersey who became an ‘Associate Company’. Lines Bros. Ltd. had an 11% share in this company but by 1969 De Luxe Topper had disappeared. This was the end of the attempt by Lines Bros. to establish Tri-ang Railways as a significant force in the American model railway market. In summaryThus we have come full circle. The available literature is extremely hard to come by and this article can by no means be regarded as a complete definitive listing, more as a starting point.
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If readers have more information, photographic evidence or literature that they could contribute to filling in the obvious gaps in this history, it would be most appreciated.