The Enduring Popularity of Lionel Trains

When Joshua Lionel Cowen started his business of building Lionel trains as model toys for children and adults all over the world, his aim was twofold. As these toy trains and each Lionel trains set were targeted primarily at young boys, his first aim was to provide a medium for both father and son everywhere to form a relationship and communicate through the time spent together building and playing with model train sets. It has always been well documented throughout history that males bond well together through common activity, and as toy trains hold a global appeal for males of all ages, it was a great way to achieve this objective. The second objective was to show people everywhere the kind of careful detail and ingenious invention that went into these post war American trains, which were a testament to the leap in innovation and invention from the country during its formative years.

During that time, trains were also one of the premier methods of travel, especially over long distances. With that came huge coverage and media interest in everything about trains. Cowen decided to leverage on that, as well as his own passion in the subject, to produce toy trains of such detail and quality that they quickly became popular with children and men of all ages, and were often a favorite choice as gifts. Lionel trains sets also became the choice for collectors and it was often that you would see individuals from that time who had amassed huge personal collections of toy trains which primarily consisted of Lionel prewar trains, which were a popular choice.

Till now, you can often find someone making a Lionel trains purchase as the continued passion in collecting of toy trains and railroad model paraphernalia remains strong, especially in the United States. This is entirely expected with the long and fabled history of the mode of transport which reached its height of strength in post war America. Despite the advancement of technology which has resulted in high tech trains that can now travel at supersonic speeds or speeds which easily overshadows their aged counterparts, there remains an affinity amongst collectors for the antique designs of both prewar and postwar Lionel trains. Part of this is due to the mystique which lends itself to the highly detailed craftsmanship that was invested in building those model toy trains, which was the result of Cowen constantly hiring skilled model locomotive builders who spent long hours making sure that the replicas were true to the original designs.

Along with the consistent number of model railroad collectors worldwide, the tradition of toy train collecting also continues to be spread down from generation to generation. The fact that these toys still hold a fascination with men of all ages and diverse backgrounds, lend them to being timeless mediums for bonding between family members. It is quite a sight to behold when a railroad set is completed and a toy train is seen chugging along the tracks with both father and son, or sometimes the entire family, smiling and cheering on their efforts. With other accessories including scenic landscapes that come with these railroad sets, it is not difficult to understand why Lionel trains remain close to the hearts of train collectors everywhere in the world.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/the-enduring-popularity-of-lionel-trains-386916.html

About the Author:

Greg Howard is a collector of Lionel trains set and often provides insights on making your Lionel trains purchase. For more info on Lionel model train sets, please visit Greg's site.

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Block Rocking Feats: the Legacy of Lego

Lego maybe the best known brick on the block, but it wasn't the first toy of its kind and shared many similarities with its predecessors, Meccano and Bayko.

Meccano, a system of metal plates, nuts and bolts, was very much a boy's toy and its technical basis encouraged the building of structures such as model bridges, cranes and cars, which often required and fostered knowledge of mechanics and engineering.

Bayko, invented during the 1930s, was also similar to Lego, in that the Bayko system was primarily intended for the construction of model buildings. Meccano eventually acquired the rights to manufacture Bayko in 1960; but while Meccano is still manufactured today, Bayko production ceased in 1967 following increasing pressure from competing toys. This was despite Bayko models being more realistic architectural reproductions.

Most of us had at least one type of Lego set as a child, and the genius of Lego was their ability to appeal to so many different markets. For the toddlers there was Duplo; the great, big oversized bricks, while for the girls there was the home-maker set; for boys there was knights and dragons, and for technically minded teenagers, Technic Lego, which like Meccano offered the chance to build complex engines, complete with pneumatics, gears and electric motors.

Then came the collaborations; in an extremely shrewd move, Lego struck deals with major film merchandising companies and began to manufacture Lego versions of popular movies and cartoons; Star Wars, Harry Potter, Batman, Indiana Jones, Sponge Bob Squarepants and even Tomas the Tank Engine all have Lego incarnations.

There are also four Lego Land theme parks; in Denmark, England, Germany and California. Though each park receives in the region of 1.3 million visitors annually, they have reportedly struggled to make money and have not fully maximised their potential ticket sales, though hotels near Lego Land remain busy throughout the year and booking ahead is advised.

Lego retains an important place in the adult world too; the Guinness book of records is full of block rocking feats, such as the tallest ever Lego tower (currently in Toronto at 29.03 metres), the world's longest Lego chain (565 meters long, built in Switzerland), and the world's longest DNA helix molecule.

Lego also seems to have somewhat of a cult following with film lovers; known as BrickFilms or Legomations, many enthusiasts make short movies, or recreate famous scenes from feature films using Lego for the set and cast.

On a more serious note, Lego Serious Play, is a form of business consultancy, designed to foster creative thinking; participants work though imaginary scenarios, building metaphors of their identities and experiences using Lego bricks.

Lego's ability to keep up with the times, and adapt its product to popular themes has been the key to its continuing success, and as long as the company continue to innovate, it's likely that our grandchildren will still be playing with Lego in the years to come.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/corporate-articles/block-rocking-feats-the-legacy-of-lego-284286.html

About the Author:

Andrew Regan is an online, freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys travelling.

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A Barbie History

A long-time favorite of girls young and old, Barbie has a life full of ups and down. Social revolutions and political changes can all be seen in Barbie games through the years and in many cases, the social history of major nations can be charted through changes in a simple plastic doll.

Barbie Meets the World

Barbara Millicent Roberts was introduced to the world on March 9, 1959. In a series of books released soon after her initial debut, Barbie’s parents were named as George and Margaret Roberts from Willows, Wisconsin, but in reality, Barbie was the brain child of one devoted mother who just happened to have sway with a major toy company, Mattel.

In the mid 1950s, Ruth Handler watched her daughter play with paper dolls and was entertained to see her give dolls adult roles and personalities. As almost all dolls at the time were infants, Ruth was troubled that she wasn’t able to give her daughter adult styled dolls to play with. Ruth approached her husband, who happened to be a cofounder of Mattel, about her concern and ideas for creating an adult doll, but the idea was dismissed. It wasn’t until after finding a similar doll manufactured for adults in Germany based on a popular German comic book that she found the answer.

Ruth used the doll as a basis for her own creation and soon, Barbie dolls were ready to meet the world. And the young woman was welcomed with open arms, despite some concerns over her proportions and distinctive anatomy.

Barbie Games through the Years

Barbie was introduced to the world with unrealistic proportions, a striped swimsuit and a sweetly demur expression on her face. In 2008, she is a more naturally shaped woman with multiple high-powered careers, an extensive wardrobe and her own fleet of homes and vehicles. Barbie has been through a lot in the last 49 years, and that extensive history has helped her remain a cultural legend popular with adult collectors and little girls alike.

According to Mattel, who still manufactures Barbie games and products, three Barbie dolls are sold every second across the globe. Barbie is famous the world over and has looks and styles suitable for hundreds of cultures. Although some cultures and companies, particularly those in the Middle East, still feel Barbie doesn’t meet their religious guidelines, many others recognize Barbie as a rite of passage for many young girls.

Online Barbie

Today, Barbie isn’t just on the pink aisle at the toy store. She’s on wrapping paper, lunch boxes, and now she’s also online. Barbie games are popular with the same demographic who collect her latest outfits and dream of Barbie dream houses. In fact, many of the girls who enjoy playing online Barbie games have left traditional Barbies behind, but still greatly enjoy dressing online doll versions of Barbie in her unlimited outfits and accessories.

While online versions of the popular doll will never replace the traditional Barbie doll, the games and activities found online are helping to drive new traffic and interest back to the world of tiny high heels and perpetual smiles.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/computer-games-articles/a-barbie-history-425776.html

About the Author:

My name is Aleksey Syrovatchenko. I specialize in interests of girls and online dress up teen communities. I am a dreamer who can visualize what kids want and try to find best content that will be safe and entertaining. Girls love Barbie games and I consider them best online barbie dress up games for kids.

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