model train set on track

Hallmark Christmas Ornaments – A Lionel Collectible (Updated Fall 2024)

e*Train Issue: Sep 2024   |   Posted in: ,

1992 Silver Star (probably a precursor to the Lionel ornament line)

By Terry Trickel TCA #79-13707 & Carol McGinnis TCA #HE95-41066 Updated: Fall 2024 e*Train

Hallmark continues to produce several ornaments every year, and 2024 is no exception.  Five new ornaments are included in this article.  Some of the pictures have been updated and the details and quality remain the same.  While some of the ornaments are smaller than scale the details and paint schemes are accurate.

During the 1990 Christmas season, the Trickels received a Hallmark train ornament. It was the three-piece streamlined passenger set with a diesel locomotive, coach, and an observation car.  The 1992 Silver Star is pictured above. You can see that it is not to scale, almost too heavy to hang on a tree, and there was no detail to the model. 

Just like Lionel trains, each Hallmark ornament comes in a signature box

About 10 years later, Terry bid at a local auction house on some Hallmark additional Lionel Train Keepsake Ornaments. The small collection included a Hudson locomotive, a 400 E Blue Comet locomotive and tender, and three matching passenger cars. Included was a Norfolk and Western 746, and a Chessie steam special locomotive. The collection looked to be about “N” scale size. They were made of die-cast metal and had great detail including moving wheels and moveable side rods. Terry decided to research the history of these new Lionel train collectibles. These ornaments were about the size of “N” Scale.  As the line expanded some of the locos and cars are not done in this N scale, but in a smaller undefined scale such as the ornaments produced in 2007 and 2010.  

Hallmark introduced the Hallmark Lionel Locomotives in 1996. This Original Series continues to be popular today with collectors of both ornaments and trains. In 1999, Hallmark added a matching tender to the Norfolk & Western locomotive as a part of a new Complement Series. Then in 2002, a third car was added to the yearly offerings. Each year since, the Complement ornaments change according to the train being replicated. There have also been a few larger pieces produced that complement the series such as the Lionelville Magic ornament: a lit, musical Lionel Mountain with a Hellgate Bridge and more (2004), and the Lionel Holiday Special Club piece from 2003, a Holiday Special train with station. The series also includes Colorway ornaments (limited paint scheme of the Original Series ornament for that year) and Blown Glass ornaments as series Complements. 

Another Hallmark issue is the Lionel Train Miniatures Series. The Hallmark Miniatures series was a surprise to Terry.  The “minis” were even smaller than “z” scale trains and he was expecting the same size “N” scale trains. The first Hallmark Lionel Train Miniature ornaments, issued in 1999, were the Norfolk and Western series. The series offers full sets of locomotives and cars. Due to the small size of the models, they tend to get lost in the tree and some collectors prefer the larger production. 

The Lionel ornaments are marked on the bottom with “L” (Lionel logo) or spelled out Lionel License and Hallmark adds markings with the year production date. The original series was marked with a Christmas tree symbol and number with the series. In addition, there are limited edition models done in gold that are produced and issued during the month of October at selected stores. Many of the limited-edition models are sent to selected stores who often received only four items resulting in them being in short supply and hard to find. 

To catch up in collecting these fine Lionel/Hallmark Collectables, Terry and Carol recommend shopping train meets, eBay, and online sites. There are also many Hallmark dealers that may have a few left-over stock. New production items from Hallmark Stores can cost in the $20.00+ range. The gold Colorway locomotives or limited-edition items are characteristically the hardest to find and can be very expensive. The glass-blown ornaments and some of the miniatures are rare, as well. 

So here is the listing of the Original Series, the Complement Series, and the Miniature Series, with Series #, year issued, and description. 

Original Series

Series #/Year/Description/Photo

1 …….1996 …….700E NYC HUDSON LOCO

2 …….1997 …….1950 SANTA FE F-3 DIESEL

3 …….1998 …….PENNSYLVANIA GG-1 GREEN ELECTRIC

4 …….1999 …….NORFOLK & WESTERN LOCO  

5 …….2000 …….GENERAL 4-4-0 LOCO                            

6 …….2001 …….CHESSIE SYST. STEAM SPECIAL LOCO       

7 …….2002 …….400E BLUE COMET LOCO                            

8 …….2003 …….4449 SP DAYLIGHT LOCO.

9 …….2004 …….1939 HIAWATHA LOCO

10 …….2005 …….PENNSYLVANIA B-6 LOCO (8976)

11 …….2006 …….UNION PACIFIC VERANDA TURBINE  

12 …….2007……. FREEDOM TRAIN DIESEL LOCO

13 …….2008 …….NEW YORK CENTRAL F-3 DIESEL

14 …….2009 …….HOLIDAY RED 2-8-2 MIKADO

15 …….2010 …….UNION PACIFIC STREAMLINER

16 …….2011 …….726 BERKSHIRE 2-8-4 LOCO

17 …….2012 …….NUTCRACKER ROUTE CHRISTMAS TRAIN

18 …….2013 …….#2037 2-6-4 LOCO

19 …….2014 …….PENNSY TORPEDO 2-4-2 (238E).

20 …….2015 …….CHESSIE SYSTEM DIESEL

21 …….2016 …….773 HUDSON LOCO

22 …….2017 …….671 PENNSYLVANIA S-2 LOCO

23 …….2018 …….2245P TEXAS SPECIAL DIESEL RED

24 …….2019 …….1001 SCOUT LOCO

25 …….2020 …….2348 MINNEAPOLIS & ST. LOUIS GP-9 DIESEL

26 …….2021 …….221 NEW YORK CENTRAL LOCO “Empire Express”

27 …….2022 …….2358 GREAT NORTHERN EP-5 LOCO

28 …….2023 …….1361 PENNSYLVANIA K4 STEAM LOCO

29 …….2024   …….UNION PACFIC  LEGACY SD70ACE.

Complement  Series

In the Complement Series, the list below has the numbers. Those with a MARKED AS LIMITED EDITION are limited edition items-issued during the month of October. The BOLD PRINT indicates a Blown Glass Ornament. The ITALIC PRINT is for display base ornaments.

Year/Description/Photo

1998 …….MICKEY AND MINNIE HANDCAR

1999 …….NORFOLK & WESTERN TENDER

1999 …….OCEANSIDE DEPOT DISPLAY BASE

1999 …….SANTA FE F-3 BLOWN GLASS

2000 …….700J-1E 50TH ANNIVERSARY- GOLD

2000 …….SOUTHERN MIKADO #4501 BLOWN GLASS

2000 …….GENERAL TENDER

2001 …….CHESSIE SPECIAL SYSTEM TENDER

2001 …….400E BLUE COMET BLOWN GLASS

2002 …….BLUE COMET OIL TENDER

2002 …….BLUE COMET OBSERVATION CAR.

2003 …….HOLIDAY SPECIAL DISPLAY and BASE

2003 …….SP DAYLIGHT TENDER

2003 …….SP DAYLIGHT OBSERVATION CAR

2004 …….LIONELVILLE-MAGIC DISPLAY BASE

2004 …….HIAWATHA TENDER

2004 …….HIAWATHA OBSERVATION CAR

2005 …….PENNSYLVANIA B-6 TENDER

2005 …….#714 PENNSYLVANIA BOX CAR

2005 …….#717 PENNSYLVANIA CABOOSE

2006 …….UP VERANDA TENDER (this appears as a tank car)

2006 …….UNION PACIFIC STOCKCAR

2006 …….1950 SANTA FE F-3 GOLD LTD EDITION

2007 …….FREEDOM TRAIN SLEEPER CAR (PASSENGER CAR)

2007 …….FREEDOM TRAIN OBSERVATION.

2008 …….NYC PASSENGER CAR

2008 …….NYC OBSERVATION CAR

2008 …….CROWN EXPRESS STOCKING HANGER DISPLAY BASE

2008 …….NEW HAVEN F-3 DIESEL (special colors)

2009 …….HOLIDAY RED MIKADO TENDER

2009 …….CHESSIE 4-8-4 LOCO-GOLD

2009 …….HOLIDAY RED BOXCAR

2010 …….KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN F-3 LIMITED EDITION

2010 …….U P. LONG STREAMLINE PASSENGER COACH

2010 …….U P. STREAMLINE OBSERVATION

2011 …….LIONEL LINES WHISTLE TENDER

2011 …….PENNSYLVANIA 477618 CABOOSE

2011 …….PENNSY GG-1 RED ELECTRIC – LIMITED EDITION

2012 …….NUTCRACKER ROUTE TENDER

2012 …….NUTCRACKER ROUTE BAGGAGE COACH

2012 …….4449 SP DAYLIGHT LOCO-GOLD

2013 …….1130T TENDER

2013 …….#6017 CABOOSE

2013 …….2037 PINK 2037 LOCO

2014 …….265W TENDER

2014 …….601 OBSERVATION CAR

2014 …….PENNSYLVANIA TORPEDO 2-4-2 GOLD

2015 …….SEABOARD BOX CAR

2015 …….CHESSIE WM CABOOSE

2016 …….LIONEL LINES 2426W TENDER

2016 …….LIONEL LINES 2627 MADISON PASSENGER

2016 …….773 NYC HUDSON LOCO-GOLD

2017 …….671 PENNSYLVANIA S-2 LOCO -GOLD

2017 …….2671W PENNSYLVANIA TENDER

2017  …….3472 AUTOMATIC REFRIDGERATOR CAR

2018 …….2245P TEXAS SPECIAL B UNIT

2018 …….2436 SUMMIT OBSERVATION CAR

2018 …….2245P TEXAS SPECIAL F3 GOLD

2019 …….101T SCOUT TENDER

2019 …….1007 CABOOSE

2019 …….1001 LOCO – GOLD

2020 …….6560 CRANE CAR

2020 …….6119 WORK CABOOSE

2020 …….2328 MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL GP 9  – GOLD

2020  …….6005 NIAGARA LOCO (not Original Series)

2021 …….221 NYC “EMPIRE EXPRESS” GOLD

2021 …….221W NEW YORK CENTRAL TENDER

2021 …….2431 OBSERVATION CAR

2022 …….EP-5 GREAT NORTHERN RR ELECTRIC GOLD

2022 …….6357 SOUTHERN PACIFIC CABOOSE

2022  …….6650 MISSLE CAR

2023 …….1361 PENNSYLVANIA K4 STEAM LOCO GOLD

2023 …….PENNSYLVANIA K4 TENDER

2023 …….PENNSYLVANIA K4 CABOOSE

2024 …….UNION PACFIC  LEGACY SD70ACE -GOLD (This is the same as the Original Series EXCEPT yellow sides are actually YELLOW GOLD) The close up shows the side of the loco highlighted. The DUO picture shows the Original loco on top and the GOLD loco on the bottom.

2024 …….LIONEL BASCULE BRIDGE

2024 …….U.P. BATHTUB GONDOLA

2024 …….U.P. HUSKY STACK

Miniature  Series

Year/Description/Photo

1999 …….N & W LOCO & TENDER.

2000 …….3356 HORSE CAR & 3662 MILK CAR

2001 …….6424 FLATCAR W/ CARS & 6517 CABOOSE

2002 …….GENERAL LOCO & TENDER

2003 …….BLUE COMET 400E LOCO & TENDER

2004 …….SOUTHERN PACIFIC LOCO & TENDER

2005 …….HIAWATHA LOCO & TENDER

2005 …….POLAR EXPRESS 7 PIECE SET

  2006 …….PENNSY B-6 LOCO & TENDER

2007 …….NORTH POLE LOCO, TENDER, GONDOLA

2007 …….BOXCAR & CABOOSE

2008 …….HOLIDAY RR LOCO, TENDER & TANK CAR

2009 …….RED COMET SET LOCO, TENDER & COACH

2010 …….SCOUT SET LOCO, TENDER & GONDOLA

2011 …….SUPER CHIEF SET, DIESEL, COACH & OBS.

2012 …….CHESSIE STEAM SPECIAL LOCO, TENDER & PAX

2013 …….MINN. & ST. LOUIS DIESEL, CRANE & CABOOSE

2014 …….NORTH POLE EXPRESS

2015 …….2148WS DELUXE SET

2016 …….GREAT NORTHERN FREIGHT SET

2017 …….TOYMAKER SANTA EXPRESS

2018 …….POLAR EXPRESS LOCO, TENDER & OBS

2019 …….2231W SOUTHERN FREIGHT SET

2020 …….2201W FIREBALL EXPRESS

2021  …….1520W TEXAS SPECIAL F7 2245 A&B DIESEL, OBS

2022  …….2129WS SET LOCO, TENDER & CABOOSE

2023 …….MILWAUKEE ROAD EP-2 PASSENGER SET

2024 …….221 LOCO, TENDER & OBSERVATION

HOW TO USE THE HALLMARK LIONEL ORNAMENTS: 

Most of the Hallmark trains are near N-scale size trains, although not all wheels will fit on N-scale track. There are a few trains that are smaller in size and some larger than the others.  Some of the trains are top-heavy and often tip over. Tacky putty on the underside will keep them in place. In addition, Hallmark offers a wide variety of Keepsake Ornaments, such as cars, planes, and other subject matter that can be added to the display. The ornaments are also a great addition to any holiday tree.

Terry created a “HALLMARK LIONEL KEEPSAKE YARDS” display. The Lionel display sign top portion was also sold by Hallmark with the base for it from LEGO blocks.   The track is N-scale with an Atlas turntable. The outside circle of the track is powered to run the Hallmark Thomas locomotive powered by a Life Like engine, 0-6-0 chassis. 

Bob Lubonski likes to use the Hallmark ornaments at Christmastime adding them to his mantle.

Carol uses a narrow upright tallboy display case and three cassette display cases.  Taking a wooden cassette case and removing every other row of wood makes a perfect box for most of these ornaments.  A few items were larger, and a notch into the bars made them fit.  

EDITORS NOTE: Portions of this article reprinted by permission of Terry Trickel and Atlantic Division from the  Atlantic Division Express, Winter 2018-4 and Fall 2019-3.