Chicago Line Toy Company

Parts for Collectors

(LaGrange IL USA)

The three producers Chicago Line, Geller Toy Trains and MTSI appear interconnected, although to what extent is unknown. Boxes are very similar, cars stamped MTSI are marked Chicago Line etc. Dennis Heavrin of Chicago Line and Bob Geller of MTSI were both involved in the production of the TCA Postwar Lionel Reproduction Handbook Guide, c2000. Bob Geller and MTSI are the same business?

Parts for Collectors was an earlier trading name of the business now better known as Chicago Line , who produced a range of flat cars, tank cars and boulevard lights together with other parts and accessories.

The address on the Chicago Line boxes reads PO Box 2176, LaGrange, IL, 60525. Interesting to note that the boxes say Assembled in USA (not Made or Manufactured in USA). Some boxes and cars are numbered in the 15xx and 16xx series, whereas others are 32xx.

How large was the entire range? How long ago did production commence, and cease? CTT magazine reviewed lamps in 1994 (see below). David Doyle advises that the cars were produced by Dennis Heavrin, with production peaking around 1990.

Cars which have been recorded :

1520 Flat Car with Pipe Load
1607 Tank Car PRR Liquefied Gases
1610 Flat Car with Bulldozer
1611 Flat Car with Front Loaders
1612 Flat Car with Boat
1614A Flat Car with Airplane
1616A Chicago Line Bulkhead Flat Car
1617 Flat Car with Tractor and Wagon
1618 Flat Car with Boat
1619 Flat Car with Pipes
1620A Flat Car with Dump Trucks
1622A Backhoe Transport Car
1670 Tank Car NYC Liquefied Hydrogen
3223 Flat Car with Boat, US Navy
3228 Flat Car with Boat, Coast Guard
3229 Flat Car with Plane, Coast Guard
3230 Flat Car with Helicopter, Coast Guard
3231 Flat Car with Satellites, US Navy
3233N Flat Car with 6 Rockets, US Navy
3236 Flat Car with Rocket, US Navy/USMC
3237 Flat Car with Satellite, USMC
3238 Flat Car with Missiles, USMC
3239 Flat Car with Battle Tank, USMC
3240 Flat Car with Helicopter, USMC
3241 Flat Car with Submarine, USMC
3242 Flat Car with Helicopter, USMC
3243 Flat Car with Attack Boat, USMC

Chicago Line Toy Company no. 1520 Rock Island Bulkhead Flat Car with Pipe Load
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Chicago Line Toy Company no. 1607 PRR Liquefied Gas Bulkhead Car

Bill Trappen advises that he purchased this car, probably in the early 1990s, and has provided a series of images. The number on the end of the box (1607) matches the car number. The car build date is June 1990. The image of the underside of the car shows the inscription MTSI PART NO. 72249 MADE IN KOREA, spread over three lines. We assume this refers to South Korea. The trucks appear to be the same as the plastic Symington-Wayne trucks which Lionel started using in 1973. The trucks are stamped MTSI (Model Train Sales Inc) and MADE IN KOREA, on two lines.

Chicago Line Toy Company no. 1607 PRR Liquefied Gas Bulkhead Car
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Chicago Line Toy Company Model 1611, Flatcar, with two Tootsie Toy Front Loaders

(Cars 1611 and 3230 were listed by the same ebay seller, and appear to have swapped boxes in the photos)

Chicago Line Toy Company Model 1612, Flatcar, with Boat

Chicago Line 1614A Flat Car with Airplane

Chicago Line 1616A Chicago Line Bulkhead Flat Car with pipe load
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Chicago Line Toy Company Flatcar, with Tractor and Trailer. Model No. 1617

Chicago Line Toy Company Flatcar, with Tractor and Trailer. Model No. 1617.

My thanks to Joseph Francis for this information :

I purchased no. 1617 flatcar with tractor & wagon. The black flatcar is stamped "CHICAGO LINE R.R. 1617-A" in white sans-serif letters on the side; the bottom has cast into it:

M T S I

PART. NO. 72249

MADE IN KOREA

The (blue) modern tractor and (red) 4-wheel wagon are both stamped CHINA. They are cast pot metal with rubber wheels, held onto the flatcar by elastic cords. The yellow, black, and white box, which has a simple drawing of the Chicago skyline (Sears tower on the left, Hancock on the right), has "P.O. BOX 2176 LaGrange, ILL. 60525" and "ASSEMBLED IN USA" on the side.

Chicago Line Toy Company no. 1618 Flat Car with Boat

(Note alternative boat colour in images below)

Chicago Line Toy Company no. 1619 Flat Car with Pipes (incorrect box)

(Note also alternative 1618 boat colour)

Chicago Line Toy Company no. 1620A Flatcar with Dump Trucks (box omits 'A')
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Chicago Line Toy Company no. 1622A Backhoe Transport Car
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Chicago Line Toy Company no. 1670 NYC Liquefied Gas Bulkhead Car

Bill Fuller says that he bought this car for $25.00 from an advertisement in the June 1991 edition of Classic Toy Trains magazine. . The bottom of the flat car floor as well as the plastic trucks (bogies) have the letters "MTSI" and "Made in Korea" molded into them.

Chicago Line Toy Company no. 1670 NYC Liquefied Gas Bulkhead Car

Chicago Line Toy Company 3223 Flat Car with Boat, US Navy

Chicago Line Toy Company 3228 Flat Car with Boat, US Coast Guard

Chicago Line Toy Company 3229 Flat Car with Airplane, US Coast Guard

Chicago Line Toy Company 3230 Flat Car with Helicopter, US Coast Guard

Chicago Line Toy Company 3231 US Navy Flat Car with Satellites

Chicago Line Toy Company 3233N US Navy Flat Car with 6 White Missiles
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Chicago Line Toy Company 3233N US Navy Flat Car with 6 White Missiles
A possible factory error or reject. The missiles do not all sit at the same height due to incorrect insertion of steel weights
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Chicago Line Toy Company 3235N US Navy Flat Car with Rocket
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Chicago Line Toy Company 3236 and 3239, flat cars with Missile and Tank

Chicago Line Toy Company 3236 and 3239, flat cars with Rocket and Battle Tank

Chicago Line Toy Company 3236 flat car with Rocket, including metal clip
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Chicago Line Toy Company 3237 drab green flat car, with satellites, car lettered United States Marines 3237

Chicago Line Toy Company 3238, USMC Flat Car with Missiles

Chicago Line Toy Company 3240, USMC Flat Car with Helicopter

Chicago Line Toy Company 3241, 3242 and 3243, lettered for United States Marine Corp

Chicago Line Toy Company 3241 Flat Car with USMC Submarine, 3242 Flat Car with USMC Helicopter and 3243 Flat Car with USMC Attack Boat

Chicago Line Toy Company 3243, Flat Car with USMC Attack Boat

The following unboxed cars appeared for sale via eBay, July 2021. None feature a manufacturer's mark, and all are lettered USMC. It seems possible that at least some were manufactured by Chicago Line, unless you know otherwise? Some or all cars could be owner modified?

Chicago Line Toy Company (?) drab green caboose lettered United States Marine Corps 4403

Chicago Line Toy Company (?) drab green flat car with DUWK vehicle, car lettered USMC 321. Chocks added by owner?

Chicago Line Toy Company (?) drab green non flammable gas car, lettered DODX USMC 210

Chicago Line Toy Company (?) drab green flat car with helicopter, car lettered USMC

Chicago Line Toy Company (?) drab green Red Cross box car, car lettered USMC DODX 28147

Chicago Line Toy Company (?) drab green tank car, car lettered USMC DODX

The November 1994 issue of Clasic Toy Trains magazine carried a review of Chicago Line No. 37 Boulevard Lamps, and described them as replicas of Lionel's No. 35. The lights are described as 6 1/8th inches high, and available in aluminum, gray, green or black. Made in USA.

Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp	Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp
Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp	Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp
Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp	Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp
Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp	Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp
Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp	Chicago Line 37 Boulevard Lamp

Chicago Line also produced a series of parts and accessories, some of which are illustrated below. How many others were produced?

Chicago Line Mercury Capsules	Chicago Line Rockets
Chicago Line Ore Car Loads	Chicago Line Searchlight Heads

Chicago Line Balloon Car Discs

Chicago Line Logs, pack of five
Image credit Mike Smith, with thanks

Finally, very many thanks to David Doyle, Joseph Frances, Bill Fuller, Penn Hess, Bill Trappen, Mike Smith and others who have contributed valuable photographs and information regarding Chicago Line models.

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