CHESTERFIELD, MI-- As part of the Lionel centennial celebration, Americans were invited to tell how Lionel trains and accessories have brought happiness, joy, fun and excitement to their family, relatives or friends in a short essay and the winners are Warren Morgan from Dayton, NV-Grand Prize; J. Marks Rhoads from San Diego, CA-1^st Place; John Neumann from Sidney Center, NY-2^nd Place; and Richard Hayes from Sanford, NC-3^rd Place.

Morgan has won a Lionel gold-plated 700E Hudson steam locomotive with display case autographed by Richard Maddox, president and chief operating officer of Lionel. He also won a Limited Edition official 100^th anniversary commemorative poster. The total value of his prize package is worth over $1400. Rhoads has won a Lionel Lines Lines 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive, autographed by Richard Maddox, president and chief operating officer of Lionel. His prize is worth $500.00. Neumann has won a Lionel lighted birthday boxcar and a Limited Edition official 100^th anniversary commemorative poster. The total value of his prize package is worth over $80. Hayes has won a Limited Edition official 100^th anniversary commemorative poster which bears the number 100.

Contestants were asked to write a 100-word essay based upon some actual historical event using Lionel products and explain how the trains have impacted their life. Each essay was judged anonymously by a committee according to creativity, originality, life impact, historical accuracy and Lionel product use.

The winning essays are attached for reprint.

Lionel trains are the most valued toy trains in the market today, being collected and operated by more than 100,000 toy-train hobbyists. The success of Lionel is the result of a 100-year tradition of painstaking attention to quality. Lionel sells its products through a nationwide distributor and dealer network.

The company has its headquarters in Chesterfield, Michigan, not far from the auto giants of Detroit. Lionel L.L.C. is owned by Wellspring Capital Management L.L.C., a leading investment firm, along with Neil Young, and Richard Kughn, chairman emeritus and prior owner of Lionel Trains Inc.

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