111 Starter Train Set
General Information
The following information has been collected from original newspapers, catalogs, and magazines, some of which are freely available for reference below. The rest can be found in the site’s gallery. No aggregate catalogs (BrickLink, Brickset, etc.) were used.
Instructions: H-2364
Advertised Part Count(s): 120 pieces
First Year Confirmed Available: 1968(USA)
First appears in 1968 catalogs and newspapers.
There is currently no evidence for a Canadian release. As the US version retired before the first know appearance of the Canadian 107, its possible the 111 never reached Canada, but it'd definitely make sense as a companion set.
Most Likely Retirement Date: 1970(USA)
The 111 makes its final catalog appearance in 1970, which would also explain why there is no updated box for 1970+.
Last Year Seen Available: 1972
The Danville News, November 22nd, 1972
Aliases: Starter Train Set
Retail Price(s): $4.99(USA)
Discounted Example(s): $3.77(1970), $3.44(1970), $2.99(1972)
Rarity Score(Index): 3/7
Known Box/Packing Variants
There are two known variants of the colorful box:
1968-69 - drawer/sleeve style box (no "Some parts...Denmark sticker")
1970 - tabbed box with single piece gray tray (will have "Some parts...Denmark sticker")
I also want to mention that some modern catalogs name this set "Starter Train Set Without Motor", which implies there was a version of the 111 with a motor(BrickLink links to a 118 set with the 111's picture). No such variant exists(the image used comes from this FAO catalog, which is clearly priced for the 111 set), and the 111 was never advertised with such a name.
Box/Overview
The 111 Starter Train Set was introduced in 1968. While the North American market was not new to the introduction of the LEGO train system(as the 113 released in the USA in 1967), it was the first accessibly priced one. While other train sets were listed at $15-$22, which was a lot of money in the late 1960s, the 111 served as as the simpler version.
The intention would be to motorize the set and turn it into a proper train using the 107 Reversible Motor Set, as that also released in 1968. It wouldn't be price efficient to do so, as the 111 + 107's price would have cost as much or more than the 113 Motorized Train Set, but Samsonite of course encouraged it on the back of the 111's box:.
As with other sets produced from 1965-1971, there are two different versions of the sides. Top is the tabbed box, bottom is the older drawer/sleeve box:
The drawer/tab side did not change. Top is the tabbed version, bottom is the drawer:
Contents
The contents did not change between the two versions of the set, only how they were packed:
