Disney's Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Handcar by Lionel In 1934, two titans of innovation and imagination – Joshua Lionel Cowen and Walt Disney – entered a partnership that would endure for generations and change the face of the model train industry. But when Lionel and Walt Disney Productions signed their first licensing agreement, success wasn’t guaranteed. Like the rest of the country, Lionel was reeling from the financial impact of The Great Depression. The company had been forced into receivership, and the Disneys knew it had substantial debt when they agreed to let Lionel feature their beloved cartoon mouse as the hero on its new train toy. It turned out that the popularity of Disney’s Mickey Mouse and the imaginative design of the wind-up toy was just the magic Lionel needed to save it from bankruptcy. Lionel's original "No. 1100 Mickey Mouse Handcar" sold more than 250 thousand pieces during the holiday season of 1934. The toy’s unbelievable success not only allowed Lionel to pay off its creditors, but by the end of the year, the company was on the fast track to cornering the model train market. A new era in the hobby had been born. Now Lionel reaches back into its archive to offer collectors a special Disney100 edition of the ground-breaking 1934 handcar. Just like the original, this new edition will operate using a wind-up mechanism and include a circle of two-rail track. The handcar will be made of stamped metal with resin Disney's Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse figurines and cast metal wheels – the same as the original 1930s toy. Four unique color variations of this handcar are available, each replicating one of four historic production colors. To celebrate Disney 100 Years of Wonder, Lionel is also excited to present a fifth offering – a first-of-its-kind nickel-plated version that gleams with the luster of polished metal. Included in the Disney100 edition of each Disney's Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Handcar by Lionel is a booklet that tells the Lionel and Disney story, along with the history of how the two companies worked together to create this special car, including rare archival images and documents from the Disney vault. Collectors will also receive a Certificate of Authenticity that will be sealed and signed by Lionel CEO Howard Hitchcock. © Disney