Happy National Power Rangers Day!
In 1960, Ohio Art released the Mechanical Hi-Way Road Set, a playset that combined wind-up vehicles with a multi-level metal track. The set’s lithographed layout measured approximately 14 x 19 inches and featured over eight feet of roadway, including a cloverleaf design with a double-lane bridge and an underpass.
It came with three metal lithographed cars, each about 3½ inches long, equipped with spring-wound motors. Manufactured in West Germany, the cars interacted with automatic start-and-stop switches built into the track, allowing them to pause and resume motion as they encountered one another. When one car stopped at a switch, another could trigger its release, simulating simple traffic flow and creating a continuous cycle of motion.
To operate the set, each car was wound using the mounted winding post on the board, then placed on the track in the direction of the printed arrows. Once in motion, the cars travelled around the track, across the bridge, and beneath the underpass, starting and stopping automatically as they moved along the route.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
The Pull-A-Long Lacing Shoe followed two earlier toys with similar play patterns: the Music Box Lacing Shoe (1964) and the Play Family Lacing Shoe (1965). All three reflected Fisher-Price’s commitment to educational, hands-on play. With their colourful designs and tactile learning features, these toys not only delighted children but have since become cherished nostalgic items for collectors.
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