The Lionel Hallow’s Eve Limited set is here, just in time for the Halloween season! It’s a ready-to-run LionChief outfit traveling the “Graveyard Route” with everything you need to get up and running in one very well-decorated box. The equipment in it is built with plastic bodies which allows it to withstand some less-than-delicate handling […]
An easy Halloween project for your O gauge railroad is sprucing up a store-bought holiday item to add to your layout. With a few supplies, you can complete this project. It’s appropriate for all skill levels, too, so the kids can help! While browsing the Halloween section at Menards, my husband found some fun décor […]
A small S gauge layout can give a lot of play value. For proof, check out John Mansueto’s layout in the November-December 2022 issue. It’s like many of the compact O and S gauge layouts spotlighted in Toy Train Layouts for Small Spaces, the 2021 special issue from Classic Toy Trains. Spare bedrooms, garage stalls, […]
Meet James Royal How did you get started in the hobby? I got started with my Dad back in the 1950s. He had a modular Lionel O scale layout in our attic with a Santa Fe Super Chief AB set with freight cars that was about 8 x 24 feet and included several operating accessories […]
Name: John Mansueto’s S gauge layout Dimensions: 7 x 11½ feet Track and switches: Gilbert American Flyer (maximum diameter is 54 inches) Motive power: American Models, Gilbert and Lionel American Flyer, S-Helper Service Rolling stock: American Models, Gilbert and Lionel American Flyer, MTH, S-Helper Service Controls: Lionel types RW and ZW transformers, MTH nos. Z-750 […]
Small O and S gauge layouts are how the hobby began. To demonstrate the wonders of layouts designed to fit into small spaces, let’s travel back to when most current enthusiasts were youngsters. This most likely means we’re talking about the 25 years immediately following World War II. These men and women can trace their […]
An American Flyer S gauge train display construction video shot by Tom Barker; his layout appears in the July-August issue of Classic Toy Trains. The item is inspired by a vintage American Flyer train dealer display. Subscribers can click here to see video of the layout in action. […]
Tom Barker’s S gauge layout is inspired by a vintage American Flyer dealer display. It features a lot of action and fun! It appears in the July-August issue of Classic Toy Trains. Subscribers can see how he built the circular four-tier structure that’s the centerpiece of the layout here. […]
Let’s talk about toy train starter set basics. Whether you’ve been away from the hobby for several decades or are buying a beginner outfit as a gift, you’re in for some fun! These packages have gone high-tech in the past few years but – fear not! – they still offer an easy, straightforward path to […]
Making grade crossing signals: Work is coming to an end on the State Line Route N scale model railroad, but not before adding some final details. In this episode, David Popp shows how to make grade crossing signals using parts from various manufacturers. The modeling tools he uses for this project are available for purchase […]
As the author of Model Railroader’s “Ask MR” column, I get a lot of questions from readers. Usually I either know the answers or at least where I can find the answers for them. Sometimes, though, I get a question that stirs my imagination and prompts me to compose a more involved response. Such was […]
What was your first train set (or locomotive)? In the second grade, I started reading Model Railroader in the school library. After a year of heavy lobbying, I got my first Tyco HO train set for Christmas in 1973. It had a powered Santa Fe F7A locomotive with a “dummy” F7B unit painted in the red-and-silver warbonnet […]
