The Wild West in a 5 x 9-foot space

CTT-J1006-APLAN

Layout designer: Kent Johnson Scale: O Layout size: 5 x 9 feet Track type: Lionel FasTrack Minimum curve: O-36 Originally appeared in the October 2006 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Click on the link to download a PDF of this track plan. Track plan Schematic Parts list […]

Read More…

David Balogh’s Christmas Layout

David Balogh's Christmas Layout

I don’t have a full layout yet (rental houses), so I have to get my kicks at Christmas. This year was the biggest so far. All the buildings are Lego. I films using an iPhone stuck between the milk containers on the milk car, and a Canon G11 flying overhead and edited in iMovie. Hopefully […]

Read More…

O gauge wind turbine

TP0111_wind-turbine

TOWERING WIND TURBINE On a recent Amtrak journey through the hills of western Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia, I was looking forward to seeing evidence of the coal mining operations in the region. Some call it a family vacation to Washington D.C., but for me it was also a trip to survey the landscape in […]

Read More…

3rd Rail O gauge Brass 2-10-10-2

CTT-PR0311_1015B

Land of the giants O gauge brass 2-10-10-2 from 3rd Rail In the January 2010 issue, we reviewed Lionel’s O gauge version of a Santa Fe 2-10-10-2, which in the world of real railroading was pretty much a failure. Today we are reviewing 3rd Rail’s O gauge version of a Virginian Ry. 2-10-10-2 that in […]

Read More…

Lionel O gauge Vision Line GE Hybrid diesel

CTT-PR0211_090810B

EcoBoy, Sr. O gauge vision line GE Hybrid ES44AC by Lionel In the February 2011 issue, we reviewed Lionel’s O gauge GenSet locomotive – a fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly switcher that used multiple smaller diesel engines that kicked in as warranted. For switching or light roadwork, this is a clever and innovative approach to saving […]

Read More…

A day of action on Terry Johnson’s O gauge layout

A day of action on Terry Johnson's O gauge layout

First we spray weeds and other things with MTH’s UP Weed Sprayer. Next the call goes out to transport the snow removal train up into the mountains where an imaginary snow has fouled the tracks. See the Lionel jet powered snow blower as well as an MTH Jordan Spreader. A fast freight pulled by MTH’s […]

Read More…

O gauge Erie GP9 by Lionel

CTT-PR0311_Erie-GP9

This is the ultra-basic Lionel Geep of olden times updated with electronics under the hood. No see-through screens, no add-on grab irons, no crew figures, no smoke unit. Everything that can be said about the exterior of the model has probably been said. It is a decent representation of the real thing, but not a […]

Read More…