In the declining years of private passenger haulage, one of the illusions held out for consideration was that the public might be drawn back to the rails if passenger trains ran at or near airline speeds. In the caveman days of the 1960s, high-speed rail was pretty much just finding a way to match the […]
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Although horse-drawn trolleys could be found in many American cities, rapid movement of commuters really became practical when the routes were electrified. Interestingly, many vintage photos show trolleys running along dirt streets in relatively large cities, with pedestrians, horse-drawn wagons, carts, and even a few carriages being their only competition for the roadway. As time […]
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Modeler Rick Wright never quits pushing himself to greater heights in the hobby. In the November 2000 issue we showcased his beautiful O gauge hi-rail layout. Ten years later we are privileged to show you the updated version. […]
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Bill Hildebrand used scale drawings and inexpensive hardboard material to construct an O gauge model of the famous Hoboken Terminal. Ornate architecture, magnificent concourses, and a seemingly endless parade of people and trains are just a few of the characteristics that make large passenger train terminals just as captivating on toy train layouts as they […]
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Richard Van de Kieft formed an impressive O gauge passenger terminal out of two MTH structures. Photos by Michael Raynor 2. A motor tool with a cutting disk quickly removes a tapered support along the interior ledge. 3. Use a razor saw to cut the ledge and separate the walls. 1. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver […]
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The sight of a toy train locomotive puffing across a layout, its rhythmic white exhaust reaching out to the sky, is as captivating today as it was when the first smoking O gauge locomotive debuted more than 50 years ago. But what you see isn’t smoke. There is no combustion occurring. Without combustion, you can’t […]
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F3s, Hudsons, and Girls’ trains – those are the postwar jackpots that everybody knows about. Here, though, are six underexposed Lionel items that are quickly moving up the charts. Models courtesy Joe Algozzini What’s hot today among postwar Lionel trains and accessories? I attend several train shows each year, check out eBay listings almost every […]
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A GIFT FROM THE HEART IS SOMETHING TO TREASURE. If the gift happens to be a train, that’s all the better. Such is the case with the Christmas train I created for my club layout to operate throughout the holiday season. While a variety of special holiday sets are readily available from toy train manufacturers, […]
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It’s easy and fun to create your own roadside signage. I love billboards, especially the Lionel billboards that have removable inserts allowing you to change what’s on the billboard. Until recently, you had to be content with whatever advertisement was printed on the thin cardboard that’s packed with the billboard. Wouldn’t it be more fun […]
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If you’re just getting into O gauge, or even if you’re a collector getting the urge to build a layout, you’ll need to lay some track. After all, without track (and a transformer, of course), your three-rail trains are just expensive push toys! Where I refer to “tubular” track, I’m talking about regular Lionel, K-Line, […]
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T W TRAINWORX IS NOTED FOR BOTH ITS LIONEL DISPLAYS AND, MORE RECENTLY, ITS LINE OF LIONEL-BRANDED ARCH BRIDGE KITS. These structures evoke images of catalogs of the past with trains rolling beneath and across the bridge, and the name LIONEL centered in the archway below the deck. How neat is that? Jumping right inWhen […]
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