The Shay dates back to the 1870s, when logger Ephriam Shay was looking for a more efficient way to move timber from the woods to the mill. More than 2,700 units were built by Lima Locomotive Works between 1880 and 1930. The geared locomotives came in many variations in four different classes. To learn more […]
The Lionel No. 3474 Western Pacific Operating Boxcar upgrades any collection of postwar trains. It was another great model introduced in the outstanding year of 1952, which is covered in detail in Lionel Trains of the 1950s, a special interest publication from Classic Toy Trains. Over the past few years on Trains.com, I’ve been suggesting […]
There’s never been a shortage of large industrial structures for three-rail layouts. Many of them could have been coal-powered. You need not go broke buying high-dollar hoppers or high-side gondolas to carry the rivers of black diamonds needed to keep commerce humming. Back in the postwar days Lionel made a wide variety of scale and […]
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One of the most frequent questions Classic Toy Trains readers ask is, “What are my trains worth?” It’s hard to get an accurate answer. There are some key points to consider: Demand Toy trains’ increase in value depends on: • Are the cars well known throughout the hobby and therefore attractive to potential purchasers? • […]
I decided that the three-rail layout was going to have an industrial theme. I wanted lots of smokestacks, guys in hard hats and safety vests, and tall cranes. Because my full-time job takes me into many facilities associated with a wide variety of industries, I already had good ideas and firm plans for how the […]
Some questions we get frequently are: “How do I lubricate my locomotives?” followed by “What type of lubrication should I use on them?” Here are some answers. And remember, when it comes to oil and grease on locomotives or other rolling stock, less is more. Fortunately, there’s a quick and easy answer for what to […]
A version of this article appeared in the December 2017 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Whenever Classic Toy Trains features a layout distinguished by snowy scenes and Santa Claus plus his reindeer, readers naturally assume whoever built it did so while a blizzard raged and icicles formed on eaves and downspouts. They can’t help envisioning […]
I recently bought a Weaver O gauge E8 A-A pair online. Eagerly, I waited for its delivery. Once it arrived, I quickly put it on my layout. Sadly, it was “Dead as a brick.” The pair was sold as “functional.” Contacting the seller, I was told, “We didn’t have any reason to think they didn’t […]
Please contact the manufacturer directly about purchasing smoke fluid. As of this writing, there is one manufacturer of smoke pellets that’s compatable with postwar engines: SP Smoke Pellets. You can also check secondary markets to find new old stock of pellets. Happy operating! Bachmann Industries 1400 East Erie Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19124 webstore@bachmanntrains.com Bachmanntrains.com Bart’s […]
Meet Chris Esposito My first train set (or locomotive) was…? I started playing with my dad’s Lionel No. 2533W set (1959) when I was 2. My first official set was bought for my 10th birthday in 1988. My dad and I went to Madison Hardware in NYC (where we lived at the time) to purchase […]
While commercial snow-covered trees are easy to come by during the holiday season, here’s an option for you to make your own. I was able to make a lot of snowy trees for our Polar Express layout quickly by using the method shown here. You need just three things: cheap hairspray, a bag or two […]
