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 […]
Consisting DCC locomotives to run together Q: Can you provide a simple procedure for pairing locomotives in a consist? One locomotive is pulling or pushing the one in front. – Stephen J. Szypula A: In Digital Command Control parlance, grouping locomotives so they all respond at once to the same throttle commands is called consisting. There […]
The September-October issue of Classic Toy Trains features an O gauge layout you can visit: Trains Over Texas! This professionally built display teaches the public about the topography and geology of the Lone Star state and has modern-era Lionel and MTH O gauge trains running through detailed scenes. Also in this issue is a Marx […]
Bob and Hal have a look at the new and long-anticipated Atlas O GP7. Then they turn their attention to railroadiana! Specifically railroad trust plates and lanterns, and what to look for when choosing these items to decorate your train room or man cave. […]
You might enjoy these four railroad themed novels on your summer travels. Rene Schweitzer details these four works of fiction that you may have overlooked. The Christmas Train David Baldacci Genre: Fiction First published: 2004 Journalist Tom Langdon, due to an “incident” at an airport, is banned from flying commercial airlines and takes Amtrak […]
Menards Cripple Creek General Store is in the new product showcase for Bob’s Train Box 82. Then Bob and CTT editor Hal Miller have a show-and-tell about the types of track available for Standard, O, and S gauge hobbyists including tubular, integral roadbed, and scale-like. There are lots of choices if you’re just starting a […]
There is an astonishing (and confusing) variety of track available, and you may wish to “mix and match” brands. For example, you may want to use an operating section for triggering a dump car, but it isn’t available in your track brand. You can transition to tubular track, insert a traditional activation section, and transition […]
Editor Hal Miller previews the July August 2022 issue of Classic Toy Trains! We’ll visit a large club layout in Nassau, N.Y., learn about Lionel’s no. 9141 Burlington Northern gondolas, solve a mystery behind a Marx set, and visit an S gauge layout owned by Tom Barker. Plus, the latest new products, and reviews of […]
Railfan and train-watching safety is key to any successful train-watching trip, whether it be a block away from home or a continent away. One must have situational awareness. Taking the time to know your surroundings, what looks right, what doesn’t look right is essential to ensure you have a great trackside experience. Historically speaking, rail […]
Menards Cripple Creek General Store is the latest O scale structure for the apparently burgeoning fictional burg. Several of the company’s buildings, including a recently released interlocking tower, are “located” there. This one is a little different detail-wise from the others. It has more of an “old West” feel primarily due to the figures that […]
Here’s how to install the LionChief app on your smartphone or tablet and get the most out of your Bluetooth-equipped Lionel locomotives. Years ago, there was only one way to run our toy trains, and that was with a transformer. Today, we’re fortunate to have a lot of options to control our trains, including remotes […]
Learning to install the LionChief app on your smartphone or tablet is nothing to fear. Years ago, there was only one way to run our toy trains, and that was with a transformer. Today, we’re fortunate to have a lot of options to control our trains, including remotes that come with sets and smart devices […]
