I found this manuscript from the late John Grams in our manuscript files. There was no date on the envelope but it’s likely from the early 1990s. The article discusses 12 Lionel products that, while great inventions, were fraught with problems or didn’t work exactly as advertised. He included the following disclaimer: “Lionel trains were […]
I found this manuscript from the late John Grams in our manuscript files. There was no date on the envelope but it’s likely from the early 1990s. The article discusses 12 Lionel products that, while great inventions, were fraught with problems or didn’t work exactly as advertised. He included the following disclaimer: Lionel trains were […]
The late 1950s and early 60s were a time of the Cold War, Sputnik, and the Mercury and Gemini space programs. Lionel’s entry into space-related toys was a sign of our nation’s early endeavors with space exploration. One of the first space train accessories appeared on the cover of the 1958 Lionel catalog. Towering over […]
I found this manuscript from the late John Grams in our manuscript files. There was no date on the envelope but it’s likely from the early 1990s. The article discusses 12 Lionel products that, while great inventions, were fraught with problems or didn’t work exactly as advertised. He included the following disclaimer: Lionel trains were […]
I found this manuscript from the late John Grams in our manuscript files. There was no date on the envelope but it’s likely from the early 1990s. The article discusses 12 Lionel products that, while great inventions, were fraught with problems or didn’t work exactly as advertised. He included the following disclaimer: Lionel trains were […]
In the 1920s, as Argentina’s economy boomed and its railway system expanded, toy trains began to capture the imaginations of children and adults. Because British investors and engineers played a key role in Argentina’s railroad development, it made sense that the first toy trains came from European manufacturers like Hornby. It was a simple matter […]
This week’s “look back” is an early CTT product review from the Fall 1988 issue of the MTH 2-4-2 reproduction Lionel 263E locomotive. Look at that price–seems like a deal these days for a new engine. Dick Christiansen compared the engine to an original one owned by Andy Sperandeo. It’s interesting to note the color […]
I began collecting O and 027 gauge trains in middle school. Like many toy train enthusiasts, the trains were eventually packed away for various reasons. Years later, I unpacked my Lionel and Marx collection. It had been a long time since I had seen these trains. I unpacked mostly postwar and modern 2-4-2 outline steam […]
The Winter 1989 issue featured an 8 page (!) article on prewar American Flyer stations (96, 104, and 237). This comprehensive article included variation charts for each of the versions, photos of the different bases, catalog art, and more. It’s a great reminder that CTT has been the authority for toy train history for more […]
Lionel’s No. 671 Pennsylvania RR S2 steam turbine is one of the classic O gauge locomotives of the postwar era. Lionel released it for the first full product line of the post-World War II era in 1946. But the brilliant minds in the Engineering Department at Lionel were almost certainly taking their first steps in […]
Each week, I will pick a random page from a back issue of Classic Toy Trains and talk a little about it. I’ll kick off this series with the very first cover. It was one of the few covers to feature a person, Richard Kughn, next to part of his collection. You’ll also notice the […]
I’ve been collecting Marx since the 1990s. Growing up with American Flyer S gauge and Lionel, I had largely not gotten to know Marx. Eventually I started to take interest, especially in the plastic locomotives and cars. Plastic molding is something I like to look at and study. I did have a Marx plastic set […]
