Facts & Features Name: Gefken family’s O gauge layout Dimensions: 10 x 20 feet Track and switches: Lionel (diameters range from 48 to 72 inches) Motive power: Lionel Rolling stock: K-Line, Lionel, Williams by Bachmann Controls: Lionel CW-80 transformer (3), with Lionel Legacy command control Accessories: Atlas O, K-Line, Lionel Structures: Ameri-Towne, Atlas O, JV […]
Lionel’s 2020 Vol. 1 catalog celebrated the firm’s 120th anniversary, and what a catalog it was. For me, the most distinctive offering wasn’t a single locomotive, but a single style of locomotive: The Southern Pacific’s venerable GS (General Service or Golden State) line of 4-8-4 Northern steam engines. I don’t believe any manufacturer (in any […]
Also in this issue: EDITOR’S DESK, pg. 4 LETTERS, pg. 6 MODERN ERA NOTES, pg. 8 PHOTO ALBUM, pg. 10 NEWS & PRODUCTS, pg. 14 Companies acquire O, S gauge MTH tooling QUESTIONS & ANSWERS, pg. 18 VIEWS FROM THE UNDERGROUND, pg. 21 REVIEWS, pg. 50 Lionel Vision Line GS-6, Lionel LionChief 2.0 0-6-0T AD […]
The Lionel LionChief Plus 2.0 0-6-0T steam locomotive is an attractive O gauge model with lots of nice features and a moderate price. The engine was originally listed in the 2019 Vol. 2 catalog and again in the 2020 Big Book. Due to shipping delays, it’s just becoming available. It comes lettered for Atchison, Topeka […]
Hal Miller repairs peeling roadway material on the City Transfer & Terminal, an O gauge layout showcased in Classic Toy Trains articles and videos throughout 2018. With the original adhesive backing now dry and no longer tacky, Hal shows how silicone caulk can be used to affix the roads to the layout for good. […]
Some good news for toy train hobbyists: Mike Wolf might be retiring, but his former company isn’t. A year after M.T.H. Electric Trains’ owner announced his plan to depart the industry, a significant portion of the company is relocating from its Columbia, Md. facility to a new one in Elkridge, Md., while another part continues […]
Tools Double-ended pin vise. Steel and plastic construction with chrome handle. Accepts no. 50 through no. 80 drill bits. $9.99. Produced by Excel, available from the Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com Cushion grip scribe. Tool produces micro-fine scribed panel lines, punch holes, rivet marks, and more. Includes one replaceable steel tip. $7.99. Produced by Excel Blades, […]
Learn what you need to get started as a toy train operator/collector. Classic Toy Trains brings you a new 4-part email series called “Toy Train Basics.” Using insightful articles and helpful video guides, it teaches you the essentials of the hobby, including: •Lessons on fundamental terminology. •How to create a small, simple track plan. […]
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The July issue of Classic Toy Trains features an O gauge layout built by a modeler and his twin sons. It’s based on sites in the Western U.S. their family has visited. For American Flyer fans, we’ll have a look at an S gauge layout made of vintage All Aboard modular panels. The he DIY […]
Classic Toy Trains Editor Hal Miller prowls the dollar store aisles in search of inexpensive items that are useful on the workbench or layout. […]
