Hal Miller continues his Workbench Minute series showing how to clean a Lionel no. 97 elevator. He uses a cleanser that’s both safe for his skin and the model to wipe away decades of dust and grime. […]
Cleaning up Lionel’s no. 97 Coal Elevator
Magazine: Classic Toy Trains
News & Products for the week of May 27, 2021
Tools Model Builders saw tool kit. Includes compact coping saw with five blades, combination file and rasp, and sanding stick. Saw bow is 7” long and 4.5” deep. Cuts wood, plastic, PVC pipe, and thin metals. $33.99. Produced by Excel Blades, available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com Straight Lexan scissors. Soft-grip handles. Use with paper, decals, […]
Professor Carp says moving wood is good!
Professor Carp brings you the history and details of one of Lionel’s most entertaining accessories, its no. 364 Log Loader. Classic Toy Trains Editor Hal Miller is also on hand to take a look at the mechanics of this workhorse gem. […]
Jon Balka’s American Flyer All Aboard S gauge layout
Facts & Features Name: Jon Balka’s S gauge layout Dimensions: 5 1/2 x 10 feet Track and switches: American Flyer All*Aboard panels Motive power: Gilbert American Flyer Rolling stock: Gilbert American Flyer Controls: Gilbert American Flyer nos. 8B and 22004 transformers Structures: Gilbert American Flyer, Littletown, Marx, Plasticville Vehicles: Marx, Renwal Figures: Marx Click here […]
Gefken family O gauge layout
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 Vision Line GS is just spectacular
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 […]
July 2021
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 […]
Reader Review: Lionel’s new Bluetooth 0-6-0 steam locomotive is a winner!
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 […]
How to make roads stick on your model train layout
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. […]
M.T.H. will continue to make trains
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 […]
News & Products for the week of May 20, 2021
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, […]
Classic Toy Trains’ Beginners’ email series
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. […]
