Host John Truckenbrod and Classic Toy Trains’ Roger Carp share collector insights regarding P&H construction machinery that Lionel Corp. paired with their O gauge flatcars. Plus, they’ll also examine one of the most unusal, yet prototypical, freight cars Lionel produced! […]
Magazine: Classic Toy Trains
Video: Art Williams O gauge layout
Art Williams’ 20 x 65-foot O gauge toy train layout features equipment from Lionel, MTH, Atlas O and more, as well as small-town and industrial scenes. The main level of Art’s O gauge layout boasts a double-track main line extending more than 200 feet. […]
John Damanskas’ O gauge toy train layout
John Damanskas’ O gauge layout features locomotives, rolling stock, and accessories from Lionel Trains and MTH. The layout also features stunning scenery with mountains, trees, and bridges. […]
Lionelville copes with the COVID-19 virus

Name: Joe Muscanere Location: Texas Scale: O Theme: Classic 1950’s Description: Lionelville copes with the COVID-19 Virus in March 2020 with passenger and freight still delivering the goods. Soon, the national crisis will be a thing of the past. MORAL: RUN YOUR TOY TRAINS AND YOU WILL FEEL MUCH BETTER! […]
Fun in small spaces
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Tips for better Lionel Fastrack

Charles Angelo Irace Lionel’s FasTrack system sectional track features a built-in molded plastic roadbed. It looks good right out of the box, but there are a few things I like to do to make it look even better. I start by bluing the center rail (above left photo) with Birchwood Casey Super Blue, using the […]
Classic Lionel orange and blue on a high-rail layout

Name: Peter Martens Forum User Name: Peter_J_M Railroad Name: Lionel Lines Location: The Silver Rail Club’s home based layout Scale: O gauge Theme: Classic Lionel colors on the high-rail! Description: Classic orange and blue colors make up these highly collectible train sets! Released individually during the 80’s and 90’s, each freight consist made up an […]
Tips for better GarGraves track

Charles Angelo Irace GarGraves Phantom Line flexible track is manufactured with the middle rail chemically treated to a deep black color. The wood ties are also more realistic than the stamped-metal ones found on traditional track, but I like to paint the GarGraves ties to better resemble the creosote-treated ones found on real railroads. In […]
MTH Tinplate Traditions Standard gauge 4-4-4

Forget your prewar Standard gauge electric-outline locomotives. I don’t care how large or flashy or colorful those slab-sided toasters are, they can’t hold a candle to the King Salami of big trains – the No. 400E 4-4-4. The size, look, and color of this model set a standard in its day for power and authority. […]
S-Helper Service S gauge diesel freight starter set

Anyone who thinks that S gauge starts and ends with American Flyer should take a look at the S-Helper Service line. For years the crew at S-Helper Service has been in the vanguard of manufacturers rising above postwar levels of detail, regardless of train gauge. Out are the cast-in handrails and roofwalks; in are add-on […]
Lionel O gauge track gang car

In popularity, the postwar Lionel gang car is exceeded by only the trolley car in terms of Auto-Pilot fun on the tinplate rails. Lionel’s release of the 1950s favorite lives up to its reputation. Both the gang car and trolley operate on the same concept. The car runs in one direction until it hits an […]
MTH Premier line O gauge BB3 Long Island

MTH brings us a B-class switcher. As Al Staufer noted in his book Pennsy Power, few electrified railways could dedicate electric locomotives simply to the task of switching cars. But the Pennsylvania Railroad, with its vast network of yards and terminals under wire, could. In 1926, the Pennsy’s Altoona, Pa., shops began producing these little […]