Even a small steamer can crank out a nice flow of smoke, so buy the right fluid and don’t try to create a home brew smoke fluid. Q: I recently bought a Williams steamer, and it came with several warnings stating to use only Williams smoke fluid and no other. Well, none of my engines […]
Many old Marx steam locomotives have gears that extend the full diameter of the wheel, resulting in incompatibility with most track switches. Q: I am starting to build a small O gauge layout with two loops and some switching in between for variety. I have some newer Lionel trains and some old Marx trains from […]
CTT reader Phil Lea of Athens, Tenn., is looking to re-create the old West on his layout. Postwar Marx plays sets just might be his best source for buildings and decorations that look at home on the range, looking the other way regarding exact scale, of course! Q: I would like to do my layout […]
The names Lionel and Disney have a unique history. Modern toy production techniques have made the most of Walt Disney’s colorful animated characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck. Q: I have a Lionel O gauge no. 18311 Disney electric-profile EP-5 locomotive. I would like to collect all the cars that go with […]
Q: What was the reasoning for the Lionel Corp. to produce two very similar track sizes – O-27 with a 27-inch-diameter circle and O with a 31-inch diameter circle? Wouldn’t production be a lot simpler and inventories less costly with only one? Since O-27 engines and rolling stock could run on O track, why retain […]
Q: I have a Lionel no. 257 freight station with diesel horn that is equipped with a D-cell battery to operate the horn. How do I convert the 1.5 DC voltage to 14-16 AC voltage so I can operate it like my other accessories from a transformer? – Peter Douglas Beam, Pasadena, Calif. A: Peter, […]
Q: I have two American Flyer no. 18B transformers with two Lionel no. 167 whistle controllers on my layout. My problem is that older Lionel steam locomotive whistles do not work at all, and the new sound systems and horns only work well when stopped. While moving, blowing the whistles tends to slow the engines […]
Q: Before I was born, my grandfather bought me a Lionel O-27 set, and over the years I’ve acquired many other O-27 items. I want to build a layout, but just about everyone I’ve spoken to has advised me against building my layout using O-27 track and switches. Instead, they advise me to upgrade to […]
Q: I’ve got an 8- by 12-foot layout that is fairly complete, and I use an old Lionel ZW for track power and a few small transformers on a separate circuit for lights and accessories. Is there an easy way to add Lionel’s TrainMaster Command Control to run new engines in command-control mode? I don’t […]
Q: Ray, I have a Lionel no. 315 bridge with a red light on top. The light doesn’t work due to the light socket, which rests in a sort-of black square holder that’s corroded. I have checked several hobby parts sites but can’t seem to find the part number for a replacement part. Do you […]
Q: I am trying to familiarize myself with my postwar Lionel nos. 675, 2025, and 2035 locomotives by reading several of the Greenberg reference books. The more I read, the more confused I get. One book states that the no. 675 has Baldwin disc drivers. Another guide lists both disc and spoke drivers. One reference […]
Q What does the name “Soo Line” mean? Is it an acronym, an abbreviation, or something else? I’ve asked many rail enthusiasts and gotten many different answers. – Reed Newlin, Maryville, Ill. A The Soo Line got its nickname from its original full name, the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie. “Sault,” pronounced “Soo,” […]
