American Flyer No. 636 depressed-center flatcar with reel Even before World War II, the A.C. Gilbert Co. had experimented with loads for its flatcars. Of importance were the models with a small civilian or military vehicle, which could be unloaded via remote control. These models returned after the war. Lionel decided against competing with Gilbert […]
Thousands of different O and S gauge sets – cataloged and promotional – were developed between 1945 and 1969. Think of the one you received for your birthday or a holiday. Maybe you can say with pride it was Lionel’s No. 2211WS. An awesome responsibility From the time Lionel offered just one outfit for the […]
The near-scale single-dome tank cars were cataloged in 1946 and ’47. The No. 2855 Sunoco tankers offered no animation or action, except what kids might imagine. Then the great-looking and highly realistic models might be part of a fleet of oil cars hard at work in refineries located along the East Coast. The variations of […]
What toy train locomotive means the most to you? It’s a locomotive that’s not a childhood treasure, let alone having been part of my O-gauge collection for only 8 months now. And while being on my general radar for some time, it wasn’t a particular model I prioritized in searching for. Perhaps it was ultimately […]
After finishing “Rosy,” my sugar cane train saddle tank engine, I decided to kitbash large-scale sugar cane cars. I started with Hartland Locomotive Works (HLW, now out of business—Ed.) flatcars and added solid square posts (Evergreen Styrene #196) into the holes in the car. I also added a small piece .10” flat styrene into the […]
Lionel No. 6464 boxcars made their debut 70 years ago. Over the past few decades those near-scale replicas of modern single-door boxcars have become some of the most popular and appreciated members of the postwar cataloged lineup. Collectors at every level – from beginner to advanced – hunt for examples of the 29 models offered […]
When I take my granddaughter to the local neighborhood park, I usually envision seeing a large-scale garden railway running loops through the park. So, one day I contacted one of the people in charge and shared my vision of the garden-railway. In time, someone contacted me to let me know that it would be a […]
Minitoys No. M-54 road signs Manufacturers and store owners in the toy train business reached the same conclusion, especially in the years after World War II, when so many folks were trying to squeeze their way into the market and grab a few dollars. Several small companies sprouted up in the late 1940s and early […]
Readers of the Mileposts blog hardly need be sold on the close connections between the holiday season and trains, especially in memory. From traveling home by train to see loved ones to seeing snow flying outside the window of a dining car to watching Lionel trains race around a department store window, this season is […]
Toy train firms selling miniature versions of steam locomotives knew the full-size versions of those models needed to fill their boilers with cool water on a regular basis so their firebox could heat the water until it boiled. Then it could produce steam to move the rods and pistons that kept the drive wheels moving. […]
Imagine you’re in midst of designing a three-rail layout with a decidedly toy look. Maybe you want to give a sense of what electric trains were like before plastic models became prevalent. Or perhaps you have in mind an environment in which gaily colored playthings made of tinplated sheet metal predominate. Wisely, you’ve decided to […]
Take a look at the Lionel No. 3459 automatic dumping ore car, cataloged from 1946 through 1948. The most common version of this model came with a black-painted frame and black metal tray with “Lionel Lines” heat-stamped on both sides in white. Lionel offered this variation for all three years it cataloged the 3459 and […]
