New website launched to help celebrate 200th anniversary of American railroading

Screenshot of website with words "Forever Linking the Nation"

BALTIMORE — The B&O Railroad Museum has launched a new website, AmericanRail200.org, intended as a one-stop source of information on the bicentennial of American railroading in 2027. The site will serve as the central clearinghouse for events and news, with organizations and individuals invited to upload information so users can find information on events nationwide. […]

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LCCA increases membership prices

LCCA logo

The Lionel Collectors Club of America has announced increases to their membership. In a recent LCCA email newsletter, the group announced that rising prices from vendors have affected expenses. Effective August 1, 2025, membership prices will change to: Regular Membership: $48.00 annually ($5.00 increase). Electronic Membership: $30.00 annually ($3.00 increase). Junior Membership: $30.00 per annually […]

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Toy train parts suppliers

model train with screwdriver and assorted parts around it

One of the questions we receive quite regularly is where to find parts. Sooner or later, it’s likely you’ll need a part for your locomotive or rolling stock. It could be as simple as replacing traction tires or as complicated as a postwar rehab project. In either case, we’ve got you covered! For each retailer, […]

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5 tips for starting a toy train collection

Silver and yellow toy boxcar

I began collecting O and 027 gauge trains in middle school. Like many toy train enthusiasts, the trains were eventually packed away for various reasons. Years later, I unpacked my Lionel and Marx collection.  It had been a long time since I had seen these trains. I unpacked mostly postwar and modern 2-4-2 outline steam […]

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Can you prevent Lionel and MTH trains from running in reverse?

Classic Toy Trains magazine logo

Are you aware of any kind of commercial device that can prevent Lionel and MTH trains from running in reverse? Whenever any of my young grandchildren try to run a freight train in reverse, the cars inevitably derail and ruin our fun. This is an interesting problem to have! I can’t think of any device […]

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Menards O gauge Main Street

Front of structure

Menards continues to release an interesting variety of structures for your O gauge layout, from industrial, to whimsical, and anything else you might see in Anytown U.S.A. This latest structure, called “O gauge Main Street,” fits squarely in that Anytown category. A sticker on the clamshell box states that this is part of the Main […]

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Trailing lobelia

garden railway with plant with purple flowers on right side

Common name: Trailing lobelia, edging lobelia, annual lobelia Latin name: Lobelia erinus ‘Riviera Sky Blue’ Plant type: Annual Plant size: 8-10″ high and spreading USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11 for overwintering, all Zones as an annual Cultural needs: Moist soil, sun or part shade, fertilize regularly for continuous blooming So few miniature plants have such a […]

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Locomotives we love: Lionel No. 773 4-6-4 Hudson steam engine

black model steam engine on layout with fall foliage

The Lionel No. 773 4-6-4 Hudson steam engine and tender from 1950 did much to revive the passion dedicated O gauge modeler Walt Urban Jr. has for toy trains. He reminds us that hobbyists who grew up during the 1950s will remember the annual holiday shopping season as being particularly nostalgic. Like him, many of […]

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Why I collect Gilbert American Flyer

wall of toy trains on shelves

What do I collect? I collect S gauge Gilbert American Flyer, as it’s the scale and brand with which I entered the model railroading hobby. I have always enjoyed S gauge, as the size is nice and Gilbert American Flyer enjoys a great history and loyal, albeit somewhat small, following. When did I start collecting? […]

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Milwaukee’s Trainfest to return in November 2025

The logo for Trainfest 2025, which reads "Trainfest" in red lettering

MILWAUKEE — America’s largest operating model railroad show is set for 2025. In a press release sent to Firecrown Media Inc., the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) announced Milwaukee’s Trainfest will return to the Baird Center Nov. 1-2, 2025. This marks the second-consecutive year the event will be held at the downtown venue. The NMRA, […]

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Knights of Columbus Lionel boxcars raise funds for charity

two men shaking hands with Lionel boxcar

Frank Kotnik was introduced to toy trains as a child. Someone gave his father a secondhand Lionel set and accessories from the early 1950s. When Frank was three, around 1963, his dad surprised him with a simple tabletop layout. The engine captivated the young tot, sparking a lifetime interest in the hobby. Frank is a […]

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