Lionel’s new baby K4 locomotive is a solid runner

Lionel's new baby K4 black locomotive in O gauge.

Back in the steam era, many railroads had a particular locomotive that symbolized that railway in the minds of the public. The New York Central had the 4-6-4 Hudson, the Milwaukee Road had its streamlined Hiawatha 4-4-2 Atlantics, and the Pennsylvania – which branded itself The Standard Railroad of the World – had the K4 […]

Read More…

Lionel Legacy Boston & Maine No. 801 SW8 locomotive

Lionel SW8 switcher locomotive

Lionel Legacy SW8 locomotive Lionel has released an SW8 switcher locomotive in its Legacy line. Classic Toy Trains editor Hal Miller gives you a first look at this engine, which is loaded with extra details like a fan-driven smoke unit, operating couplers, unique number boards, a bell, a single smokestack, two horns, and so much […]

Read More…

Menards O gauge Valley Motors car dealership building

Menards O gauge car dealership structure

Menards has released a new O gauge auto dealership building called Valley Motors. It features lighting, die-cast vehicles, figures, and lots of detail. It would be at home on a layout set in the 1940s to today. The structure harkens back to an era where American cars and trucks were heavy – probably made of […]

Read More…

B&O Steam DVD review

B&O Steam DVD cover

You’ll relive the glory years on the Baltimore & Ohio steam operations in Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. A wide area of the B&O is covered during the steam era including Cincinnati to North Vernon, Ind.; Cincinnati to Pittsburgh via Columbus; and around Wheeling, W.Va. Also shown are scenes at Cincinnati Union Terminal, including […]

Read More…

Lionel Santa Fe set pays tribute to the Super Chief

Hal Miller with a Lionel Santa Fe set.

A close-up look at the O gauge Lionel Santa Fe set featuring the Super Chief passenger train (no. 6-84719). There’s a reason it’s a perennial catalog favorite. This entry-level LionChief outfit comes with everything you need to get started in the hobby including a great-looking passenger train, an oval of track, and a remote control. […]

Read More…

Review: Lionel Super Chief LionChief Santa Fe toy train set

The train on the track.

  Introducing the Lionel Super Chief LionChief set The Lionel Super Chief LionChief toy train set is a good-looking small passenger train set in a road name I really like. Lionel’s no. 84719 Santa Fe Super Chief LionChief set has been in the catalog since 2018, and there are good reasons the train maker keeps […]

Read More…

Atlas HO scale ACF 5250 covered hopper

ACF 5250 hopper

An American Car & Foundry (ACF) 5,250-cubic-foot-capacity covered hopper makes its debut in the Atlas Model Railroad Co. Master Plus line. The HO scale model has prototype-specific hatch and outlet configurations; separate, factory-applied wire grab irons and wire brake lines; and metal couplers. The ACF 5250 Center Flow made its debut in November 1964. The […]

Read More…

Atlas O 40-foot high-cube refrigerated intermodal shipping container

Intermodal container

To borrow a phrase from Disney, “It’s a small world after all.” At least that’s how it seems as manufacturers’ abilities to ship just about anything around the world grow. Many – and perhaps most – of the products we use every day have traveled to our doors at least partially in an intermodal container. […]

Read More…

Holiday boxcars from Atlas

Three holiday boxcars

Atlas O has introduced the first three of four new holiday boxcars that salute traditional American celebrations. I’m very impressed with them. Most holiday boxcars that I’ve owned were simply a basic boxcar with some cheery graphics. Not so with these; Atlas O applies the fun graphics to a top-of-the-line car that the most dyed-in-the-wool […]

Read More…

MTH RailKing SW1 locomotive is small but mighty

MTH RailKing SW1 locomotive

The MTH RailKing SW1 locomotive is a model of a humble but evolutionary piece of machinery. Steam locomotives truly were amazing transportation machines, but they basically shook themselves apart as they ran. As such they required lots of care and feeding to keep them service. Accordingly, railroads needed substantial support networks including engine shops, turntables, […]

Read More…

ScaleTrains.com N scale GE Dash 9-40C

ScaleTrains.com N scale Dash 9 locomotive

In 1995, Norfolk Southern was in the market for a modern, high-horsepower diesel to add to its roster. If you run an N scale railroad, you can do as NS did and pick up the General Electric Dash 9-40C, the latest offering from ScaleTrains.com’s high-detail Rivet Counter line. This modern six-axle workhorse is available as […]

Read More…