May 2002

May 2002

By Angela Cotey | October 19, 2020

| Last updated on November 3, 2020

In the pages of CLASSIC TOY TRAINS magazine you’ll find information about building, operating, and enhancing toy train layouts; track plans, repair and maintenance tips, profiles of collectible postwar and prewar trains, and more.

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Features

BASICS OF COMMAND CONTROL

By Neil Besougloff

Information you need to add digital command control to your layout.

LIONEL’S OPERATING BOXCARS

By Joe Algozzini , Roger Carp

Trace the development and variations of Lionel’s postwar operating boxcars.

NOSTALGIA BACKWARDS LAYOUT

By Joe Algozzini

Visit a professionally built O gauge layout that recalls events and places in its owner’s life.

RAYMOND LOEWY’S LIONEL COALING STATION

By Roger Carp

We confirm the rumor that the famous industrial designer’s firm was behind Lionel’s no. 497 coaler.

REALISTIC OPERATING CROSSINGS

By Don Woodwell

Update your layout’s highway crossing signals with these suggestions.

LAYOUT LOOK-BACK

By Jim Riccioli

Memorable layouts from CTT’s past include “Mayor of Plasticville” Bill Nole’s O gauge layout, Sergio DePinto’s O gauge layout, and Brooks Stover’s hi-rail S gauge layout.

ACTION TRACK PLAN

By Norv Schock

Run up to six trains at once using this O gauge 7- by 15-foot track plan.

GIMME THOSE OLD-TIME TRAINS

By Stuart Shuster

100 years ago this is what your toy train layout would have looked like.

HOW TO WIRE TRACKSIDE ACCESSORIES

By Louis Koumoundouros

The first of a multi-part series shows you ways to wire Lionel’s classic semaphore.

FLYER’S ROCKET SLED CAR

By Joe Deger

Space-age events inspired American Flyer’s clever motorized unit.

Departments

Editor’s Desk

Correspondence

News & Notes

Point of View

Product News

Atlas O turntable, 3rd Rail Challenger steamer, new Lionel catalog, MTH postwar-style dispatch board

Questions & Answers

Talkin’ Toy Trains

Product Reviews

Lionel C&O 2-10-4

Weaver C&NW ES-class 4-6-2

MTH Premier line Canadian National 4-8-2

Z-Stuff for Trains highway crossing sets

Lionel operating lighthouse

Lionel operating carousel

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