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Magazine: Classic Toy Trains
Atlas O Industrial Rail 4-4-2 Atlantic
The new Industrial Rail 4-4-2 Atlantic by Atlas O is the firm’s first attempt to bring a nicely detailed, smoothly operating steam locomotive to the O gauge entry-level market. Its direct competition in the marketplace is Lionel’s 4-4-2 starter set and MTH’s old RailKing 2-6-0 starter set. All three are designed to provide a reliable, […]
Lionel’s O gauge Hogwarts Express Train Set
We’re amidst another pop-culture craze, this one involving the adventures of a group of young student wizards. I’ve never seen the Harry Potter movies or read the books, but to me, the important thing about Lionel’s new O gauge Hogwarts Express set, based on the train from the movies, is that it is tied into […]
Classic Toy Trains, November 2007
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American Model Builders Laserkit O scale grain elevator
THIS PRODUCT, part of American Model Builders’ Laserkit line, offers an early 20th-century grain elevator kit in O scale. This is appropriate for the steam and early diesel eras, but driving around the countryside, you could probably find similar structures still in operation today. The kit, modeled on a “Northwestern Line Elevator” plan from a […]
Atlas O Trainman line O gauge Alco RS-3 locomotive
I’M ON RECORD for both lauding the concept of the Atlas O Trainman line and enjoying its basic, no-frills diesels. Why? Since the Trainman line’s O scale products are very affordable, I think that post-starter set newbies with an interest in scale-sized trains might be likely to plop down their hard-earned bucks for a Trainman […]
MTH Premier line O gauge USRA 0-6-0 steam switcher
THE SUBJECT OF our attention today is a little steamer that helped us beat the Kaiser and soldiered on through the end of the steam era, providing commendable service to the railroads that operated it: the USRA 0-6-0 steam switcher. America entered World War I in April 1917. In December of that year the U.S. […]
Classic Toy Trains, October 2007
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Getting power to your toy trains
Q: I live in a large space and have an 80-foot loop of Lionel O-27 track running through it. I’m having trouble getting enough power to the train. I need information on wiring methods and wire types and suggestions on how large a transformer I am going to need to get it working properly. – […]
MTH RailKing O gauge 2-8-0 starter set
EVEN CONSIDERING THE fact that most kids (and adults) have never gotten closer to a steam locomotive than, say, an episode of Petticoat Junction, a steam-powered starter set is tough to beat. The visual elements of moving side rods and puffing smoke, combined with the gift-giving mood around the holidays, make a steam-engine starter set […]
S-Helper Service S gauge diesel starter set
S-HELPER SERVICE is one of the leaders in producing modern trains that improve upon postwar standards of detail and performance while retaining the ability to operate with vintage S gauge trains. Gone are the cast-in details that may have been pleasing back in a time when guys were building freight cars from cardboard or wood […]
Original Lionel no. 313 bascule bridge parts
Q: I recently purchased a Lionel no. 313 bascule bridge that is in pretty good shape. Unfortunately, the linkage to raise and lower the bridge from the base is missing. I want to identify and replace the missing parts, so an exploded view with part numbers listed would be appreciated. – C.T. Gast, Buffalo, N.Y. […]
