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Locomotives from the Union Pacific Heritage Fleet highlight the latest release of the Lionel Legacy SD70ACe. The product was announced in the 2022 Volume 2 catalog. The model train maker offered 10 versions, and I was convinced I needed at least half of them. Lionel has not produced the UP heritage units in 15 years, […]
Meet Bill Barnwell In a paragraph, how did you get started in the hobby? I got started in trains at the age of six with a Lionel 027 steam freight set and an oval of track under the Christmas tree. I still remember the smell of electric ozone in the air, laying on the rug at […]
The Lionel Legacy 2-6-0 “Mogul” type locomotive graced the company’s 2022 Vol. 2 catalog. It’s a welcome re-release as the previous 2016 models were struck with gearing issues. These caused many of them to run poorly at slow speeds. Many were returned to Lionel and never made it to the the second-hand market. This new […]
It’s not hard to give a postwar Lionel GP7 a new lease on life. Unless they’ve really been abused, these workhorses can be returned to service with some cleaning, adjustment, and maybe a little lubrication. This particular model had been stored for years in a dry climate. Additionally, the previous owner had removed the D-cell […]
The Lionel Legacy C-Liner continues a keeps alive a sort of tradition in toy trains. While almost an outlier as a locomotive producer in real life, Fairbanks-Morse locomotives have enjoyed outsized success in the hobby. Witness the legendary Train Master. The locomotive builder’s effort to gain traction in the passenger and freight locomotive competition led […]
The Lionel-GE locomotive history arguably goes back more than a century. The first General Electric models made by the toy train manufacturer in electric and diesel profiles were separated by about 60 years. The internal-combustion model came almost a decade-and-a-half after GE started making that type of engine. Lionel GE locomotive history General Electric entered […]
The Lionel Legacy H-15-44 accurately captures in O gauge a transitional model for the locomotive builder. With help from industrial designer Raymond Loewy of Pennsylvania Railroad S1 and GG1 acclaim, Fairbanks-Morse built a road switcher that could, for a time, be found pulling passenger trains. The Wisconsin-based company would continue with this same profile through […]
The Lionel Sandy Andy Automatic Gravel Loader was one of a kind. This 1970s accessory didn’t last very long in the catalog and there might be a few reasons why. On the other hand, it’s an exceptionally engineered product in certain ways and takes full advantage of physics! It’s all plastic and free of batteries […]
The Lionel Sandy Andy Automatic Gravel Loader was one of a kind. This 1970s accessory didn’t last very long in the catalog and there might be a few reasons why. On the other hand, it’s an exceptionally engineered product in certain ways and takes full advantage of physics! It’s all plastic and free of batteries […]
Lionel prewar locomotive parts are readily available these days, allowing you to return your vintage motive power to the job. One of the great things about old Lionel engines – even really old ones – is they generally will run, even after decades of disuse. This prewar 252 electric, made in the early 1930s, is […]
Roger Carp is Senior Editor of Classic Toy Trains and the author of numerous books about the toy train collecting hobby. What toy train locomotive means the most to you? My favorite toy train locomotive is the Lionel No. 2065 steam engine. This small Hudson isn’t the biggest, heaviest, or most expensive, but everything desirable […]
Carey Tarkman has built a 15 x 20 foot layout that includes both Standard gauge and O gauge. It includes Lionel, MTH, and American Flyer motive power. The elements needed to give life to a display featuring prewar models differ from the norm. They demand different skills and artistry from the builder. He or she […]
