Come with us to visit Jon Balka’s S gauge layout that’s made of Flyer All Aboard panels. Trains loop through this relatively compact pike that features plenty of buildings and scenery. […]
Jon Balka’s S gauge layout
Scale: S Scale
Running American Flyer set no. 20740
Name: Michael Marmer Railroad Name: D&K RR Location: Germantown, Maryland Scale: S Theme: Small town America Description: This is my childhood American Flyer Set that was for the family when it came out in 1958. I was 3 years old and I still remember it being set up and running in the house. I will […]
Running American Flyer set no. 20740
Name: Michael Marmer Railroad Name: D&K RR Location: Germantown, Maryland Scale: S Theme: Small town America Description: This is my childhood American Flyer Set that was for the family when it came out in 1958. I was 3 years old and I still remember it being set up and running in the house. I will […]
The story behind developing smoke for toy-train locomotives
The evolution of miniature locomotives has been long and steady for more than a century. The beginning, of course, involved using electricity to enable them to move without being touched. Next came the introduction of functioning lights to models of steam and electric engines as well as to trolley and motorized units. Everything that had […]
Calculate toy train speeds
Have you ever been curious as to just how fast your locomotives can travel and what will happen if a speeding train encounters a sharp curve? With a stretch of straight track to accelerate on, and an O-27 curve at the end, you can usually find out. But the question remains: Just how fast can […]
Scaletrains.com makes deal with MTH for HO, S tooling
MTH Electric Trains HO and S gauge tooling has been acquired by Scaletrains.com, according to company president Shane Wilson. “The purchase of MTH’s HO products also allows us to broaden our product line into passenger cars, track, and more. We believe there is an opportunity to grow the S market as well,” he said in […]
New toy-train products for the week of February 4, 2021
O scale freight cars American Car & Foundry 11,000-gallon tank car. New paint schemes: Allied Chemical (gray and black), Atlantic Refining (gray, red, and white), Dow Canada (green and black), Polysar (black, blue, and white), Smith Douglass (gray, black, and red), and Tidewater Associated (black and orange). New road numbers: Warren (gray, black, and green). […]
Running a childhood American Flyer set
Name: Michael Marmer Railroad Name: D&K RR Location: Germantown, Maryland Scale: S Theme: Small town America Description: This is my childhood American Flyer Set that was for the family when it came out in 1958. I was 3 years old and I still remember it being set up and running in the house. I will […]
Running a childhood American Flyer set
Name: Michael Marmer Railroad Name: D&K RR Location: Germantown, Maryland Scale: S Theme: Small town America Description: This is my childhood American Flyer Set that was for the family when it came out in 1958. I was 3 years old and I still remember it being set up and running in the house. I will […]
Clean locomotive wheels
Over time, a locomotive’s wheelsets will gather dirt and other gunk that will affect its ability to run smoothly, but regular wheel cleaning keeps your steam or diesel locomotives running at their peak. By using 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and a paper towel, two items that you most likely have in your house, you can […]
6 simple scenery tips for toy train layouts
Classic Toy Trains recommends these six tried-and-true tips for simple scenery that goes beyond sparse displays of “trees” or a random tunnel and will improve nearly any toy train layout. 1. Start with foam framework A 4 x 8-foot sheet of 2- or 3-inch-thick pink or blue extruded foam insulation board is much lighter than […]
10 tips for buying a power supply
Picking the right power supply for your railroad has one toe in the present and one in the future. It will need to run what you have today and will be expected to perform just as well years from now. Transformers aren’t cheap, but today’s O and S gauge hobbyists have a better selection of […]
