Locomotives & rolling stock MTH has a series of Halloween items as part of their RailKing line. The O gauge ES44AC Imperial Diesel Engine (20-21237) has Proto-Sound 3, 2 handpainted cab figures, illuminated LED number boards and ditch lights, O-31 operation, and more. Price: $439.95. Also available is a Bump-n-Go Trolley (30-5243), which features LED […]
MTH Electric Trains has announced four holiday-themed flatcars in 1:32 scale for 2024. Each car features metal wheels and axles, choice of knuckle or hook and loop couplers, Kadee compatible coupler mounting pads, separate metal handrails, and more. Each car features colorful lighting. Price: $199.95. Learn more at https://mthtrains.com. Find more news on our website. […]
As a child, I had done the typical progression from Marx wind-up trains to Lionel O-27 to HO. As a teenager, I put them away. Then in 1993, I saw a French JEP Toy Train set similar to Lionel and Marx. When I saw the JEP running, it reminded me how much fun the Lionel […]
Name: Greg Bird’s O gauge layoutDimensions: 6 x 16 feet Track and switches: Lionel FasTrack (36-inch diameter) Motive power and rolling stock: Lionel, MTHControls: Lionel 180-watt PowerHouse power supply with Legacy command control Structures: Atlas O, Korber, Lionel, scratchbuiltVehicles: Diecast DirectFigures: Arttista Download the track plan for this layout! Buy the Classic Toy Trains Spring […]
Name: Neal Mayer’s O gauge layout Dimensions: 12′-0″ x 27′-3″ Track and switches: Lionel FasTrack (diameters range from 27 to 36 inches) Motive power: K-Line, Lionel, MTH, Williams by Bachmann Rolling stock: K-Line, Lionel, MTH, Williams by Bachmann Controls: Lionel No. CW-80, MTH No. Z-1000 transformers with MTH Digital Command System Structures: Atlas O, Korber, […]
Please note: Due to a technical glitch in our software, the camera angles for this track plan did not appear in the Spring 2024 issue. We’re sharing that image here. We apologize for the omission. – Ed. Name: Jack Hedge’s O gauge layout Dimensions: 23 x 24 feet Track: GarGraves (diameters range from 72” to […]
You’ve learned a few things about toy trains, and maybe even bought a few items or pieces of track. You have a spare room and would like to build a layout. What’s next? Before you start building, we’ve got a list of what to consider first. No. 1 Consider your space Consider the room or […]
Classic Toy Trains Editor Rene Schweitzer and Model Railroader Associate Editor Bryson Sleppy explain the history, features, and operate the O gauge three-truck Shay from MTH. Read the print review here. Learn more about the history of the Shay. […]
A version of this article appeared in the December 2017 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Whenever Classic Toy Trains features a layout distinguished by snowy scenes and Santa Claus plus his reindeer, readers naturally assume whoever built it did so while a blizzard raged and icicles formed on eaves and downspouts. They can’t help envisioning […]
Every six months, photos of O gauge trains traversing the snowy hills and quaint villages of a sprawling layout arrive at the office. What a treat! And they represent the outstanding modeling done by Gordon Hough with help from his mother, Jeannie, who finishes the scenery and paints the backdrops. No matter fast I try […]
Locomotives & rolling stock Mr. Muffin’s Trains has several custom-run items for sale. The first are MTH 50-foot Waffle Boxcars in two paint schemes with two road numbers each: Louisville & Nashville No. 101635 (20-99372), Louisville & Nashville No. 101640 (20-99373), Milwaukee Road No. 4307 (20-99374, shown), and Milwaukee Road No. 4311 (20-99375). Price: $69.95 […]
In the July 2005 issue of Classic Toy Trains, I wrote a story about adding MTH’s Digital Command System to medium- and large-sized layouts. Here are some other tips and tricks I learned when planning and physically installing wiring for DCS on my 19- by 19-foot O gauge layout. First, you should design your wiring […]
