DINGMANS FERRY, Pa. — Operation Toy Train has announced the schedule for its 16th year collecting toy donations for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and other organizations that benefit underprivileged children. This year, the program has expanded to include Southern California and New York’s capitol region, joining previous operations in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, […]
What toy train locomotive means the most to you? It just has to be Lionel’s famed 2-6-2 Prairie type locomotive that is still in my collection. How did you acquire it? This adventure started in 1947 at the early age of 5 years old, when Dad unpacked the Lionel train set he’d purchased downtown. We […]
Editor’s note: Kirk Lindvig reached out to Classic Toy Trains offering to send product samples for review. When he emailed photos of his U.S.-based manufacturing process, it reminded me of the behind-the-scenes manufacturer profiles CTT used to do years ago. I felt our readers would find the process interesting. I present this Q&A interview with […]
Lionel No. 2245 Texas Special F3 Diesel A and B Units celebrate their 70th anniversary this year. The beautiful O gauge locomotives made their debut in the noteworthy year of 1954 as separate-sale items priced at $39.95 ($470.63 in today’s dollars) and as the motive power in a pair of outstanding O-27 outfits: the Nos. […]
Trains.com Kent Johnson’s pick: VIA Rail Canada Ocean Name of train: Ocean, Train No. 14 The route: Montréal, Quebéc to Halifax, Nova Scotia Duration: ~22 hours (one night, one day), tri-weekly service Waylaid by wet leaves on the rails, VIA Rail’s No. 14 eastbound Ocean arrives hours late into Moncton, N.B., Canada, on Oct. 19, […]
At the end of the annual Valle Verde Town Council meeting in the spring, the mayor and the council members found themselves with a surplus in the annual budget. What to do with this unexpected bounty? Why not have the first Valle Verde 4th of July parade? To make it official, a vote was called, […]
There’s a robust market for secondhand model railroad products today. Hobby shops, online auction websites, and swap meets are a few of the typical places you can find used locomotives, freight cars, and structures, among other items. In recent years, sellers have taken to non-hobby channels for secondhand trains, such as Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. […]
Ride with Trains.com, as staff members Lucas Iverson and Ben Lake, as they enjoy grand scale railroading (often associated with miniature, ride-on trains) at The Milwaukee County Zoo’s North Shore Bank Safari Train! Enjoy up-close views of their visit in July 2024, and then read more details about the 15-inch gauge railroad’s past, present and […]
Editor’s note: This manuscript was purchased in December 1990 for Model Railroader magazine. Over the years, it made its way around the office and finally landed in my hands last fall. Dave Ingles was a friend of mine, and with his passing and my becoming editor of CTT, it seemed fitting to finally share his […]
Join Trains.com, as staff videographer Sean Kirby focuses his camera on the action in East Troy, Wisc., home to the East Troy Railroad Museum. On location, Sean makes the most of the museum’s Railfan Day 2024, one of numerous planned event days. On this occasion, he’s able to capture various equipment in run-bys, with ticket […]
Have you ever wondered how a new boxcar is designed? When the Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) product development team worked with Lionel to create the assembled-in-the-USA Krispy Kreme boxcar, the team encountered a new level of required detail. The team has always been sensitive to making sure brand logos met the companies’ design […]
“Christmas in July” is always a fitting time for Lionel Trains to release their Volume 2 catalog, and the 2024 edition continues to hold tradition. Much like the Classic Toy Trains team and contributors, I’ve decided to throw my hat into the ring with some thoughts and a fun, little wish list from Lionel’s 2024 […]
