The Lionel SD40T-2 ‘Tunnel Motor’ is now on the rails. For those of us with a few SD40s and SD40-2s in our collections, this model provides a great variation and a touch of color in a consist. It’s safe to say these are popular engines with hobbyists. Lionel offered the SD40T-2 in its 2022 Volume […]
The MTH Erie 0-8-8-0 Angus models a steam engine in the railroad’s L1 class. Three were built in 1907 and numbered 2600-2602. These were the only articulated camelback locomotives ever made. In that year, this was the largest locomotive in existence. Weighing in at 410,000 lbs., these behemoths could develop 94,000 lbs. tractive effort. This […]
Gauge: ODimensions: 20 x 32 feetTrack: GarGravesSwitches: Ross Custom SwitchesMotive power: K-Line, Lionel, MTH, 3rd Rail, Weaver, WilliamsRolling stock: K-Line, Lionel, MTH, 3rd Rail, WeaverControls: Lionel type-ZW and MTH No. Z-4000 (4) transformers, with MTH Digital Command System and Lionel LegacyStructures: Ameri-Towne, Downtown Deco, MTH, scratchbuiltVehicles: Corgi, Diecast Direct, Ertl, SolidoFigures: Arttista, Homies, Model Power, […]
The history of the “Heritage Fleet” column is an interesting one. This regular feature in Model Railroader magazine between March of 1987 and March of 1990, helped toy train enthusiasts and scale modelers discover classic miniature locomotives, cars, and more designed and sold in the first 50 or so years of the 20th century. In […]
The Lionel F40PH is a great model of a locomotive that has quietly become one of the true diesel success stories in railroad history. The F40PH saw construction in various phases by General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division between 1975-92. Its purpose was initially short-haul passenger service for Amtrak. This mission was quickly revised to add long-distance […]
Also in this issue: EDITOR’S DESK, pg. 4 LETTERS, pg. 6 MODERN ERA NOTES, pg. 8 PHOTO ALBUM, pg. 10 NEWS & PRODUCTS, pg. 14 Menards Fury Motors; an Atlas O reefer, a CTT truck, books, and more. QUESTIONS & ANSWERS, pg. 20 S GAUGE NOW AND THEN, pg. 22 VIEWS FROM THE UNDERGROUND, pg. […]
The Lionel Sandy Andy Automatic Gravel Loader was part of the catalog in the late 1970s. It’s a shame it didn’t last longer because it’s among the most interesting products the company ever made. It’s not neat because of what it does; after all, Lionel produced numerous coal and gravel loading and dumping structures over […]
It’s hard to believe we’re just now seeing Lionel heavyweight observation cars from the 2021 Volume II Lionel Catalog. Such are the cycles of production! These models were cataloged alongside brass hybrid Strasburg Rail Road 2-10-0 No. 90. They resemble two different paint schemes on a prototype car that belongs to the Pennsylvania tourist line. […]
Many of us are on the hunt for a cheap O gauge train. On this episode of Bob’s Train Box, Bob and CTT editor Hal Miller are out to save you some money! They’re always looking for deals and will show you a great and inexpensive way to start collecting Lionel trains. They’ll also give […]
The latest Lionel Vision Line Stock Car sets are now hitting the market. You might call them a squeal of a deal. Car sets aren’t new to the orange-and-blue. We were introduced in 2014 to these three-packs with steel-sided reefers. Since then, the train maker has expanded on the theme. In 2020 the train maker […]
The Fabelmans’ Lionel trains have been the subject of some speculation lately. You may have recently seen the semi-biopic about Steven Spielberg’s life and wondered about the company that provided them. The movie was recently nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. The man responsible for the toy train magic is Gary Rushton, owner of […]
Having your own YouTube channel is a cool thing. Getting your own custom-decorated locomotive is also pretty spectacular. Trainworld, in conjunction with Chris Raines, the creator behind YouTube toy-train channel RBP Trains, is producing a Lionel Legacy ES44AC in a modified Union Pacific heritage Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway paint scheme. RBP Trains, Trainworld make custom locomotive If […]
