The 2400-series Lionel passenger cars have always been popular with operators and collectors. In the postwar era the plastic streamliners have been run in green with yellow trim, yellow with red trim, and silver with black trim and gray roofs. Q: I bought a great set of 2400-series Lionel passenger cars. They look fine and […]
The Lionel No. 2055 Hudson was prominent in the parade of 4-6-4 steam engines in O-27 outfits from 1950-56. Others in that notable group, including the 2046, 2056, and 2065, thrilled the many kids who received freight and passenger outfits at the peak of the postwar era. When the editorial staff of Classic Toy Trains […]
On our layouts, ballast is strictly a scenic element. We use the material, whether it’s crushed real rocks, dyed walnut shells, or other material, to simulate the rocks used on full-size railroads. But prototype ballast is far from cosmetic. Among the uses for ballast on the prototype are to prevent track from shifting up and […]
Here are 5 small toy train engines in O and S gauges from several eras. This isn’t an all-inclusive list, but rather a way to call attention to these often overlooked little workhorses. Many of us have layouts that are under 100 square feet. It’s nice to have engines available that look great pulling trains […]
The MTH Premier Hudson is a modern incarnation of arguably the most iconic steam locomotive ever made in O scale. The classic 4-6-4 wheel arrangement, originally offered in by Lionel in 1937, can be seen on artwork from decades ago and carried on today by the works of artists like Angela Trotta Thomas. Due to […]
Before David jump into detailing the interior of his combine car, he first looks to add a tried but true structure from the original Olympia Logging layout display! Watch to see how he plans to revamp and return Eric White’s scratchbuilt sawmill structure (a building front) to service in a new, but similar position on […]
Menards Johnson’s Texaco Station is the latest structure release from the home-improvement chain. Many of its structures are made of wood and a few out of resin. This one is plastic. It isn’t the first one made of the material; previous low-relief buildings like Dave’s Garage, Ray’s Wreckers, and current-production Sinclair Garage are also plastic. […]
The Lionel The Chessie Legacy Greenbrier is big. It’s colorful. It’s a steam engine. Should steamers be colorful? Like it or not, fantasy paint schemes on them seem to be an attractive alternative to the prototypical (mostly) black models. This one was featured in 2022’s Volume 2 catalog. A look back at previous offerings indicates […]
Chris Montagna is a Contributing Editor of Classic Toy Trains and operates the Chris’s Trains and Things channel on YouTube. What Toy Train Locomotive Means the Most to You? When I reflect on the locomotives in my collection it’s difficult to pinpoint just one that I love above the rest. I was recently asked this […]
The Lionel 2023 Volume 2 catalog is here! Sometimes Christmas does come twice a year, in the world of toy trains this celebration is typically associated with a catalog drop. For Lionel, that takes place in January and July. I typically can find something in each catalog that gets me excited for what’s to come. […]
The latest Premier locomotive from Atlas has hit the shelves! The P42 Genesis locomotive was developed from a previous MTH tooling that Atlas O acquired during the MTH tooling sale three or so years ago. This O gauge Premier line model sports some great Amtrak paint schemes The P42 was expected to be announced in […]
Tom Piccirillo started building scale models at age 12 after discovering a copy of the April 1964 issue of Model Railroader magazine at a local corner store. After receiving his degree in mechanical engineering in 1974, he pursued a management career in well-known industries, such as Burroughs Corp. and Ohaus Scale, and holds patents on […]
