Large scale indoor club layout

view of a small large-scale layout

  This large scale indoor club layout started life as a custom build of a local large-scale collector. The 8-by-11-foot board had been unused for at least a decade and I immediately knew where this display would be best displayed — at the 7.5” gauge, 1.5” scale live-steam train club that I belong to. Many […]

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Issue preview: January 2022 Classic Toy Trains

Hal Miller with the cover of the 2022 January Classic Toy Trains issue preview

The January 2022 issue of Classic Toy Trains features advice on modelling winter from Dennis Brennan, a master of scenery and photography. You’ll also learn at least five other design and construction techniques from him that could improve your display! Plus there are multiple layout visits – including one in S gauge – filled with […]

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Some of your favorite toy train Christmas scenes

Model steam engine in Christmas scene

Vintage toy trains in winter holiday scenes bring feelings of nostalgia. Relive the nostalgia with this selection of both current and vintage holiday-themed photos in O and Standard gauge scales. If you have a photo you’d like considered for a future gallery, contact editor@classictoytrains.com […]

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Lionel Area 51 set a spooky and fun train

Chris Raines with Lionel Area 51 set

Get a look at the Lionel Area 51 set (no. 2123160)! Chris Raines of RBP Trains on YouTube reviews this spooky and fun O gauge train outfit. First is a close look at the GE “ET44” Tier 4 Bluetooth-controlled locomotive and the array of cars. Then Chris takes it for a spin on his great […]

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Meet Milwaukee’s ambitious layout builder

A Lionel diesel exiting a tunnel

The layouts most recently showcased here have reflected the hobby activities of two of the top performers of the second half of the 20th century, each of whom has a reputation for greatness spanning the earth. In fact, if beings far out in the solar system have a toe to tap, they probably are doing […]

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Back on Track: How to hide backdrop seams, Episode 12

In this episode, host Gerry Leone gets back to the backdrop. Namely, he’s working to disguise those unpreventable seams that appear between sections of hardboard panels. Gerry shares his techniques for getting the job done in a satisfactory way, but without the painstaking efforts of a professional drywall installer! […]

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Ken Cook’s O gauge layout

A traditional Lionel layout with modern scenery

Visit Ken Cook’s layout, featured in the September 2021 issue of Classic Toy Trains. Ken mixes postwar Lionel trains with modern track, structures, details, and scenery to create a one-of-a-kind display that entertains your eyes, ears, and imagination. Click here to see the track plan. […]

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