The wait for the Lionel Legacy AC-12 Cab Forward has taken a little longer than the company’s normal 4-6 year re-release cycle. The TMCC version of the AC-12 was released in 2005 followed by a repop with whistle steam and Legacy control in 2014. In 2022 we’re receiving the latest version, first announced in the […]
About halfway through the Lionel 2021 Volume II catalog we found this post-transition-era workhorse: the EMD SD45. A model previously released by Lionel in 2016, the return of the SD45 is a welcome sight for those who model the early high-horsepower diesel years. A solid seller The prototype was built by the Electro-Motive Division of […]
The Lionel Disney Frozen II train set is a great way to make new memories. But let’s look at some old ones first. When you think back, what was the impetus that got you into this hobby of model trains? Usually, those stories begin with a family member, perhaps grandparent, dad, uncle, or brother that […]
Menards intermodal cars and containers are popular with hobbyists who like to enjoy a modern scene on traditional-sized railroads. Bob Keller from Classic Toy Trains magazine has a look at them along with CTT editor Hal Miller in Bob’s Train Box 85. They also examine the shipping containers that go in the cars, and discuss […]
TCA Fall York 2022 is a jumble of letters and numbers to the uninitiated. But to Classic Toy Trains and Trains.com readers, it means something specific and fun. The York Train Show hosted by the Eastern Division of the Train Collectors Association is held bi-annually in April and October on the York, Pa., Fairgrounds. The […]
The Lionel Hallow’s Eve Limited set is here, just in time for the Halloween season! It’s a ready-to-run LionChief outfit traveling the “Graveyard Route” with everything you need to get up and running in one very well-decorated box. The equipment in it is built with plastic bodies which allows it to withstand some less-than-delicate handling […]
The 2022 Lionel Legacy SD40-2 is no stranger to the train-maker’s catalog. The most recent release is the first since 2018. For this round, announced in 2022 Volume 1, Lionel offered four road names and five paint schemes each with a powered and non-powered option. The railroads offered were Burlington Northern; BN in a Spirit […]
The Lionel John Bull display set is a historical piece from the 2021 Volume I catalog. The company cataloged this in three versions: the “Display Set” which features the engine and one coach on two flatcars; a Camden & Amboy set with three coaches; and a “What-if?” Uncle Sam (John Bull’s cartoon U.S. counterpart) set […]
To celebrate the season, enjoy a photo gallery of Halloween-themed toy train layout photos. While Christmas is king with many toy-train collectors and operators, Halloween isn’t that far behind. Manufacturers like Lemax and Department 56 sell fall and Halloween-themed buildings, accessories, and figures that work will on layouts. If you’d like to build a Halloween […]
The Lionel 1926 Cardinals Train Set was offered in the 2021 Lionel Volume I “Big Book.” It’s a top-of-the-line Legacy outfit that features a recently cataloged 4-6-2 USRA Pacific steam locomotive, a combination car, two Pullman coaches, and an observation car. The base set gives you an 98-inch passenger train requiring O-54 curves. Lionel offers […]
The Lionel 1926 Cardinals Train Set was offered in the 2021 Lionel Volume I “Big Book.” It’s a top-of-the-line Legacy outfit that features a recently cataloged 4-6-2 USRA Pacific steam locomotive, a combination car, two Pullman coaches, and an observation car. The base set gives you an 98-inch passenger train requiring O-54 curves. Lionel offers […]
Help celebrate CTT’s 35th Anniversary in the Nov.-Dec. 2022 issue! The cover features a specially painted set of Lionel F3s done by Len Carparelli. His business, L&L Model Train Restoration Co. celebrates a milestone anniversary of its own; we have a look at some of his work over the years. Of course, there’s also a […]
