The Lionel Kid’s Club by Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) will celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2026. According to the Kid’s Club Coordinator Patrick Cudzilo, “Our Kid’s Club is focused on keeping today’s youth involved in the model train hobby for years to come. They are the future of the hobby.” Founded in 2011, […]
Lionel Trains is no stranger to modeling preserved steam locomotives we know and love, including those still operating today. The latest offering is Soo Line 2-8-2 No. 1003 (No. 2531120), a local steam star here in southeastern Wisconsin. The locomotive is one of six O-scale, 3-rail United States Railroad Administration (USRA) heavy Mikados that were […]
Join Trains.com Staff Writer Lucas Iverson as he reviews the Lionel Legacy O gauge (1:48) USRA 2-8-2 Heavy Mikado Soo Line No. 1003 , featuring video of the model operating on the Milwaukee Lionel RR Club and the 1:1 scale steam locomotive too! This Legacy model boasts detailed construction, stack and whistle steam, and is easily […]
Join Classic Toy Trains Editor Rene Schweitzer and Service Repair Manager Savathdy My as they discuss the Lionel Trains LLC warranty program. Savathdy relays how contacting Lionel via talktous@lionel.com is the best path for the fastest service, which sets up an RA (Return Authorization) and prepaid label. When shipping, he encourages customers to use bubble […]
Lionel’s No. 520 Lionel Lines Boxcab Electric stands out among other postwar O-27 locomotives because there is so much about it that’s different from what you find on other models from that celebrated era of production. The 520 is far from scarce and so is commonly overlooked by avid collectors and operators of postwar trains. […]
As the waterworks continue, David details his process for creating realistic waterfalls for the Olympia & Sand Creek On30 logging layout. He starts by making flexible waterfall sheets using multiple coats of Woodland Scenics water effects paste on plate glass. He also shows how to build containment dams across the river rocks using clear silicone […]
The O scale Union Station from Menards (No. 2759531) is another excellent offering from the home improvement chain, providing a readily made structure that requires minimal fuss for setup. Out of the box, with hardly any assembly needed, the structure measures 13-1/16” wide, 7-7/8″ deep, and 8-1/4″ tall. Classic Toy Trains Editor Rene Schweitzer and […]
I enjoy animating scenes on my O gauge layout, and have come across a great way to get slower, more-precise realistic action: using servos. A servomotor, or servo, is a small, inexpensive device that provides control over the position, speed, and acceleration of a mechanical system. The device is readily available, easy to program, and […]
Welcome back to Cody’s Office! This month’s episode is packed with three new products, a helpful modeling tip, and answers to your viewer mail questions. Our featured products include the N scale Electro-Motive Division SD35 diesel locomotive from Atlas Model Railroad Co.; an HO scale Electro-Motive Division NW2 diesel switcher from the WalthersProto series; and a […]
Welcome back to Cody’s Office! This month’s episode is packed with three new products, a helpful modeling tip, and answers to your viewer mail questions. Our featured products include the N scale Electro-Motive Division SD35 diesel locomotive from Atlas Model Railroad Co.; an HO scale Electro-Motive Division NW2 diesel switcher from the WalthersProto series; and a […]
Thanks for the list of sources for parts in the Fall 2025 issue of CTT. I have nine prewar and postwar engines awaiting attention; I’ll need parts for some of them, and your list will be invaluable. But some sources don’t do searches for parts, which raises the question: Where do we find part numbers? […]
Q: I’m excited by all the new 3D-printed figures and details that have become available. Lately, however, I’ve received some figures that are still attached to the support structure. I work in HO scale, and I’m not sure how to safely remove all this material without damaging the details or figures. Do you have any […]
