Layout designer: Don Thompson and Mike Ferraro, S-Helper Service Co. Story and photos: V. S. Roseman Scale: S Layout size: 5 x 9 feet Track type: S-Helper Service S-Trax Minimum curve: S-40 Originally appeared in the January and February 2006 issues of Classic Toy Trains. Build a lightweight O gauge layout Build a lightweight O […]
Name: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Layout designer: Brooks Stover Scale: S (1:64) Size: 24 x 44 feet Prototype: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Locale: West Virginia Era: 1958 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 100 feet Minimum radius: 32″ (visible track), 24″ (hidden track) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 11-1/2 percent (BC&G), 2 percent (ERC&L) Click […]
A GIFT FROM THE HEART IS SOMETHING TO TREASURE. If the gift happens to be a train, that’s all the better. Such is the case with the Christmas train I created for my club layout to operate throughout the holiday season. While a variety of special holiday sets are readily available from toy train manufacturers, […]
American Flyer’s no. 21920 Missouri Pacific Alco PA combination, much cherished by both collectors and operators, made its debut in the American Flyer line in 1958. In 1964, it was the last PA diesel combination that A.C. Gilbert cataloged. 800 x 600 wallpaper1024 x 768 wallpaper1600 x 1200 wallpaper […]
If you live in a house, condominium, mobile home, or anywhere else, including a rental property, you have – or should have – homeowner’s insurance. Further, you may assume that your policy covers your collectible toy trains.But homeowner’s insurance wasn’t developed to cover losses pertaining to collectibles. Too often, policyholders learn the hard way that […]
The toy train hobby, like any other, has its own language. We at Classic Toy Trains try to avoid using confusing jargon wherever possible, but we know there are some terms we use that may confuse new readers. Even if you’ve enjoyed trains for years, you may still run across terms that aren’t clear, or […]
Having a professional builder design and construct a toy train or scale model railroad may not be for everyone. But for those who want to take full advantage of 21st-century technology this may be the way to go. CTT Visits a layout factory […]
Tourists motor to Horseshoe Curve to watch the cavalcade of trains. When Don was young, the headliners were aluminum cars on the Pennsy’s Broadway Limited. Don and Karen Williams share their layout with visitors, including grandsons Jacob and Zachary. Iron horses in the Korber roundhouse watch a 3rd Rail Pennsy Atlantic 4-4-2 steam locomotive take […]
While I have been a part of the toy train hobby, I have attended many train shows and met other train lovers. And I’ve come to realize that there are hundreds of us that don’t know enough about the value and rarity of different O and S gauge trains. We may not even be aware […]
Name: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Scale: S (1:64) Size: 25 x 44 feet Prototype: Buffalo Creek & Gauley Locale: West Virginia Period: 1957 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 110 feet Minimum radius: 32″ (visible track), 24″ (hidden track) Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 11/2 percent (BC&G), 2 percent (ERC&L) Originally appeared in the December […]
Q: Can you suggest how to safely remove the white residue that builds up on the bottom of my American Flyer rolling stock? – Bruce K. Davis, Youngwood, PA A: We receive this question several times a year. For some reason this white residue problem is more common with American Flyer S gauge trains of […]
Q: I know that this sounds silly, but I get confused about what you are supposed to lubricate, especially the difference between the old postwar Lionel steamers and modern engines with can motors. Can you explain just what gets lubricated? – Erik via internet A: One similarity between postwar steamers and modern steam locomotives is […]
