O27 track clips definitely make it more convenient to set up a loop of Lionel O27 track on the floor. But they aren’t very intuitive. Here’s how to use O27 track clips, whether they have the Lionel or Ives brand on them.
How to use O27 track clips
Toy trains
Repair Marx switches
Sometimes, after 70-plus years of use, you find you need to rebuild or repair Marx switches. Although Marx didn’t design them with repairs in mind, you can fix them. It’s not hard.
Lionel’s American Flyer “buyout”
Lionel and American Flyer competed with one another in the 1950s. Most Lionel and Flyer enthusiasts know that Lionel now owns American Flyer. Here’s how Lionel’s American Flyer “buyout” happened.
How to find train shows
The weather will be cooling off soon, and that means it will be time for more train shows. But how do you go about finding train shows? Here are some of my favorite tips.
Lionel 184 bungalow notes
I’ve been buying up Lionel 184 bungalows lately. I picked up my first at a toy show, and probably paid too much for it considering its light didn’t work (and yes, I asked). But then I picked up some 1980s reproductions at an estate sale at a fantastic price, so that more than made up for me overpaying for my first. These tiny houses look great on a layout and they aren’t hard to fix.
Lionel’s connection to Marx
Lionel and Marx were fierce competitors in the postwar, mid-century time period. But since old train tooling never dies, it just changes hands, Lionel’s connection to Marx has grown over the years. Especially in recent years.
Old Marx products found their way into Lionel’s product line when Lionel temporarily took over K-Line. But then, in 2019, some of Marx’s HO scale tooling found its way into Lionel’s revived HO product line.
Remove rust with vinegar
I’ve discussed rust removal before, but some people swear by removing rust with vinegar. I never had much luck with it, but I’ve learned the secret.
The secret to rust removal with vinegar is to rinse the part thoroughly with hot water, immediately. If you don’t rinse it fast enough, or with hot enough water, the part will flash rust. But if you rinse correctly, vinegar is a cheap and effective way to remove rust from toys, old tools, and anything else made of iron or steel. I mostly use it on toy train parts but anyone who deals with anything old needs this trick.
Does a Lionel train have to run in a circular loop?
Electrically speaking, there’s no reason a Lionel train has to run in a circular loop. A circular loop is the simplest way to set one up. But if you want another shape, you can do it.
Who owns Lionel Trains?
Lionel has a storied history, and its ownership has changed several times since 1969. Who owns Lionel Trains now? The answer may surprise you.
Lionel, LLC, manufacturer of Lionel electric trains, is owned by Guggenheim Partners, who also own the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. Rock and roller Neil Young remains affiliated with Lionel but his ownership stake is unclear.
Lionel CW-40 vs CW-80 transformers
The Lionel CW-40, also known as the Powermax Plus, looks just like the CW-80, at least if you’re looking from the front. But it has significant differences from its bigger brother. Let’s look at the Lionel CW-40 vs CW-80 and whether those differences matter to you.
Neither the CW-40 or CW-80 are high-end transformers. But if you’re doing anything more ambitious than running a simple loop of track, you’ll probably be happier with a CW-80.