David L. Farquhar, computer security professional, train hobbyist, and landlord
American Flyer produced track in a variety of gauges and radii, but if you’re asking about American Flyer track radius, you probably mean its S gauge track.
The standard radius for American Flyer S gauge track, produced from 1946 to 1967, was 20 inches. Other radii were also available from other manufacturers.
The Marx 333 and 1829 were the largest O gauge steam locomotives Marx produced. But even though Marx’s competitors would sometimes make both a diecast and plastic version of the same engine, that’s not what Marx did here. Let’s take a look at the Marx 1829 vs 333.
The 1829 wasn’t just a plastic Marx 333. The design of the casting differs from the diecast 333, and it used a different trailing truck, since the 333 was a 4-6-2 Pacific and the 1829 was a Hudson. The motor was similar, and like the 333, it came in both smoking and non-smoking versions.
What would cause a train to run better backward than forward? If it can go one direction it should be able to go the other just as easily, right?
When a train runs better backward than forward, that’s an indication of uneven wear. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an expensive repair though.
What can damage a Lionel train? Neglect and abuse, basically. When well cared for, they’re pretty bulletproof.
There’s not a lot that can damage a Lionel train, as long as you store it in conditions that wouldn’t make you terribly uncomfortable, run it within spec and maintain it occasionally.
Truth be told, most of our train tables are probably overbuilt. The size and strength of them isn’t the only consideration, and overbuilding them probably does make construction a little easier. But we also don’t need to go crazy with our materials. Here’s how much weight a train table can support.
Sometimes you may not be able to find a commercial backdrop for your train layout that you like, for whatever reason. You can make your own train backdrop more easily than you may think. Adding a backdrop makes your layout look finished, and larger. Adding a thin backdrop makes my 8×8 layout look more like 10×10, or perhaps larger.
While we’re discussing Marx values, I might as well go ahead and write about Marx caboose values too. It’s only a matter of time before someone will want that information too.
Cabooses are much like any other Marx train. The most common Marx cabooses are worth around $10. There are a couple dozen Marx cabooses worth more than that.
Lionel trains have a reputation for high quality, but like any machine, you have to take care of them. Here’s how to maintain Lionel trains to ensure they last another generation or two.
Even if you run your trains a lot, your trains should only need maintenance every few years. For about $30-$35 worth of materials, you can ensure your Lionel trains have a long, productive life.
Lionel enthusiasts, especially postwar enthusiasts, talk about Magne-Traction a lot. But what is a Magne-Traction train, and what makes it special?
Magne-Traction was a feature Lionel introduced in the 1950s. By putting magnets in the driver wheels, a Magne-Traction train can pull more, climb steeper grades, and run at higher speeds without derailing on sharp curves.
For the last couple of years, in early November, retailers started carrying the North Pole Express Christmas train set, an inexpensive battery-operated train set. But there are two distinct, and very different North Pole Express sets. Here’s what you need to know.
The North Pole Express sets are made by Scientific Toys/Eztec, though the branding may or may not appear anywhere on the box. The trains are made mostly of plastic and operate on batteries, and sell at price points of $10 and $50.