Toy trains Archives

Fixing Lionel locomotives that run erratically and have flickering lights

Dave Farquhar Toy trains November 19, 2011August 30, 2017american flyer, conductivity, KCS, lionel, lionel train, Rail Zip

If you have a Lionel electric train whose lights flicker and (possibly) runs erratically, I have an easy fix.
Read more

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.

dfarq.homeip.net

Review: The Definitive Guide to Marx Trains, by Walt Hiteshew

Dave Farquhar Toy trains November 13, 2011December 1, 2015greenberg, Joy Line, marx, marx trains, reference book, train show

A week go I wrote about the newest Greenberg Pocket Guide, which I recommended as a useful, if flawed, resource. Today I’ll talk about one of the best ways to fill in the gaps.

Several years ago, Walt Hiteshew released his Definitive Guide to Marx 6″ and Joy Line Trains on CD-ROM, priced at $29.95. The Definitive Guide covers every known 6″ car Marx produced and includes photos, pricing, and production history. Basically, everything known or that can be reasonably inferred about Marx’s most prolific line. When Mr. Hiteshew says Definitive Guide, he means it.
Read more

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Greenberg’s Marx Trains Pocket Price Guide, 9th edition: A review

Dave Farquhar Toy trains November 7, 2011November 25, 2018Classic Toy Trains, commodore, estate sales, greenberg, KCS, lionel, marx, marx trains, New York, New York Central, Pocket Price Guide, reference book, tin, toy train, train show, Veteran Marx, yahoo

I received my copy of the new 9th edition of the Greenberg Pocket Price Guide for Marx trains this past weekend. Marx used to print on its packages, “One of the many Marx toys. Have you all of them?” This book won’t completely answer that question, but at the very least, it gives you a start, and helps you avoid paying too much for the ones you don’t have yet.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

My latest publication tackles the Lionel gateman

Dave Farquhar Toy trains October 14, 2011Classic Toy Trains, lionel, lionel gateman, radio shack

Yesterday I saw (and edited) the final proofs for an article that will be appearing in the January 2012 issue of Classic Toy Trains, due on newsstands 6 December.

The article, “Smart wiring for the gateman,” shows some different ways to wire the venerable Lionel gateman accessory, first introduced 75 years ago.
Read more

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

How to remove paint from a tin litho toy or train

Dave Farquhar Toy trains October 8, 2011June 3, 2019degreaser, Joshua Lionel Cowen, lionel, marx, Purple Power, tin

It isn’t terribly rare to find old tin lithographed toys or trains that have been overpainted. Boys will be boys, after all, and have you ever met a boy that didn’t love paint?

When it comes to restoring these toys, there are no guarantees. Removing the paint without damaging the lithography beneath is tricky, at best. And, of course, there’s a pretty good chance that whatever lies beneath that paint is scratched up or otherwise damaged. Generally speaking, it’s the well-worn toys that get painted, not mint-condition ones.

But if you’re feeling brave and at least a little bit lucky, you can remove the paint, see what’s under it, and maybe, just maybe, it will prove to be salvageable.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Good news for Marx train enthusiasts

Dave Farquhar Toy trains September 16, 2011December 27, 2015american flyer, greenberg, lionel, marx, marx trains, Pocket Price Guide, toy train

Kalmbach has decided, after more than a decade, to release a new Greenberg Pocket Price Guide for Marx trains (here’s my review). Although the O’Brien Collecting Toy Trains guides have a section on Marx, the Greenberg guides have always been more complete and more accurate. The most recent O’Brien guide from 2006 completely omitted Marx’s 3/16 line, a difficult flaw to overlook. That’s why the out-of-print Greenberg book from 2001 remained the standard for all these years and in recent years used copies commanded prices of $100 and more.
Read more

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

No, the government isn’t going to come take your trains

Dave Farquhar Toy trains June 13, 2011March 8, 20211990s, cigarettes, FBI, lionel, out of the blue, polystyrene

Friday’s news that the Department of Health and Human Services have added formaldehyde to the list of known carcinogens and styrene to the list of potential human carcinogens caused a rumble in some of the circles I run in.

Let’s calm down, everyone. This doesn’t mean the government is going to send FBI agents to your door, guns in hand, confiscating your plastic trains and toys. The bottom line is that there is some danger for industrial workers who are exposed to the raw chemicals, but comparatively little danger to the consumers who posses plastic products made from those chemicals.
Read more

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

How to lower your train accessories into your table

Dave Farquhar Toy trains June 12, 2011Blade, Classic Toy Trains, knockoffs, lionel, lionel gateman, train table

One of the first articles I remember reading in a train magazine (I don’t remember if it was Classic Toy Trains or a competing rag) was titled “Put your accessories in pockets.” Basically, it advocated cutting holes in your table, putting a board beneath the hole, and putting the accessory in the hole to even it up with the ground level on your layout.

It’s a great idea–more on that in a minute–but it really didn’t go into much detail about how to do the cutting part.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

How to disassemble a Lionel 2026 or 2037 locomotive

Dave Farquhar Toy trains April 16, 2011February 14, 2017hardware store, lionel, Lionel Postwar, Lucas Red, postwar lionel, PTFE, train show

Years ago, I tried to take apart my dad’s Lionel 2026 to fix it, and I gave up trying to figure it out. Today I scored a similar 2037 locomotive at an estate sale in fixer-upper condition. To my knowledge, no book has ever gone into detail on how to disassemble this model, so I’ll explain it here. This time I was able to drop the motor out to get at what I needed to repair it.

There are also five additional Lionel postwar-era locomotives, the 637, 2016, 2029, and 2036, that come apart the same way.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net

Replacing old Lionel DC transformers

Dave Farquhar Toy trains March 29, 2011October 6, 20221980s, HO, ho scale, lionel, Model Power, o27

For a while in the 1970s and 1980s, Lionel used DC power in its least expensive O27 electric train sets. They stopped this practice in the mid 1980s, but there are still plenty of those sets kicking around in basements or attics and on the secondary market. They tend to be very inexpensive, especially compared to new sets on the market today.

Here’s how to figure out what you have, and track down a suitable replacement. AC and DC power supplies are not interchangeable, and you can seriously damage your train if you use the wrong kind. Trying to run a DC train on AC results in a train that won’t move and makes a ton of noise.

Dave Farquhar

dfarq.homeip.net