A sneak peek of CTT's new special issue: Lionel from the 1960s

Our new special issue

Note: Click on any image to enlarge it.

You're stuck inside, desperate for something great to read to get your mind off the challenging moment we are all living through. How fortunate that the latest special-interest publication from Classic Toy Trains is now available and easily ordered by going to www.KalmbachHobbyStore.com (Due to COVID-19, we've just learned that newsstand on-sale dates for special issues have been pushed back. We suggest you call or order online to make sure you get your copy.)

Lionel Trains of the 1960s is a 100-page perfect-bound publication filled with great articles on a decade in Lionel's history that collectors and operators too often overlook or minimize in importance. The nearly two dozen articles aim to correct that short-sighted perspective and alert O gauge enthusiasts to the lasting achievements engineers and marketing personnel made in the 1960s that kept Lionel financially afloat.

The place to begin when reading Lionel Trains of the 1960s is the newly written overview of the decade. It highlights the technological breakthroughs and diverse innovations characterizing the operating cars and accessories introduced by Lionel. The new paths in marketing, especially in promotional outfits, receive needed attention.

An extensive look at 1965.

More 1965.

Also of great value are the amply illustrated surveys of the sets released each year. Lionel expert Joe Algozzini shared his ample knowledge and research in outlining what was new in the cataloged line as well as among uncataloged outfits and items. With most of the years, one or two models are explored as annual stars. The brief essays about different motorized units, locomotives, and pieces of rolling stock are brand new as well.

Finally, we should draw your attention to a pair of never-before-presented articles sure to be of interest to anyone fascinated by Lionel trains of the postwar era. One emphasizes the vast number and diversity of promotional sets created by Lionel for an incredible range of customers. The other spotlights the Super O and O gauge layouts used on The Addams Family television series and includes insights into the track plan of the former display. Ambitious readers will discover there the information they need to build their own replica of the layout on which Gomez Addams (played by John Astin) gleefully crashed his Lionel trains.

A look at 1966.

If you have an interest in the postwar era when Lionel was at its greatest--particularly if you have been enjoying and learning from the previous publication Lionel Trains of the 1950s, then this detailed look at the trains and accessories of the 1960s is something you will want to order and savor.