Lionel videos

[Big Walnut Railroader]

So back in the 1990's there were some videos about Lionel's Postwar Era trains. The videos were made by Don Varda (former narrator for TM Books & Video) and his company Varda Productions (I belive thats the right name). Does anyone know what happened to these videos? They were full of some great information.

[Bob Keller]

You can still get them from the publisher - TM Books and Videos - on DVD now.

[wahoo76]

I was wondering the same thing.  Don Varda used to make shows for TM Books & Video.  Looks like they split around 1994. 

Varda Communications then went on to make several videos, including:

• The Postwar Lionel Collectors Series - The Great Years:  Lionel Trains of 1954
• The Postwar Lionel Collectors Series - The Great Years:  Lionel Trains of 1955
• The Postwar Lionel Collectors Series - The Great Years:  Lionel Trains of 1956
• Stop, Look and Listen Volume 1
• Stop, Look and Listen Volume 2
• "O" Gauge Layouts

I have the first two programs from the above list and they are great.  Joe Algozzini was the writer/co-producer on those.  I haven't found any indication that they are out on DVD or were ever carried by TM Books & Video.

Varda is on-camera building the train table for TM's "How to Build a Toy Train Layout, Part 1".  About seven minutes into the 1994 video, he abruptly disappears and is never seen again.  He's not mentioned in the TM corporate history.