Lionel XMAS question

[Anonymous]

I was one of the unfortunate children that didn't have a Lionel train set. Now that I'm in my second childhood, I've tried modeling HO and N. My layouts have been in my basement and I'm just sick and tired of cleaning the track/wheels all the time to get a connection. Of course, part of my problem is cheap equipment. So, I've decided to move to Lionel for something around the tree. Do the rails corrode as much on the larger trains as they do on the little ones? Also, I think I want a steam engine (CP/UP) with sound and steam. And maybe 3 or 4 Pullman passenger cars. Do they still make metal? Since I've given up on an empire, I'd like to invest in something nicer. Is there anyone that can direct me to site that I can find out more about the Lionel product line? What does an engine with steam and sound run? How much are metal cars or can I even find them? Any help would be appreciated...Happy Holidays!

[Anonymous]

First of all, it would probably be much better to post this topic under the Classic Toy Trains forums instead of here, you'll get much better responses. Yes, there's still metal stuff. Lionel makes a variety of die cast steam engines. If you are thinking of tin when you say "metal", Marx makes tinplate lithographed trains in O gauge three-rail. New Lionel steam engines will run you anywhere from $100-$1500. The cheaper $100 ones have smoke, but no sound. Lionel does, however, make a boxcar that makes steam locomotive sounds and the train pulls it. Lionel isn't he only O gauge manufacturer out there, there's also K-Line, MTH and Williams. All of these manufacturers' trains are compatible with each other, so you don't have to buy just one brand. Websites for these manufacturers are www.lionel.com www.k-linetrains.com www.mth-railking.com www.williamstrains.com There's quite a variety of stuff out there, so you should be able to find something you like. There are many hobby shops that carry these trains and also ebay is an excellent place to find them, sometimes at lower prices. Also, many older vintage Lionel trains are still out there for sale if you'd prefer something like that. Good luck n finding what you want and have fun!

[Anonymous]

Dear chinatrain99,
Welcome home, my fellow O-gauger.
Lionel's cheaper steamers are always a good place to start. They can survive just about any derailment, fall, most collisions, and maybe a few 1:48 inter-planetary cataclisms (I have one, 11 years old, which has fallen off of tressles, derailed more times than I can count, crashed into the wall many times, and still runs like new. Sorry, but I haven't been able to put one through an inter-planetary cataclisms.). In addition, the traditional O Lionel 4-4-2 can go around curves which are very sharp in HO!!!
However, they have less apealing aspects as well. Firstly, they rarely come with some sort of control other than merely adjusting the transformer. They also are very unprototypical. Now, if you want to have the nostalgic feeling of the Lionel train on a snowy Christmas..., then more power to you. But being as you've been in N and HO, you probably would like something which rivet-counters won't have a huge laugh over. And, while Lionel's products are almost always of high quality, you can often get a similar product for less money from K-Line or MTH.
K-Line makes a USRA light 2-8-2 for $500, or I believe $625 with smoke, railsounds, command control, directional lighting, and every other thing you could possibly have a use for. It is O scale, and I believe runs on O-42 curves.
MTH makes three lines of O-gauge products. The first is Tinplate, which is the line of reproductions of the original tinplate trains of long ago. These look little like any real train, but to those who like tinplate, the toylike quality is one of the appeals. The second line is Premier, which is scale equipment. It is some of the highest quality in all of O, but also costs quite a bit. The last O line produced by MTH is Railking, which is the line of non- and semi- scale equipment. It also costs much less.
As for your question regarding track, I'll make it short and sweet-you won't escape track cleaning in O.

I hope I have helped,
Daniel