Toy train operating and collecting

A couple of items caught my eye in the new Lionel catalog, and I don't recall anyone else mentioning them:

American Flyer #792 Railroad Terminal
American Flyer #793 Union Station

These look neat, does anyone who has the original versions know how these look and work with O guage? Some of the American Flyer operating accessories are advertised as working with O or S guage, so I'm wondering about these two.

I run traditional size O gauge, so it might be a better fit than standard scale.

I imagine the Union Station could be used anywhere, it just might look a little small.

Looking at the one view in the catalog for the Railroad Terminal, and reading the dimensions, it might be a tight fit. I'm wondering if you remove the center platform, you might be able to place 2 fastrack straights side by side?

A big terminal station, sized for O scale, would be a nice addition to the accessories available for the hobby and bring back fond memories for anyone who has traveled by train and has been in the large arched train terminals. I've seen a few pictures of a beautiful glass or plastic covered terminal that was available a few years ago, I think imported from England, but there doesn't seem to be much else available.

I have both and think they look great with my O guage.  2 pieces of fastrack should have no problem fitting.  The only trouble I have had is that the horns on my RS3 will not fit under the terminal.  All the postwar steamers I have fit.

 The pieces were given to me by a friend who wanted to help me start up a collection.  The station and terminal looked brand new and even have the box liners (but not the boxes).  My from also gave me a 726 berk, 2332 GG1, 3 madison car, and about 15 other cars.  The engines were in bad shape but I learned were to find replacement parts and how the fix them up.

Both are great looking pieces and should like fine with tradional sized O gauge. The terminal reminds me of the one on the Thomas videos. If the terminal sits too low for your trains to pass through, raise it up with a homemade foundation.

Jim 

I've always liked AM's big covered terminal.  As Jim suggests, making a raised foundation should solve height restrictions for traditional O.   Looks like loads of width for 2 tracks in O too.

Ideally, I'd like to see a proper O gauge version made in kit form.   Modualar in form it could be expanded to whatever suits the layout...side by side or end to end.  Given the architectual style the majority of it could be made from materials other than plastic (ie. plywood walls and platforms sprayed with stone texture paint).  Plastic details could be as minimal or abundant as personally required.

A correctly proportioned station could also follow the same specifications as above and have a moveable tower like the original.  In this way it could also be expanded upon.

Might just get out the jigsaw and router and give it a try!

Bruce Webster

 

I have often called the American Flyer Union Station one of the most over-looked pieces of the Post War era. It has a more contemporary style than the Lionel 115 Stations, and it's size works very well into an O Gauge layout.

I have the non-talking version, and I made my Union Station complex, by combining the station building with a seris of Marx/K-Line Station Platforms to form the headhouse.

Glad to see that Lionel is planning a re-issue.

Ken

Thanks for all the info. I'll put them both on my want to buy list for this year.