Even though the weather outside in Wisconsin – cold and snowy with gray skies – reminds me we are in the middle of winter, my magazine schedule tells me it is summer. That’s right, we at Classic Toy Trains always work about six months ahead of the calendar. Right now, I am finishing my assignments for the July issue, including some fantastic layouts and outstanding articles on postwar collectibles. Essential to making the articles I write about vintage Lionel outfits, locomoti...

Welcome to our redesigned website! Long-time visitors will already have noticed the clean new look and improved navigation. There are welcome little touches as well, like a much improved video player. That's important because our videos have a significant following. Many videos are open to all visitors including new product overviews, previews of upcoming issues, Senior Editor Roger Carp’s “Toy Train Emporium” collector-oriented videos, and a series of videos aimed at beginner...

I received my first trains as an infant in 1955. After about 1959 I had usually free access to setting my trains up, but my mother usually put them up the next time she vacuumed. They went into boxes in 1967 and remained there (other than being re-packed by military movers) until 1991. Yes, the locomotives all operated the first time power was applied. Applause for that good old postwar Lionel lube! When I went to my first train show, postwar-style or traditional trains (whether vintage or curr...