The Richard Kuhn interview/article (way on back) is the one most memorable to me. At the time, he was breathing new life into LIONEL (and O-gauge as a whole). To me, that is where things turned the corner to where our hobby is today.
Happy 25th CTT!
I've loved at least 99% of everything that I've read over the years. I particularly love articles about display layouts. But I also love in depth looks at variations and the Collectible Classics feature.
But if I had to pick one, I'd have to say the article I enjoyed the most was the story about Chuck Brasher's layout because it was the first issue of CTT I ever saw. I've subscribed on and off over the years mostly based on wether or not I was getting to my LHS monthly. But I always tried to get CTT magazine even if I couldn't afford anything else.
Becky
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
I liked the Cascade and Timber Trail project layout series. One of the reasons I enjoyed this series was because the logging themed layout began with a train set (Lionel Cascade Range), similar to the way my mining themed layout started with a train set (Copper Range). I also like how the names of the railroads on the CTT project layouts "Cascade and Timber Trail" and the latest "Coal and Turbine Technologies" on the Reader's Choice layout have the initials "CTT".
Karl
Roger,
There are many subjects to choose from, all are interesting and informative, but I mostly enjoy Lionel articles and products reviews.
Ralph
I'll go with the 12/95 Automatic Gateman's 60th anniversary article. That one is the one that made me pick up this new to me train magazine called "Classic Toy Trains" for the first time.
I can't wait to see what some of the other replies are. There have been a lot of great articles through the years.
J White
My favorites now are anything that deals with Lionel Postwar or old Marx.
Several years ago when I was dreaming about setting up a small layout I came upon the January 2003 CTT . The cover photo and article are the inspiration for my current layout. So if I had to pick one issue of the magazine, this would be it.
It would be very difficult to pick my favorite article, there are many. Where I go to first when I open up the magazine is the Photo Album. I always enjoy looking at other folks layouts.
Bill T.
Too many good ones to choose from, but the one I re-read the most is "Chuck Brasher's Standard Gauge Layout" in the Spring 1989 issue. The "retroness" of the controls is just so cool! And the trains are magnificent!
Second place is a tie. "Build Lionel's Disappearing Layout" in the November 2001, and "Wire Track Switches For Quick Routing" in the October 2005.
I didn't get into O gauge toy trains until 2007, when I got a Polar Express set to run around the Christmas tree, but that didn't stop me from picking up the magazine occasionally when the local magazine store started handling it. Childhood memories of my American Flyer set and my buddy's Lionels kept me interested, somehow.
Until I read that 2005 article I had no knowledge of the non-derailing feature of O22 switches or that it could be used for automatic train routing. Now I'm making a small postwar display type layout in the garage with classic tubular track, still my favorite, and as many action accessories as I can fit.
Thanks for the magazine and the inspirations.
Pete
"You can’t study the darkness by flooding it with light." - Edward Abbey -
You're kidding me, right? There's way too many to just pick "one."
The Retro Railroad construction series was the impetus to backdate my layout. It was not so much the specifics as it was it's general appeal and yet it had a certain simplicity about it that made the trains themselves the stars, and accessories.... rather than realistic scenic details.I suspect this article was influential to others as I see more of these layouts being produced as affordable and fun..
Another was the essay on the Lionel Electronic Set, which was really a revelation to me.
In my view the educational aspect of the magazine is it's bedrock. Whether it's wring as appreciated by Dennis or it is the history that incites us explore expanding aspects of the hobby. From there, everything falls into perspective. The layout pictorials are the icing on the cake..
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
Thanks to everyone for their kind words about Classic Toy Trains, which is about to start its 25th year of publication. We on the staff appreciate your support and contributions.
So now let's start a thread in which you select your all-time favorite articles in CTT. We'll pay close attention and publish something in an upcoming issue on the articles you like most and your reasons why.
Thanks,
Roger Carp
Senior Editor
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