Classic Toy Trains January 2005

GROWLING AND PURRING LIONEL DIESELS
Len Carparelli reveals how a new motor design in 1955 quieted Lionel's hallmark F3 diesels. To watch and hear a horizontal-motor Lionel F3 (with and without shell), followed by a vertical-motor F3 (with and without shell),

CHALLENGES OF AN O GAUGE LAYOUT

Roger Carp visits Connie Mamajek's contemporary, 18- by 22-foot layout.

LIONEL DREAM LAYOUTS, 1954

Ray Stuber shows how you could have built one of these two O gauge empires in 1954, with $200 or $500 in cash.

FOUR STEPS TO BETTER-LOOKING TRACK

Dennis Brennan explains how paying attention to roadbed, ballast, weathering, and paint can lead to better-looking track.

NEW JERSEY TO PIKE'S PEAK IN S GAUGE

Roger Carp visits Carl Giambrone's rugged American Flyer layout.

THREE STATIONS FOR THREE MARX CITIES

Neil Besougloff highlights Marx's postwar lithographed passenger stations.

HONEY, GET YOURSELF A HOBBY!

Stan Trzoniec shows how Mike Caparco, who has three snow-covered O gauge layouts, did just that.

LIONEL'S NEW ENGLANDER SET

Michael Connor focuses on a 1980s O gauge freight set with a postwar heritage.

WARNING LIGHT FOR UNCOUPLER TRACKS

Rick Rostonski details how to build a warning-light circuit for Lionel uncoupler tracks.

PHOTO ALBUM

How can you get a photo of your layout into CLASSIC TOY TRAINS? Easy, submit it to Photo Album, our newest regular feature.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE OF CTT: Bob Keller reviews the newest trains from Atlas O, MTH, Lionel, Williams, and more; industry news; Q&A operator tips with Ray L. Plummer; and our popular Collectible Classics column.