If you are primarily looking at the older "postwar" Lionel trains, here is a 1965 Lionel booklet that covers a lot of material.

Thank you very much!

You might want to look into this one (just do a Google search for the title):

The Big Book of Lionel: The Complete Guide to Owning and Running America's Favorite Toy Trains

Depending on where you live and the resources in that area, I would recommend visiting hobby shops, railroad clubs and your local library.  At your library, you should be able to acquire and read (even if through inter-library transfers) about the topics you are interested in.  However, if you have no interest in modern day electronics and control systems, it would help a lot to focus on what's called "post-war" equipment while maybe also perusing "pre-war" equipment if you have some of that in your possession.

If you are comfortable trying to figure out how to disassemble your trains, maintenance and repair for most post-war equipment can be done with the only major problem sometimes being finding repair or replacement parts.  Besides perusing this forum (in depth), you might also look for Facebook groups that discuss "O Gauge" trains.  I have not found any that specialize in post-war trains, but the "mixed" information (modern, post-war & pre-war) they contain can also be useful.

For example, to remove rust from old track, it is widely recommended to use isopropyl alcohol and soft rags.  DO NOT use Brillo or any other hard pad that might leave shavings on your track because those shavings will be sucked up into your motor and cause big problems.

HAVE FUN!

Chuck

Digging in a bit farther, into more serious (yet approachable) modeling, look at the articles in OGR by the late Jim Barrett describing construction of his layout and also the voluminous posts about Blackwater Canyon Lines by forumite Mark Boyce.

AND you may want to take a look at our webstore where we have books, videos, etc. that will be very helpful.  Since you are a digital subscriber, a quick look at the OGR Master Index is a must.

@PRR1950 posted:

For example, to remove rust from old track, it is widely recommended to use isopropyl alcohol and soft rags.  DO NOT use Brillo or any other hard pad that might leave shavings on your track because those shavings will be sucked up into your motor and cause big problems.

Thanks so much for this. I will put away the emery cloth I just bought.

When I got back into the hobby a couple of years ago, I hit the local library and used book stores.  As I'm running 100% traditional, a lot of the older reference books were applicable to what I was working on (and very reasonably priced).   For me, the most helpful book was:

Greenberg's Model Railroading with Lionel Trains by Roland E. LaVoie

I also use the "Search" function on the OGR site a lot.  Sometimes it takes some work, but if you keep digging, you'll usually come up with what you're looking for.

Good luck, and have fun!

Here are some Greenburg books they will help you.

Lionel Greenberg Books Postwar Prewar TCA Standards Lowered prices | O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum (ogaugerr.com)

Alan

Welcome , you already have found the best source of knowledge, information and folks will help!

my 2025 (I traded a friend all my HO for his O about 45 years ago) sits next to the 2055 my dad bought  for our family in the mid 50s.

enjoy the ride!

I am going to make a prediction that once you visit your local train shop, look at layouts here on the OGR forum and the digital magazines, or spend hours on YouTube (where I get a lot of info once you know the better guys) you will be buying newer modern equipment, buildings and possibly track. Have fun with a small traditional, classic layout for now while looking and learning before planning your "ultimate" one. OR be happy with what you have and the nostalgia that it brings; either way is fine and all about having fun!

Welcome to the hobby! I have learned so much here over the years while I "played around" with Holiday shows and under the tree layouts all the while collecting trains, buildings, vehicles and lots of people. This past July I began my dream layout and since I am not a kid, I want to get it show and play worthy asap. As 027 Bob said, don't forget to use the "search" function here.

Mikki

Look at Thortrains.us. There’s a long history for this site. Lots of resources for post-war toy trains. It’s also extremely entertaining.

If you choose to post your general geographic location, people will chime in with information about clubs and other local resources - there are a lot of folks out there who like to help new hobbyists.

I also suggest that you consider joining the Train Collectors Association (TCA) and/or Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA).  Membership in either of these organizations will unlock access to a wealth of information, and you can search for members in your area.  Some TCA divisions are more active than others, so it really depends on where you live.  LCCA has an extensive online database of instructions, catalogs, and other paper.   

Kelly,

Rather than running out and buying a bunch of books why don't you start with a few free websites like these:

Thor Trains

Big Indoor Trains

Tandem Associates

Kraft Trains

John