Favorite toy train catalog.

Depends on what you are asking about the catalog. Is it the cover or the content?

If cover, the 1935 v1 (I think) with the boy holding the model Hiawatha in front of the real Hiawatha is my favorite.

If content, the 2007 v1 is my favorite because that is when (IMO alert! Views expressed are Nicks Trains and Nicks Trains only!) Lionel made a quality (better than today) product (not as good as 1950s, but good enough for me.)

Please explain which you mean please.

My favorite catalogs were the 1957 and 1958 Lionel catalogs. I still look at them and make up wish lists for Santa. 

After Lionel my favorite catalogs were the Varney HO catalogs as many of the photos were taken by the late John Allen of his magnificent G & D layout.

Brad

Nicks Train: I mean both content and cover.

LIONEL™ 1948.  For cover and content it was a very good year.  Year of the 2026 freight set.

It is very difficult for me to decide on just one Lionel Catalog as being the best because I think the 1951,52,53,54, 57and 58 catalogs were outstanding from both the graphic and content standpoints.  In regards to American Flyer I think the 1950 catalog reigns supreme.  All of those kids trooping down the basement stairs to check out that beautiful American Flyer layout is what childhood dreams are made of.  The little kid bringing up the rear is me.

My favorite is Lionel 1954, because my first train set is in it-2227w.

It is a tie between the Lionel 1954 and 1960 catalogs. The 1954, because I like the cover and the 1960 because I remember that year as a kid deciding what I wanted.

My favorite catalog, is the series of 1950's Western Autos that showed Marx and other trains, and the Christmas catalogs such as Sears, Wards, and the 1941 Alden's catalog that showed the very first Marx 3/16.

I would have to say the 1958 Lionel catalogue 

My favorite catalog is the Lionel 2008 volume 1, because it had so many new items.  Unfortunately, many of them were cancelled.

Lionel 1976

The Montgomery Ward's winter catalogs during the mid 1950's.

1952 or 1950

Probably for me, Lionel catalogs from 1956 thru 1960, smart enough to read, also with a youthful imagination, it was a wonderful "Leave it to Beaver" world.

1983 Sears Wish book

I did like some little newsprint booklets Lifelike used to make around 1988/9 that had scenery tips. They were pretty fun. They were about the size of comic books and I used a lot of the tips to build my 4X8 HO Scale first layout as a teenager. 

No question......Lionel 1958!

Peter

This one.

1948 and 1950 used to read them often.

Mikey

Several years ago I won a train layout contest and one of the prizes was a TW Trainworx B-51 Lionel Bridge Kit.  The bridge reminded me of the cover of the LIONEL 1952 CATALOG.

So, I recreated the catalog with the bridge, some of my postwar Lionel engines and me!

1977 Lionel - MPC 

Nothing beats the Lionel Centennial Catalog.

B&O EM-1

N&W Class A #1218

Gold Hudson

Scott Smith

Hands down:  The Lionel 1940 catalog.  Toy trains coming ofage.

Paul Fischer

The 1958 American Flyer catalog is a classic for sure, but for the cover, the 1950 Flyer catalog had it all.

Perhaps nostalgia plays a little part in my preference since this was my first catalog (It was actually my Dad's at the time.), and judging from its condition today, I looked at it a lot!

Alan

 For me it would be the Marx Timely Table  from the Woolworth Company in the thirty's .

 It as page 17 that did it for me I went to sleep a many of a night with the flat with the tank just a sparking away in my head , wondering if I would ever be lucky enough to find one.

1957, followed by 1956. Great years. My parents and brother were alive and I had trains. Mickey and Yogi and Ernie were all doing well. Even as a ten year old I knew things were pretty good.

1980 Lionel.  The Collector Line was really starting gain momentum. Had the JLC Series boxcars, Burlington Texas Zephyr, Chessie Steam Special Berkshire Set, The Royal Limited and Mid Atlantic diesel sets.

When I was a young boy, I could sit by the hour looking through the new American Flyer catalog. Trouble was, I wished I could have it all. After going through the catalog for about the 100th time, I would start narrowing down my wants to a couple of new cars. Thanks mom and dad.   

What a great Question, The Catalog, Oh What a Catalog, this Catalog, coupled together with a Toy Train under a Christmas Tree, gave us Desires, Dreams, Beyond Belief....It started an Addiction like No Other....Today, We Senior Kids, are actually still Enjoying Toy Trains....Great Question....

hello guys and gals

It would be the lionel 1965, 66' catalog.  I got the 2383 freight set #12730 listed in both catalogs from my father's favorite hardware store "Dooley's Hardware" in 1968 long Beach, Ca.  when my mum got me into trains.  Those were the days !!!!

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But anyone who drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again."  John 4:13-14 ERV (easy to Read Version)

Tiffany

My favorite is the Lionel 1958 with the pre production drawing of the 175 rocket launcher, my all time favorite piece. Even though it was before I was born, just amazing. On another note, pulled out a German Rapido N Scale catalog and a 1968 Kibri building catalog. My older brother was into both and that was probably my first inspiration to model European, except I went larger for 0 scale. 

Miketg

For me it always ends up being the most recent one.

I still start out wanting it all, then narrowing it down to one item or two.  It takes a long time to narrow it down, which is part of the fun.

Lionel 1953 (my first one) and 1959 (just because). In the modern era, 1985 because of some nice illustrations plus I was just getting back into trains after many years.