What Do You Collect and Operate?

My focus is 1910-1932 Lionel tinplate, Std Gauge & O-Gauge. It's been that way since 1959. I have to admit that the European prewar items are starting to look good. I may pick up a few pieces this year.
God Bless,

I began with a Lionel set headed by a 2026 steam engine. That was about 1951. It ballooned into some of everything from Z to G. But I have the most fun, and the best success repairing them, with Marx.

It started with a Marx plastic set about 10-11 years ago,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2koMifH4Xk
Added some more Marx plastic, then some similar sized Lionel. One day a Marx tin set came my way and it's been all down a tin hill since. My collection is about 60% orig and New Marx, but Flyer, Ives, Dorfan, Mettoy, Distler, Sakai, lots of Hafner and Lionel & MTH tin are also allowed in the garage.

Steve

Prewar and Modern O gauge and standard gauge.

Most all era of railroads established in the state of Texas.  Mostly MKT, Santa Fe, Texas & Pacific and MP.

 

TEX

Steve

Marx 3/16 scale, it's what I had as a kid in the early 50's.  Looking for a C&O Flat with pipe or wood load, scale trucks

 

Mike

First half of the 20th century O gauge. Though I am starting to focus more on the core Lionel-Ives-Marx.

 

I tried to stick with pre-war, but there's still some items from the early postwar years that I love.

 

Tim

Oldest item 1910 Lionel Std Ga #5 Spcl, newest item, 2011 MTH O27 smoking tank car. Everything in between.

 

Regards,

 

CJ Meyers

 

PW Lionel, Ives O, PW af, Marx 1way, C&F.

I love collecting and operating tinplate, but, I really like the American Flyer O gauge trains the most.

Electroliner,

   I am not really a collector, I do own Lionel & MTH Tin Plate trains, because I like to build and run O Gauge Toy Train layouts. 

PCRR/Dave

 

I am collecting and operating Marx 6" four wheel lithographed tin cars and corresponding windup and electric metal engines from the 1930's - 1950's.  Complementing the Marx trains are Marx metal accessories.  Most Marx items from this period are relatively inexpensive, I love the toylike look and they still have that nostalgia factor from long ago(I had a windup Marx set when I was about 5 years old).

I have some post war pieces that I've owned since I was a kid. I buy other Sakai of the period from time to time, and I have a few old Hornby pieces.

But my collection is very eclectic, covering all the modern stuff from makers like Darstaed, as I love the crossover that is currently happening with modern tinplate, diecast scale and detailed locos and traditional tinplate rolling stock, albeit quite detailed and refined. Nothing much I own is left on the shelves, it all gets used, as that is what it's all about for me.

I will also start buying some of MTH's Lionel Corp offerings, including something in standard gauge. Not having grown up with American tinplate, it has taken a few years to grow on me, as it is just so different from the European styles.

As far as "tinplate" goes, I operate Marx 3/16" and some European tinplate, i.e. Hornby, B-L, Bing.  I also have PW to current Lionel, MTH, American Flyer and a lot of N gauge stuff left over from the days in which I was cramped for space.

I'm a relative newcomer to tinplate and pretty much everything I have so far are the recent offerings from LCT in O gauge. I have a couple of steam locos and freight sets, and and a Christmas train. Looking forward to the items I have pre-ordered (aren't we all  ) from the LCT 2011 catalog.

 

Among others, I have the 256 Electric Loco and 710 Passenger Set coming.  April, they say.

 

 

I COLLECT Marx 3/16 and deluxe plastic, anything with the compatible tilt fork

couplers only, and NO six or seven inch (it all has to run together).   I RUN any and

all of the Lionel compatible brands, as they are making tons of it, and if something

breaks, you may get it fixed, but it can be replaced.  (that is anything, like Atlas

that is a scale model, and not toy like, for I consider myself a three rail model

railroader). My layout is set in September, 1940, so only steam is seen, and it

is a point to point short line that will mostly see Decapods, Mikados, and smaller

engines, with, when somebody produces them, a 2-4-4-2 articulated and  small (20-40 ton) two truck Heislers for the logging branch.  Everything is conventional or will be converted to same, and is old school with blocks.

Roadnames acquired as appropriate for the modeled region and time are D&RGW, D&SL, C&S, CM( a stray or two as CM did not survive WWI), MP, CB&Q, Great Western, and Rock Island.  Eventually, I hope to have an interchange/transfer with an On3 shortline, DC scale, haven't decided whether it will be a D&RGW or C&S branch.

I collect Marx and run Williams with scale cars. I dont run my Marx because the wheels are always sparking and I'm afraid there may be a gas leak in the room

Thomas

Geez, at my age now, whatever catches my eye! Before I turned 50 and was into N gauge, I collected B&O. Now that I'm testing the O waters, I've bought tinplate, Civil War era engines and cars, and just last week I saw a GG-1 in PC that I liked. When I get around to building a new layout, I'm going to put moveable scenes on plywood, and put them around the track, reflecting what I am running.

Passenger trains, prewar to new, o and standard.

It is amazing we have so many options to use.  I like Marx plastic,and metal 3/16.  I also like some Lionel post war and prewar when I can find it.  Also I am guilty of having Lionel TMCC on hand.  I started a revamp of my layout tonight so I can keep more equipment on the layout to make fast changes when I desire to run somethng else.  By the way, I forgot to mention my ON30 in the center of my benchwork.

Ican't stay bored with all the options I have.

Al

Just came in from the garage where I did some modifications to my layout. I rerouted about 30 some feet of track to make storage easier so I don't have to shuffle trains from under the layout.  I am very pleased with my result.

Al

Chicago Flyer and Ives O gauge, especially litho.  Any Standard gauge that speaks to me.

Whatever prewar that strikes my fancy, the price is right and I have THE cash in my pocket (which is usually minimal) to buy it. I tend to be primarily drawn to accessories.

 

Ron M

ron m,

You're right on the money! The prewar accessories are some of the best ever made. The problem is finding C-5 or better that is affordable. I'm forever searching for toys made from 1910-1932. The best part is the hunt, no matter how long it takes.

God Bless,

Pappy

TCA TTOS

Pappy's happy when it's about prewar trains

"Lionel Classics" standard gauge & accessories

 

MTH "Tinplate Traditions" standard gauge & accessories

 

Lionel repro 840 Power Station and 128 Station & Terrace

 

LCT reproductions standard gauge

 

MPC "Milwaukee Special" with add-on cars

 

Lionel Legacy Vision Line Hudson w/1991 LTI 4-car "Madison" Set

 

Lionel "Birch Valley Lumber Company" Shay (TMCC) with Lionel BVLC skeleton log cars

 

LTI 1990 scale Hudson - display only - never run.

Everything I collect I also operate.  I have what some would call a very eclectic collection.  What I own and operate covers the following areas:

 

Lionel Post-war.

 

LIonel MPC.

 

Lionel Pre-war Tinplate O Gauge and Standard Gauge. 

 

MTH/LIONEL Tinplate reproductions O Gauge and Standard Gauge.

 

Modern era Lionel/MTH/Williams/Weaver.

 

Post-war Gilbert American Flyer S Gauge.

 

Post-war Marx.

 

Accessories from all of the above.

 

 

 

Prewar Lionel O and Standard gauge, Postwar Lionel O gauge and new production MTH Lionel Standard gauge.  But I really like the prewar standard gauge .

 

Glenn

I run standard gauge MTH reproductions on an inner loop and LGB G guage on an outerloop.  The only "old" tinplate I have is an Automatic Gateman.

 

Michael

 

As for me? I collectand run anything O gauge. Hopefully, when I have the money, I'll be able to start collecting and running Standard Gauge and 1 Gauge.

Also, to those who listed sakai as part of their collections, I havebeen looking for Sakai for awhile. My significant other is traveling to Japan this summer, and I'm giving her money to look for trains while she's there. Any idea of their value in ok-good shape? And where di you find you Sakai sets.

-Kyle

Marx, Lionel, K-Line, RMT, pre and post war American Flyer and a smidge of old HO. If it runs on rails I'm there.

 

Jim McC.

Hi,

  I started with Post war "O" then really jumped into "S" American Flyer with the

two rail track. Now I got into Standard Gauge trains it's just fun and finally my

ice skaters and skiers match the trains that are running around the holiday

board!

 

Tin

I like this and I like that-----alot.  My sweetys are my collection of Revell HO. Cool stuff. But I'm 75% O of all brands but major in Lionel.

I only collect Milwaukee Road toy trains but in all gauges.  Currently I operate my Milwaukee Road Standard Gauge trains with SGMA and on seasonal floor layouts at home.  I operate my O gauge Milwaukee Road toy trains only on seasonal floor layouts.  Now retired, I getting ready to build a new forced perspective layout on which I'll be able to operate Standard, O and S gauge trains.  My current favorites are the RichArt O gauge and Standard Gauge Cascade Bipolar sets but my Lionel Hiawatha Baltic (Hudson) set, RichArt Standard Gauge CHIPPEWA (Ives) steamer set, and the Liberty Line Bipolars are a close second, third and fourth.  That said, with all their "bells-n-whistles" my MTH PS2 Milwaukee Road 381 and Super 381 Bipolar engines and State cars are coming on strong and winning me over with their smooth operation.    

Currently everything I have is post war Lionel and Marx O-27 stuff. Lately I have caught the tin bug and have started to collect Marx tin, especially the 3/16" scale tin trains. The tin litho is cool.

And Marx is easy to work on and run too.