I wanted to start this forum for a place that people can discus the one and only lionel company :thumbsup:

does anyone have a log loader...give me your opinion on which ones you like

No log loader.
Are you trying to decide between the #787 American Flyer design and the Lionel AMC/ARC Log Loader ?
If you have a Cab1 remote the AMC/ARC Log Loader lets you have lots of control over it. I like the American Flyer design better but its the old push button.

Good to see a Lionel forum! Unfortunately, I don't have any log loaders, either. I think Lionel had at least two different postwar models: a prewar carryover, chain-driven model; and a later belt-operated, sheet metal model. But I tend to confuse the various log loaders, sawmills, and lumber loaders.

I have a beef with the modern Aquarium cars. The original, vibrator-driven models made sense, as they could be parked, and used as an animated accessory. The newer versions of this car require the car be moving, for the fish to move around. There is a very expensive, really ugly new command-controlled aquarium car, also.

I'm inclined to get one of the cheaper new cars, if I can find a used one at a good price, and see if I can't rig a small motor to the moving fish filmstrip.

I love love love lionel products but it seems that the retail is very expensive.....but the detail and quality on some items are great.....i love the hobo train...if anyone has it....i love how inexpensive it was .......the hudson that comes with it rocks....but you have to oil it a lot right out of the box because right when i got it and put it in reverse it locked up......

i am so happy to start this forum and having people join...if you know anyone that may want to join get them to join...

i tend to buy most stuff on ebay.....i get the best deals every now and then.....i just picked up 2 manual switches new for 99 cents...well shipping was five bucks

i will keep you guys updated on ebay austions that are good deals

are any of you ebay users??????

I have a couple aqaurium cars, dont remember which ones. I agree with the animated accessory statement.

The Hobo set is great. Got it for my son. I really liked the transformer too.

I use ebay sometimes.

You guys buy train related gifts for family? Christmas soon. Got ideas?

I have gotten a few train deals on eBey. For Lionel trains, I think the local toy train clubs are one of the best sources. Here in L.A., the Toy Train Operating Society(T.T.O.S) is probably the best. There is also the Train Collector's Association(T.C.A.).

well i live up in ohio......it already snowed a little here but stopped....i went to LA and loved it becasue there was like barely humitity.....u both are lucky...lol

I have a couple aqaurium cars, dont remember which ones. I agree with the animated accessory statement.

The Hobo set is great. Got it for my son. I really liked the transformer too.

I use<a href="http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-1751-2978-71/1?AID=5463217&PID=1606754&mpre=http%3A//www.ebay.com"> eBay!</a> sometimes.

You guys buy train related gifts for family? Christmas soon. Got ideas?

I love that transformer too.....i really love to get accessories for christmas.....how old is your son

does any one have one of those tmcc comtrols....i think they arent that great because i enjoy collecting old postwar stuff......i like working with all the wires too.....LOL

Do any of you like the polar express trains….maybe you can get your son that for Christmas

I don't have TMCC. It is impressive, but expensive.

I think the Polar Express is great for kids. Its not my thing, although I like passenger trains.

yea the polar express train is very cool lots of detail

I don't have TMCC. It is impressive, but expensive.

I think the Polar Express is great for kids. Its not my thing, although I like passenger trains.

I think the same thing about both.....the polar express is too cartoonish...i want my layout to be realistic....i actually make most of my own stuff out a things you can pick up at craft stores

I want to get more stuff for my hobo theme….accessories and such….I can’t find them in many places…in my layout there is an old broken down bridge and in that area there are a bunch of hobos….what accessories have you seen for the hobo theme?????

I want to get more stuff for my hobo theme….accessories and such….I can’t find them in many places…in my layout there is an old broken down bridge and in that area there are a bunch of hobos….what accessories have you seen for the hobo theme?????
Since you mentioned the Hudson, I'm guessing you're talking 1930s dustbowl-era.

To answer your question, the only thing that comes to mind, is some of that Emmett Kelly Jr. clown stuff. Aside from that, I think you'll have to modify vehicles, structures, etc. yourself.

yea the polar express train is very cool lots of detail
Lionel did a nice job on it. And, it seems to be a year-to-year Xmas favorite.

Since you mentioned the Hudson, I'm guessing you're talking 1930s dustbowl-era.

To answer your question, the only thing that comes to mind, is some of that Emmett Kelly Jr. clown stuff. Aside from that, I think you'll have to modify vehicles, structures, etc. yourself.

Well i have just gone on ebay and found these

Well i have just gone on eBey and found these...
Well, there you are! I obviously haven't been keeping up with the current Lionel stuff. I'm glad they're making product that fits your interest.

wat are some of ur interests....i have lots of time on my hands....i will find it....wat do you like to collect....trains sets.....cars....or accessories

Thank you. That is really nice. I recently splurged on a monorail set, which I described in excruciating detail in the other thread. So, I get to have some time, to think about other goodies I might like!

In Lionel, I have been thinking about one of the postwar HO Pacifics, w/ the whistle in the tender. As far as I know, that particular motor-driven whistle design was unique to Lionel HO. Gilbert HO also had a neat, on-board remote control whistle, but it was totally different.

The Lionel Pacifics also had puffing smoke. In that period, only the HO made by Lionel, Gilbert, and Marx puffed smoke; the Seuthe generators used by model railroad locos simply streamed smoke. Gilbert HO smokers also had a great synchronized chuff.

On my brothers mth engine the smoke just poors out....its pretty cool.....but i like mine hudson better....it doesnt puff enough smoke though.....but it puffs perfect smoke rings everytime

So what are your layouts like…can u get any pics….mine I had to take down…this year I should be getting a 4 by 8 board in the basement….last year my layout was on the floor and was huge…I will try to find some pics…..but my cats always knocked trees and people down….and trying to do that cotton snow is always a disaster….it gets stuck in the wheels of the cars….I just went to the dollar store and got a bunch of little people and figures that for the price are very nice

here are some pics of a layout i set up in my freetime on the floor in my living room last year.......i did this in 2 days.....so its a littls sloppy....i just wanted to show my relatives while they were over

On my brothers mth engine the smoke just poors out....its pretty cool...
MTH steamers have fan-driven smoke units. That's hardcore!

So what are your layouts like…
I haven't done a layout in decades.
...my cats always knocked trees and people down…LOL! Make them wear Godzilla outfits.
...and trying to do that cotton snow is always a disaster….it gets stuck in the wheels of the cars…
Same w/ that loose-type Xmas tree tinsel. That stuff is really bad!
...I just went to the dollar store and got a bunch of little people and figures that for the price are very nice
LOVE that store.

I agree............hey wat kind of track do you use

Nice floor layout.
I do a layout on the floor every christmas.
Will get some pics if interested.
Track: Lionel tubular, Fasttrack, K Line super snap
You guys already got three pages going.

I have regular O gauge track, leftover from my last layout. I started with 027, because that is what came with the first MPC sets I bought, back in the 1970s. I later added 54" curves, remote switches, etc. I switched over to O gauge, because I was beginning to get locos, such as 2343s, which just didn't run well, if at all, on the 027. Back then, they didn't have the newer alternatives.

Nice floor layout.
I do a layout on the floor every christmas.
Will get some pics if interested.
Track: Lionel tubular, Fasttrack, K Line super snap
You guys already got three pages going.

ya i tend to post a lot....i luv floor layouts....cus i know its just for fun and dont have to make it perfect.....i have fastrack, regular lionel(i dont know wat its called) track, and that MTH track

...i have fastrack...and that MTH track
Which of these do you like better? I haven't tried either one, yet.

i like em both.....they are both around the same price......i like fastrack because they snap together and dont come apart (until you pull them apart).....the mth stuff i have more of but doesnt hold together and the little prongs that connect power bend easily and the connectors that hold the plastic together break

FASTRACK IS GOOD BUT WAY TO OVER PRICED
go with fastrack

i like em both.....they are both around the same price......i like fastrack because they snap together and dont come apart (until you pull them apart).....the mth stuff i have more of but doesnt hold together and the little prongs that connect power bend easily and the connectors that hold the plastic together break

FASTRACK IS GOOD BUT WAY TO OVER PRICED
go with fastrack
Thanks for your info. I prefer the look of the MTH, with its solid, realistic T-shaped rail. The Fastrack rail reminds me of Gilbert's cheap S gauge Pikemaster rails. But the Fastrack rails are steel, and Magnetraction works with them.

I was reading in the recent Lionel catalogue about how other brands of track may cause premature wheel wear. I thought that was funny, since Lionel's own Super O track was notorious, for quickly wearing out third-rail pickup rollers!

Lionel could have simply used the Flyer tubular T-rail, since they own Flyer now. That would have beaten the hell out of this crap rail they're ripping-off their current customers with.

...I do a layout on the floor every christmas.
Will get some pics if interested...
Love to see them! I don't want to pressure anyone for pictures, though. I don't have a digital camera myself, yet!

so what should i buy........i probably dont know as much about trains as you guys

Since this is the Lionel forum you can only buy Lionel. LOL.
I like the 027 sized tubular track with 045 curves. It fits perfect as the outer loop on a 4x8 board. Its just the easiest for me. I can hook up all the lights and stuff with no problem with enough connectors. And it works well with all the postwar accessories etc.

Lionel fasttrack is 036, I like it. Believe that there are connections under each track section to hook up wires etc. The best part about it is If you plan to buy many Lionel starter sets that you will get more and more track with each set. You will end up with a lot of curves but o well. You can put together a whole oval of track on the floor and when your done pick it up with one hand and lean it against the wall or carry it, stash it somewhere else and it does not come apart. The only downside that I have heard people talk about is that its loud, cause of its hollow rails and space under the roadbed. Personally I did not find it to be a problem. I did not notice one way or the other.

Im not a big MTH fan so I dont know much about MTH track. Sorry MTH fans, no disrepect intended.

If I had a good size budget and was worried about realism... Although any track with a third rail cant be all that realistic. I would go with Atlas O track and Ross switches.

Now that K-Line is gone... And I supported them heavily for the last 10 years, I suppose its of no use to mention their track. Also I would like to say that Im lost without a new K-Line catalog for the first time. Im bitter and have not looked at another catalog all year, although with this light hearted Lionel forum Im a little curious to see a new Lionel catalog.

Well I did look at a Williams catalog. Cause I bought a SANTA FE BLUE GOOSE 4-8-4 J CLASS STEAM LOCOMOTIVE with all the passenger cars. Its really nice and I was lucky to get the whole set. If you go to their website you can become a member for 25-30 dollars and that includes your choice of a free car or caboose.

I stopped at a hobby shop today, and looked at Fastrack. The rail IS American Flyer Pikemaster...EXACTAMUNDO!!! And I thought Lionel might have shyed away from using rolled T-rail, because it was too Flyer-like. Silly me. (I just got out a piece of old Lionel Super O. Doh! It uses rolled T-rail. Even more inexcusable, that Fastrack doesn't use T-rail.)

Let me guess what's next: a Lionel T-rail track, which will be super-DUPER expensive, plus, it will feature some OTHER significantly objectionable shortcoming(s).

...I like the 027 sized tubular track with 045 curves. It fits perfect as the outer loop on a 4x8 board...I can hook up all the lights and stuff with no problem with enough connectors. And it works well with all the postwar accessories etc...
Yeah, as long as you use wider-radius turns and switches, you can run anything. You can get second-hand 027 very inexpensively, too. Definitely your lowest-cost track option, plus magnetraction works with it!
...Lionel fasttrack is 036, I like it...there are connections under each track section to hook up wires etc. The best part about it is If you plan to buy many Lionel starter sets that you will get more and more track with each set...You can put together a whole oval of track on the floor and when your done pick it up with one hand and lean it against the wall or carry it...and it does not come apart...
Actually, if you use track clips, you can do the same, w/ other track.
...If I had a good size budget and was worried about realism...I would go with Atlas O track and Ross switches...

...with this light hearted Lionel forum Im a little curious to see a new Lionel catalog...
You can drool over the Lionel catalog at their website. MTH and Williams, too.

...Well I did look at a Williams catalog. Cause I bought a SANTA FE BLUE GOOSE 4-8-4 J CLASS STEAM LOCOMOTIVE with all the passenger cars. Its really nice...
I LOVE my Williams die-cast, NYC scale Hudson!

so what should i buy........i probably dont know as much about trains as you guys
You've got PLENTY experience. I think rather few train operators have extensive experience with every kind of O gauge track that has been made. That is a LOT of different kinds.

Like I mentioned before, if you can get to a toy train club meet, you will probably find LOTS of cheap, second-hand track. That is THE way to go, unless expense is not a problem.

What I really want to get is one of those track cleaning cars….I heard that the new ones actually work but not as good as just doing it yourself……do any of you have one……and wat kind of cleaners can I clean the track by hand with…besides the Lionel stuff….but I worked quite good with that track eraser it came with….but a lot of work it was

i am only 13.....just so u know....have very small budget but big love for trains....LOL

What I really want to get is one of those track cleaning cars….I heard that the new ones actually work but not as good as just doing it yourself……do any of you have one……and wat kind of cleaners can I clean the track by hand with…besides the Lionel stuff….but I worked quite good with that track eraser it came with….but a lot of work it was
Again, I defer to those more knowledgeable. I never got a track cleaning car.

i am only 13.....just so u know....have very small budget but big love for trains....LOL
That's how old I was, when I started buying Lionel starter sets at Toys 'R Us. I still have my Milwaukee Special set from back then.

the only time i can really get whole sets are when xmas comes......i love to buy accessories like i said...

Im 30 something but I still like to get train sets for Xmas too.

When I do a holiday layout I usually screw the track down to a 4x8 board then I cut the crud with some denatured alcohol. Follow it up with a Scotchbrite pad, vacuum then another quick pass with denatured alcohol. Depends on what track you got. I think MTH says use only denatured alcohol on their track.

I would not clean the track with cars or engines on the track. The little rubber traction tires may get messed up if you use something harsh. I dont have a cleaning car, I wonder what they put in them to clean. A cleaning car would be nice for a large permanent layout though.