Proper railroad layouts need to grow, even if it is just expanding the coverage of railroad lines, especially the Class 1 railroads currently operating in the continental United States. There are seven Class 1 RR lines in operation today:
1 BNSF Burlington Northern Santa Fe
2 UP Union Pacific
3 CSX Chesapeake Seaboard
4 NS Norfolk Southern
5 CN Canadian National
6 CP Canadian Pacific
7 KCS Kansas City Southern
I have always been a fan of Union Pacific. One of my earliest Lionel LionChief sets was the Union Pacific Scout Hill RS-3 diesel locomotive. I have quite a few AC Burlington Northern engines and we have a BNSF Lionchief w/Bluetooth in the family.
I added the Lionel Lionchief Plus with Bluetooth Norfolk Southern GP38-2 diesel road switcher. This engine has a working smoke unit, sounds, horn, bell, announcements and remote control couplers. This train represents Norfolk Southern’s commitment to “Training First Responders” and the actual train starting operating on the East Coast in 2016.
I love this engine, so much so that I added two uni-body tank cars and a caboose, all in the first responder paint scheme.
I love Lionel trains and I truly enjoy talking about the sets I personally own and play with, every chance I get. You can see what I have to say about my favorite set, the Polar Express, in my article about it here. But my affection for the Lionel train lines doesn’t end there.
One of my first sets was the Lionel New York Central RS-3 Freight Train Set – O-Gauge. This set features a dark blue NYC diesel locomotive all trimmed in white. The model railroad set comes with one NYC boxcar in a nice bright green, and a striking red caboose. Both cars are trimmed in white and black with the oval shaped NYC logo. This set comes with the wall pack power supply, the remote, and enough Lionel FasTrack to make a 40 inch by 60 inch loop. I have found quite a few NYC railroad cars, and now when I run it, I have a nice long NYC train.
The Patriot Diesel train set is a model train I purchased about a year ago. I love the red, white and blue paint scheme on the locomotive and caboose. This is a great set to help celebrate the 4th of July, which is a special holiday for our family. The set comes with a green boxcar celebrating 200 years of our great nation, and a special hopper car with bold red and white stripes. This set has enough track to make a 40 inch by 50 inch loop, a wall power pack and the remote control.
I even have a train set for Halloween! The Lionel Peanuts Halloween Train Set is a spooky set according to my six-year old grandson, who does not like the Halloween sound effects. Painted in Peanuts’ themed Halloween style, this train is ready to take you on the hunt for the great pumpkin. Being a steam engine, the set includes the tender, a boxcar, a tank car and the caboose, a wall power pack, the remote and enough track to make a 40 inch by 50 inch loop.
Here’s a family favorite, Lionel’s DC Comics Batman Phantom Train Set in O-Gauge. This set features the best sound effects. Batman’s voice sets the stage, talking about fighting crime as train moves smoothly around the track. The Phantom diesel has two additional cars, the wall power pack, remote control, and the standard 40 inch by 60 inch loop of FasTrack. Heads turn every time this train set goes by.
I’ve been planning on expanding my O scale trains, and have been planning a layout to showcase my favorite trains. Eventually, the layout will have farmland features, so I had to get the Lionel John Deere Steam LionChief Train Set – O-Gauge.
John Deere green is the predominant color of this train set although the steam engine does have a bright metallic nose. The set has a flatbed railroad car with two tractors on board, a gondola car with crated farm equipment, and the caboose. The set includes the remote control, a wall power pack and the standard 40 inch by 60 inch loop of FasTrack.
I’ve purchased farm buildings, grain silos and other accessories to go along with my countryside setting. Part of my farmland layout will be done in older O track so I can incorporate some of my post war era Lionel accessories. You should see the cows go from the corral to the stock car.
Did I mention that our layout will have a subway level? We will be running the Lionel MLB Yankees LionChief Subway Set. It’s a three car, M7 subway train set painted with scenes baseball fans can enjoy. This model railway set comes with a wall power pack, remote control, and enough FasTrack to make a 40 inch by 60 inch loop.
To expand the subway line, I also have the Batman M7 subway set and I have plans to have it make special runs to the Arkham Insane Asylum from Gotham City.
As an O-scale model railroad collector, I’ve also picked up a few sets that I are no longer find available online but are worth mentioning in case you happen to find them in a model railroad hobby shop, or swap meet.
My Lionel Pennsylvania Railroad Keystone Special features a working searchlight flatcar. I also have a Lionel Union Pacific Scout Hill Freight Train Set. We met a railroad engineer who told us that Union Pacific’s nickname is “Unkle Pete. I can say with confidence that I love “Uncle Pete!”
In addition to modern railroads, I also have a Rio Grande & Santa Fe Steam Switch Engine Train Set. It was my very first railroad set.
Part of the fun of model railroading is going to different hobby and train stores and train shows. I like looking for interesting sets to expand my railroad layout. The diligent, knowledgeable shopper can find some good bargains hidden on the back shelf, so it’s absolutely worth getting to know your hobby store staff to find out what they’ve got hiding behind the counter.
One of our biggest inspirations in O-Scale train layouts is Ericstrains on YouTube. If you love trains, you have to check him out!
I have saved the best for last. I bought the Lionel BNSF RS-3 Scout Freight Set with Bluetooth Train Set for myself, then I gave it to my grandson who loves BNSF. The BNSF diesel locomotive is a vintage RS-3 painted in the new BNSF road colors. The set includes a green Burlington Northern boxcar, a black BNSF tank car, and a red BNSF caboose. The set has the standard 40 inch by 60 inch oval loop of FasTrack, a wall power pack, and the remote control.
One of the coolest features of the Lionchief systems are the included sounds that come from hidden speakers. You have a bell, a horn, and voice announcements. There are different announcements for when the train is moving and for when it is stopped. Both of these situations switch to a third announcement after 30 seconds of changing from being motion or stopping.
Operating two or three Lionel LionChief train sets on a big layout gets noisy, but it’s my kind of noisy. We’ve added a few extra BNSF railroad cars, and the train is impressive as it winds around the layout. These trains are powerful enough to easily pull a dozen railroad cars. I intend to obtain another of these sets so that I can have my own, again. Then my grandson and I will have two identical engines to play with. I have not tried that yet!
To me, gaining the ability to operate an O scale train from my tablet or smartphone with bluetooth functionality makes playing with the model trains more like running the engine from the cab. The features of the control panel are excellent. Having the Bluetooth ability is also be a great way to run the train if the batteries in the standard remote control fail. The Lionel Bluetooth app is a free download available at most app stores.
Once you get started playing with Lionel trains, it’s easy to get enthralled with the charm and excitement of each different set. I know you’ll enjoy run any of these railroad sets! To get started choosing your own Lionel O-Scale railroad set, you can browse their Amazon storefront here.
Want more like this? Check out some of our other lists and reviews below.
If you love LEGOS, trains, and Harry Potter, then this is the set for you. At 801 pieces, this model train set includes a train station with pedestrian overpass and clock, the Hogwarts Express, tender, a passenger car, and a handful of mini figs.
The LEGO minifigs include Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Remus Lupin, the Trolley Witch, the Dementor and Scabbers figures. The Trolley Witch even has the chocolate toads that Ron is always eating!
The LEGO Hogwarts Express model train set is not motorized, but it does roll by hand on LEGO City track. Another difference between this set and other LEGO train sets are the train’s couplers. The Hogwarts Express uses connectors and pins, instead of the magnetic couplers used in the motorized sets. They work best if the train is moving in the forward direction.
The best feature of this set is the custom Hogwarts Express art details on the engine. These are very nice and colorful. The engine is pretty detailed with three set of “drive” wheels on each side and has the appropriate sets of smaller wheel before the “drive” wheels. It is a bold engine showing shiny red and black.
There were actually quite a number of videos for the different methods used. I took the Bluetooth receiver/battery pack and built a slightly longer engine tender which I then mounted the LEGO drive motor/wheel set to. The weight of the battery pack is sufficient to give the drive wheels good traction.
With my upgraded train set, the tender now pushes the engine down the track. This works ok as long as you keep the layout simple with gentle curves and straight track. It will not negotiate wiggle track at all. I took the extra parts from the second kit and made an extra passenger car, and added a “caboose”. This motorized train looks very nice as it runs around the track. The Bluetooth control, using your tablet or smartphone, gets you some added sounds to liven up the operation.
My updated Hogwarts Express on display.
I am a fan of Harry Potter and have purchased most of the sets that are currently offered. My future model train layout will combine my love of Lionel O scale trains with LEGOS and LEGO City trains. Of course it will have the secret wall at the station and a rail line to the city “by the lake” for a boat ride to Hogwarts Castle.
Here are just some of the Harry Potter kits you can add to your Hogwarts Express layout:
I have added several of these sets to my collection already, but I haven’t yet bought the six thousand piece castle set. The sets I have are all colorful, and form an interesting feature in my layout. I haven’t decided yet how I will use Aragog’s Lair, since it really needs a deep dark forest located beyond the castle. Guess I need more space!
We all love the movie The Polar Express, and Lionel has produced quite a range of train sets, rolling stock, and accessories around this story. I’ve always wanted my own Lionel Christmas Tree railroad layout, and was excited when I discovered I could own The Polar Express. I was delighted to find Lionel offers O scale including The Polar Express LionChief Train Set with Bluetooth.
This set has a 40 inch by 60 inch oval of FasTrack, a DC power pack, remote control, the engine and tender. It also comes with two coach cars and an observation car, all with “snow” covered roofs. These Lionel model railroad sets are special in that they also come with four O scale figures that can be attached to the cars and engine by using the available figurine pins on them. The figures each have a socket on one foot that fits the pins. My grandson and I love staging figures on the roofs of the cars, or the front of the engine, and watching them ride the rails.
Another version you might find in model train hobby shops, or perhaps used from a private model railroad seller, is Lionel Polar Express Remote Train Set, which is very similar to what I’ve listed above, except it does not include Bluetooth controls, and neither the passenger cars or observation car are painted with snowy tops.
When I bought my set, I also got a The Polar Express Holiday Gift Set which came with a hard bound copy of the picture book and a beautiful silver bell for the Christmas tree. Our version of the gift set came with a “golden ticket”, but current versions may come with the movie on DVD or Blu-ray instead. These extras were the perfect gift for my grandson, who is my favorite train buddy.
If you shop around, you might find other versions of the Polar Express sets in the Lionel Ready to Play and American Flyer (by Lionel) model railroad lines. Please note that engines and track provided with either of these sets are not compatible with Lionel O scale FasTrack, which is the track I prefer.
Now comes the fun part, expanding the Polar Express train set. The available expansion accessories fall into three main categories. First, Lionel offers an extensive array of add-on cars. Second, there are the Lionel O scale accessories like bridges and other structures. And third are the Polar Express figures packs.
Here are just some of my favorite add-on cars for The Polar Express:
Disappearing Hobo Car 6-84602
Hot Chocolate Car 6-84603
Letters to Santa 6-84601
Diner Car 6-84604
Boxcar 2-Pack 6-83645
Conductor Announcement Car 6-83437
Silver Load Hopper 6-84370
Baggage Car 6-84605
Combination Car 6-84600
There are many additional cars that be found on the shelf in hobby and train stores from previous Lionel releases. In addition to several of the railroad cars above, I own a Polar Express Aquarium car and a Silver Bells car. I’ve also added several non-Polar Express Lionel O scale Christmas cars, including a Christmas Music Box car. With all the extra cars, and another Lionel engine, we were able to run more than one train around the Christmas tree this year!
The Polar Express Scenic Accessories
In addition to this wide variety of model railway rolling stock, Lionel produces a number of O scale Polar Express scenic accessories. I started with a bridge, since my layouts always include water (using a piece of blue vinyl) and fishing. I added some vintage Lionel accessories and a train station platform, but there are even more additions available including the hero’s childhood home, the Polar Express Gateman shed, flagpoles and more.
In addition to displaying my Polar Express and other holiday model railroad sets with Lionel accessories, I also set up a village of ceramic buildings that I’ve collected over the years. My little town has complimented my O scale Christmas model train set for many holiday seasons. While they aren’t exactly the same scale, they are close enough, and the bright lights of the village on a white felt bed bring to mind steam trains rolling through a small town in winter.
This brings to mind a little tip: If you don’t have lots of O-scale accessories, but you have other toys and decorations in a similar scale, feel free to use them! All it takes is a bit of imagination, and you can decorate your model railroad with any manner of items, from paper mache mountains, to ceramic cottages and LEGO townhouses.
Add-on figures for The Polar Express:
Finally, Lionel has produced a range of O scale figures specifically for The Polar Express railroad line. Available sets include more characters from the movie such as Santa, his elves, reindeer, wolves and rabbits.
Setting up a Christmas layout is really fun, and I hope you’re feeling inspired to build The Polar Express model railroad set at your house this holiday season.
Want more? Check out some of our other lists and reviews below.
If you like trains and LEGOS, then this is the set for you! The LEGO City Cargo Train 60198 is one of the newer remote control motorized train sets that includes Bluetooth control so you can operate the train from your smartphone or tablet. The Lego Powered Up app is is a free download from your favorite app store.
This train set is full of features and accessories. Besides the motorized, remote control engine, you get the parts to build a operating crane railroad car, a loaded log freight car, and a flat railroad car with 2 cargo containers. One of the cargo containers contains a bank vault with money and gold and there is an armored van for making deliveries. The set includes 6 LEGO minifigs and a siding control tower.
I love that this set comes with a turnout switch and a track dead end bumper stop. It has enough track to make a nice loop with the siding on the inside of the loop. You can park Lego railroad cars on the siding. Kind of makes you want more railroad cars or another engine. Yep, that’s how I think. When it comes to toys, more is better, don’t you agree?
I really enjoy playing LEGO trains with my grandson, who is just starting to understand that if you take your LEGO apart, and don’t know how to put it back together again, then you end up with a tub of parts, but no toys to play with. I added the LEGO City Heavy Cargo Transport 60183 Building Kit to this layout and my grandson, who is six years old, put the entire kit together by himself. He has played with it almost daily for the last two weeks and it is still all put together.
I love this set so much so that I bought two of them. Here’s why.
I have purchased LEGOS for others most of my life. It wasn’t until a few years ago that my son came up with the idea to use LEGOS to build a monitor stand for his computer. I stole his idea and ran with it. I have been buying LEGOS for myself ever since.
I really enjoy building the LEGO sets. If you know me or have seen any of my other articles and reviews, then you know I also love trains. So buying a LEGO train set was a very easy decision. Even knowing that I would end up with a room filling layout, I jumped right in.
The LEGO City Passenger Train 60197 kit has 677 pieces and suggests it is for ages 6-12. It has a motorized engine and two railroad cars, enough track to make a loop, some LEGO minifigs and some track side accessories. It comes with a remote control but you can also operate the engine from your phone or tablet using the LEGO PowerUp app that is available for free. The LEGO app has the added benefit of adding sounds to your play.
The kit has everything you need to load passengers and take them on their journey. I bought the second passenger train kit because I wanted a longer train with an engine on each end. That was the reason I ended up with lithium batteries. With six new lithium batteries, the engine pulled the entire train (engine plus 4 railroad cars and a “dummy engine”) fast enough that derailments could, and did, occur! This is a very fun set and like all LEGOS, they can be added to and modified to suit your own needs.
If you’ve decided to get into Lionel model O Scale trains, are you now wondering what style of track to get? There are some options for you to consider.
Lionel produces a wide variety of ready to run sets that include an engine (and a tender if the model is for a steam locomotive), some rolling stock (railroad cars like box cars, tank cars, flat cars, or hopper cars. etc.), and a caboose. These sets come with a power pack made to connect a special section of track to a standard electrical outlet in your home.
Some entry level sets will be have a curved section of powered track. Assembled with the rest of the included track, you’ll have a 40 inch diameter circle for your train to run on. (To see an example, you can view the Lionel Junction Santa Fe Steam Train Set on Amazon here.) Lionel Junction sets are inexpensive starter sets that give you just enough to track, power and railroad cars to get going.
Other sets will use a special straight section of track for the power input. Some sets include an additional standard straight and a special accessory section to power track accessories. These sets make an oval layout that is 40 inches by 60 inches and will fit on a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of plywood. Most of the Lionchief sets include this size loop of track.
You need to think big if you want to operate an O scale layout that is more than the simple loop included with the sets. You can add the inner passing loop set to give you an inner siding which increases the layout to 40 inches by 70 inches. You have used up some more of the available space on that 4×8 sheet of plywood.
Modern Lionel sets include FasTrack molded plastic track with three metal rails. The center rail is the “hot” rail and the outer two rails are the “ground” rails. Lionel produces power rail section for both the DC remote control sets and AC Transformer units but please note that you cannot connect both power systems to your layout at the same time. When I tried to do that, the protective circuitry in the power pack and the modern transformer would not allow either one to work.
Besides the modern Lionel FasTrack, you can still find older “O-27” and the later “O” three rail metal track but you should note that “O-27” will not plug into “O” due to the use of slightly thicker connecting pins on the “O” track and the height of the rails themselves. Lionel does produce an adapter section of FasTrack that will allow you to mix “O” track with FasTrack. I have done this so I can incorporate vintage operating model O scale railroad car sets into my FasTrack layout.
I have also acquired some older box sets with “O-27” track and have modified some “O-27” to connect to “O” but have to use a ¼ in plywood shim under the “O-27” to match the rail height of the “O”.
The “O-27” designation actually is referring to the approximate diameter a circle made from just track curve sections. A circle of track is 27 inches in diameter when measured from the outside of the metal ties. “O” is slightly larger at 31 inches in diameter and standard FasTrack is “O-36” which is measure from the outside rails instead of the ends of the model RR track ties for the older tubular metal tracks. Lionel offers a variety of curve diameters and straight track lengths. Standard FasTrack straight is 10 inches long per section. If you are like me, you will always want more straight track like the 10 inch or the 30 inch extra long track section. You can also get a 4-pack of the 10 inch straight sections.
I hope that as you explore all of the offerings Lionel FasTrack has to offer, you’ll find the combination to make a model railroading layout that’s uniquely yours. My grandson and I have a lot of fun designing new layouts, disconnecting the track and rebuilding it to see what new combinations we can make. We’re sure you’ll have fun building your model railroading layout, too!
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How To Tell The Difference Between Model Railroad Scale Sizes
A Model Train Help Article by Papa
What’s the difference between model railroading Scale, and Gauge? Scale is the ratio of the model dimensions to the real life size. Gauge is the distance between the two outer rails. As an example of Gauge, O Gauge track is listed as 1.25 inches.
O Scale is 1:48. This means 1 actual foot (12 actual inches) on the model train layout equals 48 scale feet. Looking at it from the layout perspective, each ¼ inch on the layout represents 1 scale foot.
The above image is of an O Scale train next to an O Scale brick wall. If O Scale layouts seem too big for you, then consider HO, N or Z Scale.
HO Scale is 1:87, N Scale is 1:144, while Z Scale is 1:220. These very popular scales allow you to build impressive layouts in smaller locations. Where a Lionel O Scale diesel locomotive might be about 12 inches long, the same engine in HO Scale might only be about 8 inches long. An N Scale model train may be just 4 inches long, while a Z Scale engine could be as small as 2 inches!
Now, if you decide you want to go bigger with your model railroading, take a look at G Scale model trains. Often called “garden” railroads, these systems are often built outdoors. At a scale of 1:22.5, this means your engine might be 2 feet long!
But wait… there’s more.
Model railroading hobbyists are intensely individual. That’s why where are so many different scales for model railroading. And just because G, O, HO, N and Z are the most common scales, they aren’t the only ones. Another lesser known scale is S Scale at 1:64, just a little smaller that O Scale. There is also the unofficial L Scale for trains made by LEGO at 1:38. And then there is Live Steam… I’ll leave a little video for you to check out some Live Steam model trains below.
As you learn about the different model railroading scales, make sure you look at the pros and cons of each size. Some scales are smaller, so they can fit in tight spaces. Other scales offer a wider variety of track, engine and accessories. Do your research so you can find the model railroading experience that’s right for you. Or, if you’re like me, and can’t decide which scale is the right one for you, get one of each!
Happy railroading!
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If you are just getting started in the model train hobby, you may be looking at new and pre-owned O Scale Lionel trains for sale, and wondering what kind of control system you’ll need to run your railroad engine. In this article, we’ll take a look at the different kinds of controls available for both new and used Lionel model trains.
The first thing you need to know about operating Lionel O scale train sets, is that there are two basic engine types. Originally, all Lionel train sets operated using an external variable voltage alternating current (AC) transformer. (Currently available is the Lionel CW-80 80-watt Transformer). The maximum voltage output of this transformer style control is about 18 volts AC, and is applied to the center (hot) rail of the track. The two outer rails are the common, or ground, rails. This “transformer method” of control involves applying power to the engine using the transformer speed control. The engines can go forward and reverse, and has a neutral setting between each direction. In order to change directions of the model train with a transformer controller, you turn the controller to zero, apply power in neutral, turn the controller back to zero again, and then apply power to start moving the train.
The neutral position on the Lionel transformer powers the track to operate motorized accessories while the engine is stopped. Lionel has changed the transformer style over the years and older, no longer-in-production styles can still be found in small hobby shops, or purchased used from model train hobbyists. Modern transformers also have buttons for horn and bell, if your engine has them, and a reversing button that can stop the train and change direction with one touch.
Lionel introduced multiple engine control with its TrainMaster Command Control (TMCC) system in 1994. TMCC was replaced in 2006 by Cab-2 and the Legacy system. The Legacy system is available today for Lionel’s Premier Line. These are very nice and very expensive train sets for the serious collector.
Then came the digital revolution and its version of remote control. The success of the Lionel Thomas remote control set in 2012 led to LionChief introduction in 2013. These systems use 18 volt direct current (DC) and full power is applied to the track as soon as the Lionel LionChief 72W Wall Pack Power Supply is plugged in and turned on. All controls are in the hand-held remote that allows the user to operate the train and the included sound system. Commands are sent from the controller to the train wirelessly. These systems allow the train “engineer” to follow their train around the layout. The remote speed control centers at zero volts and allows easy slow downs and direction changes by simply turning the knob in the desired direction at the desired speed. Each train set has its own controller and own frequency. LionChief Plus became available in 2014. Lionel has introduced the universal controller which can control up to three locomotives, but not all past LionChief sets will be supported.
In 2017 Lionel introduced Bluetooth controls which allow you to control the LionChief train from a smartphone or tablet using the Lionel LionChief App, which is a free download from most app stores. This is really important since non Bluetooth sets cannot be operated if the controller batteries fail, or worse yet, the controller fails. A failed controller will have to be sent to Lionel for repair.
If you happen upon a transformer set in your local hobby or model railroad shop, you may want to get it because in 2018, Lionel decided to discontinue production of the AC transformer equipped starter sets.
But please note that you cannot connect AC and DC track power supplies to a single layout at the same time.
*Reviewer’s note: I do not own this train. It is my Papa’s. But, he lets me play with it sometimes, so I know a bit about it.
I like the LEGO City Passenger Train 60197 because it can plow things like logs off the tracks with its cone shaped nose, just like my LEGO City High-Speed Passenger Train 60051 (You can see my review about the 60051 model train here). I like using the Bluetooth LEGO Powered Up controller on my Papa’s cell phone. It’s a lot of fun, and the Bluetooth controls are really neat.
The main thing I don’t like is that the LEGO City Passenger Train 60197 isn’t my model train set, so I can’t crash it or tear it apart. Papa wants me to always keep it together and keep it un-crashed. I also dislike that it doesn’t fit through the Harry Potter LEGO Hogwarts Express station because of the electricity hooks on the roof. If you want to play with this with the LEGO Hogwarts Express train station, take the electricity hooks off the top of the passenger train, then it will fit through the Hogwarts Express station (but ask permission first so you don’t get in trouble).
If you want to get the LEGO City Passenger Train 60197 to build, you can find it on Amazon here. But, make sure you figure out your LEGO rules before you start running your train, so you know if you’re allowed to crash, or not!
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Reviews from a family of gaming geeks. 