Electric Trains From A to Z

W elcome to Electric Trains From A to Z! This special publication from Classic Toy Trains magazine takes a decidedly different approach. We think of it as a series of snapshots of the companies, industry leaders, and products that have made the electric train hobby so special to all of us. This volume contains 100 short essays covering an incredible variety of toy train topics from more than 100 years of toy train history – everything from A to Z! Here are capsule histories of companies that have become legends in American industry, such as Lionel, American Flyer, and Marx. Here also are stories of visionary leaders who shaped the hobby, men like A.C. Gilbert and Joshua Lionel Cowen. Just as intriguing are companies that once shone brightly and have now been forgotten,…

W elcome to Electric Trains From A to Z! This special publication from Classic Toy Trains magazine takes a decidedly different approach. We think of it as a series of snapshots of the companies, industry leaders, and products that have made the electric train hobby so special to all of us. This volume contains 100 short essays covering an incredible variety of toy train topics from more than 100 years of toy train history – everything from A to Z! Here are capsule histories of companies that have become legends in American industry, such as Lionel, American Flyer, and Marx. Here also are stories of visionary leaders who shaped the hobby, men like A.C. Gilbert and Joshua Lionel Cowen. Just as intriguing are companies that once shone brightly and have…

Powerful and eye-catching, the PA-1 was introduced after World War II, just when railroads were hungry to buy anything with a diesel engine! The PA-1/PB-1 was available as 2,000-horsepower cab A unit or B unit with no crew cab. A later version, the PA-2/PB-2 produced 2,250 horsepower. Sixteen railroads bought the PA new, with the top five owners being the Southern Pacific (64 units), Santa Fe (44 units), Missouri Pacific (36 units), New Haven (27), and New York Central (20). Operationally, dynamometer tests on the Santa Fe concluded the locomotives generated more horsepower and drawbar pull at every speed; they accelerated faster than other brands; and they used less fuel and lubricants. While the PA is now deemed a failure, many of the problems arose from air-cooled turbochargers developed for World War II…

Powerful and eye-catching, the PA-1 was introduced after World War II, just when railroads were hungry to buy anything with a diesel engine! The PA-1/PB-1 was available as 2,000-horsepower cab A unit or B unit with no crew cab. A later version, the PA-2/PB-2 produced 2,250 horsepower. Sixteen railroads bought the PA new, with the top five owners being the Southern Pacific (64 units), Santa Fe (44 units), Missouri Pacific (36 units), New Haven (27), and New York Central (20). Operationally, dynamometer tests on the Santa Fe concluded the locomotives generated more horsepower and drawbar pull at every speed; they accelerated faster than other brands; and they used less fuel and lubricants. While the PA is now deemed a failure, many of the problems arose from air-cooled turbochargers developed…

Yet from a different angle, an accessory is a thing of magic, enjoyment, and wonder. It helps a model railroad, no matter what its dimensions, take on new life and pleasure. Every ancillary item used to enhance the appearance and operation of a toy train engages and deepens a commitment to that plaything. Little wonder manufacturers have been developing and promoting a range of animated accessories since the 19th century. German toy makers understood first the importance of designing replicas of the buildings and equipment used on railroads as a means of enticing enthusiasts to keep buying their playthings. American firms followed suit in the early 20th century, with Ives and Lionel bringing out passenger terminals, bridges,switch towers, crossing gates, and semaphores to enable youngsters to create rail empires in…

Yet from a different angle, an accessory is a thing of magic, enjoyment, and wonder. It helps a model railroad, no matter what its dimensions, take on new life and pleasure. Every ancillary item used to enhance the appearance and operation of a toy train engages and deepens a commitment to that plaything. Little wonder manufacturers have been developing and promoting a range of animated accessories since the 19th century. German toy makers understood first the importance of designing replicas of the buildings and equipment used on railroads as a means of enticing enthusiasts to keep buying their playthings. American firms followed suit in the early 20th century, with Ives and Lionel bringing out passenger terminals, bridges,switch towers, crossing gates, and semaphores to enable youngsters to create rail empires in their…