Novocherkassk 4E5K

The simple reason is that by having two locomotives, the train can move in both directions – which is ideal if the train needs to reverse at any point (for example, and usually, at a terminus station, where there is a buffer/stop at the end of the platform).

Today, thanks to computer technology and economic necessity, cabooses no longer follow America’s trains. The major railroads have discontinued their use, except on some short-run freight and maintenance trains. Railroad companies say the device accomplishes everything the caboose did-but cheaper and better.

What is the most expensive model train in the world? When it comes to the most expensive model train that’s ever been sold, it has to be the Lionel Standard Gauge Set from 1934 – a Mint-in-the-Box train set with a 400E Engine & State Passenger Cars that sold for around $250,000 at auction.

Big and rugged, Lionel’s big G-Gauge trains are designed for little hands. You can even build a larger layout and run multiple trains on the same track. The simple yet reliable design fosters creativity and rewards imaginative young “empire builders” with an endless variety of new layouts to build and enjoy.

At auction, Lionel train sets, pieces, and accessories can sell for a few hundred dollars or for a few thousand dollars, depending on the rarity and condition of the piece.

At auction, this set would probably sell for, depending on how well it could clean up, between $7,000 and $9,000.

If you refer to sets currently being manufactured by Lionel, the reason for the high cost is based on 3 factors: There is no direct competition, and, The Lionel reputation gives the product a value it probably does not deserve, and/or, Identity with a copyrighted theme, such as Polar Express, or similar.

Lionel used the center rail for power and the two outer rails for ground. For example, with a three-rail system, the track can loop back on itself without any issues. A two-rail system has to reverse the polarity in order to avoid a short circuit in that situation. In 1906, there was no good, easy way to do that.

Lionel Trains

HO scale is the most popular scale, and at 1/87 scale, is just over half the size of O scale model trains. The 16.5 mm gauge is the most popular of all track sizes.

The Polar Express

Lionel uses older molds for its trains, hence why they look less detailed. Bachmann is more detailed, hence more desirable. However, bachmann can have issues with its locos, while lionel doesn’t have too many.

The Best Hornby Train Set

• The Highland Rambler Train Set.
• Hornby R1234 Harry Potter Hogwarts Express Train Set.
• Hornby R1236 Mixed Freight Train Set.
• The Hornby R1255M Flying Scotsman Train Set.

O and O-27 use the same width straight track so O-27 trains can run on O Gauge track and in some cases O Gauge trains can run on O-27 track. The primary difference between the track from an appearance standpoint is the height of O Gauge track compared to that of O-27.

To the smallest Overshadowing the larger scales in popularity are models built to be approximately half the size of O scale models (that’s why they are called “HO” – pronounced “aitch-oh”). These trains are 1/87 the size of their real-world prototypes, and HO gauge track measures 16.5mm between the rails.

16.5 mm

Overall, we think that the best electric train set for most people will actually be the Lionel Pennsylvania Flyer. It’s well designed, runs smoothly and it comes with great little features like smoke, audio and an illuminated headlamp.

Train geeks are going to love this one: Lionel, the 114-year-old toy train manufacturer is now based in Concord, along with its new president. The company’s O-gauge toy trains are made in China.

If you had an HO scale model of a forty-foot boxcar, you would need 87 of them to match the length of the real thing. The distance between the rails is called the gauge. In the real world, “standard gauge” is four feet, eight and a half inches inside-to-inside between the rails.

T gauge

OO scale is generally only used for models of British prototype. It is 1:76th scale or 4mm to the foot. The trains still run on the same 16.5 mm gauge track as HO models.

OO Scale is the most popular scale produced in the United Kingdom and is commonly referred to as 4mm scale. This scale is used by manufacturers including Hornby, Bachmann Branchline, Dapol and Oxford Rail.

HO is more accurate to true scale, while our OO uses the same track gauge, but the models are slightly stretched in width and height. Most continental models are in HO, while us awkward English people historically used OO. 00 track should be 18mm not 16mm as is scale for H0.