As a newbie, i am trying to find out where i best fit in the model train community. My layout is not an effort to reproduce a particular time, place or railroad. Also, making perfect scenary is not my thing. Instead, my continuous track runs in a circle around a village. The track is HO. The loco is a Bachmann on30 Porter. A used Wabash gondola is on its way to me from an ebay seller.
The description for the Classic Toy Trains magazine does not mention Bachmann or on30. I am not sure what i am doing counts as Classic. Can someone enlighten me? Or perhaps direct me to a site that would be a better fit?
Welcome Gnome and what a nifty looking little layout! You are certainly welcome here. While I defer to any official response from forum moderators, I have enjoyed articles and reviews for these On30 engines and layouts in Classic Toy Trains’ sister publication, Model Railroader. If you browse this forum, you may find more ‘classic’ O gauge engines and rolling stock from companies like Lionel, MTH, and Marx.
[#welcome] I like your layout. Reminds me of mine a little over fifty years ago.
HO is a wonderful world as you will probably find out if you tune into the Model Railroader forum.
If you ever get bored with the little stuff [zzz] or like some of us older guys[;)] your eyes start going and your fingers / hands don’t quite work the way they used to, come on over and join us with the larger O size.
As to your question… I really don’t know the answer. I’ll leave it to the experts.
To me, a Classic Toy Train is one that has stood the test of time and can be identified as a typical or traditional example of a “toy” train.
This doesn’t mean that modern made trains are not to be considered classics but only their representation as being, as such, toys.
(Side note) When I was “into” HO, many of my pals considered their trains as models of “real-life” trains and seriously shunned the idea that they were “toys” even if their consists qualified to be called classic toy trains.)
thanks for the reply. My eyes are not young anymore either, which is why I went with on30 instead of all ho. My fantasy layout might appeal to my grandkids; they have not seen it yet.
But after thinking about your comment, I can see that classic is related to age Of the train. As I collect older cars, they might be considered by some to be classic. However, presumably old junk does not count as classic. A traditional brand, such as Lionel, might be safe.
Welcome aboard Mr. Gnome! And that’s a nice layout you have!
I suppose if we were going to be “orthodox” about it a classic toy trains would be defined as either Standard or O gauge if pre-war, and O and S gauge if post-war, made by any one of a number of makers but most famously by Lionel, American Flyer, and Marx.
However, I’d suppose you could also call the floor or pull-toy trains of the 19th and early 20th Centurys as “classic toy trains” as well, but they don’t get too much attention, at least not here.
We talk about modern production as well, but whether those will become “classic” only time will tell. On30 might just fall into that category one day.
Anyway, whatever you like, don’t be a stranger, we learn a lot from each other here and have a lot of fun doing it!
Speaking of classics, want to see a “Gnome” that’s a classic and has nothing to do with toy trains?
To me, it’s not the equipment, but the spirit. There is a toy train look, and the treatment of the scenery that is different. When I first started reading CTT, I remember adapting the Toy train look to an HO layout. Bright colors, blue skies, and just an overall “Happy” feel, not so much going for realism.
your feedback is reassuring. My interests and skills do not lend themselves toward perfect realism and the style is definitely along the lines of a Toy. Perhaps what i lack is the classic element. On the other hand, a Bachmann Porter seems like a classic loco to me, even if Bachmann is not a classic maker and on30 is not a classic gauge.
I’ve been with the forum 10 years. My main I interest in Gilbert HO that was made by American Flyer. Last few years I’ve been dabbling with Prewar started with the set dad and his brother got from Santa in 1929.
Since I recently retired the layout I’ve been planning for 30 years will soon start. Primarily HO with a loop of O. Planned to be what could have been under a Christmas tree of the late 50s.
For the purpose of the magazine it is, broadly speaking, Standard gauge, O, and S gauge trains in the pre and postwar eras. That was our founding focus. Modern Standard gauge, O and S gauge trains are now part of the coverage. We have dabbled in vintage Lionel, Flyer, and Marx HO but our audience generally views HO distantly.
We used to include Large scale trains, but that shifted after we bought Garden Railways magazine.
The term pretty much means something different to everyone – we get calls about kids pull toy trains, where to find parts for no-brand plastic Christmas trains, and anythng else that is a train that may be played with (such as Auburn’s rubber trains). But as Banks says, it is whatever you want it to be.
Mr Banks, i can see that this group is the opposite of rigid. Your willingness to mix ho and O on the same layout boggled my mind. If you can do that, then anything goes, even my little unicorn. Those ho cars that are off to the side may have to get on my track.
For the purpose of the magazine it is, broadly speaking, Standard gauge, O, and S gauge trains in the pre and postwar eras.
Bob,
your explanation is official, so i have been pondering it. My analysis is this: when people write about the classic eras, they might mean one of the following.
The era when the toy train was manufactured (Perhaps vintage or antique would be more precise words).
The era being modeled.
The age of the modeler (i.e., old guys like me).
perhaps some people are running trains manufactured in the prewar era, but not many. Many no doubt are nostalgically modeling trains extant in their youth or a time they regard fondly, such as when their parents or grandparents were working. These trains would have been originally sold more recently than the postwar era, for the most part.
If you use the term of automobiles classic is usually 25 years I think. so in that case anything from 1993 or before would be a classic train. To me like some of the others in here Classic trains are mainly 1969 and before ( 1969 was the last year for post war ( 1945 - 1969 ) and prewar is 1900 - 1942. I have trains from all era’s but would have to say now that probably my largest collection is Prewar, then Postwar items.
i am guessing from your name that you seek out and buy trains that actually were made prior to 1940, instead of more recently manufactured trains that are based on the same prototypes. That would mean your collection is composed of train cars and locos that are about eighty years old.
I was thinking similar to what RT said. The term “Classic” is usually relative to time. I never thought of my 1983 Z28 as a “Classic”, but it technically qualifies as one. I can even get heritage plates for it. When CTT released it’s first issue in 1987, the Postwar period had ended just 18 years prior. Fast forward to now and MTH is 25 years since releasing their first catalog and TMCC is approaching 25 years. Do these qualify as classic? I think Banks did sum it up best - It’s whatever you like!
Well, they are, to their own degree. Bachmann has been making the Plasticville line of structure kits to augment O and S gauge trains since the 1950’s. In recent years they also bought Williams Trains which started out as “Williams Reproductions” producing copies of Lioenl standard gauge trains from the 1920’s. Later on they started making versions of postwar trains that also had been out of production for many years. In a way, Williams made it possible for many a toy train lover to get their hands on locomotives they could run on their layouts that otherwise had become cost prohibitive due to their rarity and collector value. So, Bachmann has a more than legitimate claim to the title “classic maker”. [:D]
Toy trains, Plasticville buildings and the Christmas tree. A classic holiday scene! [:D]
my structures are scratch built. Very crude but i am more fond of them then i would be of plasticville stuff.
regarding the classic toy trains designation, i will argue the narrow gauge trainsPp are from a classic era, even if the Bachmann Porters are not antiques. That might be as close as i am going to get to being classic.
The term “Postwar” is beginning to slip in its application. Consider: the end of the MPC era is about the same distance from us as the beginning of the MPC era is from the end of the PREwar era.
I would certainly consider the B-mann 2-6-0 (and the accompanying sets) a classic: not only does it have age on it, it is now being “reissued” in updated format with DCC & sound installed. It gave birth to the On30 surge that changed the landscape for many model RRs and for Bachamnn Industries. Designed for under-the-tree trains for the Dept 56 crowd, it caught the eye of MANY model RRs and gave an obscure scale/gauge combination such a boost that it occupies a bigger niche than O 2 rail standard gauge and displaced a goodly fraction of the ever-popular HO dominance. In fact, mauch of the current O Scale produciton is aimed directly at the On30 slice of the pie, and all the other slices of O benefit from it.
My 3 rail Hi-rail O layout includes an On30 loop and sidings, and they play very well together.
