Posts Tagged ‘model steam trains’
Vintage Model Railroads
Collectors collect lots of unusual things. Some hobbyists collect stamps, some hobbyists collect coins and some collect sports cards. There’s something unique about collecting classic toy locomotives though. When you collect something that actually still does what it is supposed to in the world it is different than when you take that thing out of real life. So it’s not like you are just looking at them in some book or on some wall. You can get just as much enjoyment from them as when they were first sold. Try doing that with your stamp collection!
What are the cool collectible locomotives these days? Here’ the large three:
Lionel trains:
To start there are Lionel locomotives. If you collected one of these historic model locomotives from every period in the last century you could arrange a pretty good record of toy training. When you collect a Lionel train you are collecting toy locomotive royalty. Baby boomers will remember the Lionel Holiday displays they saw as children. Lionel’s classic toy trains are some of the best received and widely available trains around. Famous folks like the rocker Neil Young and the actor Tom Hanks have been life long Lionel admirers. Lionel has a well regarded literature that helps support it. Because Lionel was dominated in the 1950s and because the post War period was the high point of model hobbying, it is no wonder that Lionel should be as prestigious as it is.. The fact is that Lionel was in the process of being overtaken by other train makers during that time and that most of us, like Neil Young, didn’t actually get Lionel trains as Christmas gifts only makes Lionel more popular now as a collector’s item.
American Flyers:
Among hardcore collectors and toy locomotive enthusiasts no type of toy train has more cachet than the American Flyer S gauge toys that came out just after World War II. A. C. Gilbert’s attempt to take the Midwest company and make it a competitor of the juggernaut Lionel ultimately failed. Many collectors will absolutely swear by the quality of these locomotives. The uniqueness of s gauge adds to the mystique of the American Flyer brand. They are so popular among collectors and enthusiasts that Lionel LLC, the current holder of the American Flyer patent, plans on releasing many of the most popular trains from this period. Watch out for them.
Ives:
If you actually want to get a locomotive that no one has try finding an old Ives locomotive. Ives was the third competitor in the Lionel versus American Flyer three way. An old Ives toy train is a real find. Like Lionel, Ives operates on O gauge.
Clock operated locomotives of the Victorian era:
These toy locomotives from the very early period of model training are really a discovery. These are mostly shown at museums these days but if you can actually find one, you’ll have a train that is really a part of the genesis of model locomotives. These clock operated locomotives, however, really give you a sense of how such toys were viewed before model training became so popular. These vintage toy trains were clearly geared towards young people. No plugs, no batteries, no electricity—these are wind-up trains in the truest sense. They were largely purchased by the rich back in the day and that’s who can afford to collect them now. You can see how the plain style really could have appealed to small children. These locomotives can really capture the imagination of another age. In fact, you might say that model training came to us just like kindergarten. Both were part of Germany’s obsessions with childrearing in the early 20th century.
There is great enjoyment in restoring one of these old model trains. You could choose a far worse hobby.
Here is more information on Model Steam Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.
Historic Model Trains
Boys and girls in this day and age are a lot more involved in updating their face book page than in actually putting their faces into a book. Sometimes it seems like kids are just not interested in anything that doesn’t have flashy graphics attached to it. Multi-tasking seems to be the flavor of the day, so long as none of the tasks involve anything remotely significant. But, as you know, history is really a helpful thing for them have. It’s not enough to know that there were some guys named Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and Benjamin who now have their faces on our money. If we’re going to remain a successful nation we really need to instill some of our vibrant traditions to them. So how do we get them to crack the book on the traditions of this country without feeling like we’re pulling teeth? There are lots of ways, but one particularly good way is through model locomotives. Yes. That’s right, period specific toy trains. Here’s how to pass on history with toy locomotives:
Use trains as a secret vehicle for our traditions:
Try to make your set-up period and location specific. Imagine a set-up that is set during Reconstruction in the American Southwest. You can feign ignorance and get your kids to “help” you figure out what would make for appropriate scenic details to your setup. They might read about the telegraph and add telegraph lines next to the tracks. Or they might create a vibrant town near the tracks to symbolize the boom cities that were the winners in the railroad speculation game. Maybe even have a few washed out prospectors still panning for gold in the nearby stream.
Historic toy locomotives are also a good alternative to the usual diorama or scale model:
Diorama and similar craft projects are fine but if you’ve already gotten your child into toy locomotives why not take advantage of his or her hobby to really impress at his next school presentation. You will need to set it up on a portable table and possibly help your child bring it in on the day that it is due, but the combination of historic detail and the fascination that such trains foster simply on their own are likely to really go over well. A picture of Jesse James is fine, but what if you incorporated toy trains to bring the locomotive robber’s life details and cultural context to life. As your period specific locomotive rounds the curve there are Jesse and his whole gang just waiting to pounce and continue his wrong headed crusade. It’s your youngster though, who will be stealing that A right out of his teacher’s grade book!
Visit a toy locomotive Museum:
If you’re anywhere in the American West you are never far from historical locomotive sites and museums where toy locomotives are often featured. If your local historic train site doesn’t have model trains consider suggesting they incorporate some to the curator or manager of the site. Some rolling exhibits may come around as well. Just do an internet search and you are sure to come into contact with your local model locomotive society.
All of these things are sure to place your child on track to greater national literacy. Even if you just do model training without even considering the educational possibilities you will inevitably foster a greater sense of historical knowledge simply by handling these little mechanical doorways to the past.
Here is more information on Model Steam Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.
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