HSL is pleased to announce a new digital archive series entitled the Lionel Magazine Digital Archive.  The first release in this series is The Lionel Magazine Digital Archive 1930 - 1936.  Subsequent releases will include the Model Builder magazine and, maybe someday, Inside Track.

The Lionel Magazine was the first substantial effort by any organization to reach a wide scale audience of model railroaders.  Introduced as a feature of the Lionel Engineers Club in 1929, the publication ran for 37 issues.  Each issue contained layout construction articles, real railroading articles, layout photos submitted by subscribers, and, of course, Lionel advertising.  Also included are photos of early Lionel showroom layouts and facilities and a fascinating story about the production of Lionel catalogs.  You will also find mentions of young railroaders like Louis Hertz and Frank Ellison!

This release contains high quality scans of all 37 issues woven together with easy-to-use HTML-based software.  A searchable table of contents allows you to search for article titles and authors.  Noted Lionel historian, Bill Schmeelk, who jointly developed this product with HSL, provides an insightful introduction.  An extensive bonus section contains many additional items to round out the product.  The CD-ROM will work on PC and Mac-based machines.  The Lionel Magazine Digital Archive 1930 - 1936 is available directly from HSL for $50 + $5 s/h (www.hslinc.com or 800-779-2802 or HSL / 200 University Park Dr. — Suite 240 / Edwardsville, IL  62025-3636).

Figures, Scenery, Layout Supplies, Critters, Cargo, Freight, Lionel Boxes and More!
Everything in our store is 25% off, this weekend only!
Sale Ends Monday Night, at Midnight!

USE COUPON CODE 5-25-Sale DURING CHECK OUT!

Visit http://www.railpress.com/ and start shopping!

(St. Paul, MN) – On May 1, 2009, the Twin City Model Railroad Museum celebrates 75 years in the St. Paul community.

The Friday through Sunday program, highlighted by events and commemorative activities, will focus on the history of the Museum and Twin Cities railroading. The anniversary will include the following:

• May 1: A dinner for members and invited guests at the St. Paul College Club, 990 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN
• May 1–2: Workshops and lectures open to Museum visitors on subjects from building a model railroad and maintaining model trains, to railroad history of the United States and the Twin Cities area
• A custom O-scale model boxcar featuring the Museum’s 75th Anniversary logo, commissioned from Weaver Models and available for sale at the Museum giftshop
• Twin City Model Railroad Club/Museum, 1934-2009, a book detailing the Museum’s extensive history available for sale at the Museum giftshop later this year

The May 1 dinner at the St. Paul College Club will feature a keynote address from Professor Don Hofsommer, PhD., St. Cloud State History Department, speaking on historic railroads of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The weekend workshops and lectures are designed to continue the Museum’s mission of providing family entertainment for young and old alike, preserving Minnesota railroad history and growing the model railroading hobby as a whole. Additional information is available on the Museum web site at www.tcmrm.org.

About the Twin City Model Railroad Museum
On May 1, 1934, a group of modelers met to form the St. Paul Craftsman Club and began building an O-gauge model railroad. From these humble beginnings, and through several location and name changes, the Twin City Model Railroad Museum has grown to a world-class museum.

Now located in historic Bandana Square, the Twin City Model Railroad Museum is a detailed model panorama of railroads in the Twin Cities during the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, a time when both steam and diesel engines shared the rails. Thousands of volunteer hours have faithfully reproduced Twin Cities railroad history in O Scale (1/4 inch equals 1 foot), including the famed Stone Arch Bridge spanning St. Anthony Falls and the Great Northern Depot of Minneapolis. Museum highlights also include an extensive collection of railroad art and memorabilia, and the new Toy Train Division, featuring visiting and permanent layouts in N, HO, O and G gauges.

The Twin City Model Railroad Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Mike Wolf Interview

Toy Collector Magazine, which has changed its on-line format (more on that below), has posted an interview they conducted with Mike Wolf, the owner of M.T.H. Electric Trains.  There is no date on the post so it could have been published months ago.  I missed it and maybe you did too.  In the interview, Mr. Wolf has some interesting comments and insights about the state of the O Gauge hobby.  It’s a good read.  Check it out here.

New Look

If you read Toy Collector Magazine on a regular basis you know that it was a very visually appealing electronic publication released monthly.  It now has the look and feel of a blog.  The ‘wow’ factor of the visuals in the monthly magazine is lost but the move to a blog format is smart one.  No more publishing deadlines, more search traffic, easier to manage.   Read more about the format change here.

By the way, the blog’s latest post announces a new product video page that is also supporting the Product Showcase campaign.  There are some nicely produced videos featuring executives from Lionel and videos showcasing Lionel’s product lines all presented in a cool “lightbox” format.  The product videos are basically slide shows of still photos set to music and lack video of the products in action but they are still nicely done.

Now that MTH has a deal to produce Lionel branded tinplate maybe Lionel can ink a deal with MTH to run its web marketing efforts

In MTH’s latest electronic newsletter there is an announcement that MTH is spreading the word about Lionel Corporation Tinplate products by entering into a “second agreement with Lionel to produce two additional items celebrating this exciting new relationship”.  The newsletter states the following:

“The new agreement allows M.T.H. to produce an HO Operating Action Car, complete with “moving” graphics of iconic Lionel tinplate items and a One Gauge hopper car. Both cars come decorated with Lionel Corporation Tinplate graphics designed to spread the word to the HO and One Gauge marketplaces about Lionel Corporation Tinplate.”

Do you think HO and One Gauge/G Scale modelers are going to purchase these items or is this Lionel and MTH’s way to ease everyone into the notion that MTH is going to produce more Lionel branded products outside of tinplate?

You can sign up for the MTH electronic newsletter by visiting the MTH website.

I received this press release from HSL announcing a new digital archive of Lionel catalogs and other marketing material from 1970 to 1995.  HSL previously released a similiar Lionel digital archive covering the years 1945 to 1969.

HSL is pleased to announce the second release in the Lionel Consumer Catalog Digital Archive Series.  This “modern era” release (representing the MPC/Fundimensions and LTI eras) contains approximately 150 consumer catalogs, flyers, and brochures including many “dealer” catalogs and flyers that were ultimately distributed to consumers.  The archive consists of high quality scans of every page of every catalog woven together with easy-to-use HTML-based software.  A searchable table of contents allows you to search for engine and set names and numbers and other catalog sections.  Noted Lionel historian, Bill Schmeelk, provides another wonderful introduction.  The CD-ROM will work on PC and Mac-based machines.  The LCCDA 1970 - 1995 is available directly from HSL for $50 + $5 s/h (www.hslinc.com or 800-779-2802 or HSL / 200 University Park Dr. — Suite 240 / Edwardsville, IL  62025-3636).

There are many ways to liquidate a collection including:

• selling on eBay or some other on-line auction
• using a traditional auction house that specializes in toys or model trains
• selling them with a classified ad in the newspaper
• posting an ad on Craig’s list
• selling to a local train shop or to an on-line establishement like Trainz.com
• selling on consignment

Selling a collection can be great burden, especially if it is the collection of a loved one or friend that passed away and the seller has no idea  about O Gauge trains.  Scott Griggs over at Trainz.com (who was a sponsor of OGaugeWatch) has posted some very useful information that I point people to when asked about selling a collection.  You can read the post here:  Things to consider when selling your trains.

I think the best piece of advice I can offer to sellers or those with a collection they eventually plan to sell or know the collection will be sold upon their departure for this earth is to create an inventory of the collection.

An accurate inventory will make it easier to get an accurate appraisal and make the logistics of selling the collection so much easier.  An inventory list can also be a requirement of some insurers if the collection is large and valuable when a decision is made to insure the collection. The inventory can be as simple as a hand written list or as elaborate as a report created using an inventory system such as TrainMinder or others.  Having photos of each piece will also help.

Trainz.com offers a simple inventory form (as an Microsoft Excel spreadsheet) for download here.  The basic pieces of information captured on the inventory form are:

• Quantity
• Manufacturer
• Model # (this is important and can usually always be found on the piece)
• Short Description
• Notes
• Condition - See the Train Collectors Association’s condition grading standards here.
• Does the item have a box?

Having an inventory of a collection just makes sense especially if it is large and valuable.  Creating an inventory can be time consuming but the dividends will pay off when it is time to insure or sell the collection.    Loved ones or friends left with the task of liquidating a collection will be very grateful an inventory exists.

If you’re reading this and are willing to share an experience of selling a collection with others please do so by posting a comment to this post.

If you need an original box for that special Lionel piece in your collection but can’t find one or don’t want to pay original box prices you may want to think about a reproduction box.  The folks over at Railroad Express are offering Lionel reproduction boxes in various sizes.  They look great.  The boxes are available through the Railroad Express eBay store here.