If you were to walk up to a complete stranger on the street and ask them to name a model train company, Lionel would surely be the answer that you would hear the most often. Having been in existence since 1901, everyone has either seen Lionel trains on display or had a set of their own at some point in their life. Lionel model trains have been a part of people's holiday seasons for many decades and will continue do so for many more.

Believe it or not, the original concept was actually done to be a display in a department store. It was only natural that they quickly evolved for home collections as everyone was simply fascinated with the technology. As electricity was not yet something that was featured in most homes, the first editions were actually powered by acid filled batteries.

As electricity became readily available, Lionel was right there to incorporate this power source into their collections. They released their O scale and it was an instant hit. Being the perfect size to set up on a table in the basement or around the tree, people were flocking to buy them. It was at this time that Lionel started to create the reputation that they still hold onto today.

While there are some trains that require a lot of work to get rolling, Lionel is not one of them. If you don't have a track in place, you will obviously have to put it down, but otherwise they are ready to go as soon as they come out of the package. Your trains will be rolling as soon as you can get them home.

Because Lionel has been around for so long, their trains have become the favorites of not only new collectors, but of lifelong collectors as well. Their collection is one of the largest around and getting one of the original trains is quite a find. Work on those muscles though as one of the earlier trains will weigh about 4 pounds! That is just a bit heavier than the locomotives you can buy today.

You can never discount name recognition and Lionel definitely has that. In addition to being one of the most recognizable names in the industry, they are also one of the most reliable. Year in and year out, they put out products that satisfy collectors at every level. If you have seen a train display that had you wanting to back to the hobby store, there was a very good chance that they were Lionel model trains.

From locomotives to freight cars, Lionel still makes a complete line of trains and train set accessories. Available at almost any hobby shop or toy store, you will find exactly what you need when shopping for that perfect gift for the child in your life, even if that child is you.

For a surprisingly simple introduction to model railroading, sign up for the Toy Model Train Secrets Mini Course. If you've ever wanted to know more about Lionel model trains, take a look at Lionel Model Trains.

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