How to Build Your First Lionel Layout [Paperback]

Stanley W. Trzoniec (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1994

Offers a step-by-step approach to designing and constructing a 4 x 8 foot Lionel layout. Includes tips and techniques on supplies, track planning, wiring, scenery, and operating accessories.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In this Lionel construction lesson for novices, Trzoniec begins with a salute to the toy company and then proceeds to the essence: nailing together a four-by-eight-foot table; laying and wiring Lionel's distinctive triple-rail track; selecting engines, cars, and buildings for Plasticville (an actual promotional name from Lionel's 1940s heyday); and customizing the scenery--not forgetting the obligatory tunnel. Exactly captioned pictures complete the utility of the guide, which, though usually distributed through hobby store sales, merits library stocking because of the immense popularity of model railroads. Gilbert Taylor

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Company; 1st edition (February 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089778393X
• ISBN-13: 978-0897783934
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,229,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good primer for the beginning Lionel railroader., January 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Build Your First Lionel Layout (Paperback)

I purchased this book to help me plan a Lionel layout to run during the holidays. The book provides a good overview of train types, track planning, track laying, wiring accessories and scenery. A good read on this topic, but don't expect too much depth given the length (96 pp) and breadth of topics covered.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very nice book!, November 27, 1998

By 

Peter Payne "Peter in Japan" (Isesaki, Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Build Your First Lionel Layout (Paperback)

This book was very helpful for me, especially the excellent train table information. Now my wife is mad at me, and we have one less room in the house for guests.

Good information throughout this book, good pictures, compelling and interesting color selections from really BIG layouts to whet your whistle, and more made this book good. I am not building Lionel (I am *gasp!* using Japanese sets by Kato and Tomix), so the Lionel-worship sections went by me, but on the whole it was a good book, which I will refer to often.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars disapointment, January 7, 2001

By 

Lynn springer (Missoula mt usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Build Your First Lionel Layout (Paperback)

At one point Trzoniec says you should start with a train set.Then,he recomends ''o '' gauge over 027 for a small layout,and tells us to buy all new trains,in o gauge. Then we are told to only set up our train set at Christmas!! The old MDK book is MUCH better.