Written by Paul D. Race for HalloweenTrains.com(tm), BigChristmasTrains.com(tm), and BigIndoorTrains.com(tm) |
The trains on this page are made like most classic Lionel "postwar" trains, except that they have new paint jobs and details that celebrate Halloween. The good news is that, unlike certain other manufacturers, Lionel is still introducing delightful new products for Halloween and Christmas. The bad news is that some of those products are selling out quickly. Last year, the Peanuts Halloween train sold out so quickly, we didn't even get it listed on this page before it disappeared from Lionel's warehouse and most retail stores' shelves. Lionel get another shipment in, though, so they're available as of September, 2014. Do not wait too long, as this stuff tends to go very fast. Of course you can also use a train set such as the Polar Express set. The locomotive from that set doesn't look all THAT Christmassy, if you know what I mean. You could use the locomotive to pull a Halloween car like the Great Pumpkin car below, then put the Polar Express passenger cars on the track after Halloween. Lionel has not introduced any new Halloween accessories for 2014, and several of last year's offerings have already sold out. If you like any of these, do not wait too long. That said, if you need more halloween-themed accessories, our Primer page has lots of inexpensive ways to add Halloween touches to your railroad or display village, including a Halloween-themed cottage based on a vintage Lionel tinplate structure. In the meantime, we're keeping our eyes open for more products and more suppliers, so please check back. But if you see a product you think you want, think fast - demand is picking up for this kind of product. About O Gauge Trains - O gauge trains (which include O-27, the technical description for most of the trains on this page) are about the right size for most name-brand Halloween villages, as well as our own projects. They are not as detailed as, say, On30 trains, but they are sturdier and easier to keep on the track, so if you have kids or fumble-fingers, this might be the way to go. Most O gauge train sets made today should really have about a 44"-wide space to run, although the track circle is technically a little smaller than that. So if you're using the ping-pong table, you'll do fine, but they won't fit on your coffee table. O Gauge Alternatives - If you already have an O gauge train, try it with your Halloween village - my friend Howard Lamey has dug out an old Marx set and it looks great. If you're not counting on the train itself to bring Halloween charm to your town, you might also try: Don't Wait Too Long to Order - Back when we started "Big Christmas Trains," we were singlehandedly responsible for several vendors selling out of trains almost as soon as we had them posted. The trains we feature on this page also tend to sell out even faster than the Christmas trains. That's one reason we list multiple suppliers when possible. But, as we used to say when I worked at Radio Shack 40 years ago, and Tandy would advertise things we had in short supply, "We can't make them here." In the meantime, if you're looking for something specific, or you find a broken link or other mistake, please contact us and we'll do our best to help. Note about Suppliers: While we try to help you get the products you want by recommending suppliers with a good record of customer service, all transactions between you and the supplier you chose to provide your trains are governed by the published policies on the supplier's web site. So please print off any order confirmation screens and save copies of invoices, etc., so you can contact the appropriate supplier should any problems occur. (They almost never do, but you want to be on the safe side.)
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Lionel Halloween People Pack - Trick or Treaters Now you can populate your favorite Lionel operating accessories with Lionelville People Packs. Pirate, Princes, Dog, Skeleton, Cowboy in O scale, ideal for ANY Halloween village. A similar lionel package sold out very fast in 2013, so don't wait too long to order. |
Lionel Animated Halloween Billboard The picture changes back and forth on this animated billboard. Requires a 12-18 volt power supply (such as the kind that comes with model trains). As of August, 2013, the same product is listed under two different numbers on Amazon, which is why we have two links. |
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