Tales from the Trackside

The Official Lone Star Trains Blog

  • WOW! A Professional American Flyer Layout Ready to Run

    by Clay Kinsner
    It is REALLY expensive to have a layout custom built. The baseline for the barest layout work is about $250/ sq foot. It goes up from there. We are...

  • Shipping is a Priority and Point of Pride for Lone Star Trains

    by Clay Kinsner
    With the Season upon us, I wanted to brag about our shipping. We prioritize shipping for you whether it is a $1000 collector set or a book! We lo...

  • The REAL Texas Special

    by Clay Kinsner
    We all love the Texas Special. How about checking out a home movie of the REAL deal in action? GO ahead, you have time. It is under three minutes. ...

  • UP Steam Big Boy 4014 is Coming

    by Clay Kinsner
    This is not a drill. Nor is it for your layout. Real world, real train.   The Big Boy is coming, the Big Boy is coming.   Here is the...

  • A 1940 MARX ARMY SUPPLY TRAIN SET in the ORIGINAL BOX

    by Clay Kinsner
    Is there a better time for the Army Train than during the Patriotic Triad of Memorial Day, D-Day, and the Fourth of July? The Prewar MARX ARMY T...
    Posted in Army Supply Train, Army train, collector train, Marx, military, tinplate, toy train

  • The Collectible Marx Army Train

    by Clay Kinsner
    Among the most collectible toy trains is the Marx Army Train series. Marx issued Army Train pieces both prewar and postwar, in tinplate and plastic...

  • Real Trains! Rare Rock Island Ringer

    by Clay Kinsner
    Rare Rock Island Ringer... We are not just about TOY trains here at Lone Star Trains. We also do 1 to 1 Scale! Here is a complete Ringer box set ...

  • Rare Lionel's 1935 Mickey Mouse Circus Set

    by Clay Kinsner
    In 1935, Lionel was in the midst of Disney mania with handcars and this great set. The set consisted of the Commodore Junior, in red of course, wit...
    Posted in Circus, Circus train, collector train, Disney, Lionel, Mickey Mouse, Prewar Lionel, tinplate

  • Snow Days Bring Train Delays

    by Clay Kinsner
    Hey everyone! Unless you have been hiding under a rock or in a house without power, you know of the historical storm we have been experiencing here...

  • Thank you and Happy New Year

    by Clay Kinsner
    While 2020 was less than an ideal year (okay, understatement of the year), we would like to thank all of our customers for your patronage this year...

  • A Christmas Lesson--Best Time is Now

    by Clay Kinsner
    In the Christmas classic movie Elf, when Santa returns to the North Pole after his annual ride around the world, he tells the elves that this Chr...
    Posted in Christmas, Polar Express, repairs, Service

  • A Virtual Polar Express Experience

    by Clay Kinsner
    Hey Everyone! Check this out from our friend and longtime customer Allen Bordelon. He has put together a nice virtual Polar Express Experience. Thi...