Join us! “A History of Toy Trains: An ‘O’ Gauge Perspective” on September 15 (7pm EST).
Discover the beginnings and early history of toy trains made in Britain, Europe and the United States, and how manufacturers marketed trains for Canada. Presenters will delve into the evolution of toy trains, from pull toys to simple clockwork mechanisms and beautifully decorated tinplate lithography, to the well engineered mechanical marvels of the early 1900’s.
The appeal of mechanical electric toy trains exploded in the Post WWII era, and the Golden Age of popularity was the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. After a generation of decline, the toy trains of today are enjoying an unprecedented resurgence, as manufacturers are now making modern remote-controlled electronic marvels, with full sounds and effects recorded from real steam and diesel locomotives. The session will close with a look at the toy trains of today.
