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Written by Paul D. Race for Family Garden Trains(tm)
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Includes 2007 updates!
For many Americans, "Lionel" means "big train fun," especially at Christmas. The mere sight of a Lionel train around the Christmas tree invokes all sorts of memories. And Lionel still offers many great "traditional" Christmas train sets. But Lionel hasn't been resting on its laurels, as shown by the exciting Polar Express train they introduced in 2004, the new cars they introduced in 2005, 2006, and this year can help you make your Polar Express train even more fun! And remember, all of the trains and cars on this page are compatible, so feel free to shop the whole page.
At the same time, one of trains that was on this page in 2006 has completely disappeared from store shelves, and another one is close to disappearing. So, we invite you to learn and to have fun learning about the exciting new products. But we can't guarantee any of them will be in stock if you wait too long to order.
Note about Availability and Pricing: Although I try to keep an eye on things and to recommend products that are reasonably available, the model train market does fluctuate, and any product on this page may change price or become unavailable without prior notice. (In fact, I've inadvertently caused a "rush" on several products just by listing them on these pages.) When I have access to more than one source, I have provided multiple supplier buttons to give you a better chance of getting the trains you want (as long as you don't wait until mid-December to make your choice, in which case all bets are off). That said, three vendors I listed in September, 2006 were out of stock on these trains by November 6, and one train became unavailable period. It will get harder and harder for me to keep up as the holidays progress. So please avoid disappointment and order early.
This train is destined to be a "classic" - it's an example of everything Lionel ever did right in a train set.
For more detailed information about why model train products seem to come and go and why I have stopped listing prices on my "catalog pages," please see my article "About Pricing and Availability."
Note about Suppliers: While we try to help you get the trains and other 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.)
 The Lionel(r) Polar Express Train Set - If you can get ahold of one, this new, reasonably priced set will give you everything you need to set up a Polar Express Train around your Christmas tree. According to reports, this train set includes a very large, solid, high-quality locomotive that whistles, as well as two lighted passenger cars with silhouettes that show scenes from the movie. Poseable characters from the movie are also included. Even if you don't see the movie, you probably don't want to miss this value. (P.S. I enjoyed the movie, too.) Rumor has it that the locomotive is based on a Pere Marquette Berkshire that ran on the real railroads near the author's home when he was growing up. This locomotive is one of the nicest O-gauge locomotives produced in a while.
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Please click on a button below for details, pricing, and availability.
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 New for 2006! Polar Express Hot Chocolate Car - Expand your Polar Express(tm) train set with the Lionel Polar Express(tm) Hot Chocolate Add-on Car, with interior lighting and silhouettes in the windows. This car includes Lionel knuckle couplers to attach to the rest of the train.
Note: This product's stocks are getting low in late 2007 - I just had to remove another supplier for this car. Please don't wait too long to order if you want one this year.
Please click on a button to check price and availability. |  |
 Introduced in 2005 - Polar Express Dining Car - Lionel has added a dining car to make your Polar Express train even more fun. This lighted car has Silhouettes in the windows and Lionel knuckle couplers to attach to the rest of the train. | |
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Please click on a button to check price and availability. |
 Extend the fun! New for 2007 Polar Express Baggage Car - Lionel has also added a lighted baggage car for your Polar Express train.
Please click on a button to check price and availability.Please click on the button to check price and availability.
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 Extend the fun! New for 2007 Polar Express Elf Hand Car - If you want to give your Polar Express a break from time to time, set this on the track and watch the comic action as the elves try to reach the handles to pump this car. Not many stores seem to have this in stock, so if you want one, order early.
Please click on a button to check price and availability.Please click on the button to check price and availability.
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Longer Trains Need More Track. The Polar Express train comes with Lionel's new "FasTrack," which looks better and goes together easier than traditional O-27 track. To give your train a little more room to run, consider adding a few pieces. This 10-inch Straight Track Section is the same as the pieces that come with the Polar Express. Please click on the button to check price and availability.
 
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| Lionel FasTrack Railer - The Railer is used to help you and your family easily roll your locomotives and rolling stock onto the tracks. No more fiddling with the wheels to get them on correctly. Instead, you set this on top of the track temporarily and "feed" each car through it to get it onto the track. Great for kids who are just learning about trains. This product works with all the train sets on this page. |
 Lionel North Pole Central Christmas Train This is the newest in a series of bright-colored, sturdy Christmas trains drawn by an Atlantic locomotive that actually smokes. (The 2004 version was the mostly green train that's a little farther down the page.) The boxcar plays holiday tunes as an elf chases a reindeer on the animated gondola.
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  Special Value! Hammacher Schlemmer Musical Box Cars A Unique Addition to Any Lionel Train! For generations, Hammacher Schlemmer has held a reputation for unique quality gifts. Not long ago, they added Lionel trains to their catalog. Now, through a unique agreement with Lionel trains, they are offering musical Christmas boxcars. The red one says "Happy Holidays from your friends at Note: These add-on cars are compatible with any train on this page. Please click on the Product Name Below for information about pricing and availability. |
 Lionel Holiday Tradition Special This is a bright-colored, sturdy train drawn by an Atlantic locomotive that actually smokes. The boxcar plays holiday tunes as an elf chases a reindeer on the animated gondola. Like the "Winter Wonderland" train that this train replaced, this train is experiencing high demand. In fact, none of the stores I linked to in 2006 have any in stock. As of August, 2007, only ONE vendor I could find has this train, so they are not likely to be available much longer.
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 Improved! - Thomas the Tank Engine Set Lionel has upgraded their popular O Gauge Thomas set. Thomas's eyes move as he goes around the track, pulling Annie and Clarabel. Two Railway Workers and Sir Tophman Hat are included, as well as enough of the new, more attractive FasTrack track system to make a 40" x 60" oval, and the CW-80 transformer for more power.
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A Final Note about the Lionel Christmas Sets - Lionel issues a new Christmas train every so many years. The white Winter Wonderland set shown in the collage at the top of this page was replaced by the Holiday Tradition set (the one with the green locomotive), a couple of years ago, yet there were many trains in the warehouses until late 2004, when the Polar Express movie triggered a rush on Lionel(r) Christmas trains. I linked to one supplier after another throughout the month of 
December, but the suppliers ran out as soon as I built links. In the fall of 2005, Lionel announced a red "Tinsel Town" Christmas train. We even included a picture of a prototype on some of our pages, but the product never became available to my knowledge. Instead, Lionel has introduced a new Large Scale Christmas train that takes bigger track but should provide even bigger fun. Click on the image to the right for more information.
In the meantime, our experience with the Winter Wonderland set reminded me that even the products we count on to be available for the foreseeable future can disappear overnight. Again, I apologize for any inconvenience.
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Note: Family Garden Trains(tm), Garden Train Store(tm), and Big Christmas Trains(tm) are trademarks of Breakthrough Communications (www.btcomm.com). All information, data, text, and illustrations on this web site are
Copyright (c) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 by Paul D. Race.
Reuse or republication without prior written permission is specifically
forbidden.
For more information, please contact us
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Lionel FasTrack Curves A set of four curved pieces, along with a few more straight pieces, will give you many more choices of how to set up your Polar Express Train. These are what Lionel calls O-36 curves, the same curves that come with the Polar Express. Please click on a supplier button to check price and availability.
An Expander Package
Hammacher Schlemmer" right on the side. The white one actually was available last year, but I didn't list it in the catalog as it seemed to be in short supply. Both cars bid you Happy Holidays as they play 12 Christmas carols. With on/off switch. As of August, 2007, Hammacher Schlemmer has marked these down for clearance and has very few left in stock. If you want a special value on a unique addition to your railroad, act now!
