O-Gauge Christmas Trains


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Written by Paul D. Race for

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Includes 2009 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, and the new cars they have introduced each year since And remember, all of the trains and cars on this page are compatible, so feel free to shop the whole page.

This holiday season, we are especially glad to welcome a new supplier Trainz.com. They are a full-service Lionel dealer, so they helping us make many Lionel products available that we didn't have access to before. Even more important, they understand trains and people who love them, so you can buy from them with confidence.

At the same time, one of trains that was on this page in 2008 has completely disappeared from store shelves and several other products are getting in short supply. 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 provide 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). Still, experience tells me that It will get harder and harder to keep up as the holidays progress. So please avoid disappointment and order early.

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.)

Lionel O-27 The Polar Express Train Set - 631960

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. 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 Lionel O-gauge locomotives that has been produced in a while.

2009 Update: - These trains have been consistent best-sellers since they were introduced. When it came out, I said that it was destined to be a "classic," and it has already earned that title. That said, the trains themselves are made in batches and the add-on cars are made in even smaller batches, so if you want to be certain to have this train around your Christmas tree this year, order early.

Please click on a button below for details, pricing, and availability.

Note about the "Large Scale" Polar Express(r) Train Set: - While you are shopping for a Polar Express train, you will almost certainly come across Lionel's "Large Scale" version. It's bigger, it's cheaper, what's not to like? Sadly, it is a battery-powered toy train with plastic track. The whole train is far too small to be considered "Large Scale" in any meaningful sense, though it does run on 45mm track (the same track width that real Large Scale trains use). And it's not nearly as well-made as the O gauge version. Readers tell me they go through a lot of batteries, and even the people who like them recommend getting a rechargeable battery and charger. If you do want to check it out, click here to see the Amazon listing. But if you want a train set that will give you historic Lionel quality and hours of unattended running, consider sticking with the O gauge (three-rail) version on this page.

*Add to Your Train* Polar Express Talking Conductor Coach - Add even more excitement to your Polar Express(r) train, with real conductor announcements from the movie. The conductor figure, holding his lighted lantern, stands in the doorway welcoming passengers, and says "All aboard!" You control the car's features from the transformer, or you can turn them off for running like any other car. Car includes interior lighting, silhouettes in windows, conductor figure in doorway, and a lighted lantern. To see a bigger photo of this car, click on the photograph. Please click on a button to check price and availability.
*Back in Stock!* Polar Express Disappearing Hobo Car - This car was snatched up fast when it first came out. Thankfully, it is available again. In addition to the fellow on the roof, this car includes interior lighting, silhouettes in the windows and Lionel knuckle couplers to attach to the rest of the train. Click on a button to check price and availability.
*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.
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.
Please click on a button to check price and availability.

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.

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.

Lionel O Gauge Nutcracker Special

This is a new Christmas train for Lionel. It includes the "General-style" old-timey locomotive and coaches. The locomotive includes a snowplow. The stake-side gondola includes reindeer figurines. To see a larger photo of the locomotive, click on the photo to the right.

Currently this set is listed under at least two different names on Amazon, so try both buttons below to see availability and price.

New for 2007 (and Going Fast)! Harry Potter's Hogwarts Express® - At long last, an model of the Hogwarts Express™ that is big enough for small hands to operate. Fantasy lovers will enjoy a magical journey that is portrayed in J.K. Rowling's enchanting Harry Potter series. Train lovers will enjoy a truly historic event in the world of toy and model trains. This is the first European train ever modeled in O gauge by Lionel! And it includes a newly-machined model of the real, historic "Hall Class" British locomotive that was repainted for the Harry Potter movies. (If you are from the UK, you're probably used to seeing these Great Western Railways locomotives in green, but all of the other details and proportions will be familiar.)
Okay, a "Harry Potter" train may not quite seem like a "Christmas" train, but it will look great around your Christmas tree. In fact, we were impressed enough with this train to give it its own web page.
To learn more, visit the Lionel® Hogwarts' Express® page.

Longer Trains Need More Track. All of the trains on this page come 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 and the Hogwarts Express. Please click on the button to check price and availability.

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.

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.

A Freight Expander Package to increase the size and fun of ANY O Gauge Christmas train is also available. The North Central Christmas Train Expander Pack includes:

Flatcar with Santa and Mrs. Claus OPERATING handcar
Refrigerator car
Operating Searchlight car
Lubrication and Maintenance Kit
Three trees
Four straight FasTrack track sections, to expand your railroad from 40” x 60” to 50” by 70”

Note: This expander package is compatible with any train on this page.

A Passenger Expander Package to increase the size and fun of ANY O Gauge Christmas train is also available. The North Central Christmas Passenger Train Expander Pack includes:

Combination car (baggage and passenger in one car)
Coach car
Observation car
Four straight FasTrack track sections
Station platform
Three trees and five presents,

Note: This expander package is compatible with any train on this page.

Improved O Gauge Thomas the Tank Engine Set

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.

To check price and availability, please click a vendor button to the right.

In addition, the O-Scale Accessories page includes many relatively inexpensive details such as bridges, fencing, and stations, that will bring life to any O-Scale or O-Gauge railroad. Click on the picture at the right to see that product page.

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. Then the green one was replaced by a red one. In the meantime, Lionel released another set that was ALSO called the Holiday Tradition set - the Large Scale set shown at the right.In the meantime, the red set is starting to get a little hard to find. It should be "good" this year, but it won't be around forever either. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience. As I used to say when I was working my way through school at Radio Shack in the 1970s - "We can't make them here." :-)

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Note: Family Garden Trains™, Garden Train Store™, Big Christmas Trains™, BIG Indoor Trains™, BIG Train Store™, and Trains-N-Towns™ 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, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 by Paul D. Race. Reuse or republication without prior written permission is specifically prohibited.

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