Whats the difference between toy train and hi-rail layouts?
Toy train layouts are those that are not necessarily meant to look realistic. They have a playful, toy-like appearance. Often these layouts showcase colorful trains, accessories, and vehicles placed on indoor/outdoor carpeting. Trains for different gauges may be operated on adjacent track systems. The result is an exciting mix of trains where operation is the focus. Hi-rail layouts are similar to scale model railroads in that realism is the goal. Trains, structures, scenery, and figures are all placed, painted, and detailed to look real. However, when it comes to track, hi-rail layouts still use three-rail (or two-rail, in the case of S gauge). 8. Who have been the major manufacturers of toy trains, past and present? Everyone has heard of Lionel, the giant of the industry. Joshua Lionel Cowen launched the firm in 1900, later developing Standard gauge (2 1/4-inch gauge) and helping to popularize O gauge. Lionel became the pre-eminent toy train manufacturer during the late 1940s and ’50s
