O-Gauge Christmas Trains


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Written by Paul D. Race for

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Includes 2018 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 pleased to welcome several new products, including a Disney-themed train with rich metallic colors and an animated Mickey-and-Minney action car that is already selling fast.

Several of the other trains on this page are also in short supply. In addition, I've had to remove two of the trains and one of the accessory sets we listed here last year, because all of the vendors we trust for online shopping are completely out of stock. 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.) I used to try to list multiple suppliers for the most popular trains. But, frankly, the recession put a number of them out of business, and several of the survivors are mostly just selling through Amazon anyway. So just listing Amazon for most of these products will still give you the chance to comparison shop in many cases. Still, experience tells me that at least two more of the trains on this page will disappear beore Christmas, and it always gets harder for me to keep these pages updated 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."

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Lionel O-27 The Polar Express Train Set - 631960

The NEW Lionel(r) Polar Express Train Set - This train first came out over a decade ago, and I have had fun with one of the earlier sets. However, the sets they are making now have several differences from the original sets.

By popular requests, the car roofs now have "snow" with footprints on them.
The locomotive now responds, not only to the included LionChief remote control, but to a Bluetooth application you can download onto your smartphone.
The locomotive now has molded-on handrails instead of separate wire handrails. That may not seem like an improvement, but if you have kids or clumsy people in your household, it is. The appearance of the train is barely changed, but you will spend a lot less time glueing the little stand-offs back onto the locomotive.

The new set will still 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 lighted passenger cars with silhouettes that show scenes from the movie. Characters from the movie are still 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.)

If you're a train fan, it might help to know that this 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-27 locomotives that has been produced in a while.

Order Soon! - The new version is just as popular as the old one, and some folks who already own the earlier models are snatching these up as well.

Click the button to the right for more information.

Note about the "Large Scale" and "Ready-To-Play" Polar Express(r) Train Sets: - While you are shopping for a Polar Express train, you will almost certainly come across Lionel's "Large Scale" and "Ready-To_Play" versions. They're bigger and cheaper, but they are battery-powered toys that run on plastic track. They are not electric trains. I actually use the "Large Scale" version to set out when other folks' kids are going to be visiting the railroad. It gives them something to play with rather than reaching for the model trains. If you do want to check it out, click here to see the Amazon listing. The "Ready-To-Play" version is almost exactly the same, except it only runs on the chintzy track that comes in the package.

In other words, the toy versions of this train have their place. 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.

Lionel Polar Express(r) Add-On Cars Though the locomotive has been upgraded to take two kinds of remote control, and the cars now have "snow" and footprints on the top, the add-on cars that were made for the earlier sets are still 100% compatible with the new ones. That said, some are becoming hard to find, so if you want to extend your Polar Express with a particular car, don't wait too long. *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 Mickey's Holiday To Remember Disney Christmas Train Set
This train uses the same old-timey American-style 4-4-0 locomotive as the Coca Cola train below. However the colors are a little "deeper," with a metallic finish, giving it a unique sort of warmth just right for the holidays. Disney-themed trains tend to sell out very fast. This one is so new they don't even have a full description out yet, but it looks for all the world like Mickey is chasing Minnie around the load on the gondola car. I've seen closeups of the locomotive, and the paint job is very nice.
Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.
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Lionel O Gauge Coca Cola Anniversary Train

Lionel Coca-Cola 125Th Anniversary Vintage Steam O-Gauge Train Set

This is a new, very popular Lionel train that will sell out quickly. It includes the "General-style" old-timey locomotive, two freight cars, and a caboose. To see a slightly larger photo of the locomotive, click on the photo to the right.

Update for 2018 - For all intents and purposes, this train is sold out. Amazon has still has some links to vendors selling them at higher prices than they cost new, so I'm leaving this listing up for the serious "Coke" fanatic. Also as a reminder not to wait too long to pick up any train you're pretty sure you "need."

Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.

Other Coca Cola Trains and Acessories - If you like this train and would like to see other Coca Cola-themed trains and accessories to go with them, please visit our Hawthorne Village Coca Cola Train page. Even if you want to sick with Lionel trains, you'll find that the Hawthorne Village Coca Cola Railroad Accessories collection adds a great deal of interest to your railroad or Coke-themed Christmas Village.

Lionel Santa's Helper Christmas Lionchief Set
This Christmas-themed "work train" uses the same Docksider 0-6-0 locomotive as the Gingerbread Junction train below. Since it doesn't look just like the bigger trains on this page, it's a nice "second train" to add on to an existing train set. It's entirely compatible, of course.
Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.

Lionel Gingerbread Junction
This is Lionel's first Christmas train to use their little 0-6-0T "docksider" locomotive. Again, if you click on the photo, you can see the clever paint job. This is a smaller train physically than most on this page, because the locomotive is smaller and doesn't have a tender (coal car). Also the caboose is a 4-wheeled "shorty" caboose. But it's unique colors will certainly appeal to folks who connect the Christmas season with gingerbread houses and sugarplums. And if you need a smaller train than the other ones on this page (say you just have room for a circle of track), or if you want to add something distinctive to a Christmas railroad you already set up, this could be "the ticket."
Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.

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.

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.

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Lionel Polar Express(r) Add-On Cars