Newsletter

Howdy! We wanted to touch base with you before we get to the Railfan News below. We have lots of great news.

The last time we received a rail fan tip, although the data was direct from UP sources, the train hit a delay and did not get to town until hours later, so please be aware of these types of POSSIBLE fluctuations in schedule. We want to provide you with this great info, but please remember that trains can be unpredictable at times. Patience and diligence are two cornerstones of railfanning...and always having a camera handy...and batteries!

We are looking at the website being shopping cartable by August 6-7 if not sooner.We will be adding items daily from that point forward. For now, we have over 540 items in our Amazon store, and near 100 in our Ebay store.

You can always shop with us at Ebay or Amazon by clicking on the link on our website's front page--each link takes you right to the respective store. Or, you can call us (leave a message if we do not asnwer), and we can help you the old fashioned way. In fact, starting Sunday night among our Ebay listings, you will find the CLEANEST #97 coal loader we have ever had...boxed and all. It has a buy it now price, or you can bid on it like an auction--your choice. There is also a hard to find Nacional de Mexico F unit for you HO fans.

We are still buying trains and collections, so stay tuned!!

Right now, we are working on two large O gauge collections--one from the Texas Hill Country and one from Ohio. One is mostly Lionel postwar with a little prewar, and the other is largely modern era O such as MTH and Lionel. We'll let you know how they turn out.

Cowcatcher...
In other news, Clay will be writing a new column in the Cowcatcher starting in the Fall. The articles will focus on...what else...railroad collectibles! The column will cover everything from collectible Lionel to real railroad memorabilia to N scale rarities and much much more. If you have any suggestions or want something researched, feel free to email and make suggestions!

San Antonio Area Railfan Alert!
More Heritage Diesel... Monday is the day. The UP 1996, the Heritage Engine painted to celebrate the famous Southern Pacific Daylight, will be coming through San Antonio for one day only. There is a chance you can catch it on the return, but we do not have that information.

Here is a copy of the manifest:

Scheduled in tomorrow (7/19) to the East Yard at 11:42, and eventually departing Kirby at 15:11. The 1996 is 2nd in the consist which makes pictures more difficult.
Since last week's train was delayed 12 hours, be aware that what makes railfanning like treasure hunting is that it does not always work out the way we plan.

There IS a chance the train could come back through on the same route a few days later.

Railfan Alerts will be a new regular feature of the website, so be sure to stay in touch.

Thanks to Nathan for the assist...

Christmas 2008: We missed you at the store! Don't let the Polar Express leave the station without YOU in 2009!

We have made some exciting changes to the in-store layout. Come on in and see the new action. And keep coming in because there will be many more changes coming over the summer.

On Tuesday, July 12, 2005, the railroading community lost a very important person. Joe had friends everywhere--especially in the railroading world. Joe Covert was a very important part of the atmosphere at Lone Star Trains. He was always ready to help us with any historical railroad information, and was very quick to inform us of any local railroad happenings. In addition, he often allowed us to play with trains from his own collection in the shop. Many of the trains you have seen over the years on Lone Star layouts were Joe's.

Joe started his career with the Illinois Central. After a short stint there, he later joined the Missouri Pacific which was later taken over by Union Pacific. In the 1970's, he was instrumental in many projects at the Texas Transportation Museum, some of which he did single-handedly. He was an avid railroad memorabilia collector and historian. He especially loved railroad china. Last year, health reasons forced him to retire from UP.

Joe was a fixture in our shop and our daily lives. He was knowledgeable, generous, big-hearted, and most of all, a good friend who enjoyed bringing little bits of sunshine to our daily lives. We will miss him intensely.

George Super Coop Cooper passed away on Monday, November 17, 2003 around noon. In addition to his legendary radio career, Super Coop was the first co-worker at Lone Star Trains and was instrumental in LST's early success. All of us here at the train store will miss his mentoring, kind manner, and friendship very much. Click here to read his obituary.

Woai-tv channel 4 featured Lone Star Trains and Collectibles on its Friday July 18th telecast. Popular weatherman Maclovio Perez came out with Renee the camaraman and did 4 live spots direct from Lone Star Trains.

One spot showed the layout and was used as a teaser during the Regis and Kelly show. Another longer spot featured Maclovio and Lisa Kinsner at the Thomas tables playing and talking Thomas. Another spot featured Mac in the middle of the layout. The longest spot had Mac and Clay Kinsner discussing and showing collectible toys and the different gauges of trains. At the end, Clay presented Mac with a TCA 2006 Convention button which he wore home!

Union Pacific's Latest Heritage

On Wednesday, Union Pacific will unveil its newest Heritage diesel, for the BOY SCOUTS of AMERICA. The engine is rumoured to be a General Electric and has been shipped to Houston's Amtrak Station for a Wednesday unveiling.

LIONEL LICENSES M.T.H. FOR TINPLATE

New York City, NY, Dec. 31, 2008 -- Lionel Electric Trains announced today that it has entered into a multi-year licensing agreement with M.T.H. Electric Trains, in which the Columbia, MD, model train maker will create a new line of tinplate Lionel Standard and O gauge products. The license will also include tinplate Standard and O gauge offerings for American Flyer, which has been part of Lionel since its acquisition in 1967.

Using its extensive collection of tinplate tooling, M.T.H. plans to issue new versions of Lionel and American Flyer classic tinplate trains and accessories that were originally released between 1900 and 1942. These products will be packaged in all-new boxes with iconic Lionel and American Flyer advertising images and logos from the prewar tinplate era. Promotion of new tinplate Lionel and American Flyer products will begin in early 2009, with full-color catalogs. A Web site, dedicated to the new product line, will also offer product videos, sound clips and other information not available in print catalogs.

“I’m very pleased that M.T.H. and Lionel will be working together on this new Lionel and American Flyer tinplate line,” said Jerry Calabrese, Lionel CEO. Calabrese went on to say, “In times as difficult and challenging as these, I hope it’s reassuring to all model train fans that both our companies will be joining forces to write a productive new chapter in our hobby’s history. There is no better way to express our mutual belief and commitment to the future of model railroading than for Lionel and M.T.H. to collaborate on something as imaginative and exciting as these new Tinplate products.

“This collaboration builds on what we’ve accomplished with our Tinplate Traditions line over the past three decades,” noted M.T.H. President Mike Wolf. “It is no secret to those who know me that Lionel’s history has inspired me since my youth.” Wolf went on to say, “By working together, our two companies will be able to offer products that even more faithfully evoke the beauty and artistry of the toys that Lionel and American Flyer turned out in the prewar years, as well as make those trains available to a wider audience.

Wolf added, “Putting aside the differences our firms have had over the years, Jerry and I have always recognized how much synergy exists between Lionel and M.T.H. Together we sat down and worked out this agreement with the express goal of expanding on both firms’ longstanding commitments to grow our hobby.”

Based in New York City, Lionel has been making model trains and accessories since 1900. It is one of the world's leading model train companies, and among the most widely recognized brands in America.

Based in Columbia, Maryland, M.T.H. Electric Trains is a seasoned model train manufacturer with a long history of innovation. In little more than a quarter century, M.T.H. has created an appealing multi-gauge product line.

Lionel has fully emerged from Bankruptcy. Current President Jerry Calabrese touts the fact that it has been tough, but it has rejuvenated the company and its resolve noting the record sales over the last three years and new technology such as the Legacy System. The legal troubles are over.