Toy Train Gallery

This gallery features operating toy trains of "Lionel type" 3-Rail O gauge. The San Diego 3-Railers Club has recently completed a new 42 by 44 foot permanent layout that has four separate main lines, realistic scenery, and many operating accessories. Club members control the trains with modern remote control systems such as TMCC by Lionel and DCS by MTH. The trains come equipped with realistic engine sounds, horn, whistle, and smoke. An operating camera car broadcasts a color image to a television screen to give visitors an "engineer's view" of the layout. Also, there is a coal mine section of the layout at "kid's eye level" where children can push buttons to operate the coal trains.

The gallery also features a collection of rare Lionel and American Flyer cars from the 1920's though the 1950's as well as modern toy trains from Lionel, MTH, K-line, and Atlas-O. These displays are complimented by a collection of toy train art which includes paintings by Angela Trotta Thomas. The San Diego 3-Railers meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7p.m.