Tinplate Model Trains

About Antique Tinplate Model Railroad Trains

Most early model trains were made of tinplate. They were cheap, and relatively lightweight, allowing the clockwork mechanisms to work efficiently. And the lithography process, at the height of its use in the early 1900s, lent itself well to putting designs on tin. Tinplate train production stopped during WW2 and continued for a few years after, but was then phased out in favor of plastic for lower-end models. In addition to rarity, collectors look at the condition of the trains, and the intricacy of the lithography.


Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Brass Model Train Collector Dan Glasure

We’ve been operating Dan’s Train Depot, which is the parent company of BrassTrains.com, for about 11 year… [more]

An Interview With National Model Railroad Association Library Director Brent Lambert

The NMRA library’s original purpose was to focus on model railroading, but over time we’ve also received… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Airfix Model Railways

Airfix Model Railways

Dave McCarthy's Airfix Model Railway treasure trove is an in-depth archive of the company's plastic railway kits fr… [read review or visit site]

Gateway NMRA

Gateway NMRA

This great reference site for model railroaders, from the Gateway (St. Louis) division of the NMRA (National Model … [read review or visit site]

HOseeker.net

HOseeker.net

This site is a treasure trove of HO scale model railroad manufacturer catalogs and other reference information, inv… [read review or visit site]

Tech Model Railroad Club of MIT

Tech Model Railroad Club of MIT

MIT's model railroad club, as one might expect, has one of the best websites for learning about how people play wit… [read review or visit site]


Got a site to suggest? Let us know.




Clubs & Associations: Model Trains


Other Great Reference Sites: Model Trains

Are we missing one? Tell us.

Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly Tinplate Model Trains email

Sorted by        
New Lionel Tinplate 840 Powerhouse,new In The Box.$323.00 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 11 watchers
* Lionel Tinplate Irvington Factory Mib 32905 Nrfb$240.49 Ends in 20 hours 5 bids 9 watchers
Pair Of Mth Tinplate Standard Gauge 72" Radius Switches$158.49 Ends in 22 hours 9 bids 21 watchers
Lionel Electric Prewar Tinplate #253 Train Set $149.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 9 watchers
Lionel Pre War 259e Tin Plate Steamer Super Nice$129.75 Ends Thursday 1 bid 3 watchers
Marklin Central Station Tin Pre War Germany Must See!!!$113.50 Ends Sunday 6 bids 30 watchers
A F Standard Gauge Washington Tin Litho Pass Car$108.50 Ends in 20 hours 2 bids 17 watchers
Rare 1950's Ahi Ho Tin Military Truck Assortment Set $102.50 Ends in 21 hours 4 bids 25 watchers
* 3 Mth Train Tinplate # 94 High Tension Tower Set Mib $89.99 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 8 watchers
Mth Tinplate Standard Gauge 332 Christmas Baggage Car$89.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 7 watchers
O Gauge V Rare Bing For Bassett Lowke Tinplate Lms $60.71 Ends in 17 hours 7 bids 12 watchers
Lionel Pre-war Tinplate Bungalow Villa House No. 191$59.58 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 27 watchers
Lionel Pre-war Tinplate 092 Signal Tower Building$52.44 Ends Tuesday 9 bids 29 watchers
Lionel Pre-war Tinplate Bungalow Villa Building 184$51.00 Ends Monday 5 bids 14 watchers
Lionel Pre-war Tinplate Bungalow Villa Building 184$51.00 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 29 watchers
* Mth Train O Gauge Tinplate 812 Gondola Car Mib$50.99 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 3 watchers
Marx O Glendale Tin Railroad Station 119794/119794$49.99 Ends in 21 hours 1 bid 6 watchers
Early German Tinplate Crossing.marklin /landmann C1900s$49.83 Ends Saturday 5 bids 14 watchers
Set Of 6 Lionel Pre-war Tinplate No. 60 Telegraph Poles$49.58 Ends Tuesday 10 bids 15 watchers
Lionel Nib 8999 Houston Tinplate Oper.soc.aquarium Car$45.01 Ends Monday 4 bids 9 watchers
Ives Prewar O Gauge No. 25 Tinplate Tender$42.00 Ends Sunday 5 bids 19 watchers
Hafner Wind Up Rare Train Set Tin Toy Metal Vintage Old$41.88 Ends in 23 hours 6 bids 12 watchers
Marx Trains O-gauge 73502 Hg C&o Hi Gondola Tin Litho$40.99 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 7 watchers
Mth Tinplate Traditions Standard Gauge No.517 Caboose$34.99 Ends in 22 hours 8 bids 20 watchers
Marx Trains O-gauge 73420x Ge Quality Boxcar Tin Litho$34.99 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 11 watchers
Marx Trains O-gauge 7353 Sp Daylight Coach Tin Litho$34.66 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 11 watchers
Marx Ex Lited Tinplate Acc 413 Tower-416 Floodlite-l@@k$28.00 Ends in 22 hours 5 bids 7 watchers
Lionel O Gauge Pre-war Tin Plate #248 Electric Engine$28.00 Ends in 20 hours 4 bids 26 watchers
Marx 2 Ex 6" Green/blk Tin Sinclair Tankers 19847-cheap$27.99 Ends in 23 hours 1 bid 8 watchers
Pre-war Hornby 'o' Gauge Tinplate Station & Ramps Boxed$27.42 Ends Thursday 2 bids 7 watchers
Vintage Lionel Tin/metal Pullman Passenger Car#2442$25.00 Ends Sunday 3 bids 11 watchers
Vintage Lionel Tin/metal Pullman Passenger Car#2442$24.00 Ends Monday 2 bids 10 watchers
Marx Trains O-gauge 7421 Od Ordnance Boxcar Tin Litho$22.72 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 12 watchers
Pair Of Mth Tinplate Standard Gauge No.25 Track Bumpers$22.59 Ends in 23 hours 4 bids 22 watchers
Tinplate American Flyer "america" Passenger Coach$22.50 Ends Sunday 2 bids 8 watchers
Lionel Train O Scale Near Mint Tin Electronic Gateman $21.50 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid 4 watchers
Hafner Overland Flyer Ex Tinplate Station-l@@k-no Res!!$19.99 Ends in 23 hours 1 bid 9 watchers
Marx Ex Lited Tinplate Acc 413 Tower/424 Radio Control!$17.99 Ends in 21 hours 1 bid 6 watchers
Hafner Glen Ellyn Waiting Room Tinplate Station-no Res!$17.50 Ends in 23 hours 2 bids 16 watchers
Vtg American Flyer Tinplate Water Tower W/spout Nr!!$17.50 Ends Monday 2 bids 9 watchers
Marx Trains O-gauge 7353 Sp Daylight Combo Tin Litho$16.50 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 10 watchers
1950s Marx Oak Park Train Station Diesel Horn Tin Boxed$15.50 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 19 watchers
Train Railroad Track Tin Toy Metal Set Windup Vintage $15.50 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 3 watchers
Marx Trains O-gauge 70401-d Red Alaska Boxcar Tin Litho$14.50 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 11 watchers
Lionel 2442 Brown Tinplate Pullman Car Ex-$14.25 Ends in 23 hours 4 bids 13 watchers
Marx #70311 Prr / P.r.r. Tinplate Box Car, Exc Cond$13.75 Ends in 21 hours 4 bids 4 watchers
Marx Ex++ Tin Lited Xing Signal & Electric Gate-cheap!!$12.99 Ends in 23 hours 1 bid 5 watchers
Dd Marklin Ho 381 Box Car Tinplate 1947 Vintage$12.50 Ends Sunday 1 bid 5 watchers
Vintage Marx Tin Co.a Barracks T7-34 Building$12.50 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 11 watchers
Vintage Marx Tin U S Army Training Center Headquarters$12.50 Ends Monday 3 bids 7 watchers
Vintage Marx Tin U S Army Training Center Headquarters$12.50 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 8 watchers
Bing-ives-marklin ? O Gauge Tin Litho Prewar House Nr$11.50 Ends Monday 2 bids 24 watchers
Lionel Nib Wind-up Tin Litho Rail Zeppelin$10.99 Ends Monday 2 bids 12 watchers
Tinplate Lionel Observation - Dark Green, #30??$10.50 Ends Sunday 2 bids 5 watchers
Tinplate Dump Or Ore Car - N.y.n.h. & H.r.r.$10.50 Ends Sunday 2 bids 6 watchers
Vintage Lionel Lines Passenger Train Car 615 Tin $10.50 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 14 watchers

»» Get our weekly Tinplate Model Trains email
Right now on eBay

Model Trains

See also

Tools