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Tinplate Trains


The earliest trains were called tinplate.  They were originally made of stamped steel painted in solid colors, but soon evolved into lithographed toys.  The most prolific user of lithography for trains was the Louis Marx Company.  Pictured here are some of the delightful lithographed tin trains and accessories.

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These are various freight cars.  Gondola cars on the left carry loads.

A tinplate freight yard with gantry crane and switch tower,

Tin litho station and automobile, with a tin crossing sign.

Tinplate Streamliner train

Tin streamliner pulls into the station

Another tin station

Tin people.  The couple on the bench were sold as railroad station figures.  The skaters and skiers were common "scenery" figures of the 1930s.

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