Best Toy Trains

It doesn't matter how old you get, the clacketing, whistling lure of the model railroad is a lifelong ticket stub to the child within. Chan's is the place to indulge your inner trainaholic. Its narrow confines are packed top to bottom with all manner of railway paraphernalia: cars of great individuality; gorgeous old streamlined engines, some in the $1,000 range; a wide selection of Lionels, Thomases, Bachmanns, and Marklins; tracks in seven gauges; turf, tunnels, trees, bridges, and buildings for layout verisimilitude; books, magazines, and catalogs to keep you up on the latest toy train developments. And if you don't want to invest in all of that track and Astroturf, you'll find several lovely, chrome-plated windup trains to disarm and transport you.