WE'RE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE
LIGHTS, CAMERA, LIONEL TRAINS!
A PHOTO HISTORY OF AN AMERICAN ICON
by renowned Lionel historian Roger Carp is now available!
Click here to order your copy!
This captivating photo history book offers a visual journey through the legacy of Lionel trains, showcasing:
- 100 stunning photo essays capturing an American icon’s essence, bringing cherished memories to life for collectors and enthusiasts
- 224 pages packed with captivating Lionel train history
- 220+ full-color and black-and-white photos showcasing rare images from private collections and archives
Available Editions
Regular Edition:
- 11" x 8.5" beautifully crafted hardcover
Limited Edition:
- 11" x 8.5" beautifully crafted hardcover with special cover design
- Individually autographed by Roger Carp and the publisher
- Numbered edition of 250, each with a Project Roar Publishing hologram for authenticity
Read the Fantastic Reviews Below
“Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! is a ‘must’ for the legions of Lionel train fans ... Impressively informative and a nostalgic pleasure to browse through, this book is an unreservedly recommended and enduringly welcome pick for personal, community, and college/university library Antique/Collectible - Toy Trains collections.”
Micah Andrews, Midwest Book Review
“Richly illustrated and deeply engaging, this book belongs on every coffee table. Both train enthusiasts and non-hobbyists will enjoy discovering Lionel’s profound impact on American society.”
Joseph Lechner, Train Collectors Association e-Train
“This book is another example of a quality publisher and dedicated author putting together a fine work ... Roger Carp and Project Roar Publishing have most certainly succeeded in providing a delightful and memorable tribute to this iconic company.”
Bill Schmeelk, Lionel Collectors Club of America The Lion Roars
“A truly captivating perspective on Lionel’s history, brought to life through stunning pictures and their thrilling stories!”
Robert J. Osterhoff, author of Inside The Lionel Trains Fun Factory
“Roger Carp and Project Roar Publishing have created a masterpiece of Lionel history in this book. ... This book is a fantastic look at Lionel. It should be in every Lionel enthusiast’s bookcase.”
John Niehaus, Plasticville Collectors Association The Villager
“I have greatly enjoyed reading Roger Carp’s Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! and learned much from it. ... the book brings a fresh and insightful perspective to my favorite topic. I highly recommend Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains!”
Bruce C. Greenberg, Ph.D., Brinkman Publishing and former President Greenberg Publishing Company (1975–1991)
Nominated Awards
(Winners Announced Soon)
- Finalist best Pop Culture book from ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards.
- Finalist best History from IBPA Book Awards sponsored by the Independent Book Publishers Association.
- Finalist best Cover Design from IBPA Book Awards sponsored by the Independent Book Publishers Association.
- Finalist best Coffee Table book from IBPA Book Awards sponsored by the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Worth the wait 
Posted By: Jack
More than just a picture book this title tells the behind-the-scenes story of marketing and selling Lionel trains.
Wonderful stories about the people who promoted and sold Lionel products as well as the customers who enjoyed them, both famous and ordinary. A most pleasant and long-overdue read!
Another Great Project Roar Release
Posted By: Rob
This is my third book from Project Roar and like their other titles it is amazing. Roger Carp has taken a unique approach to explain the history and cultural significance of Lionel Trains through the examination of photographs. Photos have been taken from both within the Lionel Corporation and from individuals who received or admired these magnificent electric trains. This is a welcome addition to any Lionel or photography enthusiast.
Project Roar has done it again, with more info for the Lionel community.
Posted By: Clark
An amazing amount of information & pictures for every Lionel enthusiast. It is a beautiful, hard-cover book that you will read over & over.
OUTSTANDING BOOK IN EVERY ASPECT!!! EXTREMELY PLEASED TO HAVE IT!!!
Posted By: GEORGE
A VERY WELL WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BOOK, AND VERY EXCITED TO HAVE IT! OUTSTANDING IN EVERY ASPECT!!!!
Treat to have
Posted By: David
What a treasure trove of information and pictures. The book is so amazing I am sure it will be an outstanding source of information for years to come. Future generations will treasure this book because it shares with them the experiences we had enjoying our trains.
Fantastic New Book!
Posted By: Mike
I just received my new limited edition book, (Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! A Photo History of An American Icon) This is another wonderful book published by Project Roar Publishing. This is a well-made book of the highest quality. The photos throughout the book are fantastic! I have just started to read the book and the information in the book is just amazing!
Thank You John Schmid and Roger Carp
Grab This Now!
Posted By: Paul
What a magnificent treasure trove of photographs this is! All captured in one superlative volume, some of these photographs have never been seen before anywhere. A monumental piece of research that can only be described as a labor of love! Roger Carp has put together a volume that any toy train or electric train enthusiast will get lost in, literally. You will not be able to put this book down. You won't want to put this book down. And with Christmas right around the corner, this will bring back memories for those of us old enough to remember when these wonderful trains from yesteryear were as much a part of our Christmas season every December, as much as waking up early Christmas morning (when we barely got any sleep the night before), to open our Christmas presents (which may have included a train set or an accessory for our layout) around our very real Christmas tree that our parents had to water constantly so it didn't dry out before New Year's. What marvelous years those were! It was certainly a more innocent time when both children and adults would huddle around department store windows all decorated for the holidays, watching an operating train layout right inside the window. It was simply a magical thing to experience. It's sad to think not so much that those years are gone, but that today's children will never get to experience what we did. If you are at all interested in toy train or electric train history, or just in toy history in general, you will want this book. It belongs either on your bookshelf or better yet as a coffee table book. Buy it for an older person you know who remembers what it was like growing up during those years, or just buy it for yourself as a Christmas present. Immerse yourself into a time that sadly we will never see again when electric trains were made with top quality materials, unlike the toys that are manufactured today.
Trust me, you won't be disappointed!
A Historical Photographic Archival Review of Toy Trains
Posted By: Gregory
A fantastic Photographic Historical review of Lionel Toy Trains. These Photos and the written details of each scene is priceless. A fantastic book of Historical artifacts. Roger Carp should be commended for the hard work it took to compile these archival Photos. Being an Historian and a former Public-School Librarian as well as a Toy Train collector I applaud Rogers' work and expertise. This book is a must for all Toy Train collectors.
Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains
Posted By: N/A
Well written and awesome old photos, very informative and hard to put down when reading.
More
Posted By: Curt
I love this kind of publication because it brings us back to our childhood. The pictures of children with the trains in period when the trains were new lets our imagination run away. I would like to see more pictures of the factory and how the trains were made on the assembly line
Excellent Book and Service
Posted By: N/A
Great book on history of Lionel. I am enjoying reading it and very pleased that the publisher made the book available.
A book as good as the trains!
Posted By: Douglas
This new book (I own the deluxe edition!) is the best thing to “come down the tracks”, since Lionel Trains themselves! The photos are amazing and will bring back so many great memories to any reader and the text is too fascinating to
put down! Bravo!!
Thank You for Supporting Project Roar Publishing!
We can’t wait to get this captivating book into your hands. Join us on this exciting journey through the rich history of Lionel Trains!
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We're also excited to announce the second printing of the Authoritative Guide To Lionel's Postwar Operating Cars, which includes:
- The addition of a variation for the Lionel no. 3530 Operating Generator Car
- Additional packets and instruction sheets
- Additions and formatting updates to the sections on boxes and trucks & couplers
- Enhancements to photos visual annotations
- New printing that provides crisper images and text
- New Smythe sewn biding to allow the book to lay flatter than the first edition and provide additional sturdiness
The books have arrived!!
Click here to read an updated review based on the second printing
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Project Roar Publishing is dedicated to preserving the history of hobby collectibles, in particular, the miniature electric trains produced by the Lionel Corp., through careful use of original documents and expert observations. Project Roar was founded in 2001 with the acquisition of postwar Lionel® production records. Since then, many more internal documents have been uncovered and acquired so that a unique research facility has developed.
Project Roar has never veered from its original goal of analyzing the original Lionel documents and disseminating the information learned and conclusions drawn. The result of its endeavors has been authoritative publications that can be passed down to future generations. See our Online Store for a list of our books and related documents.