Lionel Goes Battery
By James Russo, TCA #25-79094 Fall 2026 e*Train
When first hearing about battery-powered Lionel O gauge train sets, longtime collectors and hobbyists may feel skeptical. Any gauge of train that is battery-powered and does not employ a transformer has long been disregarded as a “toy” and not in the running with what Lionel aficionados consider the real thing.
As always, times change, and attitudes modify. Transformer-driven train layouts will always be preferred by serious enthusiasts, but Lionel has released several battery-powered O gauge box sets that will make even the most jaded Lionel collector take a second glance. Ironically, Lionel’s very first train shown to the public ran on a wet-cell acid-filled battery since many homes and businesses still did not have electricity. Joshua Cowen, an engineer and designer of electric fans, placed the first Lionel set in a department store window in 1901 and named it the “Electric Express,” even though it was powered by a battery. The layout used the standard three-track O gauge system, and the battery was soon replaced with a 110-volt transformer.
Surprisingly, Lionel would not revive the battery-powered line of model trains again until 2010, when they introduced Lionel Little Lines, which were sets designed specifically for toddlers. The Little Line series bore little resemblance to the real-life locomotive they were based on and were constructed from a high-impact plastic with little or no detail.
Lionel’s battery-powered line remained so until recently, when the company released a slew of new box sets, many of which are inspired by motion pictures. Some sets are still geared for younger collectors, but some are copied from actual American railroad trains. One such set is the battery-powered Ready-to-Run Super Chief. The set comes complete with the famous red-snout Santa Fe diesel, a box car, tanker car, coal hopper, and a caboose. Also included in the box are 16 curved tracks, 10 straight sections, 2 right-angle interchange switches, a figure-8 crossover, as well as 2 trees and 4 road signs to use as roadside accessories, which could give a young model train enthusiast a head start if he or she decides to build a permanent layout. The 31 track pieces create a 65-inch by 41-inch oval.
The Santa Fe diesel has a working headlight, makes steam, and emits realistic sounds recorded from the conductor’s car of the actual Super Chief. The train can be powered by using Lionel Bluetooth control with Lionel’s Cab3 app or with the included remote control.
The diesel runs on two AA batteries inserted into a compartment in the bottom of the engine between the front and back trucks. The included remote requires 3 AAA’s.
Best of all, the layout can be set up quickly because it utilizes Lionel’s new plastic two-rail tracks. The new tracks assemble quickly and smoothly without the use of the pins many Lionel collectors are familiar with when setting up the steel 3-rail tracks.
Many collectors may have preconceived notions of battery-powered Lionel trains, but Lionel has gone out of their way to please both newcomers to the hobby and longtime fans. The new Ready-to-Run lines are constructed of heavy plastic that does not appear “toy-like”, but is closer to that used in plastic model kits. The Santa Fe diesel has considerable weight for a non-transformer-powered model train, and both the diesel and the four cars sport a lot of detail and realistic markings, vastly separating this box set from any previous Lionel battery-powered line. Best of all, everything is packaged in a rugged cardboard box that has a handle, so when Christmas comes you can take this set and assemble it anywhere under anyone’s tree. It’s guaranteed to be a conversation starter.
As stated before, Lionel has released quite a number of these battery-powered sets with various themes, including a set based on the Harry Potter franchise, another set modelled on the classic Pennsylvania Flyer, the Polar Express based on the motion-capture movie with voiceover by Tom Hanks, the North Pole Express, Disney Frozen based on the animated film of the same name, Disney Mickey Mouse, and the North Pole Central.
Once sold out, Lionel may or may not replace them with additional ones. A fictional set with a John Deere-sponsored diesel engine and three cars was made in a rare “mini-O” scale, which is between O and HO. Another set featured a diesel and two cars with the Hendrick Motorsports logo on it. Lionel produced this set in limited numbers for Hendrick’s 40th anniversary and included a 1:64 scale die-cast metal race car. The Hendrick’s train was also modelled in the “mini-O” scale. Both sets are sold out, although one may still be able to purchase them on the used circuit or eBay.
