Jim Mortensen

Railroad (Double) Crossing: a Novel: a Skirmish in the Lionel -vs- Mth Train War Jim Mortensen

As the twentieth century turned to the twenty-first, there was a civil war raging in the toy train hobby between those who ran and/or collected O-gauge toy trains. The icon of the hobby, Lionel LLC, was being challenged by an upstart company, Mike's Train House (MTH), for the minds, hearts and pocketbooks of those in the hobby or just beginning in it. This was a war being fought by more disinformation, innuendo, or out-right lies than either of the 2000 or 2004 political campaigns. The skirmishes and battles of this war would be fought out in some of the darnedest places and in the strangest of ways.

The people of Palatine County and Snyder's Corners are back, this time it is those on the other side of the tracks. When Bill and Amy Weaver inherit a rare, one-of-a-kind toy train locomotive they are targeted by two of Snyder's Corners' wealthy collectors who will do anything, legal or otherwise, to obtain this valuable addition to their collection. If they can't buy it then maybe they will have to kill for it.

Railroad (Double) Crossing is an inside look at the toy train hobby and the collectors who make up a large group of those involved in it. If you thought toy trains were just kid's toys, think again.