Extremely tiny trains (1:900 scale), made in South Dakota. Don't know how they are powered, nor if they actually run on rails, but interesting. One layout is built in an eyeglass case. Pretty expensive for the gift shop, more for the man who has everything.

http://www.tiny-trains.com/

Did you see the blaitently inaccurate re-weigh date on the box car. For that price, I expect accuracy.

Tom Cornillie

If you select the info page, it tells you the following:

`How do they run? A ladder rack plastic belt is pulled through the center of hollow square channel track by sprocket-drive motors. Attached to the drive belt is a copper tab that rides in a slit in the top center of the track. The locomotive sits on top of the copper tab and pulls other locomotives and train cars behind it. The train is kept on top of the track by clear plastic guard rails. Now the preferred method is Train Permanently Attached in which the entire train (all cars) are permanently attached to a long flexible acetate tab which is in turn attached to the drive belt inside the track; Guard rails are not installed.'

The lantern idea is really nice, as seen at the bottom of the gallery and shop pages. If you really want to mess with your collector friends, you place it in the middle of your other lanters and lewt it run to see if they notice. :<)

Regards,

Rich C.