What is the catalog?

The catalog is the shared library of manufacturers' products that everything else is built on. Each catalog entry — called a Scale Model — is the canonical record of one product, like "Lionel 6-18000 NYC J3a Hudson," with its specs, photos, MSRP, and release info.

The catalog is public and shared: there's one record per product, used by the whole community.

Why it matters to you

When you add something to your collection, you're creating your copy (a Piece) of a catalog Scale Model. That way the shared facts stay consistent for everyone, while your personal details — price paid, condition, notes — stay yours.

You can browse the catalog, filter by manufacturer, type, and year, and add any model to your collection with one click.

Learn the distinction in What's the difference between a Piece and a Scale Model?, and if something's missing see The model I own isn't in the catalog. What do I do?