Yikes! This aggressive-looking machine is patented under the name “Lightning” and is cold to the touch.  Because it’s made from cast iron, when you lift it, its weight drags your whole body down and turns your arm to pudding. It has four gears; each is a different size, and each is necessary. When activated, these…

Every child in America has probably played with a toy train at some point. But why do toy trains hold such sway over our imaginations? Miniature trains were first created as models to accompany proposals for new rail systems as the world entered the industrial revolution. As trains became more and more common, so did…