Project Roar Publishing

11/06/2025

🎉 ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! made its debut—and what an incredible journey it's been!

What made this milestone even more special: our book was released in conjunction with Lionel's 125th Anniversary—a true testament to the profound impact these magical trains have had on American culture and generations of families.

Over the past year, this labor of love has earned 12 prestigious awards in American History, Pop Culture & Design, with ★ starred reviews from Kirkus and BlueInk, and rave reviews from the Train Collectors Association and Lionel Collectors Club of America.

To celebrate this milestone, I'm thrilled to share the OFFICIAL TRAILER launching TODAY! 🎬

This 224-page hardcover photo history captures how Lionel trains shaped Americana, family traditions, and U.S. pop culture—featuring 220+ rare vintage photographs, 100 photo essays, and seldom-seen celebrity photos.

HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO:
- Roger Carp, Ph.D. — Thank you for creating such a beautiful, meaningful book that honors the magic of Lionel trains and their place in American history
- My wife Laura and our family — Your endless support, love, and patience made this journey possible
- My father — His vision and unwavering support brought Project Roar Publishing to life. I am honored to continue this legacy in your memory
- To everyone who contributed to this project — This book represents a community united by nostalgia, passion, and shared memories
- The train collecting community — For keeping these magical trains alive and passing the wonder to new generations

Thank you to every reader, collector, and train enthusiast who has supported this journey. Here's to many more years of celebrating America's most iconic toy and the magic that connects us all! 🚂

📚 Get your copy:
• Project Roar: www.projectroar.com
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1933600071

🎥 Watch the full trailer: https://youtu.be/HP4MJZ-mDQQ

10/27/2025

🚂 Wrapping up another fantastic weekend at the TCA York Train Show! 🎉

Here are two of Project Roar Publishing’s award-winning authors (three if you count me! 😉):

📘 Roger Carp – 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢, 𝘓𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴! (12-time award winner)
📗 Robert J. Osterhoff – 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘍𝘶𝘯 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 (10-time award winner)

I was giving Bob a hard time that Roger’s new book pulled ahead in the awards race (12 vs. 10) — so it looks like he’ll need to write another book for Project Roar to catch up! 😄 Meanwhile, my 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭’𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘖𝘶𝘵𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 1960–1969 has “only” three awards… clearly, I have some work to do!

All kidding aside, these two have done an incredible job preserving and celebrating the history and magic of Lionel® Trains — and inspiring the next generation to keep the tradition alive.

Roger, Bob, and I truly enjoyed meeting everyone, chatting trains, and signing books all weekend long. That’s what TCA York is really about — friends, stories, trains, and keeping the hobby rolling strong.

👉 Explore our award-winning books at www.projectroar.com

10/23/2025

📍 Live from the TCA York Train Show – Orange Hall, Booth J6–J9! 🚂

You never know who’ll stop by at the world’s biggest train show! Today was a publishing powerhouse moment — four legends of train journalism and book publishing under one roof!

📸 From left to right: Kent Johnson and Roger Carp from Firecrown Media, Alan Miller from O Gauge Railroading Magazine, and John Schmid from Project Roar Publishing.

It’s an honor to share stories, memories, and our shared passion for preserving the magic and history of Lionel® Trains.

👉 Stop by Project Roar Publishing’s booth (Orange Hall, J6–J9) to meet Roger Carp, get your copy of his award-winning book “Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains!” signed, and chat all things trains, books, and collecting.

🎃 Plus — Halloween candy for everyone who visits!

10/22/2025

🎉 Meet Roger Carp & Celebrate Lionel History! 🎉

We’re thrilled to announce that Roger Carp — author of the 12-time award-winning book “Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! A Photo History of an American Icon” — will be signing books at the TCA York Train Show this Thursday through Saturday!

📍 Find us at Project Roar Publishing’s Booth J6-J9 in the Orange Hall

Stop by to:
🚂 Meet Roger in person (I told him he looks like Michael Phelps with all those medals! 🥇🥈)
📘 Get your autographed copy of Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! — the definitive photo history of America’s favorite model train brand
💬 Chat all things Lionel and share stories with fellow collectors
🍬 Grab some Halloween candy and celebrate with us!

This is a rare opportunity to meet one of the most respected historians in the Lionel world — and to pick up an award-winning book that’s already become a collector’s favorite.

See you in York!
— John Schmid, Project Roar Publishing
www.projectroar.com

10/22/2025

🎉 Meet Roger Carp & Celebrate Lionel History! 🎉

We’re thrilled to announce that Roger Carp — author of the 12-time award-winning book “Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! A Photo History of an American Icon” — will be signing books at the TCA York Train Show this Thursday through Saturday!

📍 Find us at Project Roar Publishing’s Booth J6-J9 in the Orange Hall at York Fairgrounds.

Stop by to:
🚂 Meet Roger in person (I told him he looks like Michael Phelps with all those medals! 🥇🥈)
📘 Get your autographed copy of Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! — the definitive photo history of America’s favorite model train brand
💬 Chat all things Lionel and share stories with fellow collectors
🍬 Grab some Halloween candy and celebrate with us!

This is a rare opportunity to meet one of the most respected historians in the Lionel world — and to pick up an award-winning book that’s already become a collector’s favorite.

See you in York!
— John Schmid, Project Roar Publishing
www.projectroar.com

07/14/2025

We’re honored to share that 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨, 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙖, 𝙇𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨! has been selected as a recommended summer read by the 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙪𝙠𝙚𝙚 𝙅𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙡 for 2025. 🏖️

Looking for a captivating summer read? 🌞📚 Dive into the golden age of Lionel trains with Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains!, featuring over 200 rare and nostalgic photographs, behind-the-scenes stories, and rich history that bring this American icon to life. 🚂🌴📖

Thank you to the 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙪𝙠𝙚𝙚 𝙅𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙡 for recognizing our work and to all the readers and train enthusiasts who share our passion for preserving the history and magic of Lionel trains. What's on your summer reading list?

06/28/2025

Sharing an amazing experience at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference & Exhibition 2025 in Philly! 📚🚂 Honored to present my 12-time award and finalist-winning book, “Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains!” and connect with so many enthusiastic librarians. The feedback has been phenomenal—librarians are excited to add it to their collections for American history and pop culture. Already in multiple libraries, and the journey continues!
Make sure to ask your local library to add our book!

06/28/2025

Having a fantastic time at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference & Exhibition 2025 in Philadelphia! 📚✨ I’m excited to share my 12-time award and finalist-winning book, “Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains!” with librarians from all over the country.

I’ve really enjoyed talking with so many passionate librarians and have been receiving phenomenal feedback about adding it to their collections for American history and pop culture.

Our book is already in multiple libraries—and many more to come! Grateful for all the support as we celebrate the legacy of Lionel trains together. 🚂

Make sure you go to your local library and request our book to be added!

06/07/2025

We are beyond excited to share that Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! has won the 2025 IPPY Silver Medal for Best Popular Culture Book! 🏅🚂

This incredible honor from the Independent Publisher Book Awards is a tribute to the passion of train lovers everywhere and the amazing work by Roger Carp and Project Roar Publishing.

Father’s Day is coming up — this award-winning book makes the perfect gift for dads, grandpas, collectors, and anyone who cherishes American nostalgia.

Join the celebration!
👉 Share your favorite train memory in the comments
👉 Tag a friend who would love this book
👉 Order your copy now at www.projectroar.com

Thank you for being part of this journey. We’re already working on the next book!

     - 100 stunning photo essays capturing an American icon’s essence, bringing cherished memories to life for collectors and enthusiasts

05/28/2025

HUGE NEWS! We're absolutely thrilled to announce that 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨, 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙖, 𝙇𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨! has been honored with THREE prestigious IBPA Silver Book Awards! 🏆🏆🏆 This incredible recognition from the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in the categories of 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 (𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻), 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸, and 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 is a true testament to the amazing work of author Roger Carp, Lisa Schroeder, Project Roar Publishing and all the individuals who helped with the book.

Out of more than 1,800 submissions across all categories, 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨, 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙖, 𝙇𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨! stood out, and we couldn't be prouder. This book is a stunning journey through American nostalgia, showcasing how Lionel trains are woven into the fabric of American History, appearing in holiday traditions, department store windows, Hollywood films, and connecting generations through wonder, creativity, and play.

A big thank you to the IBPA for this honor!

Looking for the perfect Father's Day gift? Look no further! 🎁 Give the gift of history and cherished memories. Learn more and get your copy at www.projectroar.com.

We'd love to hear from you! How did Lionel Trains make an impact on your life or that of your family? Share your story in the comments below! 👇


Carp

04/23/2025

🚂 What an exciting day at the TCA Museum in Strasburg, PA! Lionel historian Roger Carp and John Schmid of Project Roar Publishing signed copies of Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! 🎉 We also shared our full collection of Lionel history books. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat, browse, and get their books signed! 📚✨

04/23/2025

🚂 Live from the TCA Museum in Strasburg, PA! 🚂

Today is a special day for Lionel train enthusiasts and book lovers alike! We’re thrilled to be here at the historic TCA Museum in Strasburg, PA, surrounded by incredible Lionel memorabilia and passionate collectors.

📚 Join Roger Carp, renowned Lionel historian and author, and John Schmid of Project Roar Publishing as they sign copies of Roger’s groundbreaking new release, Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! — a must-have for anyone fascinated by Lionel’s pop culture legacy.

Alongside the new book, we’re also featuring our entire collection of Project Roar Publishing titles—deep dives into Lionel’s postwar operating cars, promotional outfits, and manufacturing history.

Whether you’re here to browse, chat, or get your books signed, the TCA Museum is the perfect place to celebrate the magic and history of Lionel trains.

📸 Swipe through to see:
➡️ The iconic entrance to the TCA Library, a treasure trove for train historians
➡️ Roger and John sharing stories and signing books
➡️ Close-up shots of Roger personally autographing copies of Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains!

Don’t miss your chance to add these authoritative guides to your personal collection. Stop by today and connect with fellow enthusiasts!