'TIS THE SEASON FOR A ONCE AGAIN POST OF MY LIONEL ELECTRIC TRAIN LAYOUT

[walkin jack]

**Some might say I wasted a lot of money** I believe just the opposite. Nothing else you could possibly could have spent that money on would have brought you a fraction of the joy, satisfaction and fulfillment. It defined you as a man of patience, skill and commitment. I know the folks at Lionel would love to be aware of your layout...if they don't know about it already.

 

[chief38]

This post reminded me that my grandmother used to give me a pocket watch at least once a year. Being the inquisitive little monster I was, none survived once the back was removed with a butter knife. I feel bad about that now because she quit giving them to me.

I do have my wife's grandfathers fobs he used. He was a heavy equipment operator, and they are all brands of tractors. Pretty cool.

On another note, Chief 38 you could have had an indoor range and a small train setup up for what you had in that!

Believe me, if I did not live (back then) in the highly restrictive State of NY, I would have. Even BB guns outdoors are outlawed there! The fact that I actually had a CCW permit was amazing!

 

[chief38]

Thanks Chief for the memories!!
So THATS what happened to my cigar smoking Grandfathers pedestal ashtray from the lake house - it had lived alongside the identical leather chair (except in green leather) with the exact same butt depression in the cushion. I always looked forward to Christmas when I would trot down to the drugstore and buy the White Owl 5 packs to wrap for Grandpa for Christmas. And he always made it a point to tell everyone what I got him for Christmas. Mind you I had no trouble buying cigars between ages 8-15. They didn't card you then.
My Uncle was a Railroad Conductor on the Wabash Railroad. His pocket watch was handed down to my Father and then to me.

Ha - lol. My wife bought that for me when we built the cigar room.

 

[Dregg]

Awesome !! That's something you just don't see anymore. I stumbled across this video that I know you'll appreciate.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEHqovxT28Y[/ame]

 

[chief38]

Dregg, very cool! Back when I was in my 30's, 40's and 50's I went to visit many of the largest collections in the Country with my family and some of my train collector friends. That one I have not seen. Thanks for posting.

 

[chief38]

Thanks to all who watched my video! Thanks for the kind comments as well!!

Regards,
Chief38

 

[slickracer]

That is so cool. I spent many hours as a kid playing with Lionel O gauge trains. I keep thinking I should get them out of my parents attic and set them up.

 

[BillyMagg]

My Grandson's are "train nuts"

I recall seeing it but had to watch it again. Really impressive.

When I was a kid there was a friend of my dads who worked as a farm manager for a wealthy owner. The owner had an entire pole barn set up for his train collection / layout. He had a raised platform in the center with all of the controls. Once a year we would go down and Carl would let me run some of the trains. For a kid in the 60's who had a little oval track one engine, a cargo car and a caboose it was like dying and going to heaven.

My grandfather was a railroad engineer, and my dad got a job working for the same RR P/T. He took me down one day and I sat on his lap while he drove a diesel electric engine in the yard. I can still remember it to this day. I was about 5 years old.

Trains do not seem to be as popular today as they were at one time.

To be clear, they've been infected with the train bug by "Thomas the Train" and friends, now they have 2 different Mom's and two different Dad's,, but they are both "Choo Choo!" over trains! My wife had the small wooden Chinese train set at our house, now they've each got their own sets, and one's Dad has made him a storage shelf, and yes, they are serious... LOL