Model trains Reply #15 – December 30, 2006, 08:43:19 AM My grandfather was an engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad and retired from Amtrak in 1987. He was in the railroad for over 40 years so me into trains, you bet. He had an HO layout in the basp00get that he always let me play on but that was all put away shortly after his death in 1994. He built me a small platform in '92 that had a circle track for an HO set. Over the past 10 years, we've put our tree on top of the platform at Christmas. Due to the small size of the platform I could only put a couple HO sized buildings on it. I removed the HO track and put down N scale stuff a few years back. So every year, I build a small town under our tree. I usually have all the buildings lit but didn't have time to do it this year. I'll get some pics of it tonight. Quote Selected
Model trains Reply #16 – December 30, 2006, 03:44:02 PM Quote from: Cougars 2 go;120742I used to have "O" when I was real young but around the age of 10, traded the "O" stuff in for HO. They all have their pros and cons. I like how HO can be the most realistic with regard to track radius, train car and accessory proportions while still staying at a manageable size.N-scale makes it even easier to replicate the gentle slopes and track radius but gets too small for component proportions (wires, trucks, wheels, handrails, etc). My father is getting into the outdoor stuff because he says it's easy to see., I haven't touched my stuff in 10 years, the layout is currently in my basp00get in three sections, and the trains are all boxed up. The reason I haven't put the layout up is because I will probably be moving within a year or two.They both have their pros and cons. The thing that bugs me about "O" guage is that it needs a lot of space to look cool. I need a huge house to build a decent size layout. It is fun to shoot milk cans out of a Lionel milk car though, as long as the cans don't hit the track and cause a short:grinno: "O" guage trains are pretty tough though. I have some of my dad's Lionel trains from the 1950s and they run like new. The new Lionel stuff is fun though because of all the electronic sound stuff but the 50 year old ones keep on running. Quote Selected
Model trains Reply #17 – December 30, 2006, 04:38:43 PM My uncle had his whole basp00get set up with a panorama of tracks, trains, hills, rivers, etc... On the walls he had lanterns, mail bag post hangers, etc... and on the shelves, all his extra trains, cars, etc... Buckets of rail spikes in the corner, and all sorts of stuff. As a little kid, I was fascinated, but I only had a basic set. Lotsa money to get going these days, something I wish I had. He died, and all of his stuff is gone, with no clue where it all went. Quote Selected
Model trains Reply #18 – December 30, 2006, 04:59:34 PM my father-in-law had a complete collection of those big lionel trains.... maybe 40 engines and a hundred or so cars and cabooses..... that was until his garage burned to the ground...... lost EVERYTHING but the 3 trains he had in the house Quote Selected
Model trains Reply #19 – December 30, 2006, 10:26:42 PM Oops---missed the daylight, definitely not the "J". I saw the 611 in Sterling Illinois in 1983--a trip from Chicago to Sterling. I heard it was retired again, back in the museum. I wonder if the accident with the Norfolk employee trip a decade or so back had anything to do with it. Would like to see the Daylight--but you probably have to go to CA to see it. I see you have a rotating aircraft beacon tower. Flyer made one which was driven by bulb heat--not powered. I have yet to get one despite seeing it on a friends layout in 1962. You also have a Lionel Passenger platform which I have as well. EBAY is a jewel for Flyer fans. The UP has been touring with their large 3985. I assume it is still active --at least in the west since I believe it winters in UP Wyoming shops--I think. Quote Selected
Model trains Reply #20 – December 31, 2006, 11:45:12 AM PS--for model train buffs/wannabees looking for bargains--try EBAY and/or model train shows---O Gauge and HO stuff can be found there very reasonably priced from what I have seen--lots of choices. Yeah, O and G scale is tough for someone with limited space. The months after Christmas and of course summer are pretty good times to find bargains. This site is new as the former sponsor of these travelling shows went out of business. I trust this link works:http://gte.ciadvt.com/ Quote Selected
Model trains Reply #21 – December 31, 2006, 12:15:26 PM Quote from: tbirdscott;120509How big id O scale anyway? bigger or smaller than HO?Don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but "HO" stands for "Half O". There's a program on model trains that airs on History International on occasion, where they mentioned that.When I was a kid, I think we had an O27 layout. Later on and a couple houses after that we started messing around with HO because the O stuff takes up too much space. (keep in mind, we don't have basp00gets down here in much of Florida, because we're too close to the water table.. so we have even less extra space in many houses than you all do up north)Right now I have a 4x8' HO layout stored in the shed, as well as a 4x4' N gauge layout.. but I have no place to set them up and use them. As much as my visit to the Illinois Railway Museum (if you're into trains, I STRONGLY suggest you go there) in early October got me fired up about trains again, I have to settle for Sid Meier's Railroads or Chris Sawyer's Locomotion for my train fix. (I'd load MS Rail Simulator again, but it's a pain in the ass to work with)Someday, if and when I get into a bigger house, (or inherit this house and expand it) I'll probably set up a large HO layout and do the Tropicana Juice Train. (although I don't know if I'd use the white or orange cars) Quote Selected
Model trains Reply #22 – December 31, 2006, 01:29:30 PM Quote from: JKATHRE;120851Oops---missed the daylight, definitely not the "J". I saw the 611 in Sterling Illinois in 1983--a trip from Chicago to Sterling. I heard it was retired again, back in the museum. I wonder if the accident with the Norfolk employee trip a decade or so back had anything to do with it. Would like to see the Daylight--but you probably have to go to CA to see it. I see you have a rotating aircraft beacon tower. Flyer made one which was driven by bulb heat--not powered. I have yet to get one despite seeing it on a friends layout in 1962. You also have a Lionel Passenger platform which I have as well. EBAY is a jewel for Flyer fans. The UP has been touring with their large 3985. I assume it is still active --at least in the west since I believe it winters in UP Wyoming shops--I think.I actually got to go in the cab of UP 844 whan I was about 11 years old. It came through Chicago and my dad took me to see it. UP 844 is a 4-8-4 Northern that UP runs in addition to 3985.I think Lionel re issued that American Flyer beacon a few years ago. I'd have to check the catalogues I have.QuoteAs much as my visit to the Illinois Railway Museum (if you're into trains, I STRONGLY suggest you go there) in early October got me fired up about trains again,I live about an hour away from there. We used to go twice a year when I was a kid but I haven't been there in 7 or 8 years. I used to love to go around my birthday in July because they always brought the Burlington Zephyr at that time for rides. The train looked cool as it was all stainless steal and it was fun to ride. I have to get back there this year. Quote Selected
Model trains Reply #23 – December 31, 2006, 08:10:42 PM Just went to Union this past summer--first time in about 8 years. They had a new concession bldg with this old railroad type diner attached to it. I took a bunch of pictures. Also ---speaking of the Norfolk Southern--here is their Christmas Greeting:http://www.nscorp.com/nscorphtml/holiday/ Quote Selected
Model trains Reply #24 – January 03, 2007, 12:56:50 AM Wow!,I'm a great trains fan, and a model train as well, I received My first model train (HO) at 5 or 6 years old, just an oval layout with a F7 engine (CN engine) and reefer, and another wagon, plus a box car...Since this My parents purchased to Me a lot of wagons, engines and tracks, I already have all of this, electric rail switcher, some road and tracks light, around 2-300 feet of flex track, curves, ect...Last year I purchased on ebay approx 300$ of HO stuff, I'll keep in a safe place all of this stuff, and one of these Days, I'll clear a place in My basp00get and I'll build a GREAT setup...I like to do My own paysage and buildings in the winter, this is relax to do it, and fun to see once it done, but never really done... Quote Selected
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