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[Ryan Lantzy]

Who else likes model trains?

These new ones with the sound and life-like control are pretty amazing.  When Christmas rolls around I always get nostalgic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v0opcV1zpw&feature=playe r_detailpage#t=18s

[Bob Leonard]

Trains have always been a passion of mine. Currently they're all boxed but the collection of "N" and "HO" gauge rolling stock is pretty extensive and pretty detailed.

In years past my layouts have been pretty huge, one the equal of 8ea. 4x8 sheets running 10, 12 engines at a time using sectional control. In other words, the track is broken into insulated sections which can be controlled or powered by any of a number of "engineers" depending on whose train is on the track, but never more than one at a time.

All of that went out the window over the past 10 years as frequency controlled engines became common. Any number of engines can be on the same section of track running in any direction doing just about anything with sound, lighting, etc., because the engines are receiving a signal specific to itself through the track. That was why I pulled down the layout. I intended to rebuild and never got to it. Some day maybe.

[Scott Smith]

As a kid, I played with the large 50's Lionel "O" sized trains.  Had numerous sets that filled a 4' tall crate, very extensive sets with lots of moving parts, cities and billboards, and extremely heavy locomotives!  They are fond memories!  It was sold for cheap when we grew older and moved to Florida.  

But I also remember having more fun short-circuiting wires and melting them with massive antique transformers like one pictured below...

[Lee Brenkman]

My father always wanted a train set as a child but, being the eighth of nine children and the next to youngest boy, he never got one.

My mom heard that from one of his sisters and for their first Christmas after they were married got him a pretty extensive American Flyer setup with a 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotive

As the "only boy" in my family I got to play with it but it was always officially "Dad's train set"

On an audio note, a friend of mine and a former co-worker at the sound company that eventually became ClearCom s had a fun and lucrative side line for several years.

Neil Young has a BIG train layout and was not happy with the generic sounds they produced.  

Bruce was in charge of recording and preparing the sounds of the REAL locomotives in the rig and now when Neil's "Coast Starlight" steam engine is running you hear the sounds of the original rolling stock.

[Ryan Lantzy]

Scott Smith wrote on Tue, 07 December 2010 13:39

As a kid, I played with the large 50's Lionel "O" sized trains.  Had numerous sets that filled a 4' tall crate, very extensive sets with lots of moving parts, cities and billboards, and extremely heavy locomotives!  They are fond memories!  It was sold for cheap when we grew older and moved to Florida.   But I also remember having more fun short-circuiting wires and melting them with massive antique transformers like one pictured below...

A ZW... nice.

[Mac Kerr]

Scott Smith wrote on Tue, 07 December 2010 13:39

As a kid, I played with the large 50's Lionel "O" sized trains.  Had numerous sets that filled a 4' tall crate, very extensive sets with lots of moving parts, cities and billboards, and extremely heavy locomotives!  They are fond memories!  It was sold for cheap when we grew older and moved to Florida.   But I also remember having more fun short-circuiting wires and melting them with massive antique transformers like one pictured below...

I still have that set. It was never extensive, but I have every part I ever had. I lusted after that transformer, I have the slightly smaller single lever version. Sadly, I haven't had it out in many years.

I think my Sante Fe locomotive and tender was $65 in the early '50s

Mac

[Ryan Lantzy]

Lee Brenkman wrote on Tue, 07 December 2010 14:11

My father always wanted a train set as a child but, being the eighth of nine children and the next to youngest boy, he never got one. My mom heard that from one of his sisters and for their first Christmas after they were married got him a pretty extensive American Flyer setup with a 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotive As the "only boy" in my family I got to play with it but it was always officially "Dad's train set"

I mostly had HO stuff when I was young.  In the late 70's and early 80's it was cheap and it's what most department stores started to carry.  My dad grew up with Flyer stuff and would not touch Lionel out of respect.  I never got to see or touch any of that though because all of his Flyer stuff was sold off by a family member which still remains a sore spot with him to this day.

My uncle on my Mom's side had (still has I think) an extensive American Flyer collection.  I always liked them more because they were pretty rugged, had scale proportions, and their patented "chuff" sound was much better than anyone else's (at the time).

Later on after college I purchased some used Flyer stuff from ebay.  Most of what I have still runs but not terribly well.  Seeing as most of what I have was built between 1947 and 1952 that's no surprise.  I haven't worked up the guts to rebuild the motors or put DC can motor conversions in them to make them run like new again.  Someday maybe.

Quote:

On an audio note, a friend of mine and a former co-worker at the sound company that eventually became ClearCom s had a fun and lucrative side line for several years. Neil Young has a BIG train layout and was not happy with the generic sounds they produced.   Bruce was in charge of recording and preparing the sounds of the REAL locomotives in the rig and now when Neil's "Coast Starlight" steam engine is running you hear the sounds of the original rolling stock.

That is pretty cool indeed.  Lee, not sure if you've seen or heard the new MTH O scale stuff with built in sounds and prototypical control.  If you haven't stay away.  It's addictive.  If you like trains at all, you'll want to buy a boat load of them and they ain't cheap.

That said, they are probably one of the most amazing models/toys I've ever laid eyes (or ears) on, they are made well, and will probably last just as long as their Lionel counterparts and become a family heirloom.

[Milt Hathaway]

I got my grandfather's Lionel 0-27 gauge set when I was little. Unfortunately, I treated it as poorly as any small child might, so now it's not really worth much.

Watching this video makes me feel like that little child, however: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN_oDdGmKyA

[Dick Rees]

I can't even remember the brand name of the "other" electric train set I had as a kid.  It had just two rails instead of 3, very detailed rolling stock and some oil that you added to the stack to get "smoke"...smelled like a fogger.

There were three of us in town who had the same brand and we'd box our stuff up, get together at one house or another and combine all our stuff to make a bigger layout.

Fun.

PS

Google reminds me that mine was an American Flyer.



The transformer on mine had a single lever.  Lift it to disengage, press it down into the contacts to engage.  Rotate to vary the speed.  Cool.

[Lee Brenkman]

Dick Rees wrote on Tue, 07 December 2010 13:47

and some oil that you added to the stack to get "smoke"...smelled like a fogger. Google reminds me that mine was an American Flyer.

My dad, a pharmacist, figured out pretty quickly how to formulate his own oil to put in the stack of his American Flyer that smoked better and did not smell as bad.

Cheaper, too.

I try to honor his memory by as much DIY as I'm capable of and "finding cheaper solutions" to things