Model Trains Anyone?

[Apoc]

I had a generic set when I was growing up that my family always put under the Christmas tree. I also had my dad's original Lionel trains that I traded in high school... well, let's just say I regret that act to this day. Now that I have a kid, I'm thinking I want to get into it. I can't see myself being one of those guys, but I wouldn't mind a really nice set we set up from to time... especially around the holidays.

Anyone else? I feel like is something a few of you know a lot about and you haven't had a chance to talk trains unail that one time it got you laid.

[JustinG]

I used to love em, I never had anything crazy, just a few Toys R Us sets when I was growing up. I wanted to go deeper into it but man, the nice stuff is so $$$. The nicest I had was a Lionel set from Toys R Us, but I honestly don't remember much about it. I am fascinated by the 2-3 little setups they do here at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden during the holidays.

I really want to get a nice one for under our tree during Christmas.

[davej]

yeah, they pretty cool. I can't see myself going full Rev. Lovejoy with a set, but I had picked up a small Lionel Thomas set for the kids, didn't last long though. My grandpa has boxes full of Lionel stuff in the attic, I remember my brother and I begging to get them out when we were like 7-8 and he just said 'no way' He already knew what I had to learn, kids are the reason why we can't have nice things.

[Goodspeed]

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[ScottyB]

i was WAY into it as a kid and it was a huge bonding thing i had with my grandpa. he'd take me to a train store in philly ever summer and let me get a bunch of stuff and helped me build it. i had a 4x8 HO layout on some sawhorses, built some really detailed scenery, wired the whole thing up for lighting. i even airbrushed all my cars/engines to look weathered. i worked on that for about 10 years and put it away when i went to college. i'll have to scan some photos of it in some time.

just got it all out my parents basement in July after a long hibernation and have started to introduce them again to my son. just basic track laid out on the living room floor. he loves it (but i've been supergluing a LOT of cars back together because he hasn't figured out how fragile they are yet :lol: ) and i'm hoping that means i can dive into another layout build again soon with him...i just have no idea where i'm going to put it. i'm not willing to get rid of all my cool old stuff and start over to go N scale although that would be the smart thing to do.

i also have an old Lionel set from the 50's that my grandpa handed down. it will become our Christmas tree train. its awesome, super heavy and smells like an old electric motor.

[Mike]

My dad has a bunch somewhere (mostly HO, but some N). Loved them as a kid, but I don't see being too interested as an adult - take up so much damned space that I don't have and don't want to have. There's a train club here (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mthoodmodelengineers.org/index.html">http://www.mthoodmodelengineers.org/index.html</a><!-- m -->) that has an open house a few times a year. I stopped in this year and it was pretty amazeballs. Chris, you'll have to schedule a visit next time they open their doors. Below is a fraction of their setup. Yes, the turntable is functional. They actually play games where everyone has their trains on the system and cargo needs to move all over the place. Switches, waiting, planning... It's pretty nuts. There was a serious odor of BO.



Looks like another group in town has a show coming up: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.columbiagorgemodelrailroadclub.com/show/">http://www.columbiagorgemodelrailroadclub.com/show/</a><!-- m -->

[Apoc]

I ended up getting my kid an O guage starter set from Lionel. More track is definitely in order, but I was moderately impressed at the weight of the engine given it was $150 for the set. We accidentally kicked the thing off the track a few times with no damage, so hopefully it survives a toddler.

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There's a model railroad show here this weekend, so I may take the kid to go check it out.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/model-railroad-weekend/">https://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/mo ... d-weekend/</a><!-- m -->