Train under the Christmas tree

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When I lived at home my father always had a train under the tree for his three boys. Through the late 50's and 60's our Lionel O Gauge train was always one of our favorite toys to couple with our army men and our Lincoln Logs. We played with the trains all year long.
I had four boys and two girls and we always had trains. Now I have three grandsons and two grandaughters and I still have my trains under my tree and I have given my children trains that they played with for under their trees for their children. The tradition continues. Not Christmas unless the trains are running.
 
maz72 said:
When I lived at home my father always had a train under the tree for his three boys. Through the late 50's and 60's our Lionel O Gauge train was always one of our favorite toys to couple with our army men and our Lincoln Logs. We played with the trains all year long.
I had four boys and two girls and we always had trains. Now I have three grandsons and two grandaughters and I still have my trains under my tree and I have given my children trains that they played with for under their trees for their children. The tradition continues. Not Christmas unless the trains are running.
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That is awesome to hear.. any pics of the trains under the trees? from any of the generations you mentioned? glad your family is keeping that tradition alive
 
My parents would never let us have one, but my uncle did. He was a big model railroader, and a full blown foamer. He's the reason I ride the rails for a living now, Amanda and I are starting the tradition this year with our kids now that they're old enough. It's not set up yet, but I'm working on it. Below is a pic of our 844 steamer at work, I got to pilot it a few weeks back. I got lucky, my wife pulled the kids out of school and grabbed the camrea and they came to watch us drag out.
 

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We used to have like a 4x4 piece of plywood and were able to get 2 HO scale trains around the tree. I still have ALL my HO trains and since my car part hoarding took over the basement I had to put the trains in storage. I am still and avid railfanner.

Ranidart,the Alco PA-1 was definetly a great locomotive in it's day.
 
Funny you ask about this because we put our first train track under the tree this year. My four year old son is a train/Thomas fanatic and he found a battery powered Thomas Christmas set (Kohl's half off toy sale and my wife had a 30% off coupon... wadda think that trip cost me?). It's pretty cool and we'll probably put this up every year even when it embarrasses him! I'll take a pic when I find out where Thomas has been carted off to.
 
Loving the responses and looking forward to pics.. Cross Thread72, thats bad *** getting to work a true piece of history like that.. UP is the last big railroad left in America that still keeps Steam on the active roster are they not?
 
cross_thread72 said:
My parents would never let us have one, but my uncle did. He was a big model railroader, and a full blown foamer. He's the reason I ride the rails for a living now, Amanda and I are starting the tradition this year with our kids now that they're old enough. It's not set up yet, but I'm working on it. Below is a pic of our 844 steamer at work, I got to pilot it a few weeks back. I got lucky, my wife pulled the kids out of school and grabbed the camrea and they came to watch us drag out.
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Great pic of 844! Pure coincendence, but interesting that 844 is 4-8-4 configuration.
Here's a quick link to some 844 info: http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/steam/locomotives/844.shtml

Gotta say I love the sound of a steam whistle - gives me goose bumps.
Thanks for posting the pic - I'm jealous of what you get to do for "work".
 
My dad bought me a train for Christmas way back in the 50's. When i was young, we never had it set up under the tree though. Occasioanlly I would set it up in the basement on the tiled floor, play with it for awhile, then carefully put it back in the box. And there it sat, stashed away in the basement for many years.

Much later, when I grew up and had 2 boys, I started putting the same train up under our tree. Year after year. Nothing elaborate, just a simple oval. My original track wasn't in the best of shape and there was not a lot of it, so I bought some Lionel track (same gauge) and used that to make the "layout" bigger.

My dad passed away a few years ago but one year he was visiting at Christmas and told me the rest of the story. One year he went to Sears and bought this Marx train at Sears on layaway. He'd stop in every week and make payments until it was paid for. I grew up in a family of 5 kids and mom didn't work back then so I'm sure they had to be careful with money. I had two younger brothers and now I'm wondering if it was really mine? Probably so, because he also bought me an eractor set and a Gilbert chemistry set for other Christmas's and those were definitely mine.

We still set it up under the tree. One year my younger son even did it before I got home from work. It still runs great and is a low mileage one owner beauty.

When my kids were young I went out and bought an "N" gauge set. Not just any old all-in-the-box set either. I tracked down the exact same cars that were in my original set only in the smaller "N" gauge. NY Central steam engine, Shell tanker, etc. We used to set that one up on a coffee table and the big one under the tree.
 
KosmicKuda said:
My dad bought me a train for Christmas way back in the 50's. When i was young, we never had it set up under the tree though. Occasioanlly I would set it up in the basement on the tiled floor, play with it for awhile, then carefully put it back in the box. And there it sat, stashed away in the basement for many years.

Much later, when I grew up and had 2 boys, I started putting the same train up under our tree. Year after year. Nothing elaborate, just a simple oval. My original track wasn't in the best of shape and there was not a lot of it, so I bought some Lionel track (same gauge) and used that to make the "layout" bigger.

My dad passed away a few years ago but one year he was visiting at Christmas and told me the rest of the story. One year he went to Sears and bought this Marx train at Sears on layaway. He'd stop in every week and make payments until it was paid for. I grew up in a family of 5 kids and mom didn't work back then so I'm sure they had to be careful with money. I had two younger brothers and now I'm wondering if it was really mine? Probably so, because he also bought me an eractor set and a Gilbert chemistry set for other Christmas's and those were definitely mine.

We still set it up under the tree. One year my younger son even did it before I got home from work. It still runs great and is a low mileage one owner beauty.

When my kids were young I went out and bought an "N" gauge set. Not just any old all-in-the-box set either. I tracked down the exact same cars that were in my original set only in the smaller "N" gauge. NY Central steam engine, Shell tanker, etc. We used to set that one up on a coffee table and the big one under the tree.
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Cool story, and glad the tradition is carried on in your home as well.. your lionel set from the 50's, whats the number on the side of the steam engine?
 
you guys are re-igniting my passion for model railroading and rail fanning.

its definately an old friend to me.....kinda iconic how in real life the rise of automobile in the 50s and 60s had a hand in the decline of rail travel interest into the 60s
In my own personal life the rise of my mopar hobby had a big hand in the decline of my rail interest. i was more into the model railroading before i had a drivers license and ability to drive, so after i started driving the model railroad was becomeing a tragic out grown friend and the rail fanning at the local union depot was becoming a fading ritual.
seeing this thread is really kicking up emotions of the once excitment i had for both the models and the rail watching

and i also find it sad how the world has changed, even as of ten years ago, older styled hobby shops were around, in colorado springs, Co it was a ritual to visit at least five different hobby shops.........and now it seems to be a rare sight ...almost a dead breed.......most of the older style shops are closed now and the only source is online or maybe a big survivor store in a big city like Denver, Co....there is stil "Caboose hobbies" on Broadway street if anyone is familiar with Denver. But it really makes you wonder how long the Rail hobby will last with way these kids are now and a slightly older generation like me giving up the hobby to move on to other hobbies.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane and Merry Christmas
 

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SpeedracerX said:
Loving the responses and looking forward to pics.. Cross Thread72, thats bad *** getting to work a true piece of history like that.. UP is the last big railroad left in America that still keeps Steam on the active roster are they not?
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It's not 100% active but the do display and tour with it a lot, you can track it on the web, www.upsteam.com
 
RaniDart70 said:
you guys are re-igniting my passion for model railroading and rail fanning.

its definately an old friend to me.....kinda iconic how in real life the rise of automobile in the 50s and 60s had a hand in the decline of rail travel interest into the 60s
In my own personal life the rise of my mopar hobby had a big hand in the decline of my rail interest. i was more into the model railroading before i had a drivers license and ability to drive, so after i started driving the model railroad was becomeing a tragic out grown friend and the rail fanning at the local union depot was becoming a fading ritual.
seeing this thread is really kicking up emotions of the once excitment i had for both the models and the rail watching

and i also find it sad how the world has changed, even as of ten years ago, older styled hobby shops were around, in colorado springs, Co it was a ritual to visit at least five different hobby shops.........and now it seems to be a rare sight ...almost a dead breed.......most of the older style shops are closed now and the only source is online or maybe a big survivor store in a big city like Denver, Co....there is stil "Caboose hobbies" on Broadway street if anyone is familiar with Denver. But it really makes you wonder how long the Rail hobby will last with way these kids are now and a slightly older generation like me giving up the hobby to move on to other hobbies.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane and Merry Christmas
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And Merry Christmas to you as well.. Glad my starting this thread was able to re-ignite these feelings in you.. for me, trains, whether Lionels or the real thing have always been important to me.. even though my collection has been packed away for several years now, hasnt taken away my interest.. I still routinely pick up toy train magazines and keep an eye on the hobby, I always search for train videos on youtube (mostly Pennsylvania railroad stuff, and steam, whether it be Pennsy, New York Central etc..) and I still stop in at my local train shop from time to time.. I agree with you though, I remember when I was younger that hobby shops were a big thing.. not just train shops, but actually full blown hobby shops.. now I couldnt tell you where the closest hobby shop is in relation to where I live.. they have all closed up. And thats truly unfortunate. It appears computers and video games have chased away kids needs to use their imaginations, and built, create or explore wonders through hobbies... and has left those of us who came from a time where imagination and 'playing' with trains, model rockets, or whatever looking for an outlet.. which as you pointed out, appears to mostly be found only online.. its truly sad... I hope this thread continues, roughly 26,000 members there has to be more trains at Christmas stories and pictures.. lets keep em coming gang...
 
SpeedracerX said:
And Merry Christmas to you as well.. Glad my starting this thread was able to re-ignite these feelings in you.. for me, trains, whether Lionels or the real thing have always been important to me.. even though my collection has been packed away for several years now, hasnt taken away my interest.. I still routinely pick up toy train magazines and keep an eye on the hobby, I always search for train videos on youtube (mostly Pennsylvania railroad stuff, and steam, whether it be Pennsy, New York Central etc..) and I still stop in at my local train shop from time to time.. I agree with you though, I remember when I was younger that hobby shops were a big thing.. not just train shops, but actually full blown hobby shops.. now I couldnt tell you where the closest hobby shop is in relation to where I live.. they have all closed up. And thats truly unfortunate. It appears computers and video games have chased away kids needs to use their imaginations, and built, create or explore wonders through hobbies... and has left those of us who came from a time where imagination and 'playing' with trains, model rockets, or whatever looking for an outlet.. which as you pointed out, appears to mostly be found only online.. its truly sad... I hope this thread continues, roughly 26,000 members there has to be more trains at Christmas stories and pictures.. lets keep em coming gang...
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those are very interesting roads......to me the most historically significant piece of archatechure in the whole united states of all time was the pennsylvania station ....the one they tore down in 1965.....before the hobby was over for me ...i had an ambition to model that staion as a grand project. over here the local stores didnt stock much of those roads bcoz im out here in the southwest where Santa-FE and Rio Grande ruled with a sprinkling of UP.....those eastern railroads were cooler IMO....ya have to love the crimson or hunter green pennsy schemes and unique stuff like the GG-1 electrics. LOL
 
RaniDart70 said:
those are very interesting roads......to me the most historically significant piece of archatechure in the whole united states of all time was the pennsylvania station ....the one they tore down in 1965.....before the hobby was over for me ...i had an ambition to model that staion as a grand project. over here the local stores didnt stock much of those roads bcoz im out here in the southwest where Santa-FE and Rio Grande ruled with a sprinkling of UP.....those eastern railroads were cooler IMO....ya have to love the crimson or hunter green pennsy schemes and unique stuff like the GG-1 electrics. LOL
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I agree... me, I always liked the Santa Fe, and the Rio Grande paint schemes and colors, but having been born in Pennsylvania, and lived either here or New York state most of my life, those were the roads that appealed to me the most.. especially the Pennsy... And I meant to add earlier, that though I did agree with you that the Alco PA-1 was a beautiful engine, my personal favorites in the early deisel days would be the F3's... followed closely by E8's.. something about the shape of those engines, and their noses... they were just bad ***.. the Santa Fe F3 with the war bonnet paint scheme.. truly awesome..
 
SpeedracerX said:
I agree... me, I always liked the Santa Fe, and the Rio Grande paint schemes and colors, but having been born in Pennsylvania, and lived either here or New York state most of my life, those were the roads that appealed to me the most.. especially the Pennsy... And I meant to add earlier, that though I did agree with you that the Alco PA-1 was a beautiful engine, my personal favorites in the early deisel days would be the F3's... followed closely by E8's.. something about the shape of those engines, and their noses... they were just bad ***.. the Santa Fe F3 with the war bonnet paint scheme.. truly awesome..
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Ahhh....love the Pennsy E-8's. I got a pic of these bad boys this past June running an excursion from D.C. to Harrisburg and return back.

Thanks for this thread Bill!
 

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j-miller said:
Ahhh....love the Pennsy E-8's. I got a pic of these bad boys this past June running an excursion from D.C. to Harrisburg and return back.

Thanks for this thread Bill!
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Your quite welcome.. .and thank you for participating in it.. This weekend I am gonna hunt for old Christmas layout pics to post.. we seem to have gone from toy trains under the tree, to real life trains (and I am not complaining at all LOL) .. still want to see more layout pics
 
hehehehe ...you guys are awesome .....yes the GM E and F series are cool you have to love the round nose and round portal windows.
the first train set i ever had was a Bachmann with a warbonet F9 ....i never had any E-series anything in model form i think the only difference between the Eand F series(at least what i noticed) is that the F-series are shorter with 4 wheels per truck and the E-series were bigger road engines with 6 wheels per truck.....

if this theory of difference holds true then the Alcos had the same product lines which makes sense as competitors

The PA series would be competiton for the GM E-series and FA series would be parralleled with the GM F-series.

i have always had a softer spot for the ALCO with its more stodgy nose and seemingly lower roof line

hehehehe as said before ...thanks for this thread

BTW my favorite road of all time is actually the Rock Island LOL
 

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The ultimate Christmas train of all time....the polar express .....i know its coming to pick me up this year to go see Santa.......no, im not joking either.

im keeping snow boots next to my bed and sleeping in an extra warm fleece underskirt so that when it shows up, i can jump up and go catch it.

No, i am not joking ....it will come for me ...i know it.... and when it does all you non-believers will be sorry . :toothy9::toothy9::toothy9::toothy9:
 

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Cool, one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs was called the "Rock Island Line" very cool stuff here. My dad has some old N gauge trains and when I was little he would set them up. I always liked the old Santa Fe train he had, small but lots of details. He had a bunch of other trains and cars, also buildings too. I used to play with them and use my Micro Machines to go along with them. Dad rarely took the set out but he still has it. Maybe this weekend if I get bored I will go over and dig it out and play with them :D
 
2 versions :prayer:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX1BPItDcDo"]Johnny Cash-Rock Island Line - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBeZPJ03lW0"]Johnny Cash - Rock Island Line - YouTube[/ame]
 
Another fav from the man in black, Wreck of ol 97...2 versions

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lza4Li_0o78"]Johnny Cash-Wreck of the Old 97 - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTme_J8re8M"]Johnny Cash - Wreck of the old 97 - Live at San Quentin - YouTube[/ame]
 
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03jwHrO7ubI"]casey jones by johnny cash - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAmrKeyeHKA"]Johnny Cash - Orange Blossom Special (San Quentin) - YouTube[/ame]
 
Keith, you just touched off a whole differant childhood memory for me LOL... as I have said, my dad is the one that started my love of all things railroad related, but he had thing for Johnny Cash's railroad music... all his train songs.. back in the early 70's Johnny even did tv promos for Lionel.. hearing that stuff again just brought back so many cool memories for me.. thanks dude...
 
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