Christmas time means train time!

[giantsnation]

Just dusted off my fathers 1958 Lionel Texas Special 210. Still runs!

[tecollins1]

That's one thing I miss when I was 5.
My grandfather would always have a train that was on a platform that did laps around the bottom of the Christmas tree.


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[giantsnation]

Now that i have son (5 months old!) we can enjoy it together. I was going to put it under the tree but was nervous about fires and stuff.

[rmass09]

I loved the train I had when I was little, the biggest issue was finding D batteries to run the lights in the passenger cars. That and I had a habit of running it full speed so it'd derail on the corners

[Sunline Fan]

I'm glad to see there's some train enthusiasts around here! I've never been really into it, but it has been a special part of Christmas for a while, and I did play with them a lot more when I was younger. I had/have a train board in the basement (though it's stored in the ceiling now to save space), and I used to put the big plastic thing around the tree, but eventually I just went Lionel. A couple years I did it up big, with switches and everything. You should be OK on carpet with O gauge track- the O-27 is a little dangerous and difficult on thick carpet. I finally bit the bullet and got some of the new style track though, which is completely sealed with plastic.

I've got quite a bit of newer stuff (as in from my lifetime), but I have a lot of postwar too. The postwar is really my favorite- everything is heavy duty and high quality. I've got my dad and uncle's trains from when they were kids (circa 1956/57) and they are in great shape even after kids played with them. I can only hope mine are as good in 50 years.

Here's my newer Polar Express set around the tree last year. I can certainly run the postwar on this track, but I usually leave the newer ones down on the floor during the Christmas season in case they get kicked (it's easier to get parts for those).

[kfr291]

guys, i have been having a crap few days, this made me smile... i love christmas trains... mine hs not been out in a few years. i forget how old the one my father gave is, but my grandfather gave it to him and he then repainted it.... although i do not like the newer trains as much, i still run trains that were made mostly pre 1995

[kfr291]

does any one do train spotting.... actually going to the tracks and watching trains go through?

[obermd]

Now that i have son (5 months old!) we can enjoy it together. I was going to put it under the tree but was nervous about fires and stuff.

Put the tree in the playpen.

[Jim Frye]

I have a mixed bag of O stuff under the tree for the grandkids to play with. I have an MTH Proto 2 steam engine (better sounds and smoke), but the train is made up of my old 1950s operating cars and a caboose from a 1976 centenial set. Track is an oval of FastTrack for reliability and ceanliness. I don't worry about breakage, it's easy to get parts even for the operating milk car (a kid favorite).

[Hatje]

does any one do train spotting.... actually going to the tracks and watching trains go through?

Please do not do this. We as engineers cannot stand it


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