First Standard Gauge Christmas...

My adult daughter and her husband have been eyeing my 400E to put under their tree. If they bought the track, I might loan it to them for Christmas, They have the space for it, where I don't have space under my tree. Std. Ga makes an impressive Christmas display.

Christmas and standard gauge seem to go together.

@NJCJOE posted:

Christmas and standard gauge seem to go together.

That's exactly what I was thinking...😊

Mark in Oregon

Definitely the best for under the tree:

At my brothers house in Ohio. I know, not "under the tree" but it was USA Track and on carpet at Christmas.

Hey, thanks a lot guys!    You've  just rekindled my desire to switch over from O gauge to Standard gauge that I thought had gone dormant. Now that wouldn't be that bad but to fund such an endeavor and given my space limitations would require me to sell of most of my current roster (unless I forgo the home bar in the basement and use the freed up resources to build both layouts). On the upside however, my wife while she tolerates my O gauge trains, loves the look and size of Standard so they would be an easier sell when it comes time to buy something. In fact I've spent the past couple hours online looking over what's available out there and with Allentown this weekend there is a better than 50/50 chance of me at least starting to acquire some pieces, at the very least I might get some track!

Now to figure out how to still stay within the size limitations of the 48 Club and go Standard!

Jerry

Great thread!  I would love to have a standard gauge train!  I think the only way it would work for me, would be for the holiday season.  I reread Ron Hollander's book All Aboard! about Joshua Lionel Cowen and was reminded about the great trains from the 1920's.

You guys are aware, there is the possible option of 5 rail standard and O scale track, where you could run both sizes around a tree or layout?

Some testing of the track initially after first putting it together on the table https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoaCHWeBxNM

And then installed elevated around the room. https://youtu.be/AWPG79qw1YI

Example topic of making custom 5 rail track.

Example https://ogrforum.com/...ail-track-conversion

I purposely built my 5 rail track as my overhead loop above my train table for this very reason, to run either Standard or O tinplate trains for display. I used USA Track for the Standard portion rails and ties, and then Menards O tubular for the O scale rails and ties.

I forgot, this wasn't uploaded to YT, here we go an O engine pulling standard gauge cars. Just so happens the couplers are the same height. Also, I did the reverse but cannot find the video- Standard 400E pulling O scale tinplate cars.

I had jokes about doing a special display table where it's the hidden tunnel and one train goes in and another comes out. But do it where again, it's the mismatched pairs. A big 400e engine goes into the tunnel and a smaller 263E is what comes back out.

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

1. Hey, thanks a lot guys!    You've  just rekindled my desire to switch over from O gauge to Standard gauge that I thought had gone dormant.

2. On the upside however, my wife while she tolerates my O gauge trains, loves the look and size of Standard so they would be an easier sell when it comes time to buy something.

3. In fact I've spent the past couple hours online looking over what's available out there and with Allentown this weekend there is a better than 50/50 chance of me at least starting to acquire some pieces, at the very least I might get some track!

Jerry

1. You're welcome...I think. 😁

2. Funny; my wife feels the same. She also really likes the brighter colors...🙂

Keep us posted as to what you find; and although you probably already know this, US Track is terrific. 👍

Mark in Oregon

Well this wont be my first standard gauge christmas. These 3  like it under the tree

The MTH 9E has also seen time on the under-tree loop, here dragging a few freights:

Did they ever make track-clips for standard gauge? I've been using zip-ties to hold the sectional track together.

PD

I'm envious. I would love to have standard gauge under the tree! I'm settling for O Scale though because that's what I have.

Beautiful pictures and videos!

Standard gauge is great for Christmas trees. However, invariably some person will say "yeah I just bought the same trin at Costco for $25". No mam, you didn't

@pd posted:

The MTH 9E has also seen time on the under-tree loop, here dragging a few freights:

Did they ever make track-clips for standard gauge? I've been using zip-ties to hold the sectional track together.

PD

Nice.  I don't know about "track-clips", except that US Track doesn't seem to need 'em!  👍

Mark in Oregon

@Former Member posted:

Great thread!  I would love to have a standard gauge train!  I think the only way it would work for me, would be for the holiday season.  I reread Ron Hollander's book All Aboard! about Joshua Lionel Cowen and was reminded about the great trains from the 1920's.

Dave, I also recently re-read Ron Hollander's wonderful book, All Aboard. The top of the line Standard Gauge trains of the 1920s described in that book would be perfect for under the Christmas tree. Arnold

Years ago I was at a train show and saw a few standard gauge rolling stock items on a table. I thought they were great looking and had history but I don't have any SG. I kept moving.  After walking the show, I passed the table again, they were still there. They called to me.

I've posted this IVES video before, but I think it will fit in nicely here.

And how about a Flyer pic or two??

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

The top of the line Standard Gauge trains of the 1920s described in that book would be perfect for under the Christmas tree. Arnold

At this point I can't afford the "top of the line Standard Gauge trains of the 1920s", but I think the lower end stuff I do have will work just fine... it's gonna have to. 😐

Mark in Oregon

Sorry, Arnold, but I have to disagree, too.

There is NO need for the Top-of-the-Line.  None of my pieces qualify, but all of them retain the beauty of the big toys, the weight of their years, and the mechanical reliability of a hammer (simply made, rarely broken, usually easy to fix).  They rattle and roar with every bit of the authority of the more expensive stuff, and they create just as much ozone to stimulate the brain to recall years past.  Kids are more likely to have been allowed to play with these, and I enjoy speculating about who first turned the throttle and how often he played with it.  I also wonder what that child was like and who he became, spurred on by such a significant toy.

Enjoy, Mark!  You know that someone else did almost a century ago, the price tag notwithstanding.

Nicely said..

@palallin posted:

Sorry, Arnold, but I have to disagree, too.

There is NO need for the Top-of-the-Line.  None of my pieces qualify, but all of them retain the beauty of the big toys, the weight of their years, and the mechanical reliability of a hammer (simply made, rarely broken, usually easy to fix).  They rattle and roar with every bit of the authority of the more expensive stuff, and they create just as much ozone to stimulate the brain to recall years past.  Kids are more likely to have been allowed to play with these, and I enjoy speculating about who first turned the throttle and how often he played with it.  I also wonder what that child was like and who he became, spurred on by such a significant toy.

Enjoy, Mark!  You know that someone else did almost a century ago, the price tag notwithstanding.

Thank you for saying that.

I wouldn't think my approach (such as it is), is viewed as less than worth while; not that it really matters, since I'm having a blast with this old stuff...

Mark in Oregon

@palallin posted:

There is NO need for the Top-of-the-Line.

I agree! While a Standard gauge Blue Comet pulling a matching set of passenger cars might be the Holy Graille  most often any train under the tree was a point of pride for many youngsters back in the day and many of us "oldsters" today. They were and are a fun means of escape and wonder price tag not withstanding.

Jerry

@Strummer posted:

Keep us posted as to what you find; and although you probably already know this, US Track is terrific. 👍

Mark in Oregon

Saw a few things at Allentown Standard gauge-wise but they either fell outside my budget or they were a little too beat up for me to pull the trigger on. I did look at a nice pair of Lionel 222 switches they only wanted $40 for the pair but I wanted to see what else others might have had and when I returned they were gone, I violated the train show cardinal rule #1 "If you like it buy it right now" .

On the plus side it did give me a chance to really look at things up close and personal and I'm now formulating a battle plan of certain items I would like to get over the coming year.

Jerry

So does anyone sell dual gauge track or do I have to build it? I would like a loop of the dual gauge under the tree.

They don't have to be 'nice & shinny', they just need to be RUN. I have an old 10E that I got for Christmas from the next door neighbor in '56', it's beat up, but still runs around my Christmas tree every year, and I wouldn't run anything else. I though about restoring it, but when it's running around the tree, I think about ALL the Christmas's past, the neighbor who gave it to me, and know it's 'fine' the way it is.

@WT.Co. posted:

They don't have to be 'nice & shinny', they just need to be RUN. I have an old 10E that I got for Christmas from the next door neighbor in '56', it's beat up, but still runs around my Christmas tree every year, and I wouldn't run anything else. I though about restoring it, but when it's running around the tree, I think about ALL the Christmas's past, the neighbor who gave it to me, and know it's 'fine' the way it is.

That's awesome; sure would like to see a picture...😁

Mark in Oregon

@jini5 posted:

So does anyone sell dual gauge track or do I have to build it? I would like a loop of the dual gauge under the tree.

Yes, Gargraves sells it.

Bob Nelson

Thank you all for the photos of your Standard Gauge Christmas trains.  Beautiful!

     In late September I took the California Zephyr to visit the California State Train Museum in Sacramento. At the museum, I went bonkers over the O Gauge Tinplate displays and immediately thought about the Lionel/MTH reproductions I had ignored for a decade or more. I  r-e-s-p-e-c-t  the originals as wonderful and valuable, but I run DCS and Legacy exclusively, lovin' the control and sound.  So, ahem, as I was buying used O Gauge reproductions, I accidentally bought a Standard Gauge spotlight car that needed repairs. OOPS!

     Clearly the only logical solution was to get some standard gauge, too. Now I have both, with MTH PS-2, but no track. (I am torn between US Track and Gargraves 5-rail.)  For now, it's likely that the spending on tinplate reproductions will put a hold on track purchases for a while, but I can run the o Gauge on my layout anyway.

     Here's the spotlight car, disassembled (except for the couplers), rewired, painted, baked, and re-assembled.  (Had it been original, I doubt I would have repainted it.)

@navy.seal posted:

Yes, Gargraves sells it.

Bob Nelson

I may be mistaken, but I only see a straight 37" standard/o gauge track section on Gargraves website. I would also need curves.

@Strummer posted:

1. You're welcome...I think. 😁

2. Funny; my wife feels the same. She also really likes the brighter colors...🙂

Keep us posted as to what you find; and although you probably already know this, US Track is terrific. 👍

Mark in Oregon

We had a small 42 curve circle of Standard Gauge with a couple of decorated 200 series freight cars around the Xmas tree our first Christmas in our current home. May do it again in 2023- well ahead of Xmas. Maybe. Last year I had a special SG loop for Halloween and a highly detailed scene with a small table top temporary Layout, thinking I might do it again, but around the tree for the month of October.

Speaking as a rare female SGer- I not only love the bright colors, I love doing all the DETAILING for Standard Gauge. Ne and original, I love it all! Your wife might dig that... I find its such really cool and unique creative outlet. I have 2 SG Layouts of my own in our home. And The VintageHubby is building his own very unique on-the-floor Basement Layout (yes, SG Layout #3 here) with my help.

Pics: 1) the view of the Main Floor "Showcase" Layout, 2) showing just a small segment on the large Upstairs Layout ( I built the paper mache' AF catalog illustration-inspired Mountain, while Hubby built the benchwork for this Layout), 3) showing a center section of the new Basement Layout.