How Many Years?

I just turned 75 and recall prewar 3 rail American Flyer "0" gauge and Lionel standard gauge and narrow "0" Gauge trains were all that existed during World War Two.

Even after the war was over, it took a few months for any new so called "post war" trains to become available to the public at stores or hobby shops.

Pappy,

   My Grandfather & Father introduced me to my 263E Tin Plate Train when I was 2 years old,  that would be in 1951.  That makes 62 years with Tin Plate Trains for me. That makes a life time of memories for me.

PCRR/Dave

I have been into electric trains since Grandpa bought me one back when I was about 2.5 or 3, so about 20 years now.

The tinplate did not come around until I was about 8, so that's 12 years.  The best part is that was his first set. He let me borrow it one Christmas. Eventually he gave it to me. I love it, and really enjoy running it. He still looks at it and says that it's one *bleep* ugly engine.

I've been into pre-war tinplate ever since............well, I can't remember not being into it.  Tinplate trains were my first trains.  I have a pic of me watching them under the Christmas tree in 1947.  Those were my dad's trains that he got when he was a kid.  I still have those trains and run them under the tree every year. As time went on and folks were getting rid of prewar "junk" to buy new stuff in the earl fifties, my dad bought a lot of tinplate for almost nothing.  I still have most of that, plus stuff I have picked up over the years.  I run them all, although I admit to being biased towards the four wheel cars for some reason, and also to a strong bias towards tanker cars. I run them all on my layout and enjoy them as much or even more, than I did then.

Hank

Going on 60 years for me.  I first got into toy trains, and tinplate in 1952 with my Dad's pre-war Marx (in all 3 photos below) - note in the old photo the tender was running backwards.  Note in the top picture, it still is . . . .  

you're in good company...

the Time artist got it wrong, too.

great photo!

cheers...gary

Lee,

   Great pictures of you with your trains buddy, just like the Lionel posters, only yours

pictures should have been used for Marx.

Frank,

   Sooner or late everyone gets bit by our train Hobby, yours just happend

later in life, welcome to the hobby sir.

PWE - Retired

PCRR/Dave

55 years out of 62. It all started with a Marx CV set set up on the sun porch of my parents apartment on the West Side of Chicago. I've gone full circle by returning primarily back to Marx after  playing with everything but Z gauge.  Nine layouts later while migrating thru three states..and still pondering the next one. Thankfully at that.

Got my first train Christmas 1929, a Lionel Outfit #295. Peacock 253 with wine 811, dark green 812 and dk. green over peacock 817. Still have them and occasionally run them.

For Christmas set up a carpet standard gauge layout.

Ron M

ron m,

   I believe that will make you the senior man of our Tin Plate train hobby,

thanks for posting, fantastic stuff!  Wish you could attend our breakfast/train talk

here in Murrysville, Pa on Saturday morning, would love to hear some of your experiences with our hobby.  Taking an old original 2660 mini Crane Car to the breakfast meeting for show and tell myself.

PCRR/Dave

well I'll put my 2 cents in for all you

Old (experienced) Farts! (just kidding)

Been doing it since 1990. I like running

both pre and post war stuff on the board

at Train Shows. I get to listen to many many

stores from the old timers that have been into

the hobby longer than I. My father-in-law

Donald S Walker got me started in O gauge.

Popi,

   Guys like you are what keeps our hobby going, make sure you pass it on down thru the family!

Popi I am glad you like your Father inlaw, wish mine would have been alive for me to meet and become friends with he did a great job raising my wife, I owe him big time.

PCRR/Dave

ron m,

   Yea I know the same tax man, have to take my business milage over to him today,

for the completion of my taxes.   Sorry you can not make it.

PCRR/Dave

This one wont count because My father-in-law doesnt

get on this forum. He doesnt even know how to turn a

computer on, anyway Ill let you know how long he's been

in the hobby.

He turns 80 today and has had trains since he was 5.

So since 1938.

World War II, Marx Windup set for Christmas.  Must have been 5 or 6.  Stupid cousin broke the spring.  There went the train into the trash.

Fast forward to last month.  Found a windup last month and have added quite a few more items.

Now how do I rate? I am going on 73 next week.

Al

I got my first tinplate standard gauge set in 1984 for christmas from my parents.  I didn't even know what standard gauge was.  A simple #10, 332, 339, 341 set in peacock.  Now 29 years later, my basement trainroom is overrun with standard gauge and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

I was born in 1947 and became aware of electric trains about 1950 but my focus was always on post-war O and S Gauge equipment until about 2007 when I began to develop an interest in both O Gauge and Standard Gauge tinplate.  I am now stricken with this disease and found that is totally incurable.  Thank God!!! 

Marx NYC wind-up set for Christmas 1937 when I was nearing six. My uncle repaired [brazed] the busted spring a couple of times and I retired it to the attic during WWII.

However, while I was in Korea saving the world from Communism[?] my 10 years younger brother took it to his sandpile. To say the least it got "weathered" and according to Mom eventually was sent to the trash gully on the Farm.

Guess I'm one of the kids here. I'll be 64 in may. Did not start playing with trains till about 11-12 years ago. A Marx set with plastic cars and a 666. Still have that one, but have been slowly going to mostly tin.

Steve

My first Standard Gauge Christmas setup was this past one.

How about 75 years.

i only got in to tinplate about three years ago.  found 2 cars to a passenger set at an estate sale.  had to find the last one and while doing that i found a few engines some other passengers sets.  you all know how it goes.  now i am hooked good on them.  but love trains in all shapes and sizes.