After getting the Angela Trotta print of the GG1 in the window, and hearing my fathers stories of Christmas in the 50's, I watch "A Christmas Story" and dream of what it would have been like to be around during that time. Nowadays, the kids are all about electronics, e-readers and video games.... but as they say in "A Christmas Story"..."The snap of a few sparks, a quick whiff of ozone, and the lamp blazed forth in unparalled glory...." With just a a few drops of the most stankiest smoke fluid, I get taken back 50 years....10 years more than I've been on this earth.
I am thankfull that I grew up pre internet, pre cell phone. While the "gotta have it" toy of my childhood generation is probably the Atari 2600 game system, I was introduced into Lionel by my grandparents after my parents failed attempt with Tyco HO trains when I was 6. The late 40's is a time I would like to visit if I had a time machine. While I love being able to chat in these forums and the easy of searching for the postwar stuff I love. I would sacrifice it all to go back to the golden era of Lionel and the simplier times we lived in back then. When dads wore snappy hats, sat at the head of the table, mom took care of the house and kids. A simplier time, a more respectfull time, and Lionel trains dominated most boys Christmas and birthday wish lists.
artful dodger,
Lets not get to carried away with all this, I was born in the late 40's and although times were a little tough, Christmas was a magical time with the help of Lionel, L.C. Smith and Parker. Holiday Inn, White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street were the Christmas movies of my childhood. Tin Plate trains were the order of the day, because they belonged to our fathers. Our memories are some what different than the younger generations, the war had just ended and it was a magical time to live. A simple honest time, with genuine heros and at Christmas time, nobody complained about what presents we received, we were just glad to be given a present. The men were home from the war and the look on my mothers face, made my fathers world come alive. White Christmas still means a great deal to most men born in my age group, it was more than a story, it was part of our lives. Our Lionel Trains helped make part of those incredible memories, and the trains and the memories still run even today.
PCRR/Dave
