Set 2223W:

Set 2190W:

Jim

Like it....a lot!

Thanks, GandyDancer.

You chose a great spot on your layout to showcase those sets - great photos.

Here are a few more on shelves. I should give them some exercise and take some photos on the layout.

A 1950 Berkshire set (my first Lionel set) and two small Alco sets that I always wanted as a kid.

The two Alco sets come from one of my favorite postwar catalog pages of all time in '52 and again in '53. I'm not sure why, but I always liked this catalog spread.

Jim

Here is a picture of the 682 set that I got as a Christmas gift from Santa back in 1954

Rick

Santa had great taste!

Jim Policastro posted:

Thanks, GandyDancer.

You chose a great spot on your layout to showcase those sets - great photos.

Here are a few more on shelves. I should give them some exercise and take some photos on the layout.

A 1950 Berkshire set (my first Lionel set) and two small Alco sets that I always wanted as a kid.

The two Alco sets come from one of my favorite postwar catalog pages of all time in '52 and again in '53. I'm not sure why, but I always liked this catalog spread.

Jim

 

I have that passenger set but the 1953 version with the 2033 Union Pacific Alcos. Love those Eries though!

The set that got me back into O Gauge, only of only two true "factory sets" I have from Lionel. The 2004 Pennsy Flyer. Still a strong, smooth runner all these years later. 

The real prize, however, is my 1515WS set, all original from 1954. 

Here's a few:

Peter

This lionel chessie set from 2002 is what got me started in o scale 

CHESSIE DIESEL FREIGHT SET (CONV. GP38 #3849)

Was just running this one yesterday.  It's one year older than me and runs so much better:&gt)  Picture from postwarlionel.com.  Parents only ran it at Christmas so it looks almost new.  Engine is built like a fine watch.  Set 1405W from 1946.

Only two actual sets in our collection:

My first set bought in 1972. (I was 2, more likely I was the excuse for my dad to buy a train set that he never had as a kid. ) 

And my son's first set that I bought him in 2015

This is a FUN topic.  Seeing the catalog pictures along side the actual set is a bit magical for me.  I spent many hours when I was young staring at Lionel catalogs.  In this thread these trains come to life and at the same time transport me back into the 1950's.

Thanks.  

Here are four of my sets. I have put them in the order that I acquired them. The first one (Cross Country) was the first Lionel set that made me cross, no pun intended, from HO to 3-rail when I was a boy. The Black Diamond set could only sit on the Hobby Shop shelf until I became an adult and was able to purchase it myself. 

The last two are the most recent acquisitions. I did not show the inside of the boxes for them as they are not as interesting because they are boxed up. However I did show the side of the box which shows the line up.

As you can see I am a diesel guy.

Great Topic!

a few of mine

One question Bob, how often do you switch train sets out?

Pretty much all modern era sets here.

cabinet Bob posted:

a few of mine

Where's the Menards Boxes ?

rtraincollector posted:

cabinet Bob posted:

a few of mine

Where's the Menards Boxes ?

Lionel doesn't sell Menards! LOL

Where's the Menards Boxes ?

Menards cars don't come in a box that I know of. Two plastic halves that go together and in close the car, building or item. I think it works pretty good myself.

mike g. posted:

rtraincollector posted:

cabinet Bob posted:

a few of mine

Where's the Menards Boxes ?

Lionel doesn't sell Menards! LOL

Diverging Clear posted:

Where's the Menards Boxes ?

Menards cars don't come in a box that I know of. Two plastic halves that go together and in close the car, building or item. I think it works pretty good myself.

Awesome!

Set 1647 from 1961. NIB (still have all boxes but not shown). Look closely and you can even see the original rubber band on the satellite car. (Note a flat bed w/military trucks added for the pic.) Have many sets but I think this is the neatest, esp. since these military items rarely survived untouched.

Looks like I am not alone in collecting sets.  For some time now, I have put together cataloged sets, mainly from the late '40s and early '50s  - my youth years, of course!  I don't collect the boxes, but do try to make sure I have the correct number on each piece of equipment.  They are then displayed on shelves along one side of my layout.  No rhyme or reason for the order.  I then print up a label for each showing the cataloged year, the set number and list of items in the set.

Not my pictures, but these two sets started my fascination with trains. First is the 1060 Scout set that belonged to my dad. We set it up around Christmas time one year when I was 6 or 8. It was put into storage soon after and didn't see daylight again until I was 12 or 13. I still have it and it still runs. In the meantime while my early train interest faded, my grandfather decided he wanted a train to put under his Christmas tree. So he bought the NYC Flyer set in 2001. The set I believe was made in the late 90s. Our local hardware store had it as NOS in the corner gathering dust. It was after he got his train that I decided I wanted my own. The following Christmas I got an MTH PRR Turbine Steam set. He still puts his set out under the tree every year. 

Very nice collection!

Bob keeps the Menards stuff in the Menards building! LOL

I've been putting together sets with cars to match the engines I've collected over the years and this thread is great. Searching for the cars, researching the specifics such as trucks types for a particular year has opened up a new world of trains for me. The great thing is these will be runners so something in just good condition, no box makes it a lot cheaper.

I have some sets that I have pieced together over the years and some that I have purchased as sets but for the purposes of this thread I'll only post actual sets.  Starting off is my my pride and joy, Lionel's Civil War Confederate Train Set which I have displayed on my desk in my man cave. 

The second photo is of Lionel Set # 1423W from 1948.

The third picture is of Lionel Set # 1590 from 1958.

The fourth photo is of three different Lionel Sets which I have on display shelves.  The top set is the N&W Passenger set Lionel came out with in the early 1990s, the second is the Southern Pacific Passenger Set with Daylight Madison Passenger cars that also came out from Lionel in the 90s while the third is the Great Northern Freight Set Lionel manufactured in 1989. 

The final photo is not of an actual Lionel set but rather something I cobbled together simply because I liked the matching color schemes.  It consists of the Lionel PWC silver and red 2328 Burlington GP7 pulling three Lionel archived Madison cars in silver and red which were made  circa 1991.  The Passenger car's red roofs look great being hauled by the silver bodied GP7.

Great collection.

Here is my only set I have left to date. I hope to acquire more; I've had others,  but alas they have gone to other homes and keepers of such treasures. It is a 1976 NYC Empire State Express, and all still in boxes, and a mint 1976 catalog. It runs very well, I have changed the boiler front to the one with the over head feed water heater ; as I like that style; but still have the original.

I like this idea of labeling with the set details. I have limited wall space in my garage and only have have 5 or 6 sets on display. The other bummer is dust and for the most part I cover them up so it's almost like why bother.

Added some sets to my collection over the Father's Day weekend.  Prewar set 190W from 1940.  226, 2226W, 2613, 2614 and 2615 in State green with OB's.  Prewar set 787W from 1940.  763E, 2226WX, 2954, 2955, 2956, with OB's, but no 2957.  The caboose was a 2757.  Postwar set 1447WS from 1949.  2020, 6020W, 6461, 3461, 2460, 6419 with OB's and set box.

This is my first set...#2227W from the 1954 catalog. (Illustration is from postwarlionel.com, but I still have the whole set, with most boxes.)