What became of your childhood trains?

Up stairs in the study closet. 

 

 

Spent about 40 years sitting in a box in the basement. Currently repaired and operational and sitting with the rest of my train collection.

 

Gilly

Sold them in 71 to get the down payment for the 65 Mustang! Just loved that coupe.

 

Billy C

Sold mine to go to the Prom. A less then honest buyer tried to low ball me on the price!!
Thanks to my Father I got what they were worth.

Enjoy the Holidays..Everyone!

K.C.

I was a lucky kid when it came to my trains.  My first one was a Marx Commodore Vanderbilt freight set which I received in 1938 when I was 3.  Next year I got a Marx M10,000 set and I thought I was the big shot of the neighborhood.  Two years later I received all the trains from a cousin that had passed away at an early age.  So I had about seven trains, lots of track, stations, elevated tracks, accessories, etc.

 

But I played with my trains and literally wore them out or beat them up.  When I was about 15 I fell in with the "wrong crowd", a bunch of HO gaugers and I sold all my trains to buy some HO stuff.  Years later I discovered the error of my ways, sold off my HO and got back into trains that I could actually see and work on; "0" gauge, of course.

 

But those early memories remained and I have since purchased a replacement for each one of the trains I had as a kid.  I proudly display them now on a wall of my basement, close to my layout.

 

Paul Fischer

I still have all mine, packed away, all in original boxes, with also outside cartons. My dad wanted to give them to his nephews at one point, after he thought I was getting too old I guess. Thanks to mom, she put a stop to that, and was ready with a rolling pin in her hand . She said the trains were too valuable to just give away, and worked hard to buy them. I guess she had a vision of the future.

I rather hear that some kid played with the trains until they wore out than given away or simply trashed.

Mine started in the early 70's with my first HO set and stuff from my dad's old UP Athern set that was left after they split. Had a 4x8 board in the living room for years before moving to Tucson in 79. All of it somehow "disappeared" during the move. Guess my mom thought it was too much extra stuff to pack in the small u haul. Spent many an hour just sitting in one spot at track level waiting for the train to go by, or driving my matchbox and hot wheels cars all over town. Still wish I still had them. Got back into it again in N, had to sell all of it off a few years ago when I was laid off from work (had to pay bills some how), now into it again with N, until the wife and I got our first Lionel Polar Express set about 3 years ago now. Now just waiting for things to settle down after a horrible year so I can get the plywood and start setting up. She keeps bugging me about it to get it started. This time I refused to sell any of the train stuff. I miss my old sets from childhood, I still regret having to sell the sizeable collection I had years ago, and not going through it again.

This year, the 224E set is under the tree, while the 2026 set is on the display shelf in the family room.

My first set is long gone. I replaced it thanks to e-bay. Still have my Dad's first set. Both were Christmas presents. One from 1952, the other from 1976.

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas morning 1968:  

 

 

Later that day, before company arrived:

The same set today:

 

 

Jon  

I can't recall the set number, but I had a low-cost set from around 1954 with the Erie 610 switcher. That was always set up around the tree; I was too young to know when it first appeared (born in '54), but it was always there. And always went back into the attic.  That was it - no accessories, no switches, nothing.  Then when I was about 8, it was decided that I could have control of the trains year-round. Also appearing at that time was a box full of trains. My dad had horse-traded with someone unknown to me, and I received a 4' tall by 3' wide box about 12" deep - but it was bulging with stuff just thrown in helter-skelter.

 

There were some brass HO freight cars, a bunch of HO track, but more to my interests there was a KW transformer, milk car, cattle car, a Scout loco & tender, a bunch of track, an operating box car where the door would open and the man would appear in the doorway. Also was the double-hopper side side dump coal car and some generic low-budget freight cars.  I literally wore out that stuff. Of course, enquiring minds....understand that at age 8 my parents got me a 3/8" electric drill that I have to this day. I was the one who always took stuff apart and always broke off those tin "tangs" that held the parts together. Of course, today I'm an engineer so I guess it was just in the cards.

 

Some stuff got broken, some burnt out, some, I just don't know where it went. BUT, I still had that 610 freight set.

 

In the mid 70's I worked part-time for a local NJ Lionel Service Station; got paid in trains. They'd also take me to area train shows and help me select good pieces for the "right" prices.  I ended up with (remember, all original PW) Virginian FM, 671 turbine, 2343 ABA Santa Fe's, the Erie AA Alco's with the cast frames, culvert loader/unloader pair, a 2340 GG-1, a General set, 2368 B&O F3 AB, some then-current MPC, etc.

 

Well, after the starter marriage failed (we were both young and stupid), I had to sell the trains.  Was no longer working at the SS, and was embarrassed to tell them I had to sell. I called a local "I buy trains" guy.  Back then (young and stupid), I didn't know about negotiating and that the guy would come in with a low-ball offer. Was not a steal, but I probably could have doubled my money if I'd only known.

 

And, yes, the 610 set went with the rest.

 

Man, I miss that set. Have thought about putting a replacement set together; nothing in the set was hard to find, but still, it wouldn't be MY train....

My first train was for Christmas 1979.  Lionel Black River Freight.  Still have it in almost new looking condition...except the box which was flimsy.

The 2025 engine from the set Santa brought Christmas 1947 is packed in the closet behind me, should take it out this year.  I sold off most all my Lionel stuff to buy HO Bowser Pennsy steam engines kits in the 60/70s. 

 

And regrettably a few years back my EX failed to live up the property agreement after divorce and my 1959 Super-O General set went missing!

 

Ron 

I'm an only child so I still have the original first [Marx & Lionel] trains of my childhood. I have acquired my cousin's trains also. Also through marriage I have acquired my wife and brother-in-law's train [her brother got Dad's Gun]. My second Marx [military] train I gave to my wife's half brother since I had her's and her older brothers original train.

  These threads never get old for me. Not just because it gets me thinking about "good times", but because all the little common experiences we share separately really interests me. So different, yet so similar.

Floods took care of the boxes, I remember drying the trains in the warm sun on the porch, branches and trees everywhere. The fire brigade critter, a hopper(had nice ladders? early le high?), sd tank car (nice ladders too), and gang car rusted out. Plus a few others already "weak", or delicate.

 My Mom would go on frantic cleaning binges, and purges lasting weeks.  One day I came home from school, to find all my WW I & II items from my fathers side, gone from my top drawer! Looking for the box I had hoped the stuff was in now, I noticed, two boxes of carefully selected, and cared for golden age, and #1-4 of many silver age comics were gone too. I knew right away they had been thrown out by my Mother, and Step-father Who have no respect for others "silly" belongings (but are mild collectors themselves. Dolls & John Deer ). Uh oh! Trains!  The first thing I did was check on cubby for the "dirty old trains"(her term). Moving them to my closet, because that was "safer", i.e. cleaned already. I then called Dad, and Gramps  They helped me establish a guaranteed true ownership of all my things from that day on. Once I was grown and leaving, the trains came with me on the first moving trip, they still cant be trusted(my siblings agree).

 My #2037 Adriatic still sticks like glue, and I still run it most often.

My lil' bro' let me "borrow" his "Santa fe Hudson" #665 with me when he went command years ago. 

Mines waaaaay faster, out of the hole or at speed. His is stronger but has some wheel slip earlier, mine has Magne-traction! 

Lots of controls, power, engines, and rolling stock were destroyed, but lots survived

My favorites did!

  The geared "cowboy-vs-gunfighter" car..Click!Bang!Click!

The #6650 rocket launcher has nearly as many miles on it as the #2037.

and the Blue/yellow Giraffe car modified to "raise up & look" around off a #90 & Un-couple track.

 Oh! The Gantry & Rocket Launcher survived too! (most of it anyhow, not many rails left, but works)  

 

Still have the the 2036/6466W set and a 1110 Scout set.

Mike

I passed My Lionel 2-4-2 NKP set from J C Penny ! In 1972 !  on to my neighbors grandson that has Autism a few years back .  

 

 

My father gave them to a poor family.

1957 Lionel for Christmas and I still run it from time to time.  

 

 

When I turned 16 (1958), I told my dad I wanted to sell my trains and purchase a reel-to-reel tape recorder. He promptly sold them to the local butcher who had three young sons. The recorder cost about $250 back then and it performed well. I later converted it to stereo, and built an additional amplifier and speaker system with a custom crossover network. I took quite an interest in electronics and I remember lusting after a top of the line JBL Paragon Ranger speaker system, which was demonstrated at our high school assembly (Brooklyn Tech).

 

I never looked back until my early thirties.

 

I then quickly made up for lost time!  

Still have them all. O-27 set. Purchased in 1950.

 

Lionel Train Set 1469WS

 

Lionel Train Set 1469WS O27 Gauge 4 Car Freight Set with Smoke and Built-in Whistle Contents
1 - 2035 Locomotive with Smoke	1 - 6466W Tender with Built-in Whistle
1 - 6462 Super Length Gondola with Barrels	1 - 6465 Double Domed "Sunoco" Oil Car
1 - 6456 Lehigh Valley Hopper Car	1 - 6257 Southern Pacific Caboose
8 - 1013 Curved Track	3 - 1018 Straight Track
1 - 6019 Remote Control Track	1 - 1033 90-watt Transformer

After 2+ days without any new posts, it seems this thread has run its course.

 

I reread the thread from start to finish last night and there is no denying that childhood trains left vivid memories.

 

Also, being relatively new on this forum, I was surprised that virtually every post was a straightforward reply to the question posed--what happened to your childhood trains.  Virtually zero banter; virtually zero comment on what someone else posted--just straightforward replies with many very heartfelt.  It was a good read and timeless.

Still have and still running.  In researching them, appears the three with the #56 switcher were all manufactured for only one year, 1956...and although memories of exact timing are hazy, we're guessing we got all of them either in '56 or '57...

I still have both of my Lionel sets plus some extra cars, one of my Marx sets with only a caboose from the other set, since replaced, but my Hafner clockwork set is long gone  

I found some more of my childhood trains. Midgetoy die-cast floor trains. Paint's a might chipped but they still run like new!

No, they aren't Lionels, but I do have a couple of Hudsons!  lol

I still have mine, they were a combination of an 'inherited' family set when my brother got too old, that included a bunch of stuff including Santa Fe F3 AA set and other accessories and such I think he paid 50 bucks for sometime around 1970, plus the original set that my mom got for my dad their first Christmas married in 1952, when she got him a bunch of stuff including a 671 engine and tender, because she thought it was sad he never had trains as a kid (even funnier story, her brother, whose son was I think all of 9 months old, was buying her nephew trains, and told him to double whatever he bought.....)

My 1979 Lionel Black River Freight on a magical Christmas Morning.  Plus a cool mystery train/roadway like toy in the foreground.  I recall it being Fisher Price maybe?  It was super fun but I lost it and have looked for it often over time.  And a second picture from 1983...my dad and uncle secretly built this for me over a period of weeks.  

Long post, but it covers my first-ever train set that I ever got as a child (HO) and my first LIONEL set that got me into O Gauge model railroading. 

 

My first ever train set was a Bachmann HO Santa Fe Thunderbolt Freight Set (the one with the GP-38 with several freight cars, red caboose, and EZ track) that I got from my parents when I was seven. Up until I was eleven or so, my dad didn't seem to mind my love of trains too much, so I was pretty excited when I unwrapped that big box and saw that HO set. He built a small 4x8 layout in my old bedroom that my train would run around and around. Over the next two years (until I was 9), the layout stayed mostly the same, with minor additions to the rolling stock being added (several freight cars and two Amtrak passenger cars that I had either the Santa Fe F3, 2-8-0 Great Northern steam locomotive with Kadee couplers, or the Burlington Northern F40PH that my grandmother had gotten me pull around). Original HO set I got is pictured below (credit to Google Images):

 

When I turned ten, however, the old layout in my room was taken down and the trains were put away. Unfortunately, most of the trains were not stored properly by my dad when he put them away, which led to some damage to most of my HO collection. It is a true shame, since I was hoping that they would still be in good condition when I dug them out of storage and opened up the old box they were put away in. 

 

For Christmas in 2001 (less than two months after turning 11), my grandmother went to the old Hobbytown USA in Chico (which has been gone for almost six years now) and purchased the #6-31916 Lionel O27 Santa Fe Freight Set (engine was a 4-6-4 Hudson, came with three freight cars and a illuminated caboose). She allowed me a small space in her garage to set up a 5x8 layout on some old tables and for the next four years, that is where my last layout would sit. The following summer (2002), she drove me down to the Western Depot in Yuba City where with some money that I had saved up, I was able to purchase an old K-Line O27 Wabash Freight Set (FA-2 A unit, three freight cars, and a illuminated caboose) from the 1990's that was on sale along with several O27 K-Line freight cars, a scale MTH 3-Bay Hopper (Chessie System), and several O31 tubular turns from K-Line. The Lionel set I got from my grandmother is pictured below (image from LIONEL):

 

When the Summer of 2005 arrived, my interests had long since turned to NASCAR and my old Lionel train set (along with my other purchases) sat untouched in the garage for almost a full year collecting dust. What plans that I had for some expansion to the layout never occurred, and my interest in model railroading had dropped to the 5th favorite thing that I enjoyed in those days. My dad talked to my grandmother and convinced her to have the trains put away and the old tables removed in order to make more room for storing other items. At this point in time, my dad had developed a somewhat-negative mindset towards my train collection, and the following weekend he had me help take apart the layout with him. Most was put away in storage, but some (mostly track and several freight cars) were not stored properly and the elements (temps, moisture) took its toll on them over the seven years they sat in the garage. 

 

To this day, I still have all of my O Scale collection (mostly in good condition, the two locomotives are in need of a good servicing and need new traction tires while several freight cars need new couplers) and most of my original HO collection (mostly in rough shape, due to being improperly stored for twelve years before I dug them out of where they were stored and moved them into my old bedroom for safe keeping) needs some serious TLC. Now that all of my collection is stored safely in my house out of the elements (away from the garage where they were stored), no further damage should occur. 

I gave mine to our third son, when he provided us with our first grandchild, who is now 18 years old.

I still have my original set, Lionel set #2209w NYC F3s ABA freight set that I received Christmas morning 1953, I was four years old. The set is in excellent condition, however some of the original boxes are missing flaps. I almost lost them in Super storm Sandy (Oct. 2012) but I rode out the storm and was able to pull them out of the display case on the main floor before the flood water rose. Some other post war cars got some rust as they were in a very damp environment for several days after the storm. 

 

  My other trains all survived as they were on the layout that was up in the loft. I sold the house moved to a retirement community and just completed the benchwork for the new layout (8'x12' with 44"x48" extension) . The new layout is about sixty square feet smaller than the loft layout and will be Fast Track instead of Gargraves but I will have to make due. I am picking up the track this Saturday and am eager to get started.

 

Rich Ashton

I still have my Hornby #31 clockwork set, identical to the link below (for illustration only) The box is a lot shabbier but complete, as my parents were great believers in Scotch tape, and the locomotive runs a little stiffer than I recall.

The rail section with the visible slide in it is a brake tab that engages with a lever protruding from the loco underside.

It brings the whole train to a screeching halt, hopefully at the cereal-box station building on the Carpet Central.  

 

http://www.vectis.co.uk/AuctionImages/336/4355_l.jpg

I also have these freight cars that came with the locomotive.

I don't know. When my Grandfather died, someone in the family grabbed them. At the time,I wasn't interested. Now I hope whoever has them enjoys them!

Great stories; thanks for sharing.

 

That was also my first real train set, although I think I got mine around 1976 or thereabouts.   It wasn't the first set I played with however.  That honor went to my Uncle's old # 1107 "Texas Special" set from either 1959 or 1960.  After he left trains and eventually went to 'Nam, it remained in my grandparent's attic.  I used to play with this almost every time I used to stay with them during occasional weekends or summer breaks.

 

 

When I was about 9 or 10 years old, an older neighbor kid gave me some old random Lionel post war train stuff they he had not used for years.  It included a Lionel Scout locomotive, a Lionel #1004 PRR Babe Ruth box car,a Lionel #6032 gondola and a Lionel #6037 caboose.  He also gave me some old, rusty, track.  The Scout was broken and missing the rear truck.  I had it repaired and refurbished.  It still makes appearances on my Christmas layout.  I repainted it.  Matt

My Dad had owned a hobby shop up until I was 10, so it was easy when it came time to introduce me and my older brother to trains.

 

When I was 4, the first train for me was a Tyco Spirit of '76 diesel freight set, which was set up under the tree.  I still have it, in very well-used and still running condition.

 

I'll have to ask my parents if I can copy the photo they took before we came downstairs that morning, as the shot of the tree shows the train running underneath.

 

I wasn't inducted into O gauge until a year or so later when I got the Lionel Amtrak Lake Shore Limited passenger set.  Still have that, too!

I forgot to add above that my uncle's #1107 set still exists, given to me for safekeeping after the grandparents passed away until a couple years ago when my uncle wanted to have it again.  The only remnant of my Black River set is the cars; the engine is long gone (busted up beyond repair) as are the track, transformer & accessories.

 

Since I still have a fondness of that #1107 set because of the memories (certainly isn't collectible in $$$ by any means) I got my own 1055 Alco to remember it by, although modded with window glazing, headlight lens, a 3-position E-unit (the original had none of those) and the original power truck was replaced with a 202 series power truck with magnetraction and the front truck likewise from a 202-series front truck (which trims the front of the locomotive so it's level, something that the redesigned 1055 series (or whatever it was) front truck did not since it made the front ride higher.

Except for three pieces of rolling stock, every one of my childhood trains were played to death. Aside from those three, all the other stuff didn't survive.

 

Those three pieces of rolling stock that did survive, were from a very high-quality Lindberg Lines HO set that I received at the age of 10 years old during Christmas of 1962. So nice were they that later when I became a "serious" model railroader, I fitted them with Kadees* and ran them among my Athearn, MDC, etc, and the level of detail and liveries on those Lindberg Lines cars held up well for decades. In fact, they held their own until the advent of Chinese imports with their added details. Now they look just a bit lacking compared to the nice Chinese stuff one can purchase RTR.  However, there are so many good memories attached with them I intend to run them on my currently abuilding, and I suspect the one that will be my last, HO layout.

 

 * Didn't have to retrofit the trucks or wheels!  The trucks are still state of the art (Delrin w/springs) and the wheels came with NMRA RP-25 profiles... from the factory!