With the month of October upon us, I am sure many like myself are planning thier 2015 holiday layouts. I am in the midst of rebuilding my tree stand/layout platform. With 3 large dogs, a layout right on the floor is a quick way to foul my Lionel steamer's gears with hair. So I built up a frame work out of 1x4's to raise the platform up off the floor. Mine is just a small loop of vintage 0-27 track, a Marx Girard station, red Lionel 394 beacon tower, Marx tinplate crane and tinplate crossing flasher. My old platform top was white to simulate snow, but it gets so dirty looking. This time I just varnished the new top with Helmsman Spar Varnish I used when I replaced the transom in our boat this summer. It has a nice glossy finish and is easy to clean up. It also reminds me of the floor layouts at my grandparent's house when I was a child. The normal train is my fathers 1423w set from 1948, complete right down to the original transformer. But this year I am back dating, motive power will be my newly aquired 225e, with some yet to be bought tinplate cars. I just won a type T transformer with its original box. I will replace the cord with a repro cloth covered cord to keep the whole "Prewar" look. Even my tree has the "Prewar" look with vintage looking lights and decor. I have moved all my dept 56 buildings to my elevated G scale loop around our living room ceiling. So I have both trains under the tree and above! I am sure Dad's set will make some trips around the track as well. Love filling the room with the smell of ozone! I love the smell of Lionel smoke pellets, but my asthma does not unfortunatly. No worries as my engines do not have that feature! I also bought a std gauge 8e but that will be for the 2016 layout as it needs restored and some matching red passenger cars for it to pull. Christmas and trains go hand in hand with me and always will. Lets hear your plans or what you will be running and what makes it special for your family this year. Mike
Original Post
