Who can you thank for infecting you with the train bug?

I would have to say my dad and my son. my dad's part was always haveing the train lay out in the basement.and for my son part was i got him a set for his birthday about 7 years ago and thats what infected me with my train bug more then him.

My Grandparents, Christmas Day 1961.  I was 5 and they bought me the X600 set.

I'll have to call a "ditto" with Billy.  Dad, aka Santa Claus, got me started in the 1950's.  My oldest son got me back into the hobby on his first Christmas when Santa brought him a Lionel train set.

Curt

Santa Claus on Christmas Day 1954.

TEX

Steve

I would have to thank my father and my fellow forum member

MIKE.R for getting me hooked.

THANKS,ALEX

My parents, although it was via collateral damage. 

My folks bought a Lionel set for my brother when he was about 5 and I was a toddler.  The family legend says that I sat in my highchair with my eyes as big as saucers as it ran around the track on the floor.  Little did they know...

I had the usual wooden trains (with good ol' poke-your-eye out latch hook and eye "couplers") and a Marx wind-up during the year while the Lionel came out only at Christmastime.

Mix in a couple of American legion trips by train when I was a little older, then moving to the suburbs in the 60's (where the Lionel and later HO could be set up in the basement full time) and living between the IC and CB&Q, stir in the discovery of the local "Little Shop of Hobbies" and the rest is history.

BTW, while I retained the fascination with trains, my brother didn't.

Rusty

My dear late uncle Joe.

Although I loved watching trains, having train story books read to me, and later having my own set at age 5, my first layouts were Christmas ones because I wanted my kids to see one under the tree. I don't think they were overly impressed, but I certainly was! 20 years later, I built a small year-'round layout to amuse my 1 year-old grandson, but I think I was the one amused the most. He eased-off on "train mania" at age 6, but I'm still going strong (along with about 5 other hobbies).

No one in my family, as I was growing up, had any interest in trains. However, they supported my "train watching" (steam in the late '40s) desires.

My dad and my uncle at Christmas 1954 with a Lionel Santa Fe Super Chief set for me and a frieght set for my brother.  Then a close friend passed along the bug in 2006.

Ed

Christmas, 1963 brought me a Marx set (which I have yet to identify) from Santa.  So I guess I have him to thank.    Although it is in pretty sad shape, I have all of the cars and some of the pieces.  It is on my "to be restored/repaired" list.

Regards,

Eric S.

Saline, MI

Vernon Hart, a Master Model Railroader from Springfield, MO. Thanks Vern.

Channukah 1965.  I was three and my older brother was six.  He received a HO train set which I fell in love with.

Forty seven years later my parents are still waiting for me to out grow it.  It'll never happen.

Stuart

My father and a bedroom window in Astoria, Queens that had a great view of the approach trestle to the Hellgate Bridge. Both a scout set and a Marx windup when I was one year old helped too. (Guess which one my father ran and which one I played with I am told!)

Some dude in a red suit brought me my first train, a Lionel Amtrak set which I destroyed in a matter of hours. Wish I took better care of it and still had it...

My parents of pics of me only two years old with my hand at the throttle of a ZW in the late 60's.  So you can say I've had the bug since birth really thanks to Dad.

I'll tip my hat to my Dad and Grandad but to be totally honest I think it just might be in my blood.  My Grandfather on my father's side of the family was a Steam Locomotive Engineer on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad while my Grandad on my mom's side of the family loved trains so much he used to hop freights as a young man on the Norfolk and Western's Shenandoah Valley Line as they passed through Rileyville, Virgina on their way north.  He'd catch a return freight at Hagerstown, Maryland for the return trip to Rileyville.  According to my Grandmother he became such a familiar fixture on these rides that often times he was invited to ride in the cab with the Engineer and Fireman.  I also had an uncle who was a conductor on the Baltimore and Ohio.      

Father got me a set when I was young, but it was Brother who got it going in my teen. Last I heard from him regarding trains it would keep me off the street.

And it did.

My father, and sitting on my grandmother's porch in rural Oklahoma waiting for those green and white Burlington Northern diesels to pass by en route to Tulsa.

Dad.

Dennis

The trains in general I would have to blame on Thomas the Tank Engine. I was so addicted that my first word was "Toby"

As for the train hobby, that I can thank my grandfather for. He was into trains (he had  a little Lionel and American Flyer. He gave me the Lionel, but is keeping the Flyer), and decided to take me to a train show when I was 2 and a half years old. I remember my Dad telling me not to let him buy me anything before he came to get me. Well, we got there, and the first thing we did was buy a ticket for one of those G gauge Lionel James sets. Then, we walked into a room and my grandfather started talking to a man, while all I could do is stare at this great big box with a train on it. He asked me if I wanted it, and of course I couldn't say no. That box was a Lionel Union Pacific Steam Freight Set from the 90's. And the rest is history.

First and foremost it was my father for buying that lot of four trains sets for 35.00 that included of all things a 2379 Rio Grande F3.  But sitting at my aunts window in Stillwell ave in Brooklyn helped alot because I had a Birds eye view of Stillwell terminal. 

I unfortuantely didn't have anyone influence me. My father did get me a starter set when I was young and I played with it for a few years, but never became as enthusiastic as so many others did. The set got put in the attic well before high school and didn't see the light of day until my own boys were that age. I went to a hobby shop to replace the few broken cars  (I had a bit of Gomez Addams in me as a child ) and when I saw what was available the disease took hold.

My parents and Christmas morning of 1965 at five years old.

My Dad  bought me trains for Christmas when I was born in 1952.

Jim D.

Born on July 24th, 1956

First train from Dad on December 25th, 1956

From the youngest age I can remember, dad took me to somewhere near 61st Street in Woodside (Queens NY) to watch the LIRR trains running by at speed.  Couple that with countless rides on subways in NYC, and many wonderful hours bonding with dad at the layout (3 loops on two 5x9 tables) in the basement, and several Auto-train trips instead of the simpler flights to Florida.  I'm sure of the intent for the last one.

I still think wonderful thoughts when running our trains.

Frank

Dad.  He bought mine for Christmas 1954,  I was born in April 1955.

It's all dad's fault. He bought two O gauge sets in 1955, I was about 5, and I still have them.

My mother and father. I received my first electric train for Christmas in 1948. On Sunday afternoons my father would take me to watch the real trains. Here in Indiana County we use to sit along side the P.R.R. mainline were the old JD tower was (ConPit JCT) and at the Torrance station. Many Sunday afternoons we would go to the Horseshoe Curve. Its only about 50 minutes from Homer City. On our way home from the curve, my father would always stop at a Rexall drug store in Cresson and get us a ice cream cone.   

IT WAS MY DAD HE BUILT MY FIRST LAYOUT.  NOW I AM OTTA CONTROL

We have been surrounded by good hobby role models.

My dad got me started when I was three or four.  I was fascinated looking at his HO set that would get brought out during the holidays.  We made numberous trips to Harper's Ferry and I couldn't get enough watching the trains.

Santa brought my first Lionel train and layout when I was 9. We talked about expanding the 5 x 9 layout but never got around to it.  I held on to the train(s) and layout until moving in to our current house when I threw away the platform since the track had rusted and the wires were missing.......I thought I would never have a use for it again.

Now our son is 9 and he and his sister are very excited about their new Lionel layout that came at Christmas.  Their grandpa is also influential in stoking their train hobby.

I can blame my grandpa and my dad for my addiction.  My grandpa has a big collection of G scale trains that I always got to play with when I was little (well, I still get to play with them when I go over ).  My dad had his postwar trains (that he inherited from his dad) around our tree when I was little, but they were old so I wasn't allowed to play with them.  When I was three, he bought me a Lionel NYC Flyer freight set and it grew from there.  Now I even have the postwar trains I wasn't allowed to play with

We also go to Greenfield Village all the time during the summer and see the real trains running there.  We've also been doing that since I was born (and my parents did it before I was born).

  Well my addiction stems from my dad and uncle. On My 3rd Christmas my dad put together a 3x5 H.O layout with the tyco golden eagle riding the rails. I played with that train set night and day so much I can remember burning the motor out. 

  My uncle was into o gauge and had a large layout in his basement, while I liked trains o gauge didn't do it for me until that following year after getting the H.O set we went to my uncles for thanksgiving and upon walking into the living room I saw the Lionel blue comet under his tree and at that moment I was hooked or life. That Christmas my dad surprised me with a Lionel blue comet set and as they say the rest is history.

 In the late 80's my uncle was suffering from bi-polar and mania disorder and gave away that's right gave away all his trains he had roughly 150-200 engines and few hundred cars with 3 zw's,track,switches,signals,buildings and accessory's just gave it all away along with his gun collection,Chris craft boat,hot tub along with his corvette collection. He felt by giving all his possessions away would bring him closer to God and help him deal with his depression.

 About a year ago he (uncle) came over to my house for Christmas and after dinner we went to the train room and ran my legacy and vision engines. As he was leaving to go home he mentioned he was taken back at how far trains have come and how he felt like a kid again. Since that Christmas he visited my train room a few times and asked alot of questions about legacy before taking the plunge and buying every vision engine made as well as alot of legacy engines. Now he's in the process of building a 30x50 layout. He recently told me trains have been better medicine cause he hasn't felt this happy and focused in years something that his medication hasn't done for him other then make him feel numb. I told him I was glad to return the favor.

My Uncle Bob really got me hooked - he built a Lionel layout in the basement of his parents house (the collection was for all 3 of the brothers, but he was the youngest by several years and single) and whenever we visited the Grandparents (when we were old enough) we could go down i the basement and run the trains.  He also sunk an Armour Yellow barb as well - because that UP NW2 Switcher was the engine I loved to run the best.  I now have it on my layout.  (He has the Scout and the small Air Force Minuteman Switcher - and the Minuteman missile car - we split the set because no one else in the family is interested in trains).

Then my Mom's parents sealed the deal with a Lionel set of my own for my 8th birthday.  The station and tracks didn't make it - but the engine and most of the cars (although the cars were all plastic - it was 1979) are also on my current table.

Of course, I tried to set the bug in the next generation - my daughters love to go to trains and ride them and I got my nephew a Lionel set already...

Also, growing up ~250 feet from the LIRR mainline on Long Island, and taking the train and subways helped as well.  I was offended in Paris when I saw that there "subway" ran on rubber tires - I called them underground buses for the rest of the trip.

-John

My son, in 2008 we picked up our 1st Lionel RTR set.  He has been helping with everything from wiring to scenery.

To make a long story short. My Granpa was a Conductor on the original Zephyr. My Dad was a Conductor on the Daylight. The only trains in my future was to be toys. For which I'm ever so grateful. My first trains were those of my Grandpa handed down from my Dad.

God Bless,

Pappy

TCA TTOS

My Uncle AL upon returning from WW2 bought me first lionel set in 1946 when i was just 3. From then till about the age of 16 my dad continued to add more and more lionel trains and accesories at **** dec 25 th for my brother and I. About then, 1960 i discouvered the opposite sex and automobiles and so model trains went on the backburner for many many years until my eventual son-i-law came into my life in 1999, and that is a whole new part of the story to tell.

jim r from bridgeboss.com

I guess it started with Santa Claus (my Dad) who bought me my first set for Christmas 1946.  Of course, the trains only came out at Christmas time.  Then there was Christmas 1952 when I awoke to the NYC F3 ABA freight set circling the Christmas tree.  Still only allowed out at Christmas time.

Fast forward to being married, in the Army, moving about the world.  The trains came out at Christmas time for the 2 little boys and the one big boy to play with.

Fast forward some more to about 2000/2001 Christmas time.  The wife and I walk into a hobby shop and a nice guy by the name of Mike O'Brien introduced me to MTH trains (I'll never forgive him).  I have been hooked on trains ever since and have also learned about trains being a year round thing.

So, I blame 3 people - my Dad, Mike O'Brien, and Mike Wolf.  Hmmmmmmmm.  Maybe 4 counting my wife for not reining me in.

For me, it was my dad and my grandfather (my father's father).  My family has been putting trains under the Christmas tree for longer than I've been alive, and when my father bought his house back in 1974, and we finally had space enough to set up a real tree, my grandfather gave me my first train - a Lionel prewar tinplate O gauge set.  Then my father started buying MPC era Lionel sets for us for Christmas.  Even before 1974, I have vague memories of him taking me to see a stationary steam locomotive on display near a Westinghouse plant (I believe it was in Wilmerding near the Air Brake plant).  The bug was made permanent when he took us to the track side of what is now a NS main line to see the Freedom Train come through town in 1976.  Trains (especially steam) has been an obsession ever since.

Andy

My late brother Dennis to who this diner is named after. This is a car he gave me and I restored it and is on my layout to remember him.