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

About 3 years ago my father-in-law asked me if I wanted his old trains. I had never had trains growing up, I always asked for them but I guess Santa never had the budget for them. 

 

  My father-in-law gave me his two old Marx sets. I instantly caught the bug, unfortunately my father-in-law never was able to make it down the stairs to see his old trains running.  I made a video the night before he passed away, but was not able  to show it to him in time.  I really wish he could have seen them run again. 

 

Now both of my boys are into trains, my oldest for some reason likes the ho trains, I get tired of having to clean track and wheels for his trains to run.  My youngest son likes my trains, I am hoping he will continue to like the O gauge trains.

who i have to say helped me get the bug is my Father ( my grandfather)  and my mother. he picked out my first train when i was 9.  i still have it in great condition.  he died 4 days before christmas that year.  and my mom for helping to keep the hobby  running in my life.  

Santa (dad) got us a couple trains as kids, then I left them behind to be a career serviceman. A few years ago, my sister, thinking I had trains like the rest of my siblings, got me one of the old action cars from my youth. The Horse car with the heads bobbing out the sides.

Now I'm expanding the basement layout slowly to 16.5 X 23.5 feet...

 

So Dad initially, and my sister re-infected me.

My mom and my grandma. Mom had the town under the tree with the train, and grandma had the old Standard gauge set that ended up in my basement.

 

Gandy

My Grandfather, who used to take me to DC on the B&O, took me to the yards to watch trains being put together, and my Dad who talked me into getting the old Lionel's out for my son . . . 

I got hooked because of the movie "The Polar Express." Love that film!!! When Lionel released the ready-to-run Polar Express set, I had to have it. It was love at first sight. My passion for O gauge trains grew from there. The rest is history.

 

Interesting story for me, Dad bought an HO set when my brother and I were too young, it came out when I was in middle school, but all he did was put the board up on the pool table and did not get involved much after that.

my great grandfather got me into trains first then my dad bought my first train when i  was 5 it was a  battery train then when i was 8 my dad got n scale train then after that he bought ho train when i was 10  now into o scale

My Grandfather planted the seed when I received three Lionel uncatalogued sets for Christmas in 1961.There are slides of me in diapers watching the trains.A trip to the National Museum of Transport in 1964 hooked me forever.

I can thank my Father for starting me in this hobby. My first set was the Lionel NYC flyer and the second was the Polar Express.  Then the train bug it died down for five years and I had other interests. I have to thank Lionel for all the Polar Express offerings because that is what got me back in Christmas of '09 frm there I expanded the Polar Express and got a port of Lionel set and I started adding more sets, engines, and accesories and built a small layout. I then started filming train videos and recently got the new Polar Express upgraded engine. Recenly I built a new layout. Here is a video of the Polar Express running on the new layout with the new engine 

My father, a/k/a S. Claus: first set 1953 (I was four); followed by sets in 1955; 1956; 1958; 1959. Thereafter I saved and bought my own trains, starting in 1961, with birthday and holiday money and money I earned (Dad was self-employed). 

 

Also: Paternal grandparents: (a) Got me a ride on a D&H S-4 switcher at the D&H Hudson yard; (b) Took me to the Hudson yard to watch the switching; (c) allowed me to play on the hoppers at the Conlon Mine (yes, we climbed them, tried to turn the brake wheel and tried to uncouple them, while Granny approvingly watched my brother and I).

 

Finally: lived across from the Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad (interurben line) and was treated to daily passenger service, followed by freight-only twice a day between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, while I was growing up. Plus, there were many other railroads nearby to ship anthracite to the cities.

 

All-in-all, prototype trains and Lionel trains permeated my early years. They still do.

 

Best, 

 

Mark

OK, I have two bugggers:

 

1.  T&NO/SP.  Ran past my Father's job, follows US90A in Ft.Bend CO, US90 west of Alleyton to Sequin TX.

 

2.  Parents, ***** '63.  Marx/Allstate train.  666, SP coal tender, green tank, Erie flat, ATSF cattle red, SP caboose brown.

Santa, My dad insisted up 'till the day he died, Santa left it for him! ( a Santa Fe 2053 and set) And then every year something got added. Then things simply got out of hand and all H. E. double hockey sticks broke loose! Either that or I'm just getting old! My Uncle Simon got me watching and photographing real trains. And let's not forget the Impact the TV special "THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF TRAINS" had on me.

Texas Special:

 

You got your set in 1954.  Let me guess:  set had 2245P&C units?  Freight or passenger?

 

Too bad L did not make TS cars for that engine, in the PW era.  I have the Williams red cars in 2500 size, and they look great.  L made the 2245 for O-27, so any passenger cars would be the smaller 2400 size.

In the genes........My great grandfather was an engineer on the B&O 1900-1949. Then growing up in Ashland Ky with a 4 track mainline running through the center of town I saw trains daily and wanted one.

 

My late Uncle Walter would take me to watch trains coming down from Boston thru Providence back in the early 50's.  It was great fun will always have those happy memories.  Christams 1954 was the first time Santa left me a Marx Freight Set.  I have not been the same since. 

 

The posts above are a pleasure to read.

 

Many thanks,

 

Billy C

It would be the major highways of the 50's that always paralleled the tracks. When traveling, as a child, especially at night, I would always be on the lookout for that one big bright shining headlight that meant an oncoming train was approaching. It was one of the most exciting parts of my growing up.

My father, in conjunction with Santa Claus, brought me my first train, a Lionel 2026 and 4 cars, in 1951.  I still have the locomotive and cars, and they all run and look like new.

 

But both my father and mother had trains themselves as kids.  Dad had a Lionel 252 passenger set that I restored and brought back to life two years ago (sadly, he didn't live long enough to see it run).  And my mother had a Lionel Jr. #1700 streamliner that her father would put up at Christmastime.  I have the #1700, too, and with a change of center-rail skates and a proper lube job, it runs just the way it did during the Depression.

 

My grandfather built miniature wooden houses and a station for the 1700 (he was quite a craftsman), and I've inherited those, as well.  Some of them had gotten a bit beat-up over the years, but I restored them as well, and they're on my layout right now.

 

So although none of my relatives ever worked for a railroad, miniature trains have been in my family for a long time.  And now my sister and brother-in-law have caught the bug as well.

 

My mother, who convinced my father that it was safer to have my brother and I play with a Lionel set (224E) than to have us keep going down to the Atlantic Ave. terminal to catch all the action (which we did anyway). Secondly, my wonderful wife who gave me an N scale set in the 80's to rekindle my love of trains. And finally, Amtrak who let me play with the real thing.

My Dad and my Mom. May they both rest in peace. My Dad for having a large Lionel layout in the basement before I was even born and my Mom who took me to every train and hobby shop on Long Island when I was a kid.

All the best,

Miketg

My father in 1931 when I was 4. It was a lionel freight consist.  see pic below. In 1932 he lost his job and we had to sell everything including all my play things and move in with my grandparents on the farm. During the great depression, he talked about the layout and would stop and watch trains , but we could never afford any significant toys for me for most of the 1930s.

 

As soon as my sons were 4 and 5 in the 60s  I bought a lionel  F3 passenger train and an F3  freight train at 5:20 at 1/3 price at Montgomery Wards on christmas eve.   

Very simple answer, DAD.

Growing up in the late 50's thru the 60's we lived just down the street from the AT&SF Argentine Yards in Kansas City Kansas. My dad worked many years and retired from the Santa Fe RR as did a lot of other folks from our neighborhood. Then there was the AT&SF WMCA just down our street where we would go as kids to buy soft drinks or candy bars form the vending machines and talk to some of the train crews. The WMCA was also right next to the SF main line so we would watch as the Chief's would pass on there way Westboud out of KC Union station. I grew up in a railroad family, I have an older brother who just retired from the BNSF and a younger brother who is still working for them.  I quess I can thank my dad and my brothers for infecting me with the train bug.

 

Joe

My Father and Grandfather; both retired from the N&W. When Dad died in 2006, I got the idea of collecting one of each type of steam locomotive operated by the N&W. My Grandfather retired in 1959 and always said "he wasn't gonna work for no dang stinkin Diesel railroad". Growing up in Roanoke, worn out Alcos further instilled my Grandfather's sentiment.

 

Gilly

Since posting this thread this has turned out to be some very interesting reading. I think we owe all these folks that got us started in this hobby a very thoughtful thank you weather it be face to face ,a phone call or just a simple prayer.

Thomas

In bred. My grandfather, on my mothers side, that died before I was born worked for the Pennsy and during the depression was transfered to the UMP [Upper Merion and Plymouth RR]. My mother used to tell me the story that my father would drop her and I off at the train station when I was very little [to young to remember] we would ride the train to the next station 1 mile away and get off before the trainman would be able to charge for the ride and my father would pick us up there.

 

The first train I remember was when my father and I went around the corner to a house to pick up an engine that the man there had repaired and there was a train lay-out in the back room on our third floor. The first two electric trains were Marx, I also had a Marx wind-up "O" train. We moved when I was seven and I remember we visited my Aunt and Uncles for Christmas and they had a Lionel set they had gotten for my cousins for Christmas; my Dad found out where it was purchased and bought the same set for me. Red Katy 600 switcher, Baby Ruth Box Car [red], flat [yellow] Car w/Logs and Caboose. A Ping Pong Table was set up in the basement and I would build train lay-outs on it. In time the Ping Pong Table was moved to the second floor back room and there used for train lay-outs. There was a Mart type of store in the next town over kind-of and my Father would buy used trains there for me. He at this time worked second shift and I got to the point I couldn't wait for him to set up the trains and ***. so I got brave and did it myself. My Father would get in trouble with my Mother because she couldn't get me away from the trains to do my homework. I rode my bike to grade school in the upper grades there and instead of comming home would go to the train station and the Grist Mill at the end of our street after school. To my Mothers horror she said she didn't know I was playing around the train tracks. My Father also took me on two of the famed Reading Iron Horse Rambles in the 60's. Not a who but several visits to the famed Roadside America lay-out kept me fired up about trains.

 

I made the Train room into a Den in my High School and plus years. there was a chest that I used for a Coffee Table that contained my Uncle's trains [same Uncle as above], I was told they were being stored at our place after there Furance blow-up; so trains were never far away. I was married in 73 and we lived on the second floor of my parents house till we purchased a house in 75. We had extra rooms so out came the trains and one room was the Trainroom/Hobbyroom. At this time I was told the trains in the chest were mine from my Uncle. My wife and I and one of my sons and family live with us now back at my Parents house that I aquired when they died. When I seal the Basement there will be a train lay-out again I hope. The Grand kids will love it as they do going to train shows etc.

 

Redball  

Both my Mom and Dad. I remember them taking me to the Lionel Showroom, and then over to Madison Hardware to pick up a Bascule Bridge, for " Dad's train". I even recollect lying on the living room floor watching my Dad's OO gauge Hudson run round and round.  This was in the late 40's, and I have played with trains in one form or another for almost seventy years.

Gilbert Hall of Science, Lionel Showroom, New York Society Of Model Engineers (Hoboken), Toy Trains Magazine, Mantua, Athearn, Varney, MR Magazine.

 

Pete

Santa brought the trains in 1953.  For years after my father would put up the entire layout (4x8), including lighted Plasticville buildings, roads (of gravel), sidewalks, etc on Christmas Eve after I went to bed.  He would also put the tree up and decorate it.  It made for a wonderful Christmas morning even though we didn't have a lot.

 

Years later, my sons, who insisted on having a "platform" got me back into it.  Now they are grown so the motivator is me and, of course, the terrific, inspiring posts on this forum and on Youtube. Too many people to list there.  Thanks.

 

Not a lot of space but I'm starting on a layout, mostly acquiring "stuff" right now and trying to learn how to construct a quality hi-rail.

Ron

My parents, for buying a house in Slidell, La. with the Southern main line running right behind my back yard and for buying me a Tyco Silver Streak train set when I was about eight years old.

I was born a train nut. I wanted train toys at a very young age. The first picture I drew in Kindergarten was of a train. I was several years old before I found out my Uncle Tommy worked for a railroad (N&W in Columbus Ohio). Later when I was in elementary school he showed me his Lionel trains. I didn't get my first electric train until I was about 12 or so. And then it was a Tyco HO set.

My Dad, who was a brakeman and conductor on the Central Vermont.  I got my first train for Christmas in 1955, it was a Marx steamer with tin cars.  I have a photo of me holding that Marx steamer standing beside my dad.  He was killed less than a month later while braking on the CV....    

My father in law set up his trains about 8 years ago and nobody paid attention to them. I saw some rtr sets avail and I thought it would be fun to set it up around the tree. Well. The problem started there. He brought over his sets and all his accessories and plasticville. And his stuff was really nice. 2343 Santa fe set with the aluminum passenger cars and a complete 675 set. I now have restored all of his stuff and bought around 9 more engines and a whole table full of operating accessories. I never had a train as a kid and I don't know why I enjoy them so much but I do.

I have to thank my Uncle Stan.  He set up a Lionel layout every Christmas in 1/2 of his basement.  He had some of the best to buy at the time.  I can remember almost every engine he had (F3 Union Pacific, Santa Fa and NYC, GG1, 56 Ambulance, Gang cars and PRR geep).  All on Super O track.  OH those big ZW transformers!  I will always remember the excitement.

Definitely my uncle

My Grandmother for forcing me to take my Dad and Uncle's train sets home when I was very young. 

 

Thank you Grandma Julie!!!

 

Paul

My Dad...right after WW2 he set up a table in the basement next to a coal chute, it folded up but that feature wasn't used often! It had been many years since I played with trains and one day my daughter handed me a copy of OGR, in that magazine I first saw Jim Policastro's  scenery work and I was hooked! So Thanx OGR and Jim...and also to the many forum members who share their expert advice and experience!

My dad and my grandmother with a Lionel 685 steamer and a variety of post-war freight cars.I don't know if it was the operating milk car or the smell of the smoke or the trips to Village Hardware,Funks and MB Kleins in Baltimore.The bug is still there 40 years later.Thanks dad

          Mike

My dad who grew up right beside the B&O tracks and My uncle who was a conductor on the Powhatan Arrow till N&W ceased passenger service.
I got my first train set Christmas 1969 an Atlas N scale freight set.
Dad never said so but I think he was living his childhood thru me .They grew up during the depression and could never afford a train set but he could tell you just about every steam engine when he saw them having seen just about everything pass his house during WW2.
Many Thanks to my Mom and Dad
David

My dad, who fired Consolidations and Mikados for the Southern during WWII.  He

was something of an artist and made a chalk drawing on my childhood blackboard of (what was probably) Southern Mikado #4526 when I was a toddler.  Then my

cousin across the road (we lived on "depot road" in a small town and trains ran

through about two blocks behind us all the time) let my brother and I play with

his prewar Lionel set.  I was hooked.  I also had paged through my grandfather's copy of Kalmbach's slim photo book, (circa 1940), on Colorado narrow gauge.

I suspect with much begging, I got a Marx #25000 3/16 set with the partially

perforated pilot for **** about 1946-47.  My mother and grandfather went together

and my grandfather mounted it all on an odd-sized (3x8) sheet of plywood painted

cream.  (I later got green and white paint and painted grass and roads.)

My brother still later received a #25249 Marx set (one less car) and a larger 4x8 "trainboard" but he was more interested in Marx playsets, especially the western ranches and towns.  He did not carry a train interest other than the prototypical Colorado narrow gauge of the 1950's, into his teen years and we in later years

visited the Moffat Tunnel, the D&SL line above it, the covered turntable ruins on

the Silverton RR, and recently I finally found and explored the Red Mountain Town

site, and have started to build a model of the National Belle mine, the preserved ruins of  which, and the timber jail, are all that remain of Red Mountain town.

I went "through" HO, but became an automobile nut until an Air Force officer I worked

with, Dan Yett, a major player in American Flyer, mentioned there was a Greenberg book on Marx.  I tracked one down and there was all that Marx I never saw as a

a kid.  Hooked again, and then on into some Lionel compatible stuff.