Model train set

[C.J.]

Any of you have a model train set as a kid? Maybe you have one now or even belong to a model RR club. I had an HO scale train set as a kid and loved it. Had it laid out on a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood in the basement and I’d go mess with it whenever I was bored. I’m thinkin about getting another train set for the old man n myself to do as a project. Anybody have any thoughts or advice?

 

[DarisMulkin]

I had a friend [he has passed] that was big into model trains. Built tunnels in and out the walls in his basement. Plus all kinds of electrical switches for this and that. Made his own scenery out of package packing what have you. Must have 8 or 9 trains running at once, he eventually joined a club.

 

[highup]

We had a loaner that was our uncle's. We were around 6 or 8 years old if I guessed. I remember that heavy transformer. Touching the tracks would give you a tingle.
The locomotive required some 3 in one oil so a little smoke would come out of the stack.
I'm thinking the smoke was ok to breath back in those days when boys were boys and girls weren't.
I recall it was a pain to get the tracks all connecting well enough to carry the current. We had to bend or crimp the ends of the track.

 

[highup]

My neighbors boss made a train room after his wife passed.
The track was an oval, but the train could be directed to another track that went up the wall and around the perimeter of the ceiling.
He had a friend make 3D hillsides with the tracks on the walls and a tunnel. He bought an electronic deisel electric train with some realistic sound effects. When he turned the train on, it began with the slow reving up to speed sound of the deisel and when shutting it off, the engine idled down. Going uphill, the engine sound was strained and struggling, then coming down it sounded like it was in a deisel braking mode. Musta been spendy .....25 years ago.

 

[Floorist]

I had one as a kid. Had a customer show me his train layout in a basement once. The track must have gone 50 feet in a loop. All the buildings looked realistic.

 

[C.J.]

You can get pretty crazy involved with the whole train thing. The old man asked me how involved I wanted to get. How involved you get is usually a matter of time, the longer you do it the more involved you get.

I wanted to run a train around the ceiling of my house but that’s just gonna have to wait. It’s a small house so it shouldn’t be to intimidating to tackle that project one day.