1950's Christmas Lionel train layout

[olelion]

Every year at Christmas I put up a train layout under the tree. This year it's a 10' X 12' platform with 5 'O' gauge operating trains. I'm considering an open house for the neighborhood kids. Ive never done anything like this and was wondering if I should provide refreshments. I've put an email out through the HOA and didnt bother with an RSVP. Has anyone here done something similar?

 

[Nitwit]

Cookies and punch would be nice. I bet the kids will love the trains and you'll be a hit in the neighborhood.

 

[OXLion]

My father used to do this when I was a kid. He had a separate layout apart from the tree. We would start setting it up in November. His was an HO layout with four different trains running. Lots of lighting underneath for the buildings and such. We always provided some drinks and snack for those that came to see it.

 

[olelion]

My father used to do this when I was a kid. He had a separate layout apart from the tree. We would start setting it up in November. His was an HO layout with four different trains running. Lots of lighting underneath for the buildings and such. We always provided some drinks and snack for those that came to see it.

Oh yes, you have to go with a lighted village and mountains too! I have no idea how to post photos or videos, or I would do that

 

[fairgambit]

Every year at Christmas I put up a train layout under the tree. This year it's a 10' X 12' platform with 5 'O' gauge operating trains. I'm considering an open house for the neighborhood kids. I've never done anything like this and was wondering if I should provide refreshments. I've put an email out through the HOA and didn't bother with an RSVP. Has anyone here done something similar?

Nice idea. I do think, as Nitwit said, cookies and punch would be nice. I'm not sure how many kids you are talking about, but be sure to have enough adult supervision. Maybe ask a couple of neighbor adults to help you out. Good luck. Let us know it works out.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

You guys who are into model trains or toy trains, if you ever get the chance stop in and see the PSU Model Railroad Club's layout. They have an open house a few times a year, one is usually the weekend after Thanksgiving. It's in the basement of Pinchot. I used to take my son up there to see it when he was little. It's great, I believe it's free (they ask for a donation).

 

[psuro]

I have always wanted to do a train set/village layout- start from scratch and build it up. Unfortunately, neither of the homes I have purchased had the room to do so. But, I love those things.

 

[olelion]

So, how do I upload a video?

 

[olelion]

I have always wanted to do a train set/village layout- start from scratch and build it up. Unfortunately, neither of the homes I have purchased had the room to do so. But, I love those things.

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They do require space, and time. It takes me three weeks to get it up and running. Fortunately the living room easily accomodates it.

 

[psuro]

But this is still the coolest model set up I have ever seen

 

[olelion]

But this is still the coolest model set up I have ever seen

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Yep, that one and the Carnegie Science center (Buhl)

 

[91Joe95]

So, how do I upload a video?

If you don't have a YouTube account, set one up, its easy. Then you can upload videos quite easily and copy their url's to the media button on this site.

 

[kgilbert78]

But this is still the coolest model set up I have ever seen

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Is that the one in Hamburg?? It was on my list this summer until our trip got cut short by FIL's illness.

 

[psuro]

Is that the one in Hamburg?? It was on my list this summer until our trip got cut short by FIL's illness.

Yes.

 

[olelion]

If you don't have a YouTube account, set one up, its easy. Then you can upload videos quite easily and copy their url's to the media button on this site.

Ok, I've posted on youtube but that's as far as I got

 

[Obliviax]

 

[OXLion]

Oh yes, you have to go with a lighted village and mountains too! I have no idea how to post photos or videos, or I would do that

Mountain with the tunnel in it of course and the trestle bridge!

 

[olelion]

Mountain with the tunnel in it of course and the trestle bridge!

Yep, I built a 7 foot replica of a suspension bridge

 

[kgilbert78]

I still use the old 4 X 8 platform my dad built me in 1960 for Christmas shortly before his open heart surgery (he survived and lived until 2011). The trains that came with it have gone in part to my nephew, as I don't have kids to pass them on to (an old Santa Fe diesel)--the layout currently has the old Reading T-1 loco modeled on the one I rode behind on the old Iron Horse Rambles back in the early 1960s. The original is being restored in Cleveland--and for Christmas, my wife got me a "Fire up 2100" T-shirt from them.

 

[91Joe95]

Ok, I've posted on youtube but that's as far as I got

Open YouTube in a browser. It has to be in a browser because you need the web address, the app won't work for that part. Copy the web address for the video you want. Come back to this site, and click on the button next to the one to insert a picture. It looks like a piece of movie film, and it may be captioned as insert media. Just paste the YouTube web address into the dialogue box that pops up.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

I used to love the smell of the crackling electricity (ozone like smell) that our set emitted.

 

[lionroar88]

The Carnegie Science Center has nothing on Roadside America http://roadsideamericainc.com/

olelion - come on over to the CTT Forum - http://cs.trains.com/ctt/f/95.aspx stop by The Coffee Pot had sit a spell.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

I used to love the smell of the crackling electricity (ozone like smell) that our set emitted.

Is that smell like the bumper cars at Knoebel's? I wish that smell came in a spray can.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Is that smell like the bumper cars at Knoebel's? I wish that smell came in a spray can.

No doubt! Yeah, it's the bumper car smell.

 

[olelion]

No doubt! Yeah, it's the bumper car smell.

That's it. I have one running this year

 

[olelion]

Open YouTube in a browser. It has to be in a browser because you need the web address, the app won't work for that part. Copy the web address for the video you want. Come back to this site, and click on the button next to the one to insert a picture. It looks like a piece of movie film, and it may be captioned as insert media. Just paste the YouTube web address into the dialogue box that pops up.

I'm just not tech savvy enough. I put them in my account on you tube but nowhere do I see a URL when I access them

 

[kgilbert78]

The Carnegie Science Center has nothing on Roadside America http://roadsideamericainc.com/

olelion - come on over to the CTT Forum - http://cs.trains.com/ctt/f/95.aspx stop by The Coffee Pot had sit a spell.

The Cincinatti Museum Complex, house in the old Art Deco Cincinatti Union Terminal, has the Cincinatti in Motion layout:



It even has old Crosley Field with a ball game...

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Very Nice!....but you want to know what is missing from these layouts that would make them 100% realistic? Camps of homeless, graffiti, and garbage, tons of it; old washing machines, refrigerators, shopping carts and plastic shopping bags hanging in the trees.

I ride trains everyday.

Sorry about being a killjoy

You can buy freight cars and kits to paint rolling stock with graffiti for model rrs. How about miserable employees? Now that would add some realism!

 

[psuro]

Very Nice!....but you want to know what is missing from these layouts that would make them 100% realistic? Camps of homeless, graffiti, and garbage, tons of it; old washing machines, refrigerators, shopping carts and plastic shopping bags hanging in the trees.

I ride trains everyday.

Sorry about being a killjoy

You take the NEC line on NJ Transit, don't you?

 

[MtNittany]

Is that smell like the bumper cars at Knoebel's? I wish that smell came in a spray can.

There are only a few things that smell better than that.

 

[jp3272]

I have always wanted to do a train set/village layout- start from scratch and build it up. Unfortunately, neither of the homes I have purchased had the room to do so. But, I love those things.

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Ro- you're in south jersey correct? You may want to check out the trains on display in Bordentown City's Old City Hall through Jan 7. Some labors of love that some local hobbyists put together for the holidays.

 

[psuro]

Ro- you're in south jersey correct? You may want to check out the trains on display in Bordentown City's Old City Hall through Jan 7. Some labors of love that some local hobbyists put together for the holidays.

Oh cool, thanks. I will do that.

 

[Royal_Coaster]

You gotta throw a few strands of tinsel on the track to make it spark.

 

[sluggo72]

The Carnegie Science Center has nothing on Roadside America http://roadsideamericainc.com/

olelion - come on over to the CTT Forum - http://cs.trains.com/ctt/f/95.aspx stop by The Coffee Pot had sit a spell.

we had an exchange student from Japan stay with us back in the early 70's, we took him over the mountain to Roadside America. We then went to the gift shop, back then when you turned something over, it said, 'Made in Japan'. He turned something over and said, 'I never knew my country made such junk'.

 

[sluggo72]

I'm just not tech savvy enough. I put them in my account on you tube but nowhere do I see a URL when I access them

perhaps this helps. Are you on a computer, phone or ipad?

 

[91Joe95]

I'm just not tech savvy enough. I put them in my account on you tube but nowhere do I see a URL when I access them

You're practically done. Its the https://www.YouTube.com/blahblah web address. I'm in a mobile browser, so mine starts with an m. Here's a sample web address from YouTube:

https://m.youtube.com/ watch?v=8WhKk7p4fZQ

Here's it pasted into insert media dialogue box:



As long as your YouTube account isn't set up for private viewing, which isn't the default, you should be OK. (Its in settings if you're curious.) You can always paste the link to the video if you still have problems and we'll get the video in to the thread.

 

[mikeinpenna]

But this is still the coolest model set up I have ever seen

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I saw that on NatGeo or some other spot last year. Amazing stuff!!!

 

[psulongago]

Every year at Christmas I put up a train layout under the tree. This year it's a 10' X 12' platform with 5 'O' gauge operating trains. I'm considering an open house for the neighborhood kids. Ive never done anything like this and was wondering if I should provide refreshments. I've put an email out through the HOA and didnt bother with an RSVP. Has anyone here done something similar?

 

[psulongago]

Nice idea to show the trains but I would be afraid to feed the kids unless they have parents with them. Can't take a chance on just one child getting ill.

 

[81b&w]

I know this is a big jump off topic but anyone remember the round iron slag balls that you could find all over next to the railroad tracks? Use to walk along the tracks with a slingshot, they were the perfect ammo. A friend and I were just talking about them the other day, the reason I ask