[Nancy Jocoy]

We are finally putting together a set for the peices I have accumulated cause if we don't get it up soon the grandkids will not get the fond memories I had of train sets as a kid in Baltimore. We were going to reassemble the old DC set but a lot of rust on the rails, old transformer, etc. decided it would better to go with a newer set - which has some digital features.

It will be a three layer HO Marklin German set. 4 feet by 10 feet housed on top of the wooden boxes my husband built to hide the dog crates. (there, I told you it was dog related :roll: )

Anway - here is the track plan and a photo of the base on which the train will be assembled (still needs bracing) on the dog boxes. WE have since anchored the crates to each other and they are on casters which can move with effort.

We are working out the warp in the lumber. We used poplar it seems a bit harder than pine.

If anyone is good at German I need to come up with a name for my village that means place where everything gets messed up - the theme will be miniature disasters - guy hanging off roof with cat on top and ladder falling down, tractor in the farm pond, horse in the coaling station, drunk at the swtching station, baker with a fire, etc etc.

 

[Connie Sutherland]

VERY COOL!!!

I'm a railroad buff (steam) and always attend Railfair. I love what you are doing.

I think Unfallstadt means Accident Town.

 

[Lynn Cheffins]

neat hobby! - I like what you did with the dog crate hider idea, too.

 

[Nancy Jocoy]

Unfallstadt sounds kind of neat

When I was a kid every family had a "Christmas Garden" which was an assortment of trains buildings and figurines, rarely to the same scale. This was, appaerently a Baltimore speciality.

I don't t hink trains are so much interesting to kids anymore with video games and such. My daughter is keeping her little ones away from TV more than most -- my own kids did not have video games growing up but had a huge box of legos. Grandaughter already has Thomas the Tank trains and the old lego battery train set (no longer made) is waiting in the wings -but even a 4 year old will be able to operate the speed control on this one.

Ah well, today I need to get away from the trains and reorganize my cadaver stock. (after work, of course)

 

[David Frost]

My boys were both born in the early 70's. Of course I've bought them each a train. Somewhere in the boxes one accumulates over the years are two HO gauge trains. I've been meaning for years to pull them out and set them up. I just may do that this year.

DFrost

 

[Liz Monty]

My little train comes out every Christmas, just for me.

 

[Nancy Jocoy]

I love trains
What kind is that one - it looks like O or I gauge?
Does it run around the tree?
We tried that one year but the dogs thought that looked too fun.
Heck our tree is even elevated on a table (the tails and the ornaments just don't get along)

 

[Liz Monty]

Nancy, I have no idea what types of trains there are. I just love them.
The one in the photo is just about as toy like as you can get. It can go around a small table tree. Our cat loved it, and this year I will see how Bella does with it. We are definately going for the table tree this year with Bella around.

My uncle had a huge train set when I was little. It was on a table that came down from the wall on hinges and all the rails, trees, bridges, etc. where firmly attached to the wood base. It was so incredible. One day, maybe one day I might have the room to begin a set like that.