I Have Been Working on the Rail Road!

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Captain Ahab

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My family is big into trains, models, the real things you name it someone in my family is involved. My great uncle woudl build 1/4 scale steam locomotives and run them in a park outside of Baltimore. one of the locomotives he built is on display at the Smithsonian. My father is a well known (in train collector circles anyway) authorities on American Flyer model trains - he has a vat collection and has authored or co-authored a number of books about collecting these trains.

Anyway, for my son's 1st Christmas i talked the Old Man into letting me set up a 1936 Standard Gauge American Flyer Passenger set. Spent all afternoon getting stuff assembled and stuff. everything is up an running and I think my son is impressed - he burped at it :roll:


Oh Yeah - FishCop will be proud to know that this set of model trains was made in Chicago (this is before the company was bought by A.C. Gilbert (erector set guy) in 1928 and moved to New Haven Connecticut.

The Tree will go in the middle of course

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That's awsome Ahab about your Dad & Uncle, Gotta a legacy there. The train looks cool. So did you or do you have the train BUG?
 
FishingBuds said:
That's awsome Ahab about your Dad & Uncle, Gotta a legacy there. The train looks cool. So did you or do you have the train BUG?


I did when I was younger - then I got the fishing bug. Still enjoy the trains but I do not do anything with them (well I visit the museums and live steam railroads once in a while with the wife)
 
you know that really don't look little, how much feet of track is that? Or better yet how big did your dad build them?
 
Oh Yeah - FishCop will be proud to know that this set of model trains was made in Chicago (this is before the company was bought by A.C. Gilbert (erector set guy) in 1928 and moved to New Haven Connecticut[/quote said:
Very nice Capt. Not much of a train buff myself - had the regular Lionel ones growing up (mid 50's) they're probably worth a few bucks now if I had kept them. Certainly not the value of your family's collection is though. Remember to post a pic when the tree is up :)
 
FishingBuds said:
you know that really don't look little, how much feet of track is that? Or better yet how big did your dad build them?

Standard Gauge is the largest of the largest size you can get - so these are some really large toy trains - about 11/2 times the size of your typical Lionel set (which is know as "O" gauge) and 3 times as large as an HO set (which is 1/2 "O")

The Locomotive, tender and three passenger cars (shown in my photo) together are about 8 feet long.
 
some cool stuff you got there. I have a few (HO) scale sets but haven't set them up in years. I have the engines sitting on the fireplace mantle most of the year. They get replaced by Christmas stockings and decorations
 
That brings back Memorys Capt., my bro got the train set, the transformer and a couple sets of the old bubble lights from Pops, not sure what make it is but it has the Whistle and smoke that comes out of the engine.
 
The little guy looks like hes trying to figure out how to eat that thing, That train is huge!!!
 
My dad was a telegrapher with the CMSP&P railroad after he got out of the Marines. Used to go to work with him some nights and "help". His friend used to have a set up in the attic of a pole barn (about 10 car size) that was huge and very detailed. That guy also built working 1/8 scale steam engines for some big publisher in one of the northern Chicago suburbs. Sure wish I could remember where it was. We went there as kids the last day they had it open to the public as the old man had passed away and the widow wanted all of the tracks removed from the estate. I'm thinking it was Donnelly, as in the phone book guy.
 
Jim said:
Whats the biggest Gauge they make? I want something for the outdoors. Is there anything like that available?


Yeah there is. You are looking at "G" Scale which is very large. And VERY expensive. For a basic set (just the train - not the track or power, etc.) you are starting well over a grand. really neat stuff!

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