# It Happens Every Christmas



## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

I get interested in toy trains again. Almost every year I can't help myself and I buy 3 or 4 vintage Lionel trains off ebay. Sometimes I don't even bother to set them up or attempt to run them. I don't really collect them and I'm not all that fond of running them. It's just getting them and occasionally looking at them. I may from time to time display a set on a shelf. 

I think my "it happens every Christmas" thing came upon me when my father gave me a Lionel train set for Christmas (ca. 1959). We were poor and dad saved to get it for me. I loved that train until I thought I was too old to play with trains so I sold it to purchase some stupid hunting gear. I have always regretted that move. We grow too soon old and too late smart.

This year my buying has started a little early with a simple little Scout engine with two cars (see seller video link). I actually like these "starter trains" because to me they represent the average kid of the 40's and 50's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D63A3NpEmKk&feature=player_embedded


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## pookybear (Feb 3, 2011)

Ah yes

the Christmas bug. Just got a Lionel 339 passanger car for the family 
Christmas train set. Now I got that long coveted four car for the set.
Really could have used that like 30 years ago. ^_^

So yeah I hear you with going out and just buying stuff.

Pookybear


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I think I'm gonna need more Christmas trees if I wanted enough real-estate to run my trains 'round the presents and such!

There's something about the Christmas youthful spirit that connects with old fashioned trains ... especially Lionel. Great nostalgia!

TJ


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

pookybear said:


> Ah yes
> 
> the Christmas bug. Just got a Lionel 339 passanger car for the family
> Christmas train set. Now I got that long coveted four car for the set.
> ...


Nice passenger car!


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

tjcruiser said:


> I think I'm gonna need more Christmas trees if I wanted enough real-estate to run my trains 'round the presents and such!
> 
> There's something about the Christmas youthful spirit that connects with old fashioned trains ... especially Lionel. Great nostalgia!
> 
> TJ


You are so right. Childhood memories do follow us all through life. I grew up in an era when kids played in their own yards. Boys did trucks, trains, Erector sets, being the man of the house, etc., and girls did dolls, dress up, and played being mothers, etc.. Today that's all reversed lol

For many of us old "baby boomers" we're trying to bring back a little of the excitement and security we knew as children. Some of us find a little of this in collecting the toys of our childhoods.

I do feel sorry for kids today.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

For what it's worth, a link to my Christmas train poem, from a while back. I still have hope that our kids today will end up on an OK track ...

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=5622

Regards,

TJ


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

tjcruiser said:


> For what it's worth, a link to my Christmas train poem, from a while back. I still have hope that our kids today will end up on an OK track ...
> 
> http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=5622
> 
> ...


Good poem.

The way kids turn out depends on each individual home. The culture changes and new toys are loved but a good secure home stays with a child throughout his lifetime.


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## pookybear (Feb 3, 2011)

DJTrains said:


> Nice passenger car!


Yeah DJ,

Took me a year to find one that would match the set wear wise. So
this week I shall be stalking the mailman. ^_^'

Pookybear


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## 93firebird (Dec 25, 2011)

I totally got bit by that bug. This year I picked up the O gauge Polar Express set for the whole family to enjoy. Which means I get to build another layout in the basement!  This makes layout number four. One HO 7'x16', the Lionel running around the ceiling of the den, The coffee table N scale layout, and now the Polar Express theme. :thumbsup:


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

93firebird said:


> I totally got bit by that bug. This year I picked up the O gauge Polar Express set for the whole family to enjoy. Which means I get to build another layout in the basement!  This makes layout number four. One HO 7'x16', the Lionel running around the ceiling of the den, The coffee table N scale layout, and now the Polar Express theme. :thumbsup:


Awesome!

I'd like to see your layout.

That Polar Express movie is wonderful. I haven't seen it in years but I soon will. Good luck on that layout.


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

pookybear said:


> Yeah DJ,
> 
> Took me a year to find one that would match the set wear wise. So
> this week I shall be stalking the mailman. ^_^'
> ...


Ah! The mailman...COOL!


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## StratTone (Oct 4, 2010)

I know all to well about Christmas time and trains. 

My father (who passed away when I was 17, I am now 34) used to set up the train every year when I was a child on thanksgiving week and it would stay up till Janurary. I played so so much with that train and loved it expecting it to be passed down to me like with my father. But when I was young I don't think my dad saw in me the tech savey to keep the tradition (he was a mechanical engineer) so he gave it to his brother for his 2 boys.

Anyway I really got into how things work around 15-16 and I have been a gear head ever since. Now about 4 years ago I was up in New York visiting my grandmother and my Uncle who had the trains mentioned that he had them packed up and was going to give them to me to have with my boy. Dream come true!!!! It really really means so much to me to have something that my dad actually put his hands on. When the set got to GA there was a lot of stuff my uncle had messed up or perhaps lost or still has not sure so that was the bummer but the most important memory items were all there and I have been tinkering ever since and my 3 year old son loves them. I am so so so thankful to have them back where they started and I will teach and pass them on to my son. 

I have also been buying a little here and there to add to it but mostly been getting everything going. 

I got both No. 50 Gang cars going, the worm wheels replaced in my 2354, 665 tuned up and rolling, track all cleaned, some 022 switches repaired, and the old ZW cleaned fixed and working quite well. Then of course all the lubing of all the flat cars, caboose, operating cars, box cars, and hoppers. 

I still have to get some of the stuff fixed and replace all the plasticville stuff that was smashed in shipping. 

I also need to continue my reserach and "try" and remember what is missing to re-add back to the collection but I love sitting out in the garage working on these trains.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

We love success stories, especially the part about passing them down to your son(s).


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

StratTone,

Great to hear you are carrying on a family tradition and your Dad's legacy for future generations.

Sounds like you have the mechanical stuff under control ... if you hit any roadblocks, chime in with questions ... we have a good gang of pre- post-war guys here (experience, parts sources, etc.).

TJ


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

StratTone said:


> I know all to well about Christmas time and trains.
> 
> My father (who passed away when I was 17, I am now 34) used to set up the train every year when I was a child on thanksgiving week and it would stay up till Janurary. I played so so much with that train and loved it expecting it to be passed down to me like with my father. But when I was young I don't think my dad saw in me the tech savey to keep the tradition (he was a mechanical engineer) so he gave it to his brother for his 2 boys.
> 
> ...


Good story and I enjoyed reading it.

Sometimes we make big mistakes. I'm sure your dad thought he did the right thing at the time. 

When I was done with my childhood toys (kept in mint shape) I gave them to my brother's kids (back in 1965). I was the youngest and not married yet, my brother was a factory worker and had little money. I felt sorry for my nieces and nephews so I gave them my beloved childhood goodies. I had almost every tin toy I had ever been given. I respected them and was thankful for them. It was very hard for me to give them up. But I felt good inside helping the less fortunate. 

About 15 years later one of nephews laughingly told me they broke all those toys as fast as they could and they all laughed about it. Everything was in the trash within days. Thus the old saying "too soon old, too late smart." 

I'm glad you got your memories back even if they require some restoration.


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## StratTone (Oct 4, 2010)

Thanks for all the kind words guys. 

It really was a dream come true to get them back. I had thought about them for years and years. I had family members suggest many times that I ask for them back but that just wasn't something I wanted to do. I always felt that if my father wanted them to go to his brother then that was what he wanted and if they were meant to come back to me they would without me asking and the fact that they did was pretty amazing.

Right now I just have an oval set up and all the trains running smoothly on an 8' x 4' talbe I made. I plan on setting up 3 more 4' x 4' tables to go with it when we move into a bigger house next year so I can set up the switch tracks and have a nice lot for all the trains to pull into. 

So far I have been adding one flat car or box car a year for my son each year so he can see it grow and be a part of it. Real exciting for me since I hope to provide my little guy with memories I cherrish. 

Not to mention how amazed I am at the quality and longevity of these "toys". I am into 60's Tube amps already from playing guitar for so many years and made about 8 custom ground up tube amps so I have a love for things made back then. Now I'm just adding late 40s and 50s stuff to my list. haha I'm sure I'm not alone in the love for opening some old box with old stuff in it and just taking a huge wiff of that nice old smell of that old stuff.


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

StratTone said:


> Thanks for all the kind words guys.
> 
> I'm sure I'm not alone in the love for opening some old box with old stuff in it and just taking a huge wiff of that nice old smell of that old stuff.


Nope, you're not alone. 

I never make my old cars like new because I love that old car smell and I like a finish that's as old as the car or truck.

The same with my vintage Lionel trains. I want those scratches and that old metal/oil train smell. I don't understand why so many make their vintage trains look like new. To me that robs them of their story.


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## StratTone (Oct 4, 2010)

DJTrains said:


> Nope, you're not alone.
> 
> I never make my old cars like new because I love that old car smell and I like a finish that's as old as the car or truck.
> 
> The same with my vintage Lionel trains. I want those scratches and that old metal/oil train smell. I don't understand why so many make their vintage trains look like new. To me that robs them of their story.


Oh yeah I'm right there with you. I love a nice vintage guitar with the arm wear on the body and finger board worn from years of playing. That and every scratch has a story. I would never refinish something old of value unless it was already refinished poorly. Lol

But different stokes. I guess I can see why some people might want to even if I don't.


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

StratTone said:


> Oh yeah I'm right there with you. I love a nice vintage guitar with the arm wear on the body and finger board worn from years of playing. That and every scratch has a story. I would never refinish something old of value unless it was already refinished poorly. Lol
> 
> But different stokes. I guess I can see why some people might want to even if I don't.


Yes, very well stated.

I have to back up a bit and say I can to some extent understand why people recondition old vintage items. And as you wrote it's totally what brings someone pleasure. That's the bottom line in anything. 

But I have noticed an interesting shift in model railroading/modeling from the rest of the world of collecting vintage toys. It's common knowledge in all other avenues of toy collecting that one doesn't mess with the original finish. That law sort of goes out the window when it comes to trains.


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## StratTone (Oct 4, 2010)

Thats very interesting. I had no idea that a lot of vintage trains were being restored. I would have guess it was much like what I would do to an old amp. With a old amp I want to keep that thing as original as possible but you gotta do maintenance so I'll replace electrolytic caps that are leaky and old and anything that is bad. (which ususally isn't much) It kills me when someone brings me an old amp that someone gave at tuneup to and I see all new coupling caps, electrolytics, tubes, pots and so on. Ouch. 

But I'm new to the train thing really. I'm looking forward to many years of learning and seeing what others do. Oh and for me I'll probably approach this for quite some time just trying to get all the things I had back before I build to much but it is fun looking at all the cool things on ebay.


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

StratTone said:


> Thats very interesting. I had no idea that a lot of vintage trains were being restored. I would have guess it was much like what I would do to an old amp. With a old amp I want to keep that thing as original as possible but you gotta do maintenance so I'll replace electrolytic caps that are leaky and old and anything that is bad. (which ususally isn't much) It kills me when someone brings me an old amp that someone gave at tuneup to and I see all new coupling caps, electrolytics, tubes, pots and so on. Ouch.
> 
> But I'm new to the train thing really. I'm looking forward to many years of learning and seeing what others do. Oh and for me I'll probably approach this for quite some time just trying to get all the things I had back before I build to much but it is fun looking at all the cool things on ebay.


ebay has really brought the prices down on a lot of things. There was a peak about 2000. That year one could almost sell a bag of dirt on the bay for a good price. There were lots of new people on ebay and they had the idea that common vintage trains, etc., were scarce. Every train set was like if I don't get this one I'll never see another. I was a super seller back then and I'll tell you those days were profitable and fun. It ain't that way today.

I see nice vintage train sets for about half to 1/3 what they went for 10 years ago on ebay. But that's true for most things. I almost never sell anything on ebay anymore.


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## StratTone (Oct 4, 2010)

Ah yes I rember those days. I was way into guitars, guitar pedals, and amps back then and the prices were crazy. I could score local deals and sell on eBay for a killer price. Now it see prices are down, fees up, and shipping up. Just not worth it. 

But I don't mind buying there now. 

This will be a good time to pick up train cars and buildings when I figure out what they were. I need to look and see what sets may have exsisted they came with either the 665 and 2354 and go from there. I have no idea if when my great grandpa bought this stuff he started with a set or individual. But seems like a good start.


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

StratTone said:


> Ah yes I rember those days. I was way into guitars, guitar pedals, and amps back then and the prices were crazy. I could score local deals and sell on eBay for a killer price. Now it see prices are down, fees up, and shipping up. Just not worth it.
> 
> But I don't mind buying there now.
> 
> This will be a good time to pick up train cars and buildings when I figure out what they were. I need to look and see what sets may have exsisted they came with either the 665 and 2354 and go from there. I have no idea if when my great grandpa bought this stuff he started with a set or individual. But seems like a good start.


I don't recall what brand of trains you have but if it was Lionel there's a two VHS set called "Century of Lionel Trains" with Tom Snyder . I got mine at a garage sale for like 50 cents. I see they have it on Amazon for $3 in used condition. Whatever your brand there's probably a video on it's history. This could help in identifying items of the past.


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## StratTone (Oct 4, 2010)

DJTrains said:


> I don't recall what brand of trains you have but if it was Lionel there's a two VHS set called "Century of Lionel Trains" with Tom Snyder . I got mine at a garage sale for like 50 cents. I see they have it on Amazon for $3 in used condition. Whatever your brand there's probably a video on it's history. This could help in identifying items of the past.


Yeah I guess I left that part out. lol Thanks for the tip I'll have to grab that. 

Most of my stuff is Lionel and it is all 3 rail O/O27 stuff.


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## t44florida (Oct 24, 2012)

I never got a train for Christmas... felt like I missed out somehow. But years later, I bought my son trains and we played together. I got to fill in that missing part. My son and I enjoyed many trains. His/our first was a tiny little engine that moved by vibration. I he would play and laugh. Then there was simple bump and go engine that ran on the floor. It chugged, blew smoke and whistled... when it hit an obstacle it changed direction. Then came Thomas and later real sets. We still "play" with trains to this day.


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

t44florida said:


> I never got a train for Christmas... felt like I missed out somehow. But years later, I bought my son trains and we played together. I got to fill in that missing part. My son and I enjoyed many trains. His/our first was a tiny little engine that moved by vibration. I he would play and laugh. Then there was simple bump and go engine that ran on the floor. It chugged, blew smoke and the whistled... when it hit an obstacle it changed direction. Then came Thomas and later real sets. We still "play" with trains to this day.


Good story.

My first train set was a windup. My brother bought it for me when I was 5 years old (1953). I still remember it like it was yesterday. When my parents sold the house I hid my train under the staircase. There was this board that moved so one could slide something under it. We moved and I forgot to get my train. I wondered if anyone ever found it. One day in 1997 (or so) I went back there and found that the house was gone.

Fun old memories.


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

StratTone said:


> Yeah I guess I left that part out. lol Thanks for the tip I'll have to grab that.
> 
> Most of my stuff is Lionel and it is all 3 rail O/O27 stuff.


Lionel 0 is my brand/gauge too. I sold my first Lionel set back in the early 60's (dumb). Man, I sure have done some stupid things in my life.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

DJTrains said:


> My first train set was a windup. My brother bought it for me when I was 5 years old (1953). I still remember it like it was yesterday. When my parents sold the house I hid my train under the staircase. There was this board that moved so one could slide something under it. We moved and I forgot to get my train. I wondered if anyone ever found it. One day in 1997 (or so) I went back there and found that the house was gone.
> 
> Fun old memories.


Great story ... a bit sad, though.

Long after we kids moved on, my parents sold the house we all grew up in. The new owners did a full gut renovation job, down to all of the studs. They invited us over for a look-see ... and to my surprise, we grown-kids found some long-lost toys that had krept into wall crevices, closet cracks and the like. Nothing valuable, but it sure brought back some fond memories.

TJ


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

tjcruiser said:


> Great story ... a bit sad, though.
> 
> Long after we kids moved on, my parents sold the house we all grew up in. The new owners did a full gut renovation job, down to all of the studs. They invited us over for a look-see ... and to my surprise, we grown-kids found some long-lost toys that had krept into wall crevices, closet cracks and the like. Nothing valuable, but it sure brought back some fond memories.
> 
> TJ


Good one.

Kids love to hide things and before they pass out of that early developmental stage they often suffer from temporary memory lapses. While the brain is developing the child can be playing in the yard with a toy and suddenly not know where it is even though the toy may only be a short distance away. So the child will either forget it or go crying to mom or dad :laugh: 

Today I remember coins I buried in our yards and one time I even buried a bunch of metal cars and trucks. Kids do the strangest things! There are lots of people who hunt old yards with metal detectors and often they find lots of toys, coins, jewelry, silverware, etc. Often these got there when kids raided mom and dad's room to find treasure for burying in the yard. Minutes after these things are buried they may forget they even did it or where they did it.


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

I think it was the start of the Christmas season four years ago, or just after that I wandered into a Sears while my car was getting an oil change at a shop next door, that I found a Bachmann HO starter set with EZ track. I bought it for less than 50 bucks, and used the extra tracks and rolling stock the first time I started this layout. Now in the current build, I still have the track (some of it in use), the power packs, and a few of the rolling stock. The loco still runs really well too. It was a great find at the time.

-J.


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

Mr.Buchholz said:


> I think it was the start of the Christmas season four years ago, or just after that I wandered into a Sears while my car was getting an oil change at a shop next door, that I found a Bachmann HO starter set with EZ track. I bought it for less than 50 bucks, and used the extra tracks and rolling stock the first time I started this layout. Now in the current build, I still have the track (some of it in use), the power packs, and a few of the rolling stock. The loco still runs really well too. It was a great find at the time.
> 
> -J.


I wanted to get into HO back in the 60's but all of a sudden girls became tremendously desirable. So the toy train thing sort of got forgotten for a bunch of years.


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

DJTrains said:


> I wanted to get into HO back in the 60's but all of a sudden girls became tremendously desirable. So the toy train thing sort of got forgotten for a bunch of years.


Women come and go, but the railroad is forever 

-J.


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## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

Mr.Buchholz said:


> Women come and go, but the railroad is forever
> 
> -J.


So true, so true :laugh:


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