Holiday layout

[Kelly Shaw]

Holiday layout

[Anonymous]

I'll be putting up all the Christmas stuff at the beginning of Advent next weekend and that included lots of trains! Under the tree I'm planning on having a loop of standard gauge track with my Lionel 38 electric running on it. I'll also have 1 or 2 loops of O27 track with Marx and/or Lionel. The track extends out beyond the immediate area underneath the tree quite a bit and since the area right under the tree is rather crowded with trains, the presents are put beside the tree inside the track. I also set up each year a small layout on a board with ceramic Christmas villiage buildings (the smaller ones) with battery powered New Bright trains running that are somewhere between HO and S gauge. For the size of the buildings used in it HO would be too small and S gauge too big, so they fit in perfectly for it. I've also got one of those G scale Christmas sets that I'm going to have under the villiage layout.

[Anonymous]

My two-level, three-track 4x8 board is all ready to go under the tree (for the 4th year in this form). Greenleaf buildings, 027/042 curves on two ovals and one figure eight, and some basic scenery/scenic accessories make for a wonderful train experience.

Even better: as soon as the 4x8 is moved out of the place it's been since this past spring, I get to start on the benchwork for my permanent layout! Win/Win!

[clinchfieldfan]

Nothing fancy just a loop around the Christmas tree!

[prewardude]

I'll be setting up an O gauge loop around the tree as well. I'm getting tired of O gauge though - my heart keeps pulling me towards Standard gauge. Now if I can just find the funds for it!

[Roger Bielen]

In addition to my permanant layout I setup aloop around the Christmas tree for a Christmas train consist that is made up of cars I purchased or redecorated in a Christmas motif. You can find small "presents" at Michael's Craft store that look great in a gondola repainted bright red and a few Christmas decals added.

The grand daughter especially enjoy the Lional musical box car I bought a couple of years ago.

[Anonymous]

A circle of snap-track on a 4x4 around the tree. My wife said, "You have all those trains in the basement, can't you put one around the tree this year?"

[AKKevinT]

Yes!

I have a 4' X 18' layout with two loops, small yard with three operating accessories, yard lighting; a small town; and an airport with hanger, terminal and beacon. One half of the layout contains the majority of the operating stuff; switches; the yard; and small community. The other half is dedicated to the tree and presents. On the tree end the track loops around the tree very simple. Consolidating the one end with the controls, wiring and switches makes operating the layout easy and fun for anyone who visits and is interested. It will go up at Thanksgiving and come down at the end of January.

[BR60103]

It's not a Christmas tree without a train!
We picked up a battery powered one a few years ago that just fits in our space.

[Anonymous]

Yes.
I'm going to have a double loop of 027/ 031 with an MTH baby turbine pulling a Christmas train and 027/ 042 with probably a Williams GG1 pulling a small consist of Madison cars. Happy Holidays!

[WBENAK]

OF COURSE, CHRISTMAS IS LIONEL!!
I WILL RUN 072 FROM MY GROWN SON'S OLD BEDROOM (NOW STORAGE OF TRAINS) DOWN THE HALL TO THE LIVINGROOM, AROUND THE TREE (THEY DO GET IN THE WAY) AND BACK AS I HAVE SINCE MY SON WAS A CHILD. I WILL RUN MOSTLY POST WAR FROM THE 40'S & 50'S AND TAKE JOY IN REMEMBERING THE CHRISTMASES I RECIEVED EACH PIECE. I HOPE EACH OF YOU HAVE WONDERFUL MEMORYS OF CHRISTMAS MORNING AND THOSE NEW ADDITIONS TO YOUR LAYOUT.

[DanHorleyAF]

I have a permanent layout (HO) in my basement, that gets dusted off about three times a year, and I "try" to get it running for the holidays. Between the track and the engines and car wheels, I'm always having derails, so need at least two people to operate. Even with the problems,, still have fun.

[rrcrazy]

My wife gets upset when the Lionel Trains don't go up around the tree. We have a Department 56 skating rink that we used last year. Also, we have a Zamboni train with flat cars shipping our Zamboni collection. I had made a Zamboni car three years before Lionel came out with theirs!

The event, however, was two years ago when as a demonstration for my nephew (4 at the time) we kept tacking on cars to the Lionel #2056 4-6-4. We got 14 cars around the loop three times before a coupler uncoupled near the head end and the engine took off, causing quite a collision!

He was scared, but the rest of us laughed because we knew no damage was done. My sister tried to reassure him because she was present for many a collision when she was his age!

[Anonymous]

[:)]As usual we will have my Marx O gauge around the tree but this year it will be in running order. Nothing super special about it EXCEPT it was the first Christmas present I got (in 1941) and I have had the sam old train since.

But now I have my new found "Big Boy Toy" in the form of an N gauge shelf type small layout with a Southern RR 2-8-0 Bachmann locomotive and a handful of of MicroTrain Line cars that I am beginning to assemble. (My wife loves playing "Little Village" BTW).

My first adventure in model trains since I built an HO layout for my son (now 35) back in the mid 1970's.

[Anonymous]

Would not be Christmas without the trains around the tree.
2055 will lead off. Got it new in 1955. The old 1952 Marx will get a chance to run also as will some pre-war and post-war additions to the roundhouse.

[turbine682]

Yes, simple 4 x 9 oval (O42) with dummy siding (Check out that Ross Custom Switches and Track!). Roster consists of Lionel 682 Turbine, 2056 Hudson, 736 Berkshire, Lionel Year 2000 Celebration J3a, and post-war rolling stock.

Happy Holidays to All!
--Ed

[Anonymous]

You bet I am. We have a new granddaughter. I've got to get her started loving toy trains as soon as possible. It will be a simple loop with my old AF steamer. I' a purist with my memories.

[Anonymous]

I'm thinke'n of setting up a double oval layout with the tree in the middle, a gang car line in one of the corners, and with the KW and 90 watt transformers. nut'n special.