Interview With Nat Polk

[traindaddy1]

Texas Pete: Thank you for the link. As I read, it brought back many memories.

If you have read my previous posts, you know that I was "into" H.O. for a very long time. One of the reasons was that we lived in what is often called a "railroad flat". *  No real space for a real  "O" layout.

    *An apartment where the rooms ran in a straight line...if you wanted to go from one end of the apartment to the other end, you had to walk through each room which, of course, had two doorways....the "john" was out the front door and down the hall. ---Thank goodness, only one door!  Entry with a skeleton key, privcacy with a latch.

I still have my first H.O. engine, a 0-4-0 Rivarossi Dockside Switcher.  Polk's Fifth Avenue had a full floor dedicated to trains. Each visit was well worth climbing up those stairs. The staff was fantastic.  At that time, Varney kits were the thing and I kept losing parts. Polk's always came to my rescue.  

I worked for the old Chase. (Yes, they had a 'Blue Book' discount connection)  One of my locations was near Madison Hardware. Spent a number of lunch hours there. 

WOW, I sure can talk!    Again, thanks for the link. 

PS.....Sure have a lot to be thankful for....Happy Thanksgiving. 

[arkady]

That was a very interesting read, Pete.  Thanks for posting.

This paragraph in particular stood out for me:

"[Lionel] was indeed a legend during those years all travel and transportation relied on railroads. Steam locos pulled the passenger and freight trains. The distant whistle of the trains lived in the minds of everyone, young and old, with a promise of travel and adventure. Lionel was the link from fantasy to the closest promise of reality."

To me, that sums it up nicely.

 

[wallyworld]

Texas Pete

I found this link on another train forum.  It's the closest thing to a toy train related  "must read" that I've ever seen!

http://www.aristocraft.com/articles/nat/nattca1.html

It continues at the bottom of page 1, there's six pages.

Hope y'all enjoy it and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Pete

Thanks for the link. It was a terrific oral history transcript..As a back story...He knew everyone. It is fascinating to learn how the hobby has changed just by comparing his account  of a  more congenial time of manufacturing entrepreneurs who mingled socially to  what it is now. as a game of trademarks with nearly everything being subcontracted.to foreign outside vendors.  His view of the hobby declining due to the cheapening of the products lines, quality issues in the 60's rings a bell with similar issues today. So many entrepreneurs back then in the hobby..a great read.... 

Bruce

[Texas Pete]

I found this link on another train forum.  It's the closest thing to a toy train related  "must read" that I've ever seen!

http://www.aristocraft.com/articles/nat/nattca1.html

It continues at the bottom of page 1, there's six pages.

Hope y'all enjoy it and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Pete