I may not be 55 but my train almost is thanks to dad!

[Anonymous]

It was the fall of 1986 when I got home from school. My dad was there and he said "hey walter!! There is something behind the couch that you left there. I looked behind and there it was... a 2037. The number didn't mean much to me at the time, but the train sure did. That Christmas I got the first train present, a 1986 christmas car.

After he passed away it was loaded into a box to be left as a memory, not to be rehearsed, until now.

The day after Thanksgiving, my wife's first year in our new home, we were putting the tree up as most new married couples do yet something was missing.

There was no Train!!! For 12 long years there was never a train under the three and I became a man with only one vision, which was get my train. I went to moms house and told her I wanted it and carted it home. I unboxed it, put the rusty track together, rigged up the dusty transformer, slapped the train on, turned on the power, all it did was hum and shake. I immediatly turned off the train and thought - "my father gone, the train looks to be gone to, what a fitting epitah to a lost dream!

I began searching for the answers, and it led me from the internet, to a shop in gatlinburg (while on vaction), and a place in Cleveland. Ultimatly, I found this place where the guy told me step by step what to do!

I bought some stuff, came home, took it apart, and what did I find? Fifty Five year old dust. I began to work on each peice of track, each gear of train, and then last night at 11:30 flipped the switch and....

IT RAN!!! The thing zoomed around the track about as fast as the tears could come down.

Obviously - I have been to train shops and seen the 1,000 dollar engines, the 2,000 dollar set! The sounds of breaks and the music of CHUGA CHUGA, and yet, nothing sounds more like a real train then a boy , his dad, an old 2037 and two imaginations. As a man I now see that train with and old set of eyes and a new vision.

[spankybird]

That’s a great story, thanks for sharing it with us.

Welcome to the CTT forum


Do you live in the Cleveland area [?]

tom

[Dave Farquhar]

Great story. Just over a year ago I got my dad's old Lionels out and did the same thing. He had an 1110, a 2026, and a 2037. As I recall, the 1110 and the 2037 ran. The 2037 quickly developed a problem and needed some service, as did the 2026. I ended up paying $75 to get them both fixed up. I would have paid twice that if necessary.

http://dfarq.homeip.net/article/1336

[Chris F]

[:)][:)][:)] It is a great story![:)][:)][:)]

Hopefully, the story is just beginning. Does the smoke unit work? If so, smoke pellets just became available again - www.toytrainsunlimited.com . Alternately, the smoke unit can be converted to operate with the smoke liquid used with more recent locomotives.

Does the tender have a whistle? Check the bottom of the tender to see if it has a number stamped on it. If the number ends with "W" it should have a whistle; if it's a "T" it shouldn't. Restoration of a whistle tender motor is similar to that for the locomotive's motor.

What's the number on the transformer? Some transformers didn't have a whistle button, so it wouldn't matter if your tender did.[;)]

What kind of cars do you have? Be sure to lubricate the axles, and above all, check for tinsel!

[prewardude]

Great story! That's what toy trains are all about.

Welcome to the forums!

[#welcome]

[Buckeye Riveter]

[wow] [tup] [#welcome]

A great Christmas story that should be shared with your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. [:)]

[railfanespee4449]

A family friend's son passed away at 33. On a visit, I was given a dirty set with a 1666 in the lead I finally fixed it about a year ago. That is why I joined the forum. Now I have a Frisco GP, A UP Beep, and a metting a prewar 259e & a Camelback!

[Anonymous]

That's awesome. nothing is more satisfying than making something work that didn't work before. especially when you have so many memories attached to it. i'm still working on my fixing skills, but they're developing (slowly).

[Anonymous]

I just managed to get back on and was amazed at the responses to this post. These little toys seem to make great memories don't they.

Also to answer the Cleveland area - I am about 1 1/2 - 2 hours a way, I am closer to Tiffin which is about an hour a way from Toledo.

I am currently trying to get ideas to build a display.. That is what we origionally set out to do. I have a couple houses, some trees, and telephone poles.

I am also looking to buy only used trains. They don't have to be form the 50's but I think before the 90's.

Oh and thanks for the welcomes!

[Anonymous]

As far as train cars

I have 2 caboose (one lights), 2 tenders, a seachlight, a hopper, 2 crane cars (missing the rope and the shovel?) a 1996 Christmas box car, a passanger car that lights (kinda looks like a box car), 2 flat cars, I also have a 1989 set (santa fe - plastic train set (blue) cheaper set).

I don't really have a set, more like an it! :)

[spankybird]

If you are ever back in the Cleveland area (I live on the east side), drop me a line and stop by for a visit.

[Dave Farquhar]

wdavid74, there are plenty of sources of used trains out there. In just over a year, I've built a reasonably large collection and I really haven't spent that much. The majority is from the 1950s, with a little bit of stuff from the 1920s and 1930s. Some hobby shops will deal in used trains and those can be a good source, especially once the owner gets to know and what you like a little bit, and aside from that, I find them at antique malls and other less-likely sources. I also Ebay but I prefer to buy trains I've actually seen, as photographs can sometimes hide what you're getting.

My rule is that if it's O gauge and older than me, I like it. Since I'm not all that old, that covers a lot of ground.

[Anonymous]

Hey Dave, and SpankyBird - I wanna talk to you more about this - I am really interested in adding to my collection. I usta go to train shows all the time (with my dad). When I went to a local flea market over the summer, there is this guy that plays an electic piano. Anyway he was playing the old rugged cross. I remember listening to him and that happened to be dad's particular song.

Oh, spanky, I may take you up on that. Also, you will not belive the number of people that I talk to about this hobby. There seem to be a bunch of us. It's great.

Also my family and wife :) they are used to me never fixing anything, I generally make it worse. However, I guess I have selective mechanical ability!!!

[Anonymous]

When I was a kid 6 to 8 years old, there was a train that ran right by my old town. My dad would take me down there to watch it (mom cant belive I remember it). Anyway, they would park right in front of Route 4 to keep it open. My father talked these guys into letting me check it out. I remember he would boost me up there and I would walk the engine etc. I have been in box cars, and I think, refrigorator cars?, I just remember a couple being really cold!!! Mabey it was winter.

Anyway the engine of choice that came through town was Conrail. I am going to be a driving force to obtain one of those engines. I have seen the ones that say Conrail... quality, is it???? Bleh!!
I just want a good old diesel - also kinda been eyeballing a dual motor!!! Woot!