Downsize ?

[sir james I]

I couldn't do it. Boxed and stored if necessary.

3 for sure, like others my childhood trains.

2025 W/green and gray passenger cars.

2344 NYC freight set.

My first electric train Marx 999 freight set.

S.J.

[KRM]

WOW tough question. Like others I would work backwards from the start for most. With 40+ it would be hard to decide. But the ones from when I was a kid I will die with. They would be,

1934-36 American Flyer Steam Engine  3323 and the rest of the set.

The  WILLIAMS CROOKS 4-4-0 - STEAM LOCO  and the rest of the set

Lionel # 202 Union Pacific Alco Diesel with Headlight. Orange with Black Markings and the rest of the set

Lionel ALCO engine set 218P-218C-218C-218T from my dad

Then our,

 Sears Uncatalogued Lionel Postwar freight set 9643 w/ Boxes and Set Box

That makes 5 but I could not stop there.

The 1948 1000 HP EMD NW2. Diesel Switcher from General Models Corporation 

The 218 Santa Fe  ALCO FA-2 Powered Four Motor ABA set, Custom built set

The Lionel Alaska  ALCO FA-2 Powered two Motor AA set, Custom built and painted engines and the rest of the set.

Past that I guess I could work through some others. Just shoot me. I don’t want to sell any of them.  

 

[phrankenstign]

I would have to save two sets:

1) My dad's O27 set headed by #233.  It started my interest in trains.  I grew up with it's smokestack providing plenty of smoke to fill whatever room it occupied, with its headlight always illuminating the way ahead.  Its whistling tender was always close behind alerting everyone of its important missions delivering goods of all kinds when needed.  No matter how long the train, the crew in the caboose always made sure everything scheduled was accomplished.  I've always been impressed by the engine's durability over the years.  It's crashed countless times, and yet it it still works fine.  All the cars do have battle scars, but it only adds to the memories of fun times.  Marker lights, steps on the tender, and the roof on the caboose have all suffered damage, but that's what makes them unique and all the more valuable to me.

2) The first Lionel Large Scale Thomas set.  My son and daughters grew up playing with it every year.

3) If I had just a bit more room, I'd have to also take the first Lionel Large Scale James set.  The Troublesome Trucks and Annie & Clarabelle hauled loads of Barbies, figures, and all kinds of other freight, yet always arrived on schedule to their destinations.  Thomas and James proved to be very useful engines.

All three trains have graced nearly every Christmas around the tree since entering my life.  The only real time they didn't, was the three years I served in the USAF in R.A.F. Mildenhall, Suffolk, England.

 

Of the rest of the trains in my collection, I enjoy many of them---especially the operating ones.  Yes, they are a lot of fun, but the impact the three sets had in my life is more important to me above all else.

[rtraincollector]

Mine were my choices of ones I have but if not limiting to 5 I would blow this exercise out lol. 

[Firelock76]

Not limited to five?  Whew, that makes it a bit easier.  OK, here goes...

Post-war Lionel:

The 2018, the 2055, the 2056, the 736.

Modern:

MTH Class J 611, MTH UP 119, MTH "General."

Special Class:

Marx "William Crooks" 4-4-0.  I've had that one since I was seven years old!  Still runs, but I don't use it often.

Good exercise here, really makes you work the old "brain housing group."

[traindaddy1]

LL675:  RobMCC: rtraincollector:

Appreciate your replies.

Note: Didn't mean your choice of ours or limiting the number to five. Only your personal choices based on your own collection. 

Fifedog: We too, but it was very tough to decide. 

Thanks.

[rtraincollector]

I agree with Rob that my 221 would not go anywhere. No ties but I have the blue/silver passenger cars that go with it. My 2372 B&M train set as it is a replacement for the set I got as my first train set. 

Getting down to just 5 is real hard for me as so many I just enjoy looking at seeing I don't have a layout. 

Definitely one of my Williams Scale GG1, 736 ( 4-8-4 ) and probably my 262 prewar engine. 

But theres so many others I would have a real hard time letting go. 

[robmcc]

I was actually thinking about a similiar scenario last week while watching the Irma (and Harvey) news coverage. If I could only keep 5 locomotives, my first choice would my 221 2-6-4 New York Central. It was my dad's first locomotive as a kid and he handed it down to me, so it has irreplaceable sentimental value. After that, it would be 2373's and a few modern Legacy diesels such as the ES44 and SD70 and the Dash-9 from the CP Grain Train set. A little bit of old and a little bit of new.

[fifedog]

All of them.

I need all of my engines.  (Certainly don't need any more...)

I was facing a downsize of available layout room availablity during our move last year, but that panned out in my favor.  I was still prepared to make do with a small layout, thinking of building vertically with a multi-tiered track design.

What I am doing is downsizing the width of my benchwork, constructing more module-like sections that can be moved more easily if needed.  If nothing else, I won't need to spend a lot on scenery.

 

[LL675]

I'm a steam guy, so those two are a given. After that the New Haven and Santa Fe. No interest in the Amtrack, diesel, plus I only collect the steam era.

[traindaddy1]

While we continue to enjoy the hobby, economics and circumstances have led us to downsize.

The layout still consists of four lines featuring traditional O27 tubular track and postwar accessories with Plasticville structures but the number of engines has diminished.

The remaining five: 

                        2035 K-4 Pacific Steam 

                        2046 NYC-style Hudson Steam

                       2350 New Haven EP5 Rectifier Diesel 

                       2353 Santa Fe F3 Diesel AA Unit 

                       8466 Amtrak F-3 A Unit

If you were to downsize, which engines would you save?

As always, many thanks.