Toy train operating and collecting

Recently I purchased a group of Lionel Train's from someone who no longer wanted to care for them.   They were left over from his childhood, and had been played with by his children.   Now their time to go had come, and I answered the ad in the newspaper.   After viewing them, there wasn't much that I was interested in, but there was a piece or two that I would like to ad to my trains.   So I ended up purchasing them and figured I would sell the rest.   That is probably better said than done as I had others too that I figured some day I would unload, its just that I am not into train shows, and the stuff I had was regulated to the back of a closet, or a box stored away someplace.   The trains I am talking about are the shorter version Lionel postwar trains.

 So after bring these trains home and deciding they need my tender loving care, and digging out the pieces of that size I have, I ended up with 35 cars and 4 engines of what I consider Lionel's little trains.  After viewing them all set out on one table, I told my wife, I think that this years Christmas train will be these little trains with D56 and Plasticville buildings.   While I had always sought out trains of 6464 size and newer Lionel, gathered together these little trains have thier own little niche.   Something as simple as 6014 boxcar, and a 6012 gondola, when massed with others of its size, I can see where it will present a different type of Christmas layout. 

By the title of this thread (and the other where I guess you got the subject up before you post), I wasn't sure what you were talking about.

Yes, Lionel made the less detailed and more affordable 027 line of trains, but I personally hardly consider them little - though they are smaller in size. they have a charm to them that is all their own. And you are right - especially on a smaller size layout - that a string of 5014 box cars and 6012 gondolas can look pretty impressive in their own way.

I personally repaint many of these smaller cars by Lionel, MARX and K-Line and with a little attention to decaling, can look pretty darn good. I always get surprised looks from other train guys when they see these smaller cars in CSX, Norfolk Southern, BNSF, CP Rail, Conrail, etc.

I'd be willing to bet that after running these cars on your Christmas layout, your feeling for them may become a little stronger. They may be "little" cars, but they're just as capable of making BIG memories as any other.

alank,

I have a Lionel 0-27 gauge Scout set ordered by two Maternal Aunts, from Santa, for Christmas of 1950 and other 0-27 gauge engines, tenders, cabs and freight cars acquired through the years and to me they're just as important, as the 0 gauge and Standard 0 scale items bought recently and when I run them there's a special significant feeling and rememberence I get, because all of them represent a happy occasion, past and present.

Enjoy Them,

Ralph 

 I know exactly how you feel.  Our layout has gotten more, not less, toy like over the years.  This summer a neighbor gave me his 2 postwar sets (2026 and 2055) and I am restoring them.  Since I know nothing about this sort of thing I have learned an awful lot in 2 months.  Those guys at LIONEL were geniuses and they made toys that last.  What's better than that?

The 'little trains' work well for forcing prespective in photograaphs of yout trains and train layout.  Start with scale size items in the foreground, and use the smaller items in the back ground. 

 One of my favorite trains to run is a 2037 2-6-4 engine pulling a string of 6014 boxcars and an SP caboose.

 J White

I run those smaller cars exclusively.I think they look better on a smaller layout. I have some pics posted of my re-paints at     community.webshots.com/user/otftch.

                                                                                                 Ed