I began my 5' x 9' Lionel Postwar 027 layout in February 2006. I found a track plan in the December 2003 issue of CTT Magazine. In the following slideshow you will see my humble beginnings as I set up a temporary layout on top of my pool table and began to learn all about Lionel trains. I soon migrated to a permanent layout in the basement and over the years have modified and added to the beginning track plan, added scenery, backdrop, electrical hookups, control panel, wall decorations and shelving for all the Lionel postwar items that I've been collecting. The last picture shows the layout in it's current state in May 2013. It has been a fun journey so far and I enjoy working on and running trains almost every day. What an enjoyable and rewarding hobby!
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David,
What a great pictoral record of the history of your layout. I always enjoy seeing your photos. You illustrate that it isn't necessary to have a massive layout in order to have fun with your trains. Very nice display area too. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby
Northwoods Flyer
The Northwoods Flyer Collection
of
American Flyer Trains
"The Toy For the Boy"
Very nice video of a very nice layout David.
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
I need to let the wife watch this. She keeps telling me my trains are going to take over the basement. Although you have kept mainly to the same space. Enjoyed the vid!
David - that was really neat! Now the big question - which grew faster - the layout or your collection?
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Well done sir. Very well done.
As I am working on a not-so-small layout at a painfully slow rate, I almost wish I went with the small-but-running-trains approach myself.
Regards,
CJ Meyers
charliebrown I need to let the wife watch this. She keeps telling me my trains are going to take over the basement. Although you have kept mainly to the same space. Enjoyed the vid!
Apparently it's not the layout that takes over the basement,...it's the storage shelves!
I have figured out what is wrong with my brain! On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!
cjmeyers Well done sir. Very well done. As I am working on a not-so-small layout at a painfully slow rate, I almost wish I went with the small-but-running-trains approach myself. Regards, CJ Meyers CJ, I know the feeling of not being able to run trains as you are building the layout and even my small layout seemed overwhelming at times in the beginning. As I remember in the early stages it was exciting when there was at least a portion of the track laid in place and I would temporarily run power to it and watch a train go around for a while. Running the trains for me was the most important part of the hobby and that little bit of running would give me the enthusiasm to keep building toward my goal. Another exciting time early in the construction was when at least a little bit of the layout had a building, cars, people, a road and a tree or to, then I would begin to realize how exciting it would be when the whole layout would be landscaped. So, you might try this too, get at least a little something running on the layout, even if it's temporary. If you really enjoy scenery, get a small piece of your landscape in place. Keep going and excitement will certainly await you! David
CJ, I know the feeling of not being able to run trains as you are building the layout and even my small layout seemed overwhelming at times in the beginning. As I remember in the early stages it was exciting when there was at least a portion of the track laid in place and I would temporarily run power to it and watch a train go around for a while. Running the trains for me was the most important part of the hobby and that little bit of running would give me the enthusiasm to keep building toward my goal. Another exciting time early in the construction was when at least a little bit of the layout had a building, cars, people, a road and a tree or to, then I would begin to realize how exciting it would be when the whole layout would be landscaped.
So, you might try this too, get at least a little something running on the layout, even if it's temporary. If you really enjoy scenery, get a small piece of your landscape in place. Keep going and excitement will certainly await you!
David
Wish I had taken photos to document the evolution of my layout. Enjoyed this post and articles you have written over the years for CTT, particularly on building a transfer table. I have all the material to build one just need to expand my layout yet again to have the real estate to accommodate it.
For me, it's neck & neck on if it is the layout or the shelving that's taking over the cellar.
Keep it fun!
Papa D
Very nice video, really enjoyed watching the evolution of your railroad. It is really nice watching something like your railroad comes together. Very much appreciate how you documented your progress over the years. I'm going to watch the video again. Thank you for sharing! Bo
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