What was your first train set?

[trainguy2]

Hmmmmmmmm ??? That's pretty hard to answer. I was born into a household where TRAINS were just as much a part of Christmas as the Christmas tree it self. See my grandfather who I never had the chance to meet, bought into the Lionel sales pitch, that trains bought a father and son closser together, so when my dad was born in 1938, he ran right out that xmas and bought him a Lionel 253 0-27 freight set. WOOOOOW !!!! So I bet your going to say that that was my first set and I'm a Lionel guy now ??? Wellllllll not exactly ...... see , after the war, { that's the WWII that I'm talking about} My dad was now 8 years old, train production had been resumed, 1946, and he asked for a passenger set for xmas to go with his freight set. So off to the train dealer my grandfather went again,, I say train dealer, cause back then it happened to be a drug store that sold trains lol and that xmas my dad found a Lionel brown and yelow City of Denver pass. set under the tree. Much to his dismay., the set had to be returned after xmas, because it only ran on 0-72 track and took up to much space. On return to the shop with his dad,,, there sitting on the self, was a brand new Americanflyer passenger set, with a sleek 320 hudson and 4 shiney red passenger cars,,,,,,, not 3 like the Lionel sets,,,, but 4 !!!!!! and realistic 2-rail track. He was hooked... he managed to get my grandfather to pay the then expensive price of $65.00 dollars for the set . In 1953 my dad , then a teanager, worked in that same drug store after school to buy himself the brand new 293 amflyer freight set and a 30b transfomer.. So i guess you could say that when I came along in 1959 that I was a 3-rail,,,, 2-railer lol...as you read this and ask yourself, how does he know alll this stuff............ my dad, just like his dad bought into the lionel theory that trains bought a boy and his dad together and boy were they right....... more when i've got time thanks for listening

[Anonymous]

I guess I am the first one here to have gotten the 1862 General Set. I still have it and it's presently running on my layout. It came with the mail and passenger car and the wood tender car, track and tranformer. I got it for Christmas 1961 when i was but 5 years old. I actually have movies of me taking it out of the box ( wish I still had the box!) and then movies of it running on our first layout with my older brothers freight train he got. I also got the 3672 Bosco car and operating news stand. ALL my original pieces from my very first layout including buildings and people, switches, drop gate, and works, I still have today and it is all on my layout along with all the added additions. I love that set and would never part with it. it's the reason I love trains today.

[watinva]

My first set as a child was a 1960 Lionel 4 car C&O Diesel set which had a rocket launching car, helicoptor flatcar, and a exploding box car. Still have the set and it still runs.

When the boys were young I built a little HO (what was I thinking?) layout on a 4 by 8 sheet of plywood. That was it for many years. Always liked trains as a adult but really did'nt get into the hobby until a few years ago.

We moved from northwest Indiana to Roanoke Virginia few years ago (about 11 now) and found out what a great train town Roanoke is with all the N&W history, O Winston Link, etc.

Well I am now in the process of planning and building a little o gauge layout in the basement. Been buying stuff via web and local shops and have a few steamers, diesels, cars, and accessories. Great time for O gauge with Lionel, MTH, K-Line, and many more including Williams. Really like Williams Diesels and Steamers as they are priced right for me and I like the recreates of the post war lionel stuff. I am now the proud owner of a Williams SP Daylight GS4, Seaboard Switcher, and my latest, just arrived addition, a Monon BL2 Diesel and caboose.

I really enjoy this forum and the other o gauge mag forum and have learned a great deal by reading all the great information posted. Thanks to all for sharing your knowledge about this wonderful hobby.

[Anonymous]

My first 'real" trainset was a lionel 2026 loco white Baby Ruth boxcar, black Lionel Lines gondola AND red Lionel Lines caboose. Was Christmas 1950 . I still have the set complete with boxes ans setbox . It still runs excellent.
Paul

[siberianmo]

[2c] On the subject:

My first electric train came in the form of a Lionel O-27 freight set given to me at Christmas in 1948 (I think!). That train was my best friend for years to come and taught me one hulluva lot about things all 10 year olds should know. Electricity (wiring, polarity, etc.) - mechanics - judgement regarding speed - attention to detail - care and saving my meager nickels and dimes to purchase accessories. [yeah] Something else perhaps lost for our kids as we "progress" into yet another century. But, that's 'nother subject, huh [?]

Now, the set - well, I've never been able to reconstruct that set (on paper) nor have I found the exact nomenclature for it from any of the leading Lionel guides on the market. Trust me, I've checked 'em all ......

The loco was a PRR S2 (#2020) steam turbine - 6-8-6 with Magne Traction.
The tender carried Lionel Lines markings and was equipped with a great whistle.

Five cars came with the set, which I still to this day have a hard time recalling the precise descriptions of because I added so many others over the years:

..... An operating searchlight car (grey)
..... A gondola car
..... A operating crane car (black) w/Bucyrus Erie markings
..... An operating log car (black)
..... A wrecker caboose (grey) w/DL&W markings

All of this was powered by Lionel's standared 90 watt transformer, later replaced by their KW 190 watt jobber ..... great addition!

I recall adding 3 passenger cars (green with Maplewood, Chatham and Hillside name plates), a switcher engine (PRR) and about 6 more freight cars. Oh yes, there were 2 sets of remote control switches (2L, 2R) and a 90 degree cross track.

The set I had was very similar to the O-gauge 2225WS 5-car work freight shown on page 246 of Doyle's Standard Catolog of Lionel Trains - 1945-1969, but again, mine was O-27.

What happened to the set [?] It, along with everything else connected with the trains disappeared once I entered the military ....... never saw 'em again.

One thing that cannot be sold off or discarded are the great memories! [tup]

Thanx for the trip down memory lane!

[Anonymous]

My first Lionel "O" was in 1948. The steam engine, (long ago traded "up" to first the Rock Island Aloco duo, then re-traded to the SR F-3) had whistle and smoke. I still have the shorty gondola, the steel 'Sunoco' tank car and the caboose. My railroad grew by one car or another thru my highschool years, then got packed away, when I went away to college and career. I brought it out of hiding a couple of years ago, and promptly became one of E-Bays' busiest regulars, as I acquired many of the pieces I longed for but could never find the time, place or money for, back when prices were truly remarkable!....It's all going to be part of my 12x13 now that I've got some free time in retirement....

[marxalot]

The good old Marx "Allstate" as marketed through Sears around 1958. This set had the 1666 locomotive, wedge tender and several cars. My father got it for me and added in the flat car with two tractors, and some other track. The set came with a nice trestle set that allowed for up and over operations. I spent many an hour "floor running" this equipment. As brionel mentioned in his post Marx was just great at making things fun. Having that car with the tractors just naturally led to getting their plastic farm buildings etc. My mother gave that set away to the Goodwill when I was a teen! At 55, I hope to get over that. Luckily I was the sucessful e-bay bidder on a twin last year and I have added to it. Soon I hope to have the old HO layout down and a new 0 up...... but this all takes time........

Jim

[tmcc man]

my first set was a new Lionel Deluxe NYC freight set with a caboose, boxcar, and a flat car. This set was made in 1997, as i am only 15 now.

[Anonymous]

As a small child, I had various toy trains. My first "real" train was a Playmobil G scale set that I got when I was four years old consisting of a red diesel switcher, a brown gondola car, a yellow boxcar and a circle of track. It was electric and ran on LGB track, but was built for kids. There were little people that would go on and in it and the roofs could come off. It had a lot of play value. The story behind my getting this set is that my aunt found it at a toy store majorly on sale and since I was so into trains called my mom, who told her to get it. Soon after, straight track, a cattle car, a caboose and more people and other acessories were added to it. I still have it all and have even added to it with two passenger cars I found for $10 each at a toy store that was going out of business and more people and pieces purchased at garage sales.

When I was 6, I got a Bachmann HO circle set from a toy store in Minot, ND when my family went there on a summer holiday. It had a chrome ATSF Warbonnet F9, UP hopper car, RI boxcar and ATSF caboose. I already had an HO Union 76 3-dome tank car before this, even though I didn't have any HO trains. For Christmas of that year, I got an identical set (except all in CP Rail this time), a Canada grain hopper, EL boxcar, CN gondola with coal, extra track and an Atlas station kit. That HO empire grew rapidly as the years went by. I am still into HO today.

But what I always wanted as a kid was a Lionel train! My uncle had a Scout set as a kid. There is an old picture of him, my mom and my aunt playing with it. From the moment I first saw it, I wanted that train! Unfortunately, it had been sold long before I ever came around. At that time, my parents had put me under the erroneous impression that Lionel trains weren't made anymore and were all extremely expensive antiques. This made getting one seem all the more special.

When I was 10, my wish came true (sort of). At an antique show, I got a Marx set from a gentlemen who is now a very good friend of mine and I have bought many more trains from since. It was a 4-wheel plastic set with a 400 0-4-0, NYC tender, blue NYC gondola and bright orange NYC caboose. It was mint in the original box. There was also a 6-inch tin DL&W hopper car with it, plus a big pile of track. I had never heard of Marx, but was thrilled to have "an antique train with 3-rail track." For my 11th birthday, I got another simmilar Marx 4-wheel plastic set and before I was 12, I had received my first Lionel (a 400 MKT NW-2 in the rare variation with a grey base and yellow hand rails). Things continued to grow very rapidly from there! I'm 19 now and when I think about it, am amazed at how far I've come in less than a decade!

[Anonymous]

Lionel Scout, in 1951. Still pulling.



Bob
Never argue with a fool, a bystander can't tell you apart.

[hugoroundhouse]

My first rain was not a set, but rather an American Flyer 302AC with one chrome 661 passenger car. My dad got it used for me in 1953 or 54. He mounted some track on a 4X8 sheet of plywood that he would get out for us once in awhile. I was kind of aware that other kids had big lay-outs, but to me I had the world by the tail. We were poor, but then everyone else in town was, too, so I didn't know any better.

The train was relegated to storage for about 50 years. i dug it out and have spent way too much (according to my wife) getting both pieces into running condition. Indeed, what I've spent on reconditioning would have bought a dream layout in 1954. BUT it is well worth it!! Those two pieces now sit with my other American Flyer locomotives and rolling stock. They will probably end up being put in some kind of dust free chow case not because they are very valuable, but because they represent some of my happiest childhood memories. I have two sons and one grandson (so far), so one of them will have it passed on to them Flyers Forever!!

[John Krug]

See if anyone can beat this as the oldest! As a little guy during WWII, no trains were available and I inherited my Dad's Ives O-gauge set. A 4-4-0 #1123 with #130 buffet car and 2 - #129 Saratoga coaches. I still have them in beautiful condition. After the war, my first was a Lionel 0-4-0 #1656 bell ringer which I still have in running condition.

[Jumijo]

I think the trend toward less expensive trains has already begun. The high dollar stuff is never going to go away. But at least the low-end/beginner market is now being seen as a legitimate one with many interested buyers.

Jim

[4kitties]

It was a Lionel Scout set: - a 246 engine with 1130T tender, black 6175 rocket car, 6014 Airex boxcar, 6162 blue NYC gondola, 6476-25 coral LV hopper, a 6017 caboose, a 1015 transformer, and a figure 8 of track. I can't find it in any of the Greenberg guides, which makes me think that there are many uncataloged sets that aren't in print. Because it was a Christmas present and already set up for me, I never saw the box so I can't go anywhere with trying to verify this as a bonafide set. And yet I doubt the store where my mother bought it would have pieced it together from odds and ends.

I remember how much I disliked the pinkish color of the hopper as a kid, but I wouldn't part with it now. It's part of my fond childhood memories, and this wouldn't be "my set" without it.

Joel

[brianel027]

Interesting... quite a few here had MARX sets to start off with. Doesn't suprise me at all. Hence my current thinking that although some would say there are already too many companies making 3-rail trains, we are actually one company short: a company like MARX.

As the years go by, I gain more or more respect and admiration for all that MARX did and accomplished. I don't think it is too far fetched a statement that although Lionel may be the name synonymous with 3-rail trains, MARX did far more to introduce toy trains to the masses.

Somewhat ironic too that the company that owns much of the MARX tooling and dies, has more or less forgotten their own beginnings to go after the scale adult market. If I were in the financial position, I'd love to buy all the original MARX 027 dies and tooling and start a new company on the principles that made MARX the success it was.

By the way, my first set was also a MARX set that I got when I was barely a few days old. Followed shortly thereafter by a top line Lionel Super 0 set. And even though the layout I remember fondly was Lionel, I also remember having a lot of MARX accessories and stuff mixed in.

Funny how some think the future of the hobby means more technology, more realism, more scale proportions, etc. For some, maybe it does. I think for real growth in the hobby, the future means going right back to the past... with the practical, affordable, reliable, readily available kinds of trains that MARX made.

That's not to ignore the electronic and high-tech advances that have been made in the past 15 years. But when I look at the simplicity and ingenuity of MARX, I'm astounded how some of that stuff after years of use and beatings at the hands of kids - still works or can easily be fixed. Time will tell if these newer scale technological wonders will do the same.

[brucea52]

My first set was the Lionel Texas Special Alco set. Since I was forn there my Dad thought that this was an appropriate set. However I sold it in my bid to go smaller. I regret doing that and have plans to reassemble that set for my future collection. Does anyone know when that set was released?

[SchemerBob]

One of the first trains I had were the Learning Curve Thomas and BRIO wooden trains.

My first O scale train was the Lionel Chessie Diesel Freight set (2002). A month later at Christmas time, I got tons more[:D][:D].

[Anonymous]

Mine was a Lionel set from 1962 - a 4-4-2 steamer with a "giraffe" care and flat car and caboose. Still have it though it runs rough. Have to take into shop.

[Anonymous]

Marx army set. I remember barely cracking the throttle and that thing would take off like a dragster! I left O gauge for HO and the N but nothing satisfies like O.

[Dave45681]

1st ever: Lionel "Workin' on the RailRoad" set, late 70's. (Still have it at my parent's house - may still run, but has that crummy DC power pack thing - can't play nice with most other Lionels without modifying the engine). I do know I broke at least a few pieces of the "log loader" structure.

1st HO: Tyco "Railmaster 102" when I was interested while growing up(mid 80s sometime) (couldn't finance O gauge as a kid-this is also still at my parent's, I think). this has some sort of Virginian diesel with I am guessing 5 or 6 cars and a figure 8 over/under track setup.

1st once I had a "Real Job": Lionel N&W "Warhorse" Coal set with the J and the weathered coal cars. This one is in the next room over from where I am sitting now. :-)

-Dave

[Anonymous]

My first was a Hornby M1 clockwork. Had to work to earn the money, never had a train as a gift. The year was 1947, first Hornby to arrive here after WW2. Lionels were not imported after WW2.
Colin Duthie (NZ)

[mnwestern]

About 1967 or 1968, I received a Marx set for Christmas. Still have it. Looks and runs like new and is in original box. It is the UP 666 diecast steam engine, with an orange UP caboose, a purple/maroon auto rack with two panel trucks and two cars (still have those, too), a blue B&M sliding door box car and blue Erie (I think) gondola. Run it occasionally on our club's three-rail layout. (see pictures at: luceline.tripod.com) Played many hours with it on the floor with my cowboys and Indians, and WWII troops.
A couple of years later, I graduated to scale and received a Tyco HO set with blue/yellow Santa Fe F-unit, flat car, boxcar, hopper and caboose. Still have that set, too, in the original box.

[okiechoochoo]

Mine was the 2023 Union Pacific Alco Anniversary set, Got it in 1951.

[1688torpedo]

Mine was a Lionel Broadway Limited from Christmas of 1974 and I still have it. Before that it was just a Tyco Ho with a Santa Fe F-3 Diesel and some freight cars,No longer have that one.

[daan]

Mine was a france TGV from Lima, a Italian h0 manufacturer..

[cnw1995]

1974: A Tyco HO Burlington passenger set - an F unit, and 3 passenger cars. - sold.
2000: A Lifelike 'Yardmaster set' with a Rock Island GP18 and 3 freight cars - traded.
2002: A Lionel Ballyhoo Circus trainset.

[Tom1947]

Mine was an American Flyer set I received for Christmas in 1956. The set included an Atlantic 307 engine, Gulf tank car, log car, box car, coal car, condola and caboose. I still have the set and have added engines and cars over the years.

[tcripe]

Mine was an early 50's Lionel Scout set - don't know the set number, but it came with the black gondola and orange Baby Ruth boxcar. Dad also got a Marx semaphore, crossing gate, and crane. It was set up in a figure-eight on a 3' x 6' plywood board. Sadly, it is gone. I loaned all my trains to a friend who had two boys, and eventually they traded it for some HO stuff.
- Terry

[Jumijo]

Mine was a Lionel Rock Island set with an 8304 steam locomotive. That would have been sometime in the very early seventies. I've recently come back to the hobby and have purchased several new O27 sets "for the kids". I like the toy-like look and sounds of them. I also have 2 locomotives that pre-date me. One is a 1952 Lionel 2034 that needed a good home. That one came with the caboose, gondola, and tender, all for $20! The other is a 1947 Lionel 2025 with nickel Baldwin wheels.

Still on my wish list is the new Lionel SF El Capitan set, a Williams Turbine, 726 Berk, a 2056 Hudson, A Seaboard switcher, . . .

Jim